At the turn of the century, Thanksgiving week was one of society’s grandest periods of social functions, according to Creative Bride, and getting married just before or just after Thanksgiving was highly fashionable.

Today, a holiday wedding has its challenges and bonuses. For example, Thanksgiving weekend is the busiest travel time of the year, so travel plans would have to be finalized well in advance. However, family members may already be planning to come together for the holiday, which would make things a lot easier . Attending a wedding at the same time would be a plus.

Thanksgiving is poignant and full of spirit. It’s more than just a time of turkey and football. It’s a time of reflection and sharing, and the brides of more than a hundred years ago may have been on to something. A Thanksgiving week wedding would be full of tradition and family bonding and love worn on heart sleeves. Giving thanks for life’s blessings by choosing that time to become united, would no doubt feel especially empowering.

Incorporating the beauty of autumn and Thanksgiving into your wedding is easy as… pumpkin pie, of course. Use colors like red, gold, rust, burgundy, brown, tan, dark orange, and yellow. AC suggests using fall flowers like mums, yarrow, daises, and roses, along with colored leaves, to create decorations and bouquets. Add pheasant feathers, tallow berries, and dried wheat to your autumn bridal bouquet for a more complete look.

Decorations for a Thanksgiving wedding include:

• Groups of gourds and pumpkins placed around the room
• Wheat sheaves
• Pumpkins: not only orange! You can find some in natural white or blue
• Cornucopias filled with seasonal produce and plants
• Sculpture pilgrim shoes (complete with buckle) set amidst carefully arranged autumn leaves and flowers
• Simple flower arrangements, like daisies or cream roses, in fall-colored vases make nice centerpieces. Instead of greenery, use pheasant feathers and wheat stalks as backdrop for the flowers.
• Create a white candle arrangement mixed with cinnamon sticks and tied with fall colored ribbons.

For dinner, you can serve a hearty seasonal meal, which probably should not include turkey. Some serving suggestions, from AC and wedding photo USA:

• Soup served in a hallowed out pumpkin is unique and festive
• Roasted quail for the meat eaters
• mushroom ragout for vegetarians
• marinated pork roast with mashed potatoes
• honey glazed butternut squash, baby carrots, green beans
• Warm apple cider or mulled wine are excellent drinks.
• Dessert can be pumpkin pie or baked apple dessert.

The Cornucopia of Harvest Wedding Inspiration from Manolo for the Brides:

Candied apples mak a fun wedding favor that’s pretty AND delicious!

A glorious crimson and gold table combination by NJDesign:

Isn’t this home-style Thanksgiving table awesome?! I love how the brick wall and floor, drapes, and sofa all match the season’s colors!

For a more modern look:

Invitations: The first whiff of fall comes to your guests in the mail. Decorate Save-the-Date cards and invitations with vines, leaves, scroll work, and flourishes for ultimate autumn elegance.

A gold leaf seal on the envelope or a sprinkling of colorful silk leaves when they open the invitation is a pretty touch!

Decorating ideas: Glittering maple leaves will help give your reception a magical autumn look, whether displayed on a wall or as part of your centerpieces. A unity candle or bridal bouquet wrapped in gold satin ribbon is pretty and sophisticated, especially trimmed with bows and pearls. And what do you think about those precious flower girls scattering baskets of autumn leaves or dried flowers instead of rose petals?  This taupe rhinestone basket will be just the thing!

Centerpieces and Table Decor: A simple vase of flowers surrounded by red and gold flower petals becomes a lovely tribute to fall’s beauty.  To wake things up even more, use eye-popping table linens in orange or crimson. You can also engage the stunning contrast of dark green tablecloths and bright flowers and accessories. Incorporate maple leaf garlands, pumpkins, fruits, tree branches, and of course fall-colored flowers such as yellow sunflowers and red roses. If you want to go with a fall harvest theme, use baskets overflowing with flowers, fruits, gourds, pumpkins, and berries.

Bouquets and flowers: Speaking of flowers, there are so many glorious options to chose from! Gerbera daisies and roses in autumn colors, calla lilies, dahlias, sunflowers, mimosa, delphinium, gladioli, bouvardia, orchids, birds of paradise. Intertwine these flowers with fruits, berries, ivy, grasses or twigs and finish off with soft ribbons or metallic accessories for a look that’s unique and gorgeous!

Wedding cakes and cupcakes: For a final taste of fall sweetness, decorate your cake with colorful frosting, ribbons, and scroll work, adorned with candied flowers, leaves, acorns, and berries.

The French approach blends the inherent beauty of flowers, gathered simply from the garden, with the personal vision and passion of the floral artist.  It is this rapport between nature and artist that gives the French bouquet, whether rendered in the haute couture or garden style, a distinctive personality, flair, and emotional impact.  This season, be sure to look for inspiration from the garden and Farmers’ Markets, in historical styles, and from fashion, to create your own masterpieces in the French style.

Here are some tips and techniques for creating your own cutting-edge designs. Let yourself be inspired by these gorgeous, pastoral creations! The look will lend sophisticated charm to your autumn celebration.

Bouquet végetal. Fruits and vegetables, always a key ingredient in the French bouquet, are especially au courant this season. At Catherine Muller’s design studio, we added a sprig of plaintain bananas, a single courgette (zucchini), and a ripe plum to a romantic bouquet of blue and purple hydrangea and pink garden roses.  Other ideas include surrounding a vase of elegant white lilies with fresh green beans and using large orange carrots to form the base of a striking bouquet of fuchsia phaleonopsis and pink mokara orchids.  Fruits and vegetables add color and substance to floral arrangements, making the “bouquet végetal” not only trés jolie, but cost-effective, too!

Marie Antoinette luxe. As enduring style icon and the archetype of luxe, Marie Antoinette reigns as the ultimate taste-maker, and her legacy continues to influence contemporary trends in French fashion, décor, and floral design.  At the Grand Palais, Marie Antoinette’s objets de luxe were celebrated in a special exhibit that generated rave reviews and renewed interest in her vision.  To achieve the look of romantic decadence and sumptuous opulence in your party décor this season, incorporate signature design elements such as boules de plume (feather balls), romantic flowers (Yves Piaget garden roses), and layers of posh fabrics (tulle, silk, taffeta).  Use rich color schemes (French blue and silver, Versailles pink and gold, royal purple and peridot green) to create a sense of unabashed, over-the-top, classic French style.

Fleur couture. In addition to deriving inspiration from history and nature, French florists are influenced by haute couture fashion, which creates incredible excitement and innovation in their designs. In my strolls through the Parisian fashion district, I noted how the new trends – structured, architectural shapes, strong, primary colors, exquisite hand-detailing (ruffles, layers, pleats), etc. will provide rich inspiration for nouvelle bouquets this season. To create the fleur couture style, use fashion-forward colors in chic monochromatic combinations, incorporate layers of textures (including a variety of natural materials), and add special flourishes and finishing touches (plaid ribbons, tweed wraps, jewel accents) fresh from the fashion runways.

]]> http://www.bride.net/2008/parisian-floral-trends-wedding-decor-and-bridal-bouquets/feed/ http://www.bride.net/2007/the-autumn-bride/ http://www.bride.net/2007/the-autumn-bride/#comments Tue, 04 Dec 2007 20:40:29 +0000 dena http://www.bride.net/2007/the-autumn-bride/ Winter is upon us, but this WeddingBee blog is dreaming of fall.

So is MakeCupcakesNot War:

 And take a look at these gorgous fall wedding invitations: