Having a fall wedding? Then you’re in the right place to get inspired about fabulous fall cocktails. Here are a few ideas to get your gears turning. These flavors are all autumn-inspired, and will go well with the other cozy, warming details at your fall wedding.

Pumpkin Ale and Cranberry

This creative cocktail mixes the amazing pumpkin ales that start popping up each autumn. Try using a beer from your favorite local brewery!

• Bourbon
• Pumpkin flavored micro-brew
• Apple cider
• Lemon juice
• Cranberries for garnish

Gin and Apple Cocktail

This cocktail is bright, flavorful, and easy to make.

• Apple Cider
• Gin
• Honey
• Lemon or lime juice

Pumpkin Spice Martini

Looking for a classic fall cocktail that’s creamy and decadent? This is the one for you.

• Vanilla flavored vodka
• Irish Cream liquor
• Pumpkin flavored liquor
• Cinnamon
• Nutmeg

Cranberry Daiquiri

This fun cocktail has a unique flavor. An added bonus is that the bright red color is gorgeous when on display.

• Cranberry juice
• Rum
• Lime juice
• Elderflower
• Tarragon

What do you think about these cocktail ideas? If you feel inspired by these ingredients, you can play around with different recipes in more detail. If you’re hosting a DIY wedding, be sure to practice cocktail recipes ahead of time so that you can perfect the proportions. A great bonus to having a really specific wedding drink menu is that you can use the same recipe for anniversaries, down the road. Chances are, you’ll think of your wedding day every time you have a Pumpkin Spice Martini in the future!

It’s no small feat to be the one to pop the question. You have to pick out the perfect ring and then come up with a proposal that will make a great story in the years to come.

While it’s always true that what matters most is the love between you and your future spouse, it’s also a good idea to get inspired for your proposal. Check out these six ways you can pop the question in style, so you don’t have to worry about it for another minute.

1. Use a Photo Booth

Retro things always find a way to swing back around and become popular again. Even though everyone has a camera in their phone, photo booths have become mainstream once again.

The key is to find a photo booth that happens to be in a place that isn’t too out of the usual for you both to visit. Stop by an arcade while you’re at the beach and ask to pose for photos in the photo booth inside.

You’ll get a strip of photos that will catch every moment after you pull out the ring, which will be an adorably retro way to celebrate your engagement.

2. Travel to a Destination

Who doesn’t enjoy getting away every once and a while? When your other half is feeling stressed out and needs a break, take them away to a romantic destination.

That gives you the perfect location for your proposal. Deciding on the location is one of the most important choices to make about your proposal. Wait until you’re both having fun and then pop the question for a romantic surprise.

3. Compose a Song

If you know how to play an instrument like a guitar or the piano and you also have some experience writing lyrics, you should propose with a song.

Nothing says style and class more than composing a proposal song. You can make it as romantic, funny and personal as you’d like. It’s an extra way to show how much the proposal means to you, so go for it if you can.

4. Make It Formal

Will your fiance want a fairytale wedding, complete with ball gowns and midnight dances? Then the perfect proposal may be one where everyone involved gets to dress up in formal clothing.

Invite friends and family out for dinner at a classy restaurant and let the manager know ahead of time that you’ll be proposing. The restaurant may be able to help you celebrate after you pop the question by lighting candles and providing champagne for everyone to enjoy.

5. Build a Keepsake

Some people love to carry mementos around from memories they’ll always treasure. Maybe your fiancé+ has the ticket stub to the first football game you ever went to together, or a wrinkled copy of the first photo you ever took out on a date.

If that’s the case, your fiance may adore you for building a proposal keepsake more than where or when the proposal happens. You can make your own ring box or a sign that pops the question.

6. Visit a Christmas Tree Farm

Sometimes proposing in style means going with the season of the year when you propose. If you’re thinking about proposing during the winter, try to time it so you can ask your partner for their hand in marriage at a Christmas tree farm.

