From simple and casual to elegant and grand, the options are limitless for fall backyard wedding ideas! Fall is such a great time of year to get married. The weather is perfect, the leaves are changing and full of gorgeous color, and it all makes for such a pleasant (and photogenic!) event.

Having a backyard wedding gives you a blank canvas to create the wedding of your dreams. And can usually cut way down on the cost of a venue, leaving you more room to decorate and include extra amenities or features for your guests.

Whether you’re planning your wedding with a budget in mind or going all out, we have found 31 fabulous fall backyard wedding ideas that are sure to make your wedding day feel extra dreamy and wow your guests!

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Fall Backyard Wedding Ceremony Ideas
Fall Backyard Wedding Reception Ideas
Unique Fall Cocktail Hour Extras
Tips for Planning a Fall Backyard Wedding

Fall Backyard Wedding Ceremony Ideas

Start with a dreamy arch

Start planning your wedding ceremony decor with a gorgeous arch that will frame the bride & groom as they say “I do!” You really can’t go wrong with greenery and florals, but for fall we especially love rust orange, maroon, cream, and dusty peach (like the above picture). It will depend on your wedding color palette what flower colors you choose for your arch.

Decorate Aisle Seats

Dress up your backyard wedding ceremony space by decorating chairs that line the aisle and/or the back row. We love an elegant sash and floral combination like the above or below pictures.

Keep Guests Warm & Cozy

Outdoor fall weddings can get a little chilly depending on location, time of year and time of day. Help guests stay warm with complimentary blankets, shawls, and hand warmers so they can be comfortable during your wedding ceremony.

Decorate Your Aisle

Line your ceremony aisle with beautiful lanterns, hurricane candles, rose petals, or even pumpkins – it is fall after all! Decorating your aisle makes the ceremony space feel more intimate, high-end and pulled together.

Fall Backyard Wedding Reception Ideas

Fall Reception Table Decor

There are tons of options for fall wedding reception table decor, but we especially love anything that feels warm and rustic! Exposed long, wood tables with drapery, fall florals and greenery fit the bill. Also

Fall Wedding Head Table Decor

Make sure your head table (also called the sweetheart table) stands out with gorgeous fall wedding decor! Incorporate your wedding colors with a table cloth or runner, and fill the center with flowers, candles, lanterns or greenery.

Fall Dessert Table

Let your guests enjoy the flavors of fall by having a dessert table that includes treats that taste like the season! We love:

• Apple pie bites
• Pumpkin spice cake, cookies or cupcakes
• Caramel apples
• Rustic-looking buttercream wedding cake
• Pecan cookies
• Pumpkin pie
• Glazed donuts
• Hot cocoa

Fall Wedding Cake

Fall wedding cake can be classic or rustic, the choice is yours! Including fall leaves and flowers that match your wedding colors