Planning an autumn wedding? I love autumn. The beautiful colours and earlier evenings are perfect for lanterns and candles or open fires and hot drinks. Autumn can allow some unusual touches, like including foliage in your bouquet or as confetti, and it also offers beautiful golden hour light for portraits. Some of my favourite wedding suppliers have kindly shared their top tips for planning an autumn wedding: letting you know which flowers are in season, fabrics and styles to consider for wedding dresses, how to use texture and lighting to enhance the atmosphere of your autumn wedding – as well as what to consider for perfect autumn wedding photos.
Autumn wedding planning
“Colours: When choosing an autumn colour scheme for your wedding, consider palettes inspired by the colours found in nature. Colours including deep red, orange and rust can create unique designs, but as alternative the jewel shades, like midnight blue, jade green, and plum work well too. Autumn weddings can be as full of personality and detail as other seasons. Think of ways to include colour in your wedding, not just in your flowers. To make your reception area stand out, go for coloured linens. Add touches of gold or copper to give the space a luxurious feel. Choose colours that are heartfelt and true to yourself.
Textures: Autumn is perhaps the most tactile of all the seasons. From organic materials such as warm wool and natural woodgrain to velvets and dried flowers. Weaving different kinds of textures and colours together can create the perfect atmosphere for your wedding. The use of an autumn-influenced colour palette for a wedding gives guests a richer experience and leaves a lasting impression. And, not only does it provide a stimulating visual design, it also immerses your guests in the celebration. But autumn textures don’t just have to be used in the decor. You can also embrace them for your wedding outfits too by wearing chunky knits, or relaxed leather for any outdoor portraits.
Lighting: Lights are an important part of the style and décor of any event to enhance spaces and create atmosphere. From candlelight to modern, hanging Edison bulbs – there are lighting options to suit all styles. And, as an experienced wedding planner, I know how lighting plays a major role in the way your visual concept reads. Why choose stunning florals and incredible details but forget about creating a lighting design to do them justice? Walk around the venue to look for areas that might need more or less light and plan accordingly” – Andri, Wedding Planner, Always Andri Weddings
Autumn wedding flowers
“For most couples, planning flowers for their wedding plays a pretty important part, but is often something they know little about. Autumn – is beautiful with all its warm hues – so here’s a few tips for autumn wedding flowers:
- Flowers such as roses, lisianthus and many other varieties are available all year round. Autumn sees dahlias, cosmos, berries such as viburnum, hypericum and even elderberries added to the mix (though be careful of potential staining and toxicity if using berries). And a little shout out to my favourite of all things floral… sanguisorba
- Think of adding other items to displays to add texture and interest – for example you might include feathers, pine cones, acorns, pumpkins, horse chestnuts, crops (such as wheat and barley) and twigs. As well as being beautiful, and highly in keeping with the season, these can also be very cost-effective
- Rich autumnal shades lend warmth and atmosphere to any wedding setting… and remember, these colours can be provided by autumnal foliage as well as flowers. But an autumn wedding looks beautiful whatever you choose – classic green and white, pastel shades, bright colourful displays…it’s your day, so have what you want (just don’t ask for peonies – they won’t be in season!)
- With the nights cutting in during the autumn season, candlelight and/or fairy lights can add a little bit of magic to floral displays as the day goes on and darkness falls – chat to your florist about the best use of these
- Huge point to consider – if you are having an autumn wedding, the final few weeks of your planning falls during the summer months. These are seriously hectic for most wedding florists – so please be patient if emails aren’t answered immediately. Your florist will be spending time making florals for their summer weddings, giving each one the attention it deserves – just as they will do when it comes to your wedding flowers. If you need to contact them urgently it may be best to pick up the phone and remember Saturdays in July & August will be especially busy!
- Think of your venue, your dress, the overall look you want to achieve…..tell your florist a bit about yourselves so he/she can get an idea of what you like generally: Are you a nature lover? Is there a flower that feels special to you? And if, during your consultation, your florist suggests or shows you something you don’t like – please tell them! Your florist wants to create your dream too… it’s a joint effort, so help them as much as you can by being as honest as you can about your wishes” – Sharon, Wedding Florist, Wild With Love
Autumn wedding dresses
“Consider as always how you want to feel on your day and how the right dress can make you feel amazing. You could make a statement in a 3/4 or long sleeve dress – there are lots of fabric choices available of which lace and crepe are the most comfortable and add a gorgeous silhouette to the shape of dress. If sparkle is your thing then there are options of delicate beaded lace appliqués for an all over hint of sparkle or a sequin tulle underlay can add all over sparkle for more drama. Lots of tonal options are available for an autumn wedding if you want to consider an alternatives to white or ivory. Taupe, honey, rose and sand underlays give a warmth and depth when layered with tulle and lace for a more dramatic look. Don’t be afraid to try styles you hadn’t considered too – trust your bridal stylist they will offer guidance – any silhouette will work for an autumn wedding.” – Joy, Mia Sposa Bridal Boutique
Autumn wedding photography
Autumn can have some of the most beautiful golden hours – giving you beautiful buttery light for magical outdoor portraits in the hour before sunset. The weather can be pretty unpredictable, so you may want some flexibility to allow you to make the most of any dry spells on a wet day – although I’ll always bring a big white umbrella and encourage you to venture out for a few minutes even if it’s pouring!
To give a real autumn feel to your photos consider a woodland wedding, or look out for trees or creepers in your venue that can give a stunning autumnal backdrop. If you’re using autumn leaves (maybe as quirky and eco-friendly confetti!) then consider having a few where you are getting ready so your photographer can use them as a backdrop to capture some of the special details you’ve chosen for your day like rings, jewellery and perfume.
Autumn wedding inspiration
If you’re looking for more autumn wedding inspiration, here you’ll find some of my favourite autumn weddings:
- Emily & David had a beautiful autumn barn wedding in Northumberland – Emily chose a beautiful lace wedding dress with three quarter length sleeves and a display of sunflowers at the top of the aisle
- Rosie & Harry chose a church ceremony followed by a manor house reception – making the most of the afternoon warmth with garden games, before moving indoors to dine under the glass roof of the courtyard
- Emily & Adrian made the most of the autumn colours with a woodland wedding in the botanical gardens, a chuppah made of autumn leaves & wedding flowers featuring orange blooms.
- Meera & Raj’s gorgeous Hindu wedding had a pink and gold theme and they planned their day to allow for wedding portraits during golden hour
- Ai Yun & Gary had an autumn engagement in a ruined church covered in beautiful autumn leaves, perfectly setting off Ai Yun’s dusky pink wedding dress
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If you’re planning an autumn wedding I’d love to find a time to talk through your ideas and think about how I could capture your day – please send me a message.
