The decorations you select for the outside spaces of your wedding are the ones which will create the first impression of your wedding. Whether your guests will view them only briefly as they scurry into a warm church on a frigid December day or will spend the entire celebration surrounded by them at an early autumn outdoor wedding, the exterior decorations are very important. Create a beautiful welcoming design with these ideas for outdoor decorations for fall and winter weddings.
In the autumn, outdoor decorations often take on a rustic flavor. This is great for the diy bride, as they are often easy to assemble. Grand stalks of wheat tied to the columns of a country inn with a russet colored ribbon would be a great way to set the tone for a charming country wedding on an early October afternoon. Line the front steps with baskets of mums in seasonal colors for a gorgeous burst of color. The baskets of flowers can be re-purposed as table decorations for the post-wedding brunch the following day, or simply transport them to your home to decorate your own porch or yard after the wedding. These decorations would be very much in keeping with the taste of a bride who likes a simple silk shantung gown and handmade wedding jewelry.
Wreaths are stunning decorations for doors, trees, even the broad side of a barn. The marvelous thing about a wreath is that you can create a nearly infinite variety of styles using the same basic form. For an elegant wedding during the Christmas season, adorn the church doors with a pair of square wreaths made from boxwood. Tie on wide white satin bows with extra long streamers for a minimalist chic effect. For a fall celebration, create a rustic wreath from grapevine and berries to hang on the door of a restored barn reception. Add a bow in a cranberry or pine green burlap for a festive touch. Wreaths can also be very feminine, such as a classic round pine wreath decorated with dried white hydrangeas or preserved white magnolia blossoms. Or add seashells and starfish to a pine wreath for a nautical winter wedding by the sea.
Lighting is an easy way to add drama to the exterior spaces of your wedding. Classic tiny white lights can be used to great effect when hundreds are strung through trees flanking a front door. Or hang small clear glass globes over an entry way filled with flickering white candles. On a snowy day, covered lanterns with ivory candles planted in the snow alongside a walkway would be a beautiful way to brighten up a gray day or icy evening. If your ceremony and reception will take place outdoors before the fall weather turns too cold, hang candle filled lanterns on shepherd’s hooks to line the aisle or around the perimeter of the reception space.