Proposing at a tree farm has actually become quite popular in recent years, and it’s easy to pack a few more surprises in besides the ring. Have your fiancé’s family hidden behind a few trees to celebrate with you afterwards.

Make It Personal

Whatever proposal style makes the most sense to you, do it with a little personal touch. Add in a callback to your favorite memories together or your plans for the future. Your fiancé will end up loving the proposal almost as much as you, no matter what you decide to go with.

1. Wear Something Sentimental

One of the most popular ways to use a family heirloom in weddings is by wearing your mother’s or grandmother’s wedding dress. If the dress has been in storage for some time, it may be musty or yellowed from age. You’ll want to find an experienced dress cleaner who can ensure the vintage piece is restored without damage to the old fabric and accessories.

Don’t worry if the dress doesn’t quite fit — you can always visit a seamstress. An experienced professional can customize the fit, adjust the length and change the neckline, all while maintaining the original design’s integrity.

2. Share a Family Recipe

Not everyone has tangible family mementos to show off. But plenty of families have recipes passed down from generation to generation. By sharing recipes with your guests, you can celebrate your heritage in a fun and tasty way.

For example, if your family had a recipe for your favorite green bean casserole or vanilla gelato, serve it up at your wedding. Guests will love getting to try foods which are sentimental to you. You should also provide guests with a recipe card they can take home. In this way, your family’s legacy can be passed on.

3. Create a Photo Display

Lots of couples use photos at their weddings to highlight the people important to them. To incorporate important heirlooms, consider creating a display of frames and family photos. Try to showcase all the people who were influential in your relationship.

Remember to keep your display consistent with the rest of your theme. If your wedding has beach vibes, you’ll probably want a display with summer colors, such as bold yellow, coral and blue. As a fun reception game, you can even use old family wedding photos and have guests guess who is who.

4. Decorate Your Bouquet

Jewelry is a favorite family heirloom to tie-in to a wedding. But that doesn’t mean it has to be worn around your neck or on your finger. Many brides are opting to use passed-down jewelry as a way to decorate their bouquets and remember loved ones as they walk down the aisle.

If you want to go a step further, you can even entwine an open locket with your flowers, showing off a photo of someone close to your heart. If you decide on this idea, be sure to preserve your delicate family heirlooms by cleaning them properly, avoiding cleaners with harsh chemicals and additives.

5. Create a Portrait Studio

It can be a little more challenging to incorporate heirloom furniture into your wedding, but if you have your heart set on displaying grandma’s antique velvet chair, consider creating a portrait studio. This should be a small contained space where the furniture won’t get damaged and you can take wedding photos.

Using antique furniture is a great way to create a stunning wedding portrait destined for a prime spot on your wall. Choose a room indoors that will be easily accessible to the photographer. Or, if you want to shoot outdoors, designate a space that won’t be heavily trafficked by guests.

Incorporating Heirlooms Into Your Wedding

There’s plenty you can do to make your big day perfect. Family heirlooms can be a great way to showcase what makes you unique as well as honor the guests who couldn’t come. From a family photo display to an antique portrait studio, you’re sure to find an idea that fits your wedding.

It’s true that traditionally, brides carry a floral bouquet down the aisle with them. And while doing this is still incredibly common and popular for brides, many women are beginning to look for something a little different.

Whether it’s because they want a unique twist, they’re allergic to flowers, or they prefer something that goes along with their wedding theme, there are many ladies who are choosing fresh flower bouquet alternatives. Here are some of the best around, compiled by the wedding professionals at Vatican Banquet Hall in Los Angeles.

Butterflies

Just the thing for a springtime wedding. A bouquet of lovely fake butterflies will be colorful, innovative, and permanent. You can select any colors you want to match your wedding palette, and it will definitely be a topic of conversation!

