Fall comes with cool, crisp weather, and gorgeous foliage—the perfect recipe for a seasonal wedding. Autumn does more than set a pretty scene, however. The season's signature spices lend themselves to delicious cocktails; muted, earthy color schemes make for stunning paper goods and floral arrangements; and the harvest's signature fruits (think apples and pumpkins) make for the sweetest décor.
Ultimately, if you're trying to decide when to host your wedding, you can't go wrong with a September, October, or November date. With cozy fireplaces, fruit-filled centerpieces, and more, these rustic, harvest-oriented ideas make for picturesque tablescapes and landscapes. (The season's transitional burnt orange, scarlet, and ochre leaves create an unparalleled backdrop for your portraits!) Sourced straight from real weddings, these tried-and-true ideas will help you bring the best of the season right into your big day.
Modern Fall Suite
You can fill your autumnal wedding with modern touches throughout the event, starting with the invites. Papellerie created this custom watercolor suite with nods to the season in every part of the design, such as the warm orange hues in the envelope—which also spoke to the couple's mountainous venue.
Floral Lapel
This bride added a "wow" factor to her all-white attire with a lapel filled with fresh greenery and lush florals in shades reminiscent of the fall season. Amy of Hawthorne & Poppy Events came up with the idea for the piece, and florist Ida Mayes Floral Design House designed the one-of-a-kind accent.
Autumn-Centric Altar
There's nothing quite like a floral altar to serve as the eye-catching area where a couple will say their I dos. This organic arch pieced together by Gold and Bloom had orange, gold, and pink blooms throughout to mirror the changing leaves that surrounded the venue.
Plaid Attire
When you think of autumn, one style of clothing that never goes out of style—for good reason—is plaid. That's why this groom decided to don a patterned suit from Hockerty in the classic brown checkered tweed along with a rust-colored tie to match.
Floral Dress
Why stop at a fall bouquet when you can add the same floral touches to your wedding dress? Skip a classic, white frock and opt for one with a design like this off-the-shoulder Monique Lhullier gown, which featured a floral print, sweetheart neckline, and billowing sleeves.
Seasonal Treats
The fresh blackberries on top of this millefoglie—a combination of custard and puff pastry—provided the sweet, fresh touch to the confection. Vernissage Catering made the treat and surrounded it with lush greenery to set the scene for the seasonal-centric dessert.
Blooming Fall Bouquet
Touches of burgundy-dyed ferns add the seasonal touch and texture to this bride's fall bouquet, courtesy of Kismet Flowers. The rest of the arrangement featured a variety of roses, ranunculus, lisianthus, and bleached Italian ruscus in shades of apricot, cayenne, and blush.
Burgundy Bridesmaids
These 'maids look great in their deep burgundy gowns (the structured V-neck and pleated chiffon wrap dresses from Jenny Yoo via Bella Bridesmaids and the velvet halter gown from Saloni). Dress your attendants in a similar plum shade for a seasonally-inspired look.
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Warm Signature Sips
As summer gradually transitions to fall, temperatures slowly start to drop to a crisp feel at the same time. To keep you and your guests warm during your event, offer up warm signature drinks, like an apple cider. The one pictured here by Occasions Caterers also included a cinnamon stick, Calvados, and star anise and gingerbread grissini on top.
Rustic Arrangement
Amanda Burnette Floral Design pieced together this bouquet, complete with garden roses, picotee ranunculus, zinnias, scabiosa, honeysuckle vine, smokebush, phlox, and other local plants, to create a rustic, autumnal feel.
Fall Floral Cake Sash
Looking for a way to dress up your all-white confection for fall? Make like Max Owen Design and add a train of in-season blooms—in a slew of autumnal colorways—to the front.
Multicolored Hydrangea
Now here's a fun, unconventional way to play off the season's colorful foliage: RO & Co. Events and Oak & the Owl created this lucite escort card station using multicolored hydrangea blooms (which filled a large acrylic box) to reference the transitional trees just outside the venue. Laura Hooper Calligraphy added guests' names and seating chart to each note, which were laid on top of the box.
Ochre Tuxedo
Get your groom in on the seasonal fun with an ochre-hued tuxedo jacket (it's the perfect fall reception look!).
Seasonal Centerpiece
This Wild Club centerpiece is full of fall's greatest floral hits: dahlias, rust astilbe, and golden roses. Dried leaves provided plenty of texture to the arrangement, which was situated on an otherwise neutral tabletop by Simply Santa Barbara Events.
Between-Seasons Arch
Tying the knot in early fall? Bookmark this ceremony structure by Nature Composed, which incorporates floral elements from both seasons. Tropical (but muted!) protea nod to the warmer months, while rust-hued astilbe offer fall vibes—together, the floral elements made for the perfect transitional décor detail at this Donovan Groves Events wedding.
