How to Use Fall Decor in a Wedding Reception

Let autumn colors reflect the richness of your love.

Fall is a beautiful time of year, with its vibrant colors and cool weather. It's just right for indoor or outdoor weddings and receptions. And nature freely provides much that you can gather and use for decorative touches--bright chrysanthemums and goldenrod, richly colored pumpkins and plump gourds, and arching branches adorned with red berries and leaves of yellow. There are many ways to use the autumn bounty, along with its colors and themes, to decorate your wedding reception and create a seasonal mood.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Pumpkins or gourds
• Branches
• Fall flowers
• Tea lights
• Stringed lights
• Fall foliage
• Wheat sprigs
• Cornucopias
• Mulled cider
• Autumn-themed favors

1. Choose which colors you would like for the decor. A fall wedding typically uses jewel tones such as deep reds, greens or blues. More traditional earth tones, like chocolate, sage or yellow, also work well.

2. Incorporate elements from the outdoors into the wedding reception. Pumpkins and gourds can make interesting and relevant table and room centerpieces, while branches can be formed into circles to use as candle accents. Put fall flowers into the wood branches to make elegant, yet rustic, centerpieces.

3. Add tea lights all around the room for a warm and romantic look. Stringed lights can also be hung from trees if it is an outdoor wedding or strung inside on the ceiling for a classical look. Wedding reception venues for fall can be anywhere that's rustic, including ranches, clubhouses and even barn-style banquet halls. If the venue has a fireplace, it can add an even greater seasonal look to the reception.

4. Use fall foliage in the wedding flower arrangements. Wheat sprigs make wonderful accents, and fall leaves interwoven with daisies or roses are lovely. Cornucopias can be a fun way to dress up the tables. Add mini pumpkins and fall flowers to complete the look.

5. Fill the air with an autumn smell by having pots of mulled cider simmering. You can also serve this as a beverage at the reception.

6. Send your guests home with memorable wedding favors. Personalized mugs from the wedding day filled with bags of hot chocolate are one way to create an autumn mood--and the mugs will be used long after the wedding is over. You can also give your guests homemade preserves or candies to enjoy.

Tips & Warnings

• Informal weddings are especially fun during autumn since you can incorporate apple bobbing, scarecrows and other non-traditional elements without getting too many odd looks from your family and friends.

• Be extra cautious if using candles outdoors during an autumn wedding since the trees and grasses will be drier than during a spring or summer wedding.