Glistening golds, radiant reds, and brilliant browns help make-up some of the beautiful hues of fall. However you want to use them, remember that nature gives you a full array of choices to echo this lovely season. So the color part of the wedding should be easy. The more difficult task will be figuring out exactly what garments to wear to a fall wedding.
EVERYONE
1. Length
There are a few general rules you want to follow for fall wedding outfits, regardless if you're the bride or just a guest. First of all, watch the length of any skirt or pant you plan to slip on. Fall can have fickle weather, sometimes sunny, sometimes windy, sometimes rainy, and sometimes snowy.
Your best bet is to wear something with a hemline above the ground. Rain and snow can easily stain fabric, not to mention make it cold and heavy. Avoid this potential problem by keeping any floor-length garments at home. The best fall hem lengths for women are just below the knee to just above the ankle. Anything shorter than that will be too cold and anything longer than that will have too many potential problems.
If you're bride who must have a floor-length gown or train, look into skirt protecting covers that can be used to prevent stains to the hem when your in the outdoors, such as getting in and out of the car. If you cannot find hem covers, make sure you have designated someone in the wedding party to keep your hem off the ground when your outdoors.
2. Layer
Another tip for everyone going to a fall wedding is to dress in layers. Because the weather may be hot or cold outside, and hot or cold inside, you want to think about how to make your outfit as versatile as possible. A sweater, vest, shawl, or coat keeps you warm when needed, and is easy to remove when it isn't needed.
If you're the bride, think about a short coat, shawl or cape with your dress, just in case. Bridesmaids and other female members of the wedding party should also consider this fashion option. Remember that gloves not only help retain body heat, they can be the perfect way to tie a look together.
Men, regardless if you're part of the wedding party or not, are basically restricted to a vest or coat. A vest and coat worn together works well, adding extra warmth and a formal flair.
3. Material
Silks and satins are still perfectly acceptable for a fall wedding, but think about including velvet, chenille or cashmere instead of chiffon, tulle or organza. Men do well sticking with satin or silk and worsted wool. Regular wool, leather and/or linen are best left for other seasons.
FEMALE WEDDING PARTY
When it comes to being a fall bride, remember that white is usually considered anything but a fall color. Try off-white hues to keep your fall theme smooth. Look into ivory, cream, champagne, or eggshell. If you feel a little bolder, try silver, gold, stormy grey, chocolate brown, or deep red. Once you choose the wedding gown color, use the remaining hues to find matching bridesmaid dresses.
A fall wedding almost demands you wear closed-toe shoes. For warmth and looks, you're probably going to want to wear pantyhose or tights. Wearing hose or tights with open-toe shoes is a major fashion no-no, so just banish that style from your wedding completely.
A champagne colored, ankle-length, princess-cut bridal gown accented with delicate gold jewelry and cream or red decorations/flowers looks smashing. Bridesmaids can wear rich brown, red or dark grey dresses. Steer clear or yellow or orange for the bridesmaids, as it will dull the brilliance of your champagne wedding dress.
MALE WEDDING PARTY
Men have far less choice than women when it comes to colors and garments, especially in the fall. Brown tuxedos always look tacky, so you're restricted to a basic black or grey suit palette. You can jazz things up with your shirt, vest, tie or cummerbund, though. Unfortunately, this is not an independent choice, since you're tux accessories will most likely be determined by the bride's gown.
Try a deep gold, silk shirt with a black tuxedo. Add some real fall flare with either a deep red vest, royal purple necktie, or a gold and forest green cummerbund with a leaf pattern. Use gold cufflinks and buttons for the perfect finish.
GUESTS
Keep in mind that fall weddings tend to use different colors than a typical spring wedding. You may want to find out what color the wedding gown and bridesmaid dresses will be to help avoid making the forbidden mistake of wearing the same hues as the wedding party.
Just because a wedding takes place in fall, doesn't mean it's going to stray for that formal feel. The wedding invitation style usually gives you a good idea of how casual or formal the ceremony and reception will be, so use it as your fashion guide. Wedding invitations also often use the wedding colors, so when it doubt, don't wear any hues used in the invitation. The obvious exception to this rule is, of course, black.
Black is usually the safety net of colors for a wedding. But that doesn't mean you have to keep your outfit boring. Use a richly colored tie, scarf, vest, shawl or whatever to jazz up that little black dress or common black suit to reflect a fall feeling.