There may still be high temperatures in what feels like month 11 of the summer here in Houston, but we will be coming up on the autumn season hopefully soon. Fingers crossed for cooler weather, but we are definitely not holding our breath! If deciding on having a fall wedding is in the cards for you and you have booked the wedding venue in the Houston area, your next decisions will be all of the other wedding details like colors, flowers, decorations, etc.
Finding the style you want to evoke on your wedding day may be something you already know. But you may not have any idea of what you want to go for, and that is why you are here. To get inspired and hopefully narrow down the decisions that need to be made. We thought that putting together a few different things will help to give you ideas and inspiration towards your wedding decorations and flowers. What to lean into during the fall and what will help you to evoke a certain style.
Whether you are going for a specific aesthetic or not, having an autumn wedding can be really lovely. The changing of leaves and seasons from summer to fall to winter opens up a lot of possibilities for color. There are also big holidays like Halloween and Thanksgiving to lean into for the theme of it all. There are many things you can do to help embrace the fall and hopefully cooler weather for your wedding day.
At Bring Joy, we compiled a list of 5 categories or things to look for and ideas to lean into to help create the autumn wedding of your dreams. We looked at color, alternative wedding decorations, mood or style to evoke, autumn touches in wedding flowers and venue locations. Hopefully, this will give you a jumping off point for your autumn wedding planning.
1.Fall Colors
When thinking about autumn and fall colors what comes to mind is orange, red, yellow. Add more to those by using a range of these colors and creating an ombre of yellow to orange to red. By creating an ombre bouquet or even a monochrome look with any of these fall colors would be quite lovely. You can add more depth by looking at colors like gold, rust or maroon.
Another way to create interest is to think of the green of summer fading into fall. Using the changing of the season and colors and showcasing it with foliage of green. You may be able to use foliage that is in mid-color change, but if not you can evoke that by using yellow and orange flowers. Also, to lean into a full greenery centric look with a bit of flowers can look fairly autumnal.
Other colors to look at for a more autumnal look, try a black and red palette. This can be quite witchy and dark, which is Halloween and autumn in a nutshell. Even looking into dark purples with a bit of orange can be on Halloween theme. On the adverse side by trying to lighten up, it can look more feminine and French with soft purples and lilacs with sage greens.
The tone of color when making decisions is a thing to look out for. Think of deeper colors like emerald, plum, burgundy, rust, and ochre when going for a darker style. For a lighter side, think of sage, lilac, light reds and pale oranges.
2.Alternative Fall Decorations
For alternative decorations, it is fun to look at what is in season and try to find ways to use that in wedding decorations that haven’t really been done before. Think of in season produce or what is going on in nature around you.
In season produce could look like pumpkins, gourds, squashes, and even corn. These are fairly hardy and should not rot, even in the slightly warmer weather we have here. Other produce that can be used would be apples, pears and even grapes. These fruits along with the vegetables can be used as table decorations with candles. Another way would be to use the pumpkins to line the aisle to create an interesting fall look.
Looking at the nature around you, adding in pine cones to table scapes as well would add an autumnal touch. You can also use wreaths for a non-traditional way to bring fall to your wedding. These don’t have to be for a door. You can add the wreath as part of an arch arrangement, hung with ribbon as the centerpiece. When the wreath is made using in season foliage and colors, it can add that little touch of autumn.
Even more traditional decorations can be more autumn looking like lanterns and floating candles. Of course, these are both great year round, but they can look especially aesthetic in the fall. Don’t forget about amber and mercury glass. These can be quite autumnal and even witchy. Combining metallics with flowers is also another way to really lean into the cooler fall weather and cooler color tones.
3.Mood / Style
With the changing of the season into fall, the days will be getting shorter and darker. This is of course due to the sun not staying out as long as it does in summer. It is the time to lean into that with the dark and moody aesthetic. The changing of the season also invites using the natural world for a more bohemian aesthetic.
The bohemian wedding style lends itself well to autumn. It has a rustic and natural look to it that can read as witchy, or just earthy. Think of connecting to the outside world, especially when the summer heat begins to fade away. The connection to earth leads to a natural, organic feel and style. Having a focus on greenery and foliage is a lovely way to celebrate the earth. Again, it’s a way to use the color changing of the foliage as a way to express the autumnal style.
Another fall style to lean into is a vintage style. You can show this with an airy feel to the bouquets by adding wildflowers and adopting a looser style. You can also go more traditional in size with smaller posy bouquets, and by using amber and apothecary glass in the reception decorations. This can create a lovely fall style. If the bohemian style is not to your taste, you can rock a more classic, elegant look by sticking to more streamlined, rounded bouquet styles and even going for a more monochrome color look.
4.Autumn Touches in Flowers
There are fresh flowers that are in season during autumn, of course. But a fun way to add an autumn touch to your wedding is to add dried flowers. It is not only a great way to reduce waste, especially if your florist already dries their flowers, but it can also add to a bohemian or vintage style. Dried flowers can also be a good addition to a more neutral color palette, as they can be bleached lighter from light/ sun.
Try using grasses like pampas grass, which adds a lovely texture. In fall, we think of tones and textures that really encapsulates the season. With adding grasses, ferns and dried flowers to bouquets and arrangements, the textures created are interesting. They also show that it is harvest time and the transition into the winter season. It is a way of connecting to the earth and in fact history.
For finishing bouquets you can add velvet ribbons in deeper tones and antique lace. Silk ribbon is also a lovely touch for a bohemian or vintage type look. You can also add in feathers, acorns, leaves to table scapes or bouquets for a different touch. Again, it is another way to include the outside and nature into your wedding day.
5.Outside Location
The fall time in the south, especially in Houston can be quite lovely. Once the summer heat has mostly passed, we can enjoy the outside comfortably again. This is the time for outdoor venues, or at the very least, venues with both indoor and outdoor spaces.
When looking for a venue for either an outdoor ceremony or reception, some things to watch out for in a wedding venue would be how large the space is, any covered areas available, and the altar area. Also look at the noise level surrounding the venue, parking availability, and amenities provided.
Don’t forget with an outdoor venue, to look for ways to incorporate the seasonal outside into the ceremony. Pumpkins lining an aisle, foliage galore on tables, lanterns to light the way for ambiance. If you are looking to be married outside, look to altar or arch arrangements, including adding wreaths.
