"August and Everything After": Choosing a Wedding Theme

Now that it’s August and we suddenly find ourselves bombarded with countless television back-to-school ads, my autumn-themed wedding of nearly eight years ago seems to be fresh in my memory again. There was a reason my fiance and I chose the fall for our event… in our combined opinion, there is no season more romantic than autumn. The crisp, dry New England days evoke memories of hayrides and apple-picking, and the chilly nights are perfect for cuddling under a quilt or by the fire with a good wine. I even love the scent that hangs in the air… a combination of the sweet-smelling fallen leaves and the wood-burning stoves that come out of retirement at this time of year. It was a no-brainer that we would choose this season.

The rich color palette of the season fueled my creativity as I chose my invitations, flowers, attendant dresses and centerpieces (which were simply baskets of glossy red apples that my fiance and I harvested ourselves at a local orchard just one week prior… sometimes less really IS more). My bridesmaids seemed lit from within when they walked down the aisle in their gorgeous garnet-colored dresses (each one in a different style from the other due to the fact that each maid was beautiful in her own way). Our bouquets (by the amazing Frugal Flower in Sudbury, MA) contained a riot of autumn-colored flowers, accompanied by fall leaves and berries… just gorgeous. It didn’t matter to me one bit that it rained so much that I half expected to see a great ark laden with a pair of each of Earth’s creatures floating languidly by the church… the inclement weather outside simply added to the cozy ambiance of the historical home at which we hosted our post-ceremony celebration (at Stow Acres in Stow, MA), roaring fire in the great stone fireplace and all. A giant hollow foam pumpkin graced our gift table, ready to collect the many envelopes we received from our generous guests, and lovely preserved autumn leaves were scattered upon every available surface. To this day, there is nothing I would do differently.

I believe that this is the key to planning a wedding that has real heart. Rather than haphazardly choosing elements for your day, select a theme that speaks to you, whether it be a season, a holiday, or even simply a favorite color. It just makes everything more FUN, not just for you as you plan, but for your guests as well, as they take in all of the details that you so thoughtfully considered. Even now, our family and friends reminisce about our wedding as being one of the truly great weddings that they have attended. This is by no means due to an exorbitant event budget, but rather the fact that our wedding represented who we are. Isn’t that the kind of wedding you’d want to attend?

By the way, if you’d like a peek at some of the highlights of my wedding, click here and choose “Scene Selections: Flashback Ending.”