Ah, autumn. The kids are back at school, Strictly is making its annual return to Saturday-night TV and there’s a crisper feel in the air. While for some the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness heralds soggy leaf litter and darker, colder evenings, there are many reasons why it makes perfect sense to have a wedding at this time of year.

Reasons to have an autumn wedding:

Perfect timing

Once the summer is over, most people have done their big holidays for the year, assuming you avoid October’s half-term break. So there’s more chance of more of your guests being able to accept an invitation to your wedding.

The other reason the timing is so good is that the weeks from September to late November fall outside the high wedding season, meaning you can benefit from off-peak prices, especially if you hold your wedding celebration on a weekday rather than a weekend.

The weather

The nights may be closing in and there might be a chill in the air, but there can be some benefits to this. After all, it’s unlikely to be too hot or to be freezing, and there can be glorious days with a gorgeous light and bright autumnal sunshine.

None of your male guests will be roasting in their suits, while the bride’s hair won’t frizz, plus she has the ideal excuse to add accessories like faux fur wraps or cosy shawls to her own and her bridesmaids’ outfits.

If you go for September nuptials and hit lucky, you may even still be able to exchange your vows outdoors.

The colours

For many, one of the main reasons for loving the autumn is the wonderful shades which appear at this time of year. Embrace their warmth, beauty and romance for your celebrations and use them to add texture to your special occasion. Think burgundies, plums, gold, brown and orange. You can incorporate these into your flowers and general décor, while the rich colours of the autumn leaves will supply the perfect stunning backdrop for your wedding photography.

Interesting themes

Autumn is, of course, a time for harvest, so think hay bales and wheat sheafs as part of your décor. Or, especially if you’re marrying around Halloween, how about some pumpkins? The cooler evenings mean you could also have candles, creating an intimate feel. For flowers, dahlias are in season and suit an autumnal colour scheme; equally, you could add dill and lady’s breath. Don’t forget to incorporate some lovely autumn foliage as well.

Food

This clearly forms a key part of any wedding day. In the autumn, you can enjoy heartier, warming meals rather than the standard June fare of cold chicken salad or salmon with new potatoes. It’s an excellent time of year for delicious soups, sumptuous charcuterie boards and caramel apples plus warming drinks such as mulled punch.
Book your autumn wedding at Berkeley Castle

At Berkeley Castle, while we love an autumn wedding, we also adore this time of year. Our stunning wedding venue on the edge of the Cotswolds could be exclusively yours for the weekend. And in autumn the blazing colours of the foliage in our grounds are truly spectacular, making the whole location look especially wonderful.

Get in touch with the team and start to create the autumn wedding that’s perfect for you.