The weather is starting to change as the new season approaches. You step outside your front door in the morning and notice that there is a chill in the air. It’s time for sweater season: all things cozy and wonderful. For fall wedding ideas, however, comes a shift to vibrant jewel tones, nostalgic notions, and autumn wedding trends.
photo by Trung Nguyen
5 Unique Fall Wedding Ideas
If you’re having trouble deciding on your wedding theme, are looking for unusual fall wedding colors, or need general information about small wedding ideas for fall, you have come to the right place. Here are 5 quick tips for fall wedding ideas.
Consider Nontraditional Fall Wedding Colors
Traditional fall colors are harvest-centered, ranging in hues from burnt orange to golden yellow and maple red. You don’t have to go with the standard colors for your wedding. Instead, think outside of the box and consider unique fall wedding color schemes!
Purple is a huge trend. All shades of purple are lovely: maroon, lavender, sangria (please, hand one over), and plum. Romantic shades of nontraditional fall wedding colors will look wonderful on your bridal party. The decor will also pop. Lavender, vibrant fuchsia dahlias, and dreamy hydrangeas are perfect additions to your floral arrangements. Purple is perfect, or use the hue as an accent to neutral fall wedding colors.
Opt Outside for a Fall Outdoor Wedding
Traditional church or concert hall weddings are beautiful, but have you ever been to a fall outdoor wedding? Oh my, they are a sight to see! Natural environments showcase beauty in themselves, and there is sometimes no need to create elaborate displays.
Fall foliage, gorgeous beach views, and garden sights are perfect spots as outdoor wedding venues. Keep the temperature in mind when considering fall outdoor wedding ideas, and be sure to dress accordingly, which brings us to our next point.
Dress Warm
With cooler temperatures setting in, make sure you think about not only your own comfort but your guests’ too. Fall in VirginiaFall in Virginia can drop as low as 48°F, but generally stays at about 58°F. If the change in temp doesn’t bother you, great!
Just make sure to think about those who are possibly traveling from warmer states or those who can’t stand the cold weather. Offer them some suggestions! Fancy fur coats, warm cardigans, or long-sleeved outfits work wonders for cold weather. For your bridesmaids, you could dress them in flannel sweaters for a fun, more casual wedding vibe. Velvet suits can be an option for the groomsmen.
photo by Banter Snaps
Play Around with Your Footwear
Every little detail makes your wedding perfect! Shoes are just one minuscule part of the day, but they can be such fun! Fall is the perfect time to get a little funky with your footwear, especially for an autumn wedding.
Instead of going for a sparkling high-heeled number, why not try country boots, tennis shoes, or custom designed closed-toed shoes? Inspire your guests to tag along and wear their best and brightest shoes. Have a little fun. It will be something that your wedding party and guests never forget. The last tip is to keep those toes warm and invest in closed-toed shoes even for the most simple fall weddings.
Choose Budget-Friendly Foods in Season
When fruits and vegetables are in season, they are typically cheaper than at any other point during the year. Use this to your advantage in your menu or when decorating with harvest wedding ideas.
Squash, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, apples, cranberries, and pears are just some examples of fruits and veggies in season during fall. Pumpkin soup could be a great dinner item on the menu, or dried pears could act as ornaments on your wedding cake. Adding fruits and veggies to wedding decor is one of my favorite fall wedding ideas. Get creative, which is perfect for fall wedding ideas on a budget.
Final Thoughts on Planning an Autumn Wedding
Fall weddings are stunning. The weather, the deeper shades and hues, and trends make for show-stopping weddings. While you’re in the midst of planning your big day, remember to enjoy every detail. All will love all of your careful planning and rustic fall wedding ideas. Happy days are ahead!
Rebecca Gutknecht is a substitute teacher by day and creative blog writer by night. She enjoys all things travel, doing her best to take trips annually. With her artistic flair, she runs a small Etsy shop, Sparkle Drop, dedicated to sparkle and charm.
CarolynI had a summer wedding but would totally consider a fall wedding if given the chance. All of these ideas are great and I think it could be so cozy!
Ashley RollinsI have been to so many cold-weather weddings. I went to one where they had a bundle of the blankets they sell at Wal-mart for 2.50 at the entrance. Genius!
KileenI think Fall weddings are so dreamy!! I absolutely love the colors and these are great ideas babe! An outside wedding during the season is beautiful!
NatalyMy wedding was in the Spring, but I would have loved to have a fall/winter wedding. I just love all these ideas!
StephanieYesterday was my one year wedding anniversary, so clearly I had an autumn wedding hehe. We had our wedding indoors only to keep me from being stressed out any more than I already was as a bride – but we did do some fun twists like having blush and gray as the colors (though I said “dusty rose” and “charcoal” so people thought they were fall-ish haha) and we had our guests enjoy s’mores rather than cake, which felt super autumnal! I loved the season for our wedding. It was truly perfect!
Ashley StephensonFall weddings are my favorite! Especially the outside ones – they are just so pretty!
JenniferThat all sounds so magical!! Congrats on your anniversary, and I wish you many more happy years of memories.
Candace HamptonFall weddings are so romantic. The only thing that always concerned me about Fall weddings is the weather. Specially when one day is hot and the other is cold. Thanks for the ideas!
LilyI wanted a Fall wedding SO bad! But in Texas, we don’t really get a proper Fall. So I had to settle for a Spring wedding, instead. LOL!
AmandaFall weddings are absolutely gorgeous– I wish more people would have fall weddings that I can attend 😀 Thanks for sharing these tips!
Helena MarzThese all are great wedding tips! Fall wedding sounds romantic…I think a winter wedding would be so magical especially with all
that snow! Congratulations on your wedding anniversary! ❤️
DeborahI’ve always loved the idea of a Fall wedding for the reasons you’ve pointed out – the deep colors, the crisp Autumn air, the lovely foliage!
Denise KokinisThese are all such good tips! My friend just recently had a fall wedding and I wish I had seen this prior so that I could share it with her!