When I get bookings for weddings between October and March one of the main stipulations couples have is that its full of candlelight, cosy vibes and heavy with rich colours, this is obviously a wonderful brief and I love to turn it into reality.
With so many of my couples and other couples moving dates from Spring/Summer to Autumn/Winter there are so many questions about the change of style, the different flowers that are available and for some a change in the number of guests. I wanted to share one of the most beautiful weddings that it has been my pleasure to style in recent years and demonstrate just how stunning a late Autumn and very intimate wedding can be.
The Vintage House That Could + Follow
Hannah and Joe fell in love with The Painswick and when I joined them for a venue visit it was clear to see why. Not only is it nestled into the most idyllic village in the Cotswolds with views across stunning countryside but the hotel itself has the most welcoming homely feel, not to mention the carefully considered dreamy interiors.
Hannah and Joe decided that they wanted to share their ceremony with very close family and friend’s who then stayed for canapés, drinks and celebrations, then a smaller number of guests joined them for an intimate meal in one of the hotels private dining spaces. This allowed for a beautiful set up, filled with abundant seasonal flowers by Bespoke Flower Co, lots of candlelight, rich reds and navy’s and the most beautiful stationary from Megan Riera.
The images from the day by Ann-Kathrin Koch really do bring that sense of cosiness and warmth that I know the couple wanted, and it shows just how personalized weddings can be when they are smaller and more focused on exactly what you want rather than what you think you should have.
For everyone out there moving from one season to another and worrying about how to create a day that still fulfills your brief here are my top tips.
- You don’t have to start from scratch, if you wanted pastel colours before you can still incorporate them into an autumn or winter wedding very easily. Pairing pinks with richer tones of berry, raspberry, chocolate and caramels will create a really sophisticated look.
- Talk to your stylist or florist to add more autumnal or winter foliage into the mix, even if you have already got some paler colours in your bouquet for example the introduction of darker greenery or indeed autumnal colours will instantly make it feel more seasonal.
- If you had your heart set on Peonies, remember you can still get the most beautiful frothy garden roses later on in the year or why not opt for huge dahlias
- If in doubt add fairy lights and lots of candlelight
- Have fun incorporating seasonal touches such as pinecones, berries, fruit and maybe mistletoe!
- Swap your ice-cold aperitif for some mulled wine or an old fashioned!
- Cosy corners are more important where guests can enjoy a drink with a blanket; you can still do outside spaces with fire pits, festoon lights and be romantic under the stars!
- If you have already chosen your dress you can accessorise with a fur cape or a very cool slouchy cardigan or jumper.
- Work with the venue and not against it, you obviously chose your venue because you loved it but maybe you only picked it because of the beautiful outside spaces suited for summer celebrations. If this is the case make sure to look at other images of your venue during Autumn/Winter weddings and see how those couples have used the space.
Most importantly though it doesn’t really matter what month you end up getting married, what’s important is that you have all of the people you love around you.
Katie Sutton
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Katie Sutton is a creative stylist and floral designer working on beautiful bespoke weddings. She is also a business consultant and lives in the prettiest house.