Autumn and Winter Wedding Themes

Autumn and winter weddings provide couples with so much scope for their wedding styling. It’s definitely the time of year to embrace the season and let your wedding reflect all that you love about the month you’ve chosen, for your big day.

With nights drawing in and a chill in the air, venues can be dressed to create real atmosphere and drama. Low level lighting can be achieved with the use of pillar candles, fairy lights and tealight holders. If your venue has dimmer switches and table lamps, ask if these can be used rather than glaring, overhead lighting. Likewise, if your venue has open fireplaces, ask if the fires will be lit, to give your guests an extra warm welcome into your reception.

Autumn and winter styling needn’t be overtly ‘themed’ to convey the elements of the season. Carefully chosen seasonal flowers, the selection of appropriate decorative pieces and finishing touches will all create the right look.

Here are some seasonal themes that we’ve had the pleasure of creating for our wedding clients:-

Autumn Themes

Harvest – an eco-friendly option: centrepieces created using twigs and branches of berries in natural containers or wicker baskets, apple motifs on table stationery and toffee apple favours.
Metallic – a decadent and romantic setting: table decorations in pale, champagne gold through to deep bronze, satin napkins finished with a filigree napkin rings, dark chocolate favours adorned with edible gold leaf, metal place name holders bearing metallic place name cards.
Mountain Lodge – the warm, cosy welcoming retreat: use herringbone, tweed and hessian fabrics as table linen, incorporate slices of tree trunk, pieces of slate, horns and antlers into your centrepieces or feature areas, stag motifs and fur throws can complete the look.
New England – think crunchy leaves underfoot: table stationery shaped like autumn leaves, storm lanterns, plaid blankets, pumpkins, rope details, hurricane lamps and flowers from pale peach through to russet red.

Winter Themes

Traditional Christmas – transport your guests to Downton Abbey, set for a sumptuous Christmas celebration: vintage ‘silver’ containers filled with deep red roses, amaryllis, berries and hellebores, over-sized candelabras filled with tall, ivory dinner candles, extravagant table linen, jewel coloured glassware and intimate lighting.
Narnia – enter a glistening, winter wonderland: reflective mirrors, white flowers with grey foliage, glitter and faux snow sprinkles, mottled mercury glass candlesticks, crystal garlands, fairy lights and pure white table linen with white organza overlays.
Rustic – the informal, country barn setting: wicker wreaths and twigs in the shape of hearts, centrepieces containers wrapped in bark and tied with twine, cinnamon sticks and sisal wrapped around napkins, chunky church candles and brown paper finishing touches.
Scandinavian – uncluttered, simplistic chic: clean lines and natural materials, white ceramics, wooden heart details, paper decorations, suspended branches with hanging votives, wooden candlesticks and contemporary chairs.

A final piece of advice…..

If you are getting married between mid-November and the twelfth night after Christmas, ask your venue how they will be decorating the areas you’ll be using. You do not want to turn up with beautiful handmade, rustic table decorations to discover purple tinsel and flashing lights, wrapped around a 12 ft Christmas tree!