Mum’s the word, hands down. Not only are they the quintessential flower of the season, but they also come in all the shades that define the season–white and ivory, purples and burgundies, golden yellows, oranges, rusts and bronzes. They also come in a variety of different blooms–daisylike garden mums, large flamboyant pom-pom mums, exotic spider mums, small friendly-yet-formal button mums.
If a wedding is not super-formal, small mum plants in adorable pots can serve as dining table centerpieces, or can be lined up down the center of rectangular tables–perhaps with a flat array of real or artificial autumn-colored leaves in between. If the wedding is between Hallowe’en and Thanksgiving, I have seen small pumpkins hollowed out and used as the “pot” for mum plants.
Larger mum plants can make a great economical splash of color in large, affordable pre-planted faux terra-cotta tubs (you can slip them into something more classic if you like) outside the doorway of your venue.
Because mums typically don’t have a lovely fragrance (and you should check to see if anybody in the immediate wedding party is allergic to them–it is a factor for mums), for arrangement and bouquet purposes, they are best mixed in with other, more traditional wedding blooms, such as roses (the queen mother of wedding flowers regardless of the season) and mini-carnations–allowing the other flowers to bring the “wedding finery” while the mums provide the color and texture of the season. A very “autumn” touch to your larger arrangements might also be the addition of a very few pheasant feathers–available at craft stores.
If you don’t care for mums, consider the giant palette of colors in which roses are now available–many golds, oranges, even taupe or mocha-colored, in addition to traditional ivories and true whites. If you love the tradition and romance of an all-rose bouquet, you might choose your own in whites and/or ivories, with an added touch of just a few of their hybrid siblings in autumn tones to make your bouquet stand out against your gown.
In the past, Calla lilies have been largely a spring and summer flower, but with the more exotic colors in which they are available these days, the bronze and taupe/mauve shades, these elegant blooms can really pop against a solid, even somber backdrop of bridesmaids in metallic taffetas in colors ranging from gold to dark brown, even a dressy olive green.
These are the most popular picks that I have seen for autumn wedding florals. For autumn boutonnieres, a carefully-chosen, realistic silk autumn-colored leaf makes a perfect background for an ivory rose, with perhaps the groom having a colored rose to match a color in the bride’s bouquet.
Remember, too, that all of these choices are echoed remarkably well in silks, if that is an avenue you’d care to explore. If so, the autumn selections of silks will be hitting craft shops mid-summer for best selection–it’s best to buy all you need all at once, as the opportunity to come back and buy more is a slippery proposition.
Autumn is traditionally such a colorful season of great abundance that its richness is an ideal element to bring into your wedding celebration.
02.20.09
