Autumn Apple Inspiration Board

Fall is that exciting time of year when there is a sense of electricity in the air that seems to radiate around everything.  The air is crisp, the leaves are changing colors, the weather is getting cooler and there is nothing better than curling up with a warm mug of apple cider.  Of course we couldn't help but put together this darling apple inspiration board in celebration of the season.  Chop full of charming details, how cute would your wedding reception be if it was hosted at an apple orchard?  Hand out personalized apple bags and allow guests to pick their own apples to take home as fall wedding favors.  Love it.

 

Image Credits: Apple butter, Couple with apples, Apple with Rings, and Pies via Style Me Pretty, Apple Slice Favors, Couple on picnic blanket via Polka Dot Bride, Apple garland via Snippet and Ink, Monogrammed burlap favor bags, Mason jar lighting, Apple cider favors, DIY apple pie favor kits, Pick your own apple favors via Gabriel Boone Photography

Top 5 Flowers In Season For Your Fall Wedding

Fall weddings are characterized by rich shades of red and orange that give an added romantic flair and warmth to this already special event. Picking the flowers that you'd like to use during your reception and ceremony can be an especially exciting challenge, as this flora will play a big part in dictating the overall aesthetic of your nuptials. For fall weddings, you should go about choosing seasonal varieties that will be at their peak during the autumn months, featuring hues that are characteristic of the season.

Here are five flowers that are in season during the fall - they're our top picks for your big day:

• Asiatic lily - This beautiful flower can give your bouquet a cascading effect as you walk down the aisle. With long, curved petals, the buds appear to burst from the stem. In a light orange tone, the Asiatic lily could be the perfect flower for your centerpieces as well.

• Celosia - Few flowers make more of a statement in a bouquet than celosia. Whether you choose the plumed type, which produces impressive spires, or the crested variety with its striking twisted form, you can't go wrong using this flower in your wedding.

• Gerbera - This kind of daisy is the perfect flower for a harvest wedding, as it has a very basic shape and petal structure, but blooms in amazing shades of red and orange, making it a wonderful statement piece.

• Queen Anne's Lace - This is perhaps the ultimate filler flower, as it has enough thickness to fill a bouquet out completely without taking away from the statement made with more vibrant flora used in the array.

• Rose - This may seem overdone, but richly colored roses can give the perfect air of class and comfort when used as a decoration at your wedding. Small arrangements at every table will be tasteful and timeless - they are a standard for a reason.

There are numerous varieties of flowers that peak during the autumn months that will make your nuptials absolutely gorgeous. You can never have too much flora at your wedding, after all, so choose several different species to incorporate into your reception and ceremony. Combined with seasonal fall wedding decorations on every table, these arrangements will help your venue burst with color and make your big day an event that no one will soon forget.

Image Credits: Bridal Bouquet, Fall Celosia and Gerbera Daisies Flower Arrangements

Get A Carriage For Your Marriage: Unique Wedding Transportation Ideas

During the planning stages, most brides-to-be are solely focused on perfecting their grand entrance during the ceremony — but what about making a spectacular exit after the reception? When you ride off into the sunset with your new husband, the memory of the car taking you both away from the party and off to a life of wedded bliss will be as lasting to guests as your first steps walking down the aisle.

While limousines are considered the go-to mode of transport when it comes to bringing the VIPs to and from the ceremony and after party, consider affixing your "Just Married" sign to the rear of one of these less-conventional rides.

• Room for two - While a stretch limousine may seem like the height of luxury, it's hardly very romantic sitting in a cavernous back seat designed to fit a dozen others. Cozy up with your husband and choose an antique roadster for your exit vehicle that only has room for the two of you. Let him play the chauffeur, and keep the top down so that passersby can congratulate you en route to your honeymoon destination.

• Public Transportation - If you live in a city that is known for an iconic trolley system or vintage taxicabs, look into booking a charter for one of these rides on your big day. This is an especially unique option for couples that have a lot of pride for their city, and many municipalities or transportation companies have rides - even replica trolley cars - that are available for events just like this.

• Period Piece - Weddings that incorporate a vintage flair have been especially popular of late, with more couples looking to give their nuptials the grandeur of receptions from the early 1900s. Inspired in part by the recent success of the blockbuster film "The Great Gatsby," a jazz-age wedding has unparalleled glamour, which can only be enhanced by a vintage car from the 1920s chauffeuring the couple away on their wedding night.

• Two wheels instead of four - While you'll be sacrificing cabin space, riding a motorcycle or a motor scooter away from the ceremony is one of the most romantic exits imaginable. This should only be attempted if you or your fiancé are licensed to drive a motorcycle - and the length of the wedding dress will need to be taken into consideration - but riding off into the sunset on a Harley or a Vespa will be truly unforgettable.

• A literal carriage - While it may not be as fast as a sports car or as flashy as a limo, an actual horse-drawn carriage is classic and charming - perfect for weddings that embrace any theme.

However you plan on closing out the reception, make sure that you travel safely and responsibly, and above all, enjoy the ride! 