Pom Poms

Colorful and fanciful, soft pom poms arranged just right can add a sweet and youthful element to your wedding ceremony. These work especially well for summer or springtime weddings.

Popcorn Cone

Why not give a little back to your guests? Imagine walking down the aisle holding a beautifully decorated…popcorn cone! You can toss it at your guests as you walk, flower girl style, or offer it to them straight from the cone as you make your way to the altar. Charming!

Seashells

With seashells available in nearly any color, they can make a completely dazzling bouquet. They’re just as earthy as flowers, yet they will last forever. This is a no-brainer for beachside weddings, but could also be fabulous for any summertime wedding.

Parasol

If it goes just right with your dress, a parasol can add a lot to your bridal look. There are many options available to choose from that will match your wedding palette or style, and it is quite unique and uncommon to see. A parasol also calls to mind a sweet Southern vibe, so if that sounds like you, by all means consider a parasol as a bouquet alternative!

Pinwheel

Why not, right? Pinwheels are whimsical, fun, and colorful—just like your wedding. These have long been used as alternatives to a flower girl basket, but some brides have chosen to carry them as well.

Sparkler

We’ve all seen wedding guests holding sparklers for the wedding send-off, but what about the bride carrying one down the aisle? This could be rather poetic—carrying the torch, igniting the flame, feeling the spark—and will look wonderful in photos, particularly for an outdoor evening wedding.

Pearls

Pearls are already very wedding-flavored, so it makes sense that they they also just happen to make lovely bouquets. Gathered together, they are elegant, gorgeous, and romantic.

Pinecones

A fabulous idea for an autumn wedding, a pinecone bouquet is simply darling. They have the same organic feel of flowers, but are much more rare and will fit in perfectly with rustic or bohemian weddings. Hyper-textured and cozy, everyone will love the concept of pinecones as a bouquet.

Fan

A fan can be very beautiful and practical, if it happens to be warm outside. They’re also versatile: you can probably find any fan to match your specific wedding style or theme. For example, there are feather fans, palm leaf fans, vintage fans, exotic fans, and countless others.

Camera

Want to always remember what the faces of your family and friends looked like as you walked down the aisle? By substituting a floral bouquet with a camera, you can. This very modern concept is being picked up by more and more brides in order to capture that truly once-in-a-lifetime moment.

Lollipops

How sweet it is! Lollipops are a colorful and bright, just like flowers—but they are more whimsical and interesting. Just the right “arrangement” can be truly dazzling.

Or, perhaps you like the idea of flowers, but you don’t want to go the typical route. If that’s the case, consider these options that are floral, but not usual.

Porcelain Bouquet

If a bouquet that lasts a lifetime is what you’re looking for, a porcelain bouquet may be just the thing for you. Very unique and interesting, a porcelain bouquet could almost pass for the real thing, yet is more like a piece of art or luxury décor.

Unique Fake Flowers

Floral bouquets made from paper, felt, cloth, yarn, or even leather can be absolutely stunning. If you love the look of flowers but are perhaps allergic or maybe just want to keep your wedding bouquet forever, this may be a great idea for you.

This concept also gives you plenty of creative freedom. For example, if you or your soon-to-be-spouse is a musician, you can make a paper floral bouquet out of sheet music. Or you can create a gorgeous ombre paper bouquet to match your wedding colors.

There are literally countless options available for a fake flower bouquet!

Baby’s Breath

Baby’s breath is quite underrated when it comes to bouquets. Most of the time, florists, wedding planners, or brides tend to add other types of flowers to baby’s breath—but there’s no need. It’s absolutely gorgeous on its own, with a sprawling, elegant look that is soft yet textured. Baby’s breath is light, airy, and very romantic. What’s not to love?

Arm Garland

Why not go hands-free altogether? A beautiful arm garland will add an ethereal, romantic, boho vibe to your bridal look, while also allowing your hands to do whatever they want.