Autumnal Accessories
We love this bride's copper leaf hair accessory, which paired prettily with her bright orange lipstick (Nicole Grittani Artistry handled both her swept-back style and makeup).
Contemporary Touch
Getting married in the fall doesn't mean you have to throw a rustic celebration. This Birds of a Feather Events tabletop is proof—the cobalt ceramic plates, set with coordinating brass cutlery, brought a contemporary vibe to the tablescape, which featured an array for seasonal colors and florals by Max Owens Design.
Thematic Escort Card Display
There are simple, low-lift ways to bring the season straight into your reception décor. Take this fall vineyard event's escort card station, for example. Callista & Company and Lambert Floral Studio strung notes felt more in tune with the time of year thanks to a few colorful vines.
Mismatched Boutonnière
Mismatched boutonnières can still feel seasonal. Just be sure to make like Flowers by Kim and keep yours with a unified seasonal color palette, like burgundy and mauve.
Textured Pumps
Velvet, always a popular fall wedding fabric, is the perfect medium of choice for your big-day accessories. Consider a soft bow for your hair or copy this bride and choose emerald velvet pumps (instead of traditional white stilettos).
Unexpected Palette
If you're trying to curate an unexpected autumnal color palette, bookmark this setup. Slate gray taper candles brought a unique cool-weather touch to this otherwise classic fall tablescape, which featured crimson, green, and cream shades.
Leather Touches
Though this Yonder Design set's mustard yellow flat-lay backdrop is a note-worthy idea for fall, the suite itself features plenty of autumnal inspiration, like pressed flowers and yellow velvet ribbon. Type A Society styled this pretty shot.
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Seasonal First Look
Searching for the best place to have your first look on your cool-weather wedding day? Take a note out of this bride's playbook: She and her husband-to-be shared this special moment on a Pippin Hill pathway surrounded by transitional foliage—end-of-year hydrangeas, included.
Full Bloom Arch
The secret to the ultimate fall ceremony arch is incorporating both fresh, in-season blooms (like dahlias and garden roses, which were incorporated into this structure by Rebecca Rose Events) and dried elements (note the crunch leaves featured here).
In-Season Ceremony Space
Foliage-centric aisle and altar arrangements by Seascape Flowers weren't this ceremony space's only nods to the season. The yellow leaves from a tree just beyond the setup reinforced the celebration's fall vibes.
Feathers and Foliage
Now here's a fun way to transform a seasonally-neutral white four-tier into an homage to autumn. Magpies Bakery and Mindy Rice added transitional leaves, feathers, and on-palette greens to make this cake feel more timely; a plaid stand and backdrop reinforced the aesthetic.
Maple Syrup Favor
Is there a favor more seasonally appropriate than a miniature bottle of maple syrup? Finish yours off with a sweet note of thanks or a tag complete with your monogram, as seen here.
Foliage-Filled Portraits
If you're tying the knot during peak foliage season, you're practically required to head outside for portraits. After all, how could you better highlight the season than with a backdrop of changing leaves?
Cozy Blankets
Cozy blankets and wraps in autumnal colors or festive flannel prints are the perfect way to keep your guests warm during the ceremony and reception.
Foliage Ceremony Arch
Flower-covered ceremony arches are lovely, but consider using changing foliage and dried flowers instead. This arch, by Greenwood Events, is proof that the finished product will wow on your wedding day.
Single-Tiered Cake
You don't need tier upon tier of wedding cake to make a seasonal statement with your dessert. This single-tiered confection, baked by Lux Sucre Desserts, featured a lace-inspired fondant design and a sprinkling of seasonal blooms and foliage on top.
Plaid Invitation Suite
Few patterns speak to the fall season more than plaid, and this invitation suite, created by Amber Moon Design, certainly suggests autumn. Complete with metallic calligraphy, a copper wax seal, a deer illustration, and real pheasant feathers, guests won't be left wondering about the wedding's inspiration.
Pumpkin Place Card
White pumpkins calligraphed with each guest's name are the perfect seasonal swap for traditional place cards.
Muted Boutonnière
Upgrade your groom's lapel with a boutonnière of colorful foliage and soft garden roses. This one, by Gossamer, is so muted and romantic.
Fall Flower Market
Wheelbarrows, hay bales, flower carts, and fruits turned this venue into an open-air flower market. Guests were even permitted to take their favorite blooms home.
Flower Girl Crown
Any flower girl would be honored to be crowned by this autumnal accessory.
Farmer's Market Fresh
Hitting up the farmer's market is a classic fall pastime, and this wedding's bountiful centerpieces tapped into the seasonal joy.
Leaf Motif
This bride calligraphed beautiful leaf-shaped name tags, which were tied to cotton napkins with blush silk ribbon and set against a vibrant china backdrop.
Donut Tower
Swap your wedding cake for miniature cider donuts—we promise, there won't be a single one of these sweet treats left at the end of the night.