Although the peak season for a wedding is from June to September, many people are looking at getting married in the Fall to avoid the high cost of reception space and wedding services seen during peak season.  Although there are many seasonal ideas that can make your reception stand out, it is not mandatory to follow them.  Here are some great Fall wedding reception ideas that will bring a festive sense of tradition to your wonderful and special day.

Choosing Fall wedding reception ideas starts with determining your location.  Do you want an indoor or outdoor reception?  Depending on where you live, the climate may be perfect for an afternoon event outside.  Consider a nice rustic location, such as a beautiful apple orchard.  Other great locations include a vineyard, a local farm, or a mountain retreat.  The main requirement, besides an intimate country feel, is that there be beautiful views of the foliage as the leaves are turning.  If the leaves don’t change colors in your area or climate demands it, consider an indoor venue instead.

For an indoor venue, there are plenty of Fall wedding reception ideas that will play well with the season’s traditions.  Select a nice traditional meeting hall or banquet room with a lot of traditional dark wood furniture and trim.  A nice amenity that works well with a fall reception would be a wood burning fireplace.  The key to making an indoor space your own is in putting up appropriate decorations that are tasteful and festive.

Decorating for a Fall wedding reception means using lots of traditional colors and seasonal items.  Typical fall wedding reception ideas for the décor include seasonal fruits such as gourds, pumpkins, and squash.  Also consider adding dried corn and wheat, and placing cornucopias on each table as a centerpiece!  For your color palette, use the traditional colors of fall such as reds, browns, oranges, and yellows.  This will evoke the changing leaves outside and create a festive ambience.  If your wedding falls near Halloween, how about jack-o-lanterns and other seasonal items related to the holiday?

Anyone looking for Fall wedding reception ideas will need ideas for the wedding cake.  Of course you can never go wrong with a traditional wedding cake, but if you want to really convey the seasonal theme you might consider a spiced cake with traditional flavors of cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  You might also consider non-traditional dessert items like pumpkin pie or gingerbread.

Some good Fall wedding reception ideas for your party favors might include Fall favorites such as caramel apples, or small bottles of a regional maple syrup.  Other home made ideas could include decorated and scented pinecones or small satchels of potpourri.  Fall is a time traditionally associated with storing the summer harvest.  What about homemade jars of preserves in a decorative jar?  I’m sure there are many regional ideas that will apply to your location.  Tastefully decorated candles are also a excellent fit for a fall wedding.

Wish you could find fall wedding reception ideas that don’t threaten to turn your wedding into just an early version of Thanksgiving dinner?  Throw caution to the winds!  There is no law that says you MUST use seasonal foliage colors in your décor or incorporate pumpkins and gourds into your theme.  Although it’s best to avoid bright Summery colors, there is no reason you can’t incorporate strong deep colors such as purple or plum.  This is your wedding, and it is your choice to follow or ignore traditional wedding ideas.

In the end, the wedding and reception are for you and your guests.  You want to entertain everyone and make sure it is an event to remember, but never forget that every choice is truly yours.  Wedding planner, traditions, and protocols are all there to give guidance and ideas; but nothing is set in stone.  In my view, if someone is going to look down on you for not following the right rules, then they may not be such a great candidate for attendance anyway.  This reception will use about 50 percent of the total budget for your wedding.  Make sure it is being spent on a party and celebration that will make you happy.