For many of us, fall didn’t really quite arrive with the same level of briskness it usually does. But after an unusually warm first few weeks of autumn for most of the country, it may finally be time to start breaking out the scarves, sweaters, flannels and boots. Yes, with Halloween now here, the fall weather – real fall weather – has arrived along with the ghouls and ghosts, the tricks and treats.
But for some readers, the true joy of fall isn’t the holidays that come every year, but that special occasion that comes but once a lifetime: their wedding. The warm colors of falling leaves, changing of the seasons, cozy fires and temperatures that are just right before the thermometer plunges downwards for frigid winters makes fall a perfect season for many couples to get married.
And when the seasons change, so do the weddings. If you’re recently engaged and planning a fall wedding for next year or are getting ready to tie the knot this season, congratulations! Keep reading for everything you need to know about creating the perfect fall wedding.
Have a Backup Plan for Low Temperatures
As mentioned, fall is usually a great time of year as far as the weather goes. Things are cooled down just enough from summer to avoid having to worry about you and your guests overheating and sweating through your formal wear. However, it can also be a bit unpredictable. Things have been on the hotter side for most of us through the first half of fall, but Old Man Winter is never as far away as he seems, and if he shows up for a surprise early visit, you have to have a backup plan. If you’re getting wed outside in a tent, it’s a good idea to have sides for the tent and a heater in case they’re needed. No one wants to be cold and/or wet, and everyone will be miserable if they are. Being fully enclosed and blasted with warm, dry air may not be your dream wedding, but it’s certainly better than your nightmare wedding.
Be Ready for Leaves and/or Precipitation
If it rains or snows or a lot of leaves end up coming down, you also need to have the staff prepared to clear out the mess/dry up the wetness to make sure everything stays safe. You don’t want anyone slipping on wet leaves and getting hurt. Few things ruin a great wedding faster than someone getting seriously injured. Finally, have your florist keep an eye on the wind forecast and be ready to take tall pedestals or tripod pieces down a notch if heavy gusts are expected.
Have Some Hot Drinks and Blankets on Hand
If the weather is going to be cool, then the drinks should be hot. Have your bar ready to serve up warm cocktails and your servers prepared with plenty of hot tea, coffee and chocolate. Another great way to heat people up is to let them get cozy under some blankets, and you can even get them in your wedding colors to make your theme that much more extensive.
Keep It Clean
Even if you’re an Earthy/outdoors-y type, you should avoid an outdoor fall wedding in the dirt. If the ground is completely dirt, then rain is really going to put a (literal) damper on things. Even if you’re getting married under a tent, people will inevitably bring the rain water in with them, and things can turn into a muddy mess in a hurry. You don’t want your gown getting ruined, and your guests certainly don’t want to be covered in grime.
Avoid the Big Game
I know this isn’t what you want to think about. Your wedding is the biggest day of your life, and for your closest circle of friends and family members, it’s probably big enough for them to miss a single football or baseball game for your big day. But everyone else? Well, if you schedule your wedding on a Sunday when there’s a big divisional rivalry football game happening or a day when a World Series game is being played if you’re in the Cleveland or Chicago areas then you can expect a lot of no-shows and/or a lot of guests crowding around the TV for much of your big day. Your wedding only comes once in a lifetime, but, for the Cubbies, at least, so does winning the World Series. (It’s been 108 years since they last pulled that off.)
Cubic Zirconia Jewelry
Some things change with the seasons – others are great no matter what season it is. High-quality cubic zirconia jewelry made using the “Russian Formula” shines as brightly and as beautifully as real diamonds no matter what time of year it is. Plus, it’s so affordable, that you’ll have plenty of money left over to spend on extra hot drinks and blankets for your fall wedding!