A Single Stem (Or a Few)

The bouquet version of shabby-chic, single stem bouquets, or holding just a few, creates a rustic, stripped-down element to a wedding that many couples love. This is for those who love naked cakes, white Christmas lights strung up around the dance floor, and rugs tossed straight onto the grass.

Hopefully this list gives you some inspiration if you’re searching for the perfect fresh flower wedding bouquet alternative. Be creative and stick to your own taste and creativity. Have fun, and good luck!

As couples begin to explore more about their wedding details, a lot of the specifics may not present itself from the get-go and couples often end up arguing over their wedding plans. This may sound natural from here and there but you wouldn’t want the stress from it to ruin your wedding plans, right? After all, the wedding is supposed to be a celebration of happiness and love from beginning to end.

There is certainly a lot of wisdom over those who want to plan their own wedding or ask their friends or relative to do the planning for them but they will never be a substitute for a professional wedding planner. This may sound bias for those who are into DIY but if you want to have a smooth planning experience- nothing beats the knowledge and expertise that wedding planners have to offer. You will save a lot of time and energy while avoiding unnecessary stress which allows you to focus only on having the best day of your life.

12 Reasons why you should hire a wedding planner

Helps you keep everything on track

– Some couples plan to have their wedding within the next month while some plan to have it in the next two years, it is best to track your schedules and monitor your progress. This may sound unnecessary, but the commitment of having such calendar will keep everything on-point and avoid the hassle of delays and rushed decisions.

Budgetwise

– Having a wedding planner will save you money. Yes! You heard that right. It is cost efficient to have a professional wedding planner than having to take the time and explore all the possibilities. Your wedding planner will also help you plan around your budget and offer the best options for the best possible outcome. He/she may also help you monitor your wedding costs as well as avoid those unnecessary expenses. This may be relative with each couple’s experience but having someone dedicated to making your wedding hassle-free especially with the budgeting is more than enough reason to have a wedding planner.

Helps you keep an eye on the details

– Keeping every detail organized is one of the key factors why having a wedding planner is important. With the use of a comprehensive checklist, you can easily keep an eye on every detail that revolves around your wedding. You can also make a dreamy and detailed wedding planner to track down your progress and list down every detail regarding your wedding. This allows you to focus only on your wedding experience.

These amazing wedding planners from purpletrail will help you keep an eye on your wedding plans and monitor your progress. These wedding planners are fully customizable which includes 12 color-coordinated planning sections, available in two sized (6×8″ and 8.5×11″) and includes a 12-month calendar (dated or undated).

Provides Vital Information

– If you are meticulous with your wedding details, you’ll need a lot of research into every aspect of your wedding. This will take time and effort as well as a lot of deliberation between the couple. Having a wedding planner makes this information readily available for you to choose from. Narrowing down the planning only into the specifics for the best possible results.

Helps you choose the best possible options

– Choosing the best wedding dress is one of the most difficult decision a bride must make- which is why the help of someone experienced would help you narrow down your possible options. Your wedding planner can also help you with choices for your motif and wardrobe theme if you haven’t decided yet.

Provides additional options

– This may sound optional for some but for those brides who want to have the most out of their wedding experience, a planned bridal party is rather essential. Your wedding planner will also help you with your bridal party and include it in your calendar.

Helps you choose the best Wedding Vendors

– Choosing the best vendors to hire for your wedding is crucial especially when you want something special. Having a wedding planner will help you narrow down the best options and keep a steady budget.

Paper Goods

– Don’t forget about all the important stationery! Your wedding planner will help you choose the best paper goods that suit perfectly with your wedding theme.

From wedding invites (such as tri-fold wedding invitations), save-the-dates, RSVP lists, and seating charts- having a wedding planner will allow you to breeze along these details and help you choose the best.

Even your Rehearsal is important

– Even your rehearsal will come along perfectly when having a wedding planner. The costs, lists of guests and other necessities will also be included in their services.

