Summer is a great time for a wedding, but personally I love fall weddings the best (maybe because I got married in the autumn!). There is just something about the crispness in the air, the colors of the leaves, the cozy clothing, and the special flavors of the season (pumpkin pie! mulled apple cider!) that are always special, year after year. From shimmering Swarovski crystal pendants shaped to look like fall leaves to apple cider stands, these are a few of my favorite fall wedding details.
Welcome your guests with an apple cider station. Image via Elizabeth Anne Designs.
First impressions matter, and a hot apple cider station will definitely make your guests feel welcome as they arrive at your wedding. The warm aroma of the mulling spices will add a much-overlooked element to your wedding atmosphere: scent, and the warm beverage will take the chill off an autumn afternoon. Bonus points for putting out a pretty tray with fresh apple cider donuts to accompany the cider.
A Swarovski crystal leaf necklace is perfect for a fall bridal party. Credit: Silverland Jewelry.
Autumn leaves are a perennial favorite wedding motif for the fall, and they are fabulous when turned into jewelry. The stunning Swarovski crystal leaf necklace above is a gorgeous bridesmaid gift idea for an autumn wedding. It is always nice when you can give your bridal party a special present that will not only complement their dresses, but that they can also wear again for many future occasions. It is easy to imagine this crystal leaf pendant being worn over a cozy cable knit sweater with jeans and boots.
Toss a cozy cardi over your bridal gown for a chilly fall reception. Image credit: Cameron Ingalls via Delightfully Engaged.
Speaking of cozy sweaters, another one of my favorite fall things is to see a bride wearing a soft cardigan over her wedding dress. It is not so much a down-the-aisle look, but it is wonderful for the reception as the fall evening gets chillier. Naturally not just any cardi will do for your special day – it needs to be a slim fit that will not look sloppy over your wedding dress, and of course it should not have any moth holes! I love the spicy pumpkin hue chosen by the bride in the image above.
Miniature marzipan acorns, mushrooms, and ferns dance across this woodland cake by Martha Stewart.
I have long been obsessed with this fantastical marzipan wedding cake by Martha Stewart. The little sculpted acorns, mushrooms, and ferns create a delightful woodland effect that would be wonderful for a fall reception. If you wanted to get a bit whimsical, you could add a tiny pair of marzipan squirrels or foxes for the cake topper.
Vibrant fall flowers take on an extra dimension when they are arranged in pumpkins instead of vases. Image credit: Ming Ho Photography via the Knot.
While it might not be a particularly original idea, I still love the look of using pumpkins as centerpiece vessels. The bright orange color looks absolutely fantastic against fall flowers in shades of red, russet, yellow, and green. To create centerpieces which are more elegant than rustic, use white pumpkins with more monochromatic floral arrangements.
Golden oak leaves and hypericum berries turn a classic rose nosegay into a wonderfully seasonal bouquet. Credit: Maria Robledo via Martha Stewart Weddings.
Last, but certainly not least, there is the fall bridal bouquet with leaves and berries. While roses are a popular wedding flower all year round, the addition of the seasonal accents gives the bouquet a distinctively autumnal flair. And wouldn’t the colors in this bouquet look so pretty with the cardigan above? When you combine all of these marvelous seasonal wedding details, they will add up into a very memorable autumn wedding.
