Fall is here! Every year I hope to see the Southern California trees change colors but instead I settle for the somewhat cooler weather and the appearance of all things pumpkin at Trader Joe's. The Fall wedding season is definitely one of my favorites. Guests get to enjoy seasonal menus, darker colors in their decor and get cozy by the fire pits. We're celebrating this lovely fall wedding at the South Coast Botanic Garden on the blog today! P.S the bride designed her own invitations and hand painted all the pretty signs!
Getting ready earlier
Getting ready the morning of your wedding should be anything but stressful. Something to consider if you're having a late fall outdoor wedding (late October or November) is that the sunset will be a lot earlier. That means, you should plan to have your ceremony earlier in the day as well and therefore, you're 'getting ready' time will have to start earlier as well.
Hair & Skin Care Routine
If you're not a morning person, consider washing your hair the night before and lathering lot's of moisturize on before bed. To avoid puffy eyes the morning of your wedding, stay hydrated the night before and go to bed early. I know it's not what you want to hear on your wedding weekend but, trust me, you'll be glad you did.
Breakfast & champagne
Even though you might have butterflies the morning of your wedding, you need to eat something. Have your Maid of Honor be in charge of wedding day brunch and mimosas to take the edge off! Remember, stay hydrated throughout the day too!
Outdoor Ceremony
Like I mentioned earlier, if you're having an outdoor ceremony in the Fall, it's likely that the sunset will be significantly earlier than it would be during the Spring or Summer. Planning tip: The first thing I do when I start creating a wedding timeline for clients is to insert the sunset time. The reason I do this is because I want the "golden light" romantic photos to happen the hour surrounding the sunset. This means, the ceremony should be at least 1 hour or more BEFORE sunset time.
A Garden Reception
After a beautiful wedding with a traditional tea ceremony, modern vows and lot's of happy tears, guests were escorted to the meadow for some sushi, drinks and dancing. Planning Tip: One thing we like to always recommend to our Fall wedding couples is to rent heat lamps! I know it's not a sexy rental item to have on your list but your guests will appreciate you for keeping them warm once the sun sets. If you don't like the look of the metal heat lamps, for a small extra fee you can ask your rental company to wrap them in pretty much any color you want!
Fall Wedding Photos
All in all, I still think Fall weddings are the best. The air is crisper, sure, but the sunsets are spectacular. If you are considering a botanical garden as your wedding venue, I recommend checking out the South Coast Botanic Garden because you'll have 86 acres of incredible greenery and cool plants for your sunset photos.
Vendor Team
Planning 'Cause We Can Events // Photography Jennifer Fujikawa // Venue South Coast Botanic Garden // Hair + Makeup Theresa Huang // Florals Hana Hana Flowers // Desserts Le Paradis Macaron // Wedding Arch Blue Fish Event Rentals // Invitations Fiber and Dye
