Outdoor Wedding Ideas for September

Fall Leaves image by Paul DeLuca from Fotolia.com

As long as you live in a temperate to warm climate, an outdoor wedding in September has as many possibilities as any other wedding. September outdoor weddings in a cold climate are limited by the styles that are safe to use with heaters and the area the heaters can cover. However, if you live in a cold climate, an outdoor wedding in September runs such a high-risk of bad weather that many couples avoid the idea altogether.

Wedding Garments

Any autumn colors, such as gold, burgundy, chocolate and forest green, can add a fall accent to basic wedding garments. The bride can wear a cream gown with crystal-beaded sunflower trim or a white gown with a sheer, gold, leaf-patterned overskirt. Bridesmaids can wear long, flowing, chocolate-colored linen sundresses or knee-length burgundy silk slip dresses with matching shawls. Men can wear black suits with cream shirts and burgundy ties or dark gray suits with white shirts and forest green ties.

Wedding Flowers

Flowers are an important part of the wedding ceremony and the reception. A teardrop-shaped arrangement consisting of dried red roses, cream roses, sunflowers, ivy, lavender and baby’s breath provides a lovely bridal bouquet for an outdoor wedding in September. Sunflower boutonnieres are a decorative accent for groomsmen, and small sunflower, ivy and lavender bouquets provide a decorative accent for the bridesmaids.

Wedding Decorations

Combine wooden chairs and fall-themed decorations to create an outdoor ceremony area for a September wedding. The area consists of two sections of chairs separated by an aisle for the bride to walk down. Autumn-colored, silk leaf garlands can line each side of the aisle for a fancy flair, or lines of pumpkins can decorate each side of the aisle for an earthy touch. A dried leaf and flower-covered arbor or canopy provides a romantic outdoor altar area.

Reception Decorations

Wooden tables with matching chairs can be the basic furniture for an outdoor wedding in September. A burgundy raffia bow with a small autumn leaf and sunflower bouquet over the knot provides an earthy decoration for the back of each chair. A gold-painted pumpkin vase filled with a flared bouquet consisting of dried red roses, white roses, sunflowers, ivy, leaf-covered branches, pussy willow branches and baby’s breath provide a colorful centerpiece for each burgundy tablecloth-covered table.

Reception Refreshments

Outdoor wedding reception refreshments for a September event can include warm or cold selections, depending on the temperature expected. Warm snacks can include mini spinach quiche, crispy sweet potato fries, cranberry-stuffed fried wontons and honey-mustard chicken fingers. Cold and/or room-temperature snacks can include prosciutto-wrapped asparagus tips, mini cinnamon croissants, cranberry apple salad and chilled wild rice and turkey salad. Drink selections can include hot apple cider, hot chocolate, coffee, herbal tea, apple juice, lemon water and cranberry iced tea.