Purple Kite Photography

4 min read

TIPS AND TRICKS FOR A PERFECT AUTUMN WEDDING

Naked cake decorated with eucalyptus and blackberries on a wooden table accessorised with pinecones wood slices and an earthenware vase

Sarah Whyte, owner of Purple Kite Photography, sitting on a bridge in Hertford, Hertfordshire

Hi, I'm Sarah!

I love being able to document the raw emotions and excitement of a wedding day and take pride in delivering stunning images that my couples will cherish for a lifetime.

I create a calm and relaxed atmosphere for my clients, ensuring that they feel at ease and enjoy every moment of their day.

Although I'm based in Hertford, I'm not just a Hertfordshire Wedding Photographer. I can travel all over the UK (and beyond) for your Wedding!

PLANNING YOUR PERFECT AUTUMN WEDDING

Autumn is hands down my favourite season. Plenty of sunny days still, cooler evenings with the promise of blankets and cosy fires, and all of those incredible colours in nature. Autumn has become a firm favourite with couples planning their wedding too, which isn't really surprising. With the cooler temperatures, autumn hues and the sun sitting a bit lower in the sky, your wedding images can look spectacular! Take inspiration from the autumn leaves, open fires and the rustic aesthetic that the season evokes.

There are a few things to consider when planning your autumn wedding, so read on for my tips to make the most of your autumn wedding day.

Couple kissing under a stone arch with autumnal trees behind them. The bride is wearing a shawl and holding a bouquet of yellow and white flowers

Here are my 6 tips to consider when planning your autumn wedding

Autumn wedding tip # 1

Take advantage of lower costs.

A great benefit of an booking an autumn wedding is lower venue costs, as it is considered an off-peak season, meaning venues you may have previously considered out of budget often offer reductions in their package prices because there is less demand.

Wedding portrait of bride and groom kissing. The groom is wearing a navy suit, with orange bowtie and pocket handkerchief, the bride is holding an autumnal bouquet of browns and oranges

Autumn wedding tip # 2

Mirror those beautiful autumnal hues in your wedding colour palette.

As summer fades into autumn, there aren't as many flowers around and the greenery tends to become more muted, so to add more colour to your wedding you can go a bit bolder with your colour choices in florals and other wedding details, even bridesmaid dresses.

Adding pops of reds, oranges and golds, even plummy purples will enhance the colours of the turning leaves in your outdoor wedding portraits too.

Three tier wedding cake in a barn setting, top and bottom iced in white, while the middle tier is burgundy coloured icing. Decorated with fresh flowers.

Bride and 5 bridesmaids who are dressed in deep red, all holding bouquets featuring red and pink roses, standing together laughing in a sunny garden

Bride and groom standing together in an avenue of autumnal trees with bright yellow leaves, the brides bouquet contains matching yellow roses.

Autumn wedding tip # 3

Embrace all things autumn!

When planning your wedding theme, take inspiration from the turning leaves, open fires and the rustic aesthetic that the season evokes. Autumnal elements such as pumpkins, pinecones, woollen blankets, bonfires and warm hues all evoke feelings of cosiness and love.

Add pinecones or berries as a pop of colour to your bouquet or other wedding décor.

Gold rimmed tea cup containing a pinecone acting as a name card holder. The card reads 'Groom'

A bouquet of red and cream flowers with eucalyptus

Bride and groom seated behind a glass table kissing. The table has a large floral centrepiece across the front in shades of brown and orange and lots of grasses

Take advantage of the nights drawing in and use strings of fairy lights or paper lanterns to create a cosy vibe for the evening reception.

Bride and groom standing giving a wedding speech in a barn decorated with twinkling fairy lights

White stepladder decorated with fairy lights and foliage, with the table plan written out on cards standing on the steps

Bonfire night is a key event in the Autumn calendar, so you could incorporate elements into your day, such as having a fire pit and marshmallows, or even some fireworks if you're feeling extravagant! Consider providing sparklers as wedding favours. They are a budget friendly option and fun for the guests to use as the light fades. You can also get some amazing photos with them!

A groom in a blue suit and feathered hat is feeding the bride a marshmallow on a stick, next to an outdoor stove

Autumn wedding tip # 4

Incorporate seasonal flavours into your wedding menu.

For autumn, think caramelised apples, berries, pumpkin soup or warming pies and stews.

Include seasonal berries in your cake decorations.

Theme cocktails to reflect the season using warming spices or seasonal fruit.

Offer hot-chocolate or mulled wine to warm guests as the evening turns chilly.

A wedding menu card held up by a pinecone, sitting on a table dressed with gold rimmed tea cups and bowls of food

Naked 3-tier wedding cake decorated with blackberries and eucalyptus on a slice of tree trunk, on a wooden table adorned with flowers and foliage

Close up of an onion tarte tatin finished with goats cheese and thyme

Close up of sugar rimmed martini glasses filled with salted caramel cocktails

Autumn wedding tip # 5

Make sure to leave enough daylight for wedding portraits!

As autumn sets in, sunset times creep earlier and earlier, meaning fewer daylight hours for your wedding photographs! Please do consider this when arranging your ceremony time, so you have plenty of time for group photos and couple portraits before the light starts to fade. Read more about planning your wedding timeline here.

Most wedding ceremonies start 5-15 minutes late, and in autumn those extra 15 minutes could mean that the time allotted to post-ceremony portraits could finish after sunset. Needing to switch to flash half way through the session will result in a less cohesive look to your overall wedding images.

The wonderful thing about the light in autumn is that you almost get that gorgeous 'golden hour' glow throughout most of the afternoon, giving you that wonderful soft lighting to create stunning images. Work with your photographer to plan enough time for your portraits while that incredible autumn light is still in the sky and you'll end up with beautiful images that you'll treasure for a lifetime!

Bride holding red themed bouget laughs as the groom kisses her neck

Autumn wedding tip # 6

Be prepared for those chilly Autumn evenings!

Especially if you have an outdoor area for your wedding or for a part of your reception, you'll want to add in a few ways for your guests to stay warm and cosy.

You could think about adding in some outdoor heating or, better yet, a real fire! Provide a basket of blankets, or maybe a hot cocoa or mulled wine station.

You could think about adding a lovely jacket or faux fur short coat or wrap to your wedding look! You don't need to wear it all day, but it adds an interesting extra dimension to some of your wedding photos if you choose to wear an extra layer in some of them.

Bride and groom relaxing on blanket-covered hay bales looking away from camera

A basket of rolled up blankets with a sign propped up which reads 'To have and to hold - In case you get cold'

Bride wearing a fringed white dress and gold shawl and groom in a black dinner jacket kissing within a circular brick archway

Bonus Tip

Don't forget to have a back up plan for rain!

With the season change, the risk of rain increases, so please do be prepared in case of rain on your autumn wedding day. The easiest back-up plan for rain is to ensure you have some shelter and some clear umbrellas, but for a more in-depth look at preparing for rain, have a look at my rainy wedding day blog here!

Bride holding a bouquet of sunflowers kissing groom in a blue suit under a clear umbrella by a church wall

You can see more Autumn Weddings on my blog.

"We loved having Sarah photograph our wedding and capture the special moments, she made us feel super at ease and relaxed and worked with the weather to get some beautiful images that we will treasure for ever."

Emma

If you're planning an autumn wedding, I hope these tips help you to make the most of your day. If you're still looking for a photographer to capture your autumn wedding please get in touch. I'd love to chat!

Black and white photo of Sarah from Purple Kite Photography in floral dress holding a camera