Photo Credits: Wedding Carriage, Antique Wedding Car, Wedding Trolley

5 Non-Traditional Wedding Cake Ideas For Fall Weddings

The quintessential wedding cake consists of several towering tiers of creamy frosting with nondescript bride and groom figurines proudly standing aloft the top-most layer. While this approach is traditional, it is also extremely forgettable, as a standard-issue wedding cake will hardly make an impression on your guests or stand out at your reception. This is especially true for fall weddings, where you want the cake to help establish the overall aesthetic and act as a centerpiece for the entire celebration.

Below is a list of fun cake ideas will not only satisfy your taste in style but also your appetite, covering all the bases for your fall wedding. These designs run the gamut, whether you are looking for a high-fashion delicacy or a cake that ties your theme completely together.

1. The Fruit Cake - The term "fruit cake" usually has a negative connotation, whether you are discussing a crazy person or the seasonal treat that tends to get trashed during the Christmas season. If done right, you won't be regifting this cake, as you can ask your designer to use marzipan to create seasonal fruits - think apples, berries and even pumpkins - that can be placed on the tiers of your cake. The flavors on each level can reflect a different fruit used in decoration, allowing the cake to be as beautiful as it is delicious.

2. Off-Balance Cake - For those who like pushing the extremes of cake architecture, this design will definitely leave a lasting impression. Instead of a structure composed of tiers that gradually decrease in circumference as they go up, have your designer layer similarly sized cakes one over the other with each piece centered near the edge of the one below it, achieving an almost spiral effect. Accent it with delicate orange and yellow flowers reminiscent of those in season to tie in the autumn look.

3. Candy Plus Cake - While you may not be embracing the entire Halloween theme at your fall wedding, 

autumn and winter are undeniably the busiest times of year for candy makers, and incorporating your favorite sweets into the reception is something everyone will appreciate. Go for a smaller wedding cake and have a candy bar surrounding it that features either your favorite seasonal confections or a few gourmet variations - think cupcake-sized Reese's cups. This will give your guests some variety and supply that sugar kick everyone needs to get on the dance floor.

4. Chocolate Cake - It's true that you are playing it safe by sticking with a vanilla cake, as chocolate isn't everybody's cup of tea, but with shorter days and longer nights, it's alright to go a little darker with the decor at the reception - including the cake. A rich chocolate frosting will be stunning if accented appropriately with designs like cream-colored scrolls or piping. You can even integrate some subtle marzipan foliage into the presentation if you feature warmly colored decor throughout your venue.

5. Wedding Pies - Apple, pecan and pumpkin pie are quintessential fall deserts, and for a crowd pleasing favorite at your reception, opt out of cake all together.  Create a pie stand that mimics the ascending structure of a traditional cake and place your bride and groom toppers accordingly.

Regardless of the cake style you choose, you'll want to add fall wedding napkins personalized with the bride and groom's name and wedding date to your cake table. Cake table napkins can designs with colors and designs to perfectly compliment your wedding cake.

Have fun at your wedding and surprise your guests with a fall-themed cake that will truly leave an impression.

Image Credits: Fall wedding cake, Fall candy bar

Make Your 25th A Truly Silver Anniversary

A wedding day is unquestionably an important milestone, but when a couple makes their marriage last for 25 years, it is just as big a cause for celebration. Making it to a "silver anniversary" further solidifies the fact that two people found a partner they will be able to share the rest of their life with, and that though there may have been bumps along the way, these two have accomplished quite a remarkable feat.

Plan to celebrate this big day with as much enthusiasm as a wedding. Since this is the silver anniversary, the theme for your celebration is already decided for you - silver everything! Before you can get the party started, however, there is a lot of planning that will go into making sure this celebration is as memorable as the wedding 25 years ago.

Choosing the right venue: There are a lot of considerations that go into choosing a venue for this anniversary. For example, you could choose a moment from the couple's past that will remind them of when they met before their wedding, like the location where he popped the question. You could also pick a setting that commemorates the life they have built since they first tied the knot, like a favorite restaurant or even the family's back yard. Whatever you do, deck the place with accents that emphasize the theme, like toasting flutes engraved with silver fonts and silver plated place card holders. Add a special touch and romantic charm to the buffet table and cake table with personalized 25th Anniversary napkins.  

Entertainment: You can choose a DJ, a band or even make a playlist on your laptop or mp3 player - whatever you do, make sure you play music that is important to the couple. From the first dance at their wedding as man and wife, to the songs the bride and groom waltzed with their parents too - there are plenty of options.

Getting the right cake: This one should be a no-brainer - just look to the original wedding cake for silver number cake topper that displays "25" for all to see. If you don't want an elaborate cake for the anniversary party, make a wedding cake in miniature that will function more as a decoration and feed guests sheet cake that is easier to prepare and serve.

inspiration! There will surely be pictures from the reception that you can show a baker or even a relative with cooking skills to replicate. However, instead of having a bride and groom standing on top of the cake, replace your topper with a

Whether you are planning an anniversary for a loved one or your own special day to commemorate, even the smallest details make a world of difference.