A Joyful Fall Wedding

Hey everybody!  Today we're talking about Fall weddings. Can't you just picture it?  A beautiful backdrop of autumn leaves, perhaps a pumpkin or two, gorgeous fall colors, crisp autumn weather.  Sigh! If anybody is getting married this Fall, please let me crash your wedding! :)  Anyway, Allie (one of my FAVE bloggers!) is here to tell you more about this great topic.  And she had an October wedding, just like me! Take it away, lady! :)

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Hey Chronicles of Chaos readers! I'm Allie and I blog over at A Day in A Joyful Life and I am so excited to be guest posting here! Mia was one of the first people I connected with when I started blogging and I've had a great time getting to know her and building a bloggy friendship-- thanks for having me, Mia!

I'm thrilled to be writing on a topic that marries two of my favorites: autumn and weddings {yes, that pun was intended}. This is particularly close to my heart because last year at this time I was planning my own October wedding and believe it or not, I really miss the planning process! By nature I'm a type-A, super organized lady so wedding planning was right up my alley. I picked up some of tips and tricks for planning a fall wedding that I would love to share with you all.

Foliage

I imagine that if you're having an outdoor wedding in the fall that at least part of the appeal is the promise of a gorgeous backdrop of fall foliage, which is actually only around for a short period of time.  This is sometimes difficult to remember, especially when stores and bloggers alike have had fall fever since August, but just because Pumpkin Spice Lattes are readily available doesn't mean that Mother Nature will cooperate. Look for resources that will tell you the peak foliage time in your area, like this website for New Jersey/the Northeast when you're setting your wedding date.

If you can't arrange your wedding around the orange, red, and yellow leaves don't fret-- you can still get awesome outdoor photos! Look for a nice tree with naturally dark or red leaves for that autumn-y feel. 

Weather Preparedness

While you can try to predict the changing of the leaves, you definitely can't predict the weather. However, you can certainly prepare for it, at least to an extent. I was lucky enough to be married on a gorgeous {but windy} day in October last year, but just two weeks later we had a freak snowstorm hit the east coast. I'm not saying you have to pick up a ton of ice-melt or have a snow plow on stand-by to lead your guests to your venue, but be realistic. Think ahead and remember that autumn weather can be tricky! Do your research and find out if your venue can have tents and/or space heaters available in the event of a cold front, rain, snow, etc., because of course you want your guests to be happy and comfortable.

Having a cozy basket of pashminas for your female guests is never a bad idea, and they make a lovely favor! 

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On a chilly day, offering your guests a beverage to sip on as they wait for the ceremony to begin is a really nice touch. Who among us wouldn't appreciate some warm cider, hot cocoa, or even coffee for a morning wedding?

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Stay Local

Small, local farms and markets are some of the greatest resources for your fall wedding needs. If you're buying a ton of pumpkins, mums, jams, etc., you may even be able to work out a deal with the owner for a small percentage off your purchase. Even if you can't swing that, you can't beat the prices. Take a few weekends leading up to your wedding to scour farms within driving distance to your home and venue to see what you can find-- you may even come across something you wouldn't have thought of on your own! When I purchased my large mums and pumpkins from a farm market I discovered these gorgeous dried hydrangeas which I used to adorn my aisle. 

Farms are also awesome places to find your favors; small jars of jam or honey make a perfect take-away for guests!

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Keep it Simple 

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If you're a bride who loves fall almost as much as you love your future husband it's a slippery slope from an elegant autumnal affair to looking like the silk floral section of your favorite craft store is having a blow-out sale in your venue. While it's tempting to throw a bale of hay adorned with pumpkins and fake leaves around every corner, resist! A little goes a long way. What is it you really love about fall? Pick a few of your absolute favorite things and add them as personal touches. You can achieve an elegant feel with a nod to the season, and you won't have to hide your wedding album in embarrassment from your future children.

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Using small pumpkins and gourds as place cards, or even having a decorative "pumpkin patch" is a really popular idea with guests who will love to take them home to decorate with.

And have you met some of my besties, ghost pumpkins?! They lend themselves perfectly to decor that says "it's an autumn wedding," not, "OMG YOU GUYS, IT'S AN AUTUMN WEDDING!!!" 

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Color

Don't feel like you have to stay in a fall foliage color scheme just because it's autumn! I personally do think that deep, rich colors to lend themselves nicely to the season, but girl, it's your day so go with what you like! You might be surprised how many colors compliment orange.

Navy

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Purple

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Incorporating some corals or peach hues is a nice way to bring in the colors of the season with more pastel or muted tones.

Textures like canvas, linen and {my personal favorite,} burlap give you the warm and cozy feeling of autumn sans the orange/red color palate. 

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I could go on and on {and on and on and on}, but I don't want to overstay my welcome! I'm having so much fun sharing some of my favorite fall wedding tips and ideas that I have a feeling this may turn into a short series, so I hope you'll stop by my blog to check that out! Thanks again for the opportunity, Mia!

xo Allie

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Thank you so much, Allie!  Makes me want to get married all over again. If you haven't already checked out Allie's blog, A Day in A Joyful Life, go do it! She's a great writer and keeps me entertained every day! :)