Outdoor Fall Wedding Decorations
The autumn months of August, September and October rank amongst the most popular months for weddings after the perennially favorite June. The season is filled with bold colors from nature. A cornucopia of autumn theme materials are available for the most formal, informal or whimsical outdoor fall wedding decorations.
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History
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Tradition holds that the Biblical story of the Wedding at Cana took place outdoors in the fall. Classical paintings of the event depict fall colored vines draped on columns, tables laden with the fruits of autumn harvest and vats of good wine. In Colonial America, weddings were often held outside before actual church buildings were erected. They occurred when the groom had completed the hard work of fall harvesting. Often the only decorations accessible were the natural fruits and flowers available at the time of year. During the strict rationing of World War II, the economy again dictated decorating outdoor fall weddings with inexpensive materials gathered from nature.
Themes
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Fall wedding decorations often have a harvest theme. Colors coordinate with the golden browns and rich reds of crops and autumn produce. Baskets, fruit and grain stalks are commonly used for decoration. Wine-themed weddings are a more modern autumn focus. The deep burgundy, dark green and lush red of the vintner's palette influence the wedding decoration colors. Draped vines, barrels and wrought iron trellises add to the effect. A Thanksgiving themed wedding is influenced by the icons of the season including cornstalks, pumpkins and chrysanthemums arranged around the outdoor seating area and altar.
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Materials
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Natural organic materials are abundantly available to decorate an outdoor fall wedding. Live autumn flowers are combined with dried stalks and herbs. Large bouquets of leaves turned to their autumn coloring make a dramatic decoration. Bundles of multi-color Indian corn may be placed on chairs that line the outdoor aisle. A chuppah can have cornstalks to its posts to create a unique appearance. Fabric covered folding chairs may be tied with bows to match the rich autumn colors.
Benefits
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The greatest benefit of fall wedding decorations is lower costs. The materials to decorate are readily available at farm and home centers. Seasonal potted flower plants can be obtained at garden shops and even many grocery stores. For the cost-conscious couple, these plants can easily become unique favors for their guests to take home. Outdoor fall decorations may also utilize easy to find hardware such as flower filled wheelbarrows and bales of straw, thus avoiding more expensive items typical to weddings in other seasons.
Considerations
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All decorations for an outdoor wedding in the fall must be able to stand up to possible inclement weather conditions. As the fall climate changes the possibility increases that the decoration setup may get rained on or be subject to strong wind gusts. Cooler autumn weather suggests that outdoor heaters are included in the decoration scheme.
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Resources
- Photo Credit Shine4Him at sxc.com, Tanapot Wisassinthu, Joshua Tan, Sarah Kobunski
