June may be the popular month for most brides to tie-the-knot but the trendiest month to marry in Western Colorado is October! The weather is cool, the sun is shining and the aspen groves turn a brilliant gold up and down the mountain sides.
From mid-September to mid-October, Mother nature puts on a spectacular show in Colorado. Having the largest living grove of aspen trees in the world, Colorado's mountains shimmer in hues of yellow and gold. It's a breathtaking site that attracts tourists and nature photographers from around the world and what better season for an outdoor mountain wedding!
Below are some ideas to incorporate into an Autumn Wedding:
ATTIRE
- Cream colored or beige wedding gown
- It may be cool, so either have a wrap or have your gown made from
a heavier fabric such as brocade or velvet.
- Have the bridesmaids wear colors that reflect those of the season
COLORS
The color scheme of your wedding may be the most
important aspect. Autumn is about bold, rich colors schemes
with gold hues, browns, creams, maroons, various oranges and dark
greens. Popular choices include: Creme, Burgundy, Hunter
green, Rust Brown, Buttercup, Dark Orange or Terra cotta orange,
Deep Red, Wine, Navy, Gold, Pewter, Shiny Silver and Copper.
INVITATIONS
A Fall-themed invitation is a wonderful way to set the
theme of your wedding from the very beginning. Cream colored invitations
with accents of fall leaves in gold, green and rust colors are a
must along with a pattern of fall leaves, fruits, or ivy, printed
or embossed on them.
CEREMONY
Instead of your flower girl dropping rose petals, have
them drop golden aspen leaves. Hang ivy or garlands of leaves along
the pews. Don't forget to incorporate the Fall theme on your programs.
Pew Bows: instead of using white, use ribbon with a printed fall
theme, or a solid color edged in gold.
FLOWERS
Your flowers should keep with the Fall color-scheme. You
could have a wonderfully rich bouquet of not just red, orange, or
rust-colored roses, but you could also include deep colors of Gerber
daisies and chrysanthemums. You can also include fall leaves, berries,
or even miniature pinecones!
Flowergirls can wear wreaths of these flowers and leaves in their
hair. Popular choices include: Mums, Gerbera daisies
in fall colors, Dahlias, Sunflowers, Yellow, peach or coral roses
and Hydrangea.
CENTERPIECES
- A hollowed out pumpkin, used as a vase, with fresh flowers inside
- Baskets accented with leaves and filled with fall flowers
- Pumpkin-colored candles in varying sizes , atop a pile of shimmery,
white tulle
- Place gourds, pumpkins and indian corn arranged on a bed of leaves.
- White candles pillars on white shimmery tulle, accented with small
miniature pumpkins (gourds)
- Baskets filled with apples and cinnamon sticks; accent with bows
in your wedding colors
- Dried flowers in a crystal vase; tie with a raffia bow in your
wedding colors.
- Hurricane lamps surrounded by a grapevine wreath, decorated with
fall leaves or flowers.
- Cornucopias sitting on fall leaves or surrounded by fall flowers.
CAKE
Have your baker decorate your cake with fall leaves.
FAVORS
You have a huge selection of favors for your guests: candy apples;
candy corn, fall-colored kisses or pumpkin seeds wrapped in tulle
or small burlap sacks tied with raffia; fall leaf-shaped cookies;
mason jars filled with jam and tied with raffia; or little gourds
filled with candy. Any of these items could be used for place cards
as well.
A small box filled with candy can display a touch of the season by tying a leaf with your guest's name on it. Using a gold pen, you can write your guest's name on a piece of fruit, such as an apple or pear, a gourd, or again a leaf.
- Small baskets filled with potpourri,
nuts, etc. wrapped in tulle and tied with a ribbon in your wedding
colors.
- Candy corn wrapped in tulle or placed in small gift boxes wrapped
with raffia.
- Small splits of wine, decorated with fall leaves or flowers.
DECORATIONS
A Fall wedding wouldn't be complete
without pumpkins and squash! It's popular to use pumpkins as centerpieces,
by hallowing them out and filling them with flowers or you can paint
pumpkins or squash with a gold wash, then carving hearts and flowers
into the flesh. You can pile mini-pumpkins or squash into decorated
baskets or can use them to house candles. Why stick with flower
centerpieces, when you can use a cornucopia or galvanized pails
filled with fruits. More beautiful color can be displayed by using
apples, pears, grapes, gourds, or raspberries. Pumpkins, gourds,
or galvanized pails can be used as luminaries by simply placing
a candle inside and then watching them set a beautiful glow! Don't
forget to sprinkle more autumn leaves on the tables. You can collect
real leaves or buy artificial leaves at many arts and crafts stores.
You can also make your own by stenciling or stamping on a carefully
chosen paper.
For a totally different look, you can try a look reminiscent of topiaries. Fill a terra-cotta pot with Styrofoam, glue leaves raffia or moss on top of the foam...then glue your candleholder in the center. The pots can be dressed up with bows, paint or curling ribbon.
Grapevine wreaths can be used on wall spaces at the ceremony or reception site. You can also use the items used for the ceremony as decorations for the reception. Pew bows can be tied to terra-cotta pots and filled with mini-pumpkins or colored leaves for centerpieces. You can also use swags of silk flowers or autumn leaves to decorate. There are numerous silk flower color choices (and fall flower choices) that are sold in the stores for fall decorating purposes and you can browse until you find choices that will reflect the formality and tone of your wedding and reception.
Leaf garlands could be used to decorate head or guest book tables. How about using a large pumpkin for your card box!
If you want to go all out, you can place pumpkins all over your reception site and even use cornstalks or bales of hay to decorate. Sprinkle mini lights among the hay and cornstalks.
FOOD
Your menu can keep in line with your Fall theme. You can
serve a Fall feast of turkey and all the trimmings, lots of fruits,
pumpkin soup, corn breads and pumpkin pie with mulled wine or hot
apple cider for dessert. And don't forget to have your wedding cake
in theme by decorating it with marzipan or white chocolate leaves.
SEND-OFF
Instead of blowing bubbles or petals, have guests throw
aspen leaves! The photos of you and your groom running under a shower
of warm golden leaves are sure to be beautiful.
Ideas from local Brides:
I am getting married in Steamboat in late September. We will be throwing aspen leaves! I plan to make a girls party day out of it. We will all get together and go out into the woods for the best of the best leaves. I will also incorporate aspen leaves into the invitations. ~Thanks, Jen
I am planning a fall wedding and my bridesmaids are all in different colors, gold, wine, apple red, hunter green, and wine. The colors look fabulous together. And we are having the ceremony outside with hay, pumpkins, squash and MUMS! great flower for the fall. Also, I recommend looking on Ebay in the "fall wedding" category! I found lots of very nice and cheap things to accent my special day. Good Luck to all the brides planning the day of their lives! -Submitted by Blaislie
I am planning a fall wedding as well, I am using dried lavender to throw after the reception since it will be outside in the afternoon, the extras can be used as sachets in drawers. I also found great deals on Ebay. Another after reception idea for the evening are sparklers. -Submitted by Michelle
I am using greens, rust and pale yellow for the bridesmaids and
the flowers. There will be gourds and leaves intermixed with flowers
for the centerpieces. -Submitted by Joan
I am planning a fall wedding with the use of lots of carved pumpkins as luminaries. -Submitted by Carolyn
F
E E D B A C K
Planning an Autumn wedding?
Share your ideas here.