9 Tips and Ideas for an Outdoor Fall Wedding

An outdoor fall wedding naturally infuses seasonal scenery and romance. For new couples who adore autumn's charm, you may want to celebrate your special day surrounded by golden foliage and crisp air. The mild temperatures and clear skies ensure comfort all day long, thus creating an unforgettable experience.  

This guide is crafted especially for soon-to-be-wed couples. We are here to help you make your autumn outdoor wedding truly impressive. Thoroughly read it, and then you‘ll get the top 9 outdoor wedding ideas for fall, from venue selection to lighting ideas to guest-friendly details, aiming to help you organize your unique ceremony. 

Find Out a Venue with Nature and Scenery

The success of a fall outdoor wedding lies in the venue you've chosen. It is highly suggested that you pick up a venue that blends nature and scenery - a safe and even place that is filled with autumn elements.

Before the wedding starts, make sure that you have cleaned the entire venue and kept everything organized, including sweeping the leaves, washing the floor, and moving out all unnecessary items.

If your wedding party is a small one or you just want a more budget-friendly celebration, you can make the most of your backyard. Compared to the traditional ceremony held in churches or on grass, the overall backyard wedding cost is much more affordable. 

Plan for Unpredictable Weather

The unpredictable weather is a headache for any outdoor activities, and there is no exception for a fall wedding held outdoors. An efficient way to cope with harsh weather conditions is to set up a reliable wedding tent at the venue. Many brides and bridegrooms would choose a clear top tent or pole tent for their weddings, as these two kinds combine both elegance and durability in their design.

• Clear Top Tent
  

One prominent feature of the clear top tent is its transparent beauty. The clear ceiling allows you to take advantage of the natural light during the daytime. The best part of using this tent is that you can freely decorate it with various elements like floral arrangements, greenery adornments, balloons, ribbons,  drapery, etc. They work together in a harmonious way to enhance the romantic ambiance. 

Moreover, due to its aesthetic appeal, the setting radiates elegance from every angle, no matter viewed from afar or up close. Once everything is in place, the venue becomes a fantastic place to take photos. From professional wedding photography to casual guest selfies, every shot has the potential to become that once-in-a-lifetime keepsake photo you'll treasure forever.

• Pole Tent
  

Thanks to its simple structure and prefabricated modular design, the pole tent is easy to set up on soft ground surfaces like beaches and grass. It is also famous for its peaked roof. When the center pole lifts the tent cover, the whole structure presents an elegant arc profile. 

It usually offers a wide selection of sizes and is particularly suitable for grand outdoor weddings. Whether you need an intimate 10x10ft setup or a grand 40x100ft layout, there’s always an option to suit any event scale. You can even customize the size if you want it to perfectly fit all your needs. 

Both the clear top tent and the pole tent are good options for an outdoor wedding. But you may want to heat the tent if your wedding day is set in late autumn, as the temperature then is relatively low. You'll need to attach sidewalls to the tent and tightly seal the seams and joint points to reduce heat loss. And you can also heat your tents by adding heating fans, heaters, and HVAC systems. 

Use the Seasonal Fall Decoration

One of the best ways to add a more seasonal vibe to your special day is to decorate your outdoor wedding venue with fall adornments. Classic warm colors like burnt orange, caramel, and chocolate brown work better for an autumn wedding theme. 

Additionally, you can use winding vines, autumn leaves, or dried florals to adorn arches. If you prefer a classic, rustic ceremony, then boho-chic decor would be perfect for you. Then pumpkins, feathered accents, pinecones, and wreaths are necessary elements you must prepare. 

And don't forget to set an attractive photo zone! This is easy to achieve with hay bales, wooden swings, and vintage chairs. These elements would encourage all your guests to capture unforgettable moments and post them on social media platforms.

Set up Lighting for Ambiance

When the night falls, you can illuminate the whole venue by turning on the lighting systems. Fairy lights, twinkle lights, string lights, paper lanterns, etc., are all good tent lighting ideas that help outline your venue and create a warm atmosphere for this big event. In addition, you can cluster candles on tables or line pathways to guide guests. All these will enhance the visual effect of your wedding party. 

Remind Guests to Wear Warm Outdoor Fall Wedding Outfits

The outdoor fall wedding outfits should be stylish, and at the same time, keep guests warm. When you make invitation cards, you can print relevant tips on them to remind your guests to dress properly. Many people would love to wear sleeveless cocktail dresses, long floral dresses, and velvet dresses. They are all nice options for the autumn wedding as they can perfectly match the theme.

When staying outside during the fall season, guests may easily feel chilly. Thus, another important thing that you should remind your guests of is to bring light jackets, shawls, cardigan sweaters, or any other attire or accessories that would help them deal with unstable weather conditions. They can wear it if it is cooler outside and take it off if it gets warmer.

Serve Comfort Food & Dessert

Food and dessert are also important when planning a successful outdoor wedding. Before you are going to prepare this, you should get to know your guests' tastes in advance. You might send out questionnaires to investigate what your guests prefer. Most importantly, check if they are allergic to certain foods or have dietary restrictions.

The universally loved seasonal dishes like roasted squash soup, herb-crusted chicken, or wild mushroom risotto would be great. They embrace fall's flavors and cater to diverse tastes. When it comes to sweets, you may prepare mini pumpkin pies, spiced apple cider donuts, and maple-glazed pecan tarts. These treats match your theme and are easy for guests to enjoy while mingling. 

Serve Hot Drinks

Then you should consider complementing the food and desserts with hot drinks. They are particularly helpful in making guests feel warm on cooler days. Hot chocolate, coffee, and juice are good options for children and non-alcoholic guests. While for adults who would love to drink during the wedding ceremony, they often prefer mulled wine, hot toddy, spiked apple cider, etc. 

To add a more creative touch to the outdoor fall wedding, you can also set up a self-serve hot drink bar and prepare various ingredients for your guests to make unique beverages for themselves.

Utilize Time and Natural Light for Breathtaking Photos

The moments to take photos are crucial. The golden hours (one hour after sunrise or before sunset), offer the most flattering natural light for capturing your autumn wedding. It's vital to position your cameras at low angles to emphasize the fall colors and lively atmosphere at the venue. And never miss the "blue hour". This usually occurs 20-30 minutes after sunset, when the sky turns a deep cobalt blue. 

What if the ceremony is held on an overcast day? No worries. You can use strategic lighting to compensate and focus on intimate portraits and detail shots. For better results, scout the venue during your rehearsal to pinpoint ideal angles and mark them in advance.

Pay Attention to Thoughtful Details for Guest Experience

After the outdoor fall wedding, remember to give each guest a gift or souvenir for them to remember this event. As winter approaches, consider practical gifts that offer warmth. Cozy blankets, hand warmers, or stylish hats and scarves are perfect seasonal keepsakes. Or if you want a more elegant touch, you can prepare curated gift boxes with scented candles, artisanal soaps, or luxurious hand creams.

Conclusion

With these outdoor fall wedding ideas, you are bound to create a wonderful party experience for everyone. If you need a safe shelter to protect guests against changing weather, reach out to Sheltent. In case you don't know, we not only provide you with top-quality tents for your outdoor wedding, but also give you insightful ideas to help organize the best wedding ceremony ever!