Get Inspired With Our Autumn Wedding Ideas

Why get married in the autumn? Here are just a few reasons why you should choose to have a September or October wedding.

• Wedding venues can have an off-peak rate for an autumn booking
• Because it’s a less popular time of year, you’re more likely to get your first choice of venue, vendors, and guests!
• You’ll also have a good choice of off-peak honeymoon locations
• The autumn aesthetic and palette are beautiful for a wedding
• The contemporary country look is still on-trend and ideally suited to the autumn
• Produce is at its finest in the autumn, with an incredible choice of meat, fish, fruit and vegetables
• Country house wedding venues are perfect both inside and out at this time of year
• It’s cooler than in summer but the weather is more reliable than in winter

At Country House Weddings, we especially love Clearwell Castle at this time of year, with its sylvan setting in the Forest of Dean. Romantic St Audries Park has a traditional deer park fringed with trees – perfect for an autumnal wedding.

• Historic buildings with traditionally “cosy” touches like fireplaces and wood panels – perfect for autumnal decor
• Rooms with plenty of natural light for that late-year sunshine
• Estates with wooded grounds to make the most of beautiful autumn leaves and low sunlight
• Rustic barns and great halls for traditional harvest feasting
• Indoor spaces to keep you dry in changeable weather
• Easy access – no muddy lanes or field parking
• All-inclusive wedding venues are ideal for cool or wet weather

Take autumn wedding inspiration from nature’s palette, with rich reds, dark oranges and warm golds accented with darker berry shades and ivy greens; for your paler palette, cream, peach, and dusky rose tones well with those classic autumnal colours.

Which seasonal flowers are popular for autumnal weddings? You could try:

• Dahlias
• Autumn roses
• Japanese anemones
• Marigolds
• Chrysanthemums
• Cosmos
• Rosehips

Dried flowers also have an autumnal feel. Choose a blend of muted shades with pops of rich red, yellow and orange.

As well as fresh and dried flowers, there are other elements you can incorporate into your September or October wedding table decorations. Gorgeously hued leaves play a big part in the autumn aesthetic, so add plenty of sprigs of dry or faux foliage.

Slices of dried orange and apple add scent and texture, and you can also scatter nuts, acorns, chestnuts and dried berries among your display to give an extra seasonal feel. For the most autumnal of autumnal decorations, don’t forget the real baby pumpkins and squashes to enhance your wedding theme. Candles, lanterns and dotted string lights bring a warm glow to your wedding centrepieces.

In the autumn, Britain’s natural larder comes into its own. You’ll have your choice of green leafy veg, squashes and root veg. Seasonal meats include beef and pork as well as game. It’s a good time of year for seafood, including white fish (especially sole), squid and mussels. Spices bring a dash of extra warmth, while breads, cheeses and chutneys are all welcome additions to the autumn menu.

Warm drinks are welcome on chillier October days. Mulled wine feels a bit too Christmassy, so swap it for a more seasonal mulled cider (or apple juice). Spicy warm cocktails, mocktails and hot chocolates make lovely autumn warmers, and keep those teas and coffees coming all day.

Borrow fall dessert ideas from our American friends, like pumpkin pie, pecan pie and apple crisp. For a more homegrown feel, blackberry crumble or sticky toffee pudding always hits the spot, and use flavours like ginger and cinnamon to give your puddings (or even wedding cake) a spicy autumnal feel.

• A good DJ, jazz or swing band are guaranteed to get your guests on the dance floor
• Darker evenings are perfect for fireworks and bonfires
• Expand the outside fun with bars, fire pits and hog roasts
• Photo booths are real wedding favourites
• Try games, from giant chess to indoor crazy golf
• Add a touch of Halloween fun with pumpkin displays and activities for younger guests (and big kids)

• Home-made spicy cakes and biscuits served in bespoke boxes
• Quality chocolates, again beautifully presented in a hand-crafted box
• Traditional sugared almonds in little gauze pouches tied with ribbons
• A bespoke mug for a warm and welcoming cuppa (add a luxury hot chocolate kit)
• A mini decoration to keep, with foliage and a baby pumpkin
• An autumn spicy-scented candle