Helps you with Registry Information

– Keeping track of registry sites, items, and other handy notes to keep your guests informed is one of the wedding planners’ priority before and during your wedding day.

Wedding Day Decisions

– The most important day of the whole wedding experience! Your wedding day is your special day so having all sorts of stress and nuisances is never a good idea. Having a wedding planner to deal with these decisions will allow you to focus only on your vows and the married life thereafter.

Don’t forget about the Honeymoon

– This comes optional but believe it or not, your honeymoon is still part of your wedding day experience. Which is why it is advisable to include this part on your wedding plans and discuss your plans with your wedding planner to create a checklist of your honeymoon and organize the details ahead of time. You will be amazed at how smooth your wedding plans will come out in the end with the help of a wedding planner.

Your send-off is like a launch-pad, rocketing you and your partner out into the world as a couple. You can do your send-off after the ceremony, or after the reception. Many brides worry that if they save their send-off for the end of the reception, there won’t be enough guests left. However, the right kind of send-off will carry an air of excitement about it, no matter how many people are there to do it! Here are ten exit ideas for your boho wedding:

1. Lavender petal toss: The bonus is the sweet smell!
2. Fall leaves: An environmentally friendly choice, great for the budget, and colorful too. Perfect for your autumn wedding.
3. Sparklers: Check out heart shaped sparklers for a fun twist! These can be used in a rustic reception venue or outside.
4. Streamers: Use bright colors that match your environment.
5. Ribbon bell wands: The sound of the little bells attached to ribbon wands will amaze you!
6. Environmentally friendly confetti: A twist on the traditional confetti. Chose one that is biodegradable.
7. Feathers: Lovely white feathers floating through the air gives your send-off a dreamy quality.
8. Birdseed toss: The birdies will love this one!
9. Umbrella tunnel: Planning a spring wedding? Exit under bright yellow parasols or rain umbrellas.
10. Bubbles: Create a playful end to the night. Great for a backyard wedding.

Guests love participating in the send-off. It can be a great way to move from the ceremony to the reception portion of the evening, or to end the night. Do you already have a plan for your magical send-off? Care to tell us all about it? Leave a note below!

Sometimes the most delightful details are the simplest.  A transparent mason jar can become a charming centerpiece with just a few touches. Fill the jar with dried flowers, a few petals, and feathers for a Western, Native American vibe. Here are the steps:

Collect and wash out clear mason jars. If you recycle and use jars that once held food, you might have to soak them in soapy water and run them through the dishwasher at least three times to get rid of any lingering smells!

Sketch out a simple design before painting it onto your jar. White paint in a symmetrical, geometrically patterned image looks great for a desert style. Keep it very simple!

If you make more than one jar, they should look similar. They don’t have to match exactly, but use a unifying theme. You can paint your design with white acrylic craft paint. If you want to have the jars last and look beautiful for years to come, use a glass paint that can be fired in the oven.

Not sure if a boho wedding is right for you? As you consider your wedding style, think about your authentic self. Your wedding can be an expression of who you and your partner are, and what your relationship stands for. What do you value? What do you appreciate? What inspires your relationship? This checklist will help you decide if you are the perfect boho bride. Each item you check off is a sign that a boho wedding is just right for you!

Checklist

• I am inspired by nature’s beauty
• I value freedom
• I am unconventional
• Bright and vibrant colors attract me
• If I could live in any other decade, it would be the seventies
• Passionate poets and offbeat writing makes me smile
• So what if I’m different? I don’t need to conform to societal norms
• My friends consider me laid-back
• Above all else, I am a free spirit!

How Did You Do?

A boho chic wedding has a laid-back vibe, and is somewhat unconventional. It might be outdoors on a garden, wooded area, beach, or other scenic place.

Aesthetic beauty plays a major role in a boho affair. Gorgeous, vibrant and earthy colors will surround you and lights, flowers, and whimsical decor meet the eye in every direction.

If you love formality, tradition, or austere simplicity, a boho wedding might not be for you. Likewise, if your partner disagrees with any of the above checklist, you might need to reach a compromise and forfeit some of these boho elements.

How did you do? Which items did you check off? Does this list confirm your suspicions that you will make the perfect boho bride? Or are you already planning a relaxed and natural wedding, and now more excited than ever? I hope that this list helps! Are you the perfect bohemian bride? Let me know in the comments section below!

Many couples choose to include a section of their ceremony that celebrates the concept of unity. This signifies the union of two souls into one unit. You can do this by merging two flames into one, combining water, or even blending two separate sources of sand or salt into one. Couples can do something totally outside of the box and mix two types of beer to make a black and tan, or put together the perfect ingredients for a unity sandwich! For a nature centered wedding, think about incorporating natural elements. Here are some beautiful ideas:

1 . Grow Together

Although I am sure you have seen the idea for a unity tree planting ceremony before, I think it is too precious to omit. The symbol of a growing tree is perfect for a marriage. Vow to grow together, and never stop reaching for the stars!

2. Hand Cleansing In Nature’s Water

This ceremony incorporates the idea of starting with a clean slate, by purifying the bride and groom’s hands before they join together in union. Do you love the water? Do you and your fiance have a favorite lake, stream, or beach? Use water from a natural source in order to make this ceremony super meaningful for you and your partner.

3. Create A Marriage Box

With this unity ceremony, the bride and groom each place a letter inside a wooden box. Be sure to practice your hammering skills!

4. Custom Carved Candles

My husband and I love carving our names into trees, which is why I chose this unity candle design. If you and your husband-to-be have fond memories of woodland places that marked your journey, this might be a perfect touch for your unity ceremony. Place your candles on a pretty bed of ferns for even more natural goodness!

If your wedding has a nature centered theme, use natural elements in your unity ceremony. The power of nature will be behind you as move into your married life! These ceremonies thoughtfully incorporate natural themes such as growth, renewal, and purity. Which one is your favorite? Give it a shout out in the comments below.

There are many reasons that couples may prefer not to get gifts for their wedding, but often they are afraid of sounding rude or tacky when they request it! Gift-giving has an intricate weaving of cultural values tied up around it, and it is scary to cut through all of the cobwebs when you make your request. People love to think that they are helping a newly wed couple build a life together, and really want to support you on your journey. Your relatives and loved ones might ignore your direction and decide to give you something anyways, but at least you can try! Here are several great ideas for making your request politely.

1. “Your Presence Is The Present”

This little print out is a lovely way to introduce your request in a positive, polite, and subtle manner.  Include this little slip of paper in your wedding invitation with no muss and no fuss!

2. Give Them Another Option

You may be a minimalist, or feel that you already have too much clutter around the house. However, you could request funding for some non-material item, such as your honeymoon, world travel, or a charity fund.  A poem is a perfect way to make this request in a non-offensive way. There are many varieties of wishing well style poems. Choose one that directs funding to something that feels right to you.

3. Keep It Simple Silly

Use the magic word, “please”, and no one can accuse you of being rude. Right? Right. This would work best for a very informal gathering, like party for friends after a private elopement, or a family celebration after a courthouse wedding. Weddings are not always as uniform and standard as we tend to think! There are many unique situations, and many causes for celebration. This wording would not be suited for a formal, traditional wedding.

Since some people feel strongly that they want to give you gifts, it will help them to understand where you are coming from. Plant the seed behind your choice in a few of your closest pals’ ears. This way, your mom and best friend can explain to all of your other family members and friends the reasoning behind your request. Your favorite great aunt will feel much better about breaking tradition when she learns that you and your hubby are planning on moving to Bali in a year, and will only be taking a suitcase of clothing along on your adventure! Do you think that requesting no gifts is tacky, or are you excited to try it out? I’d love your feedback in the comments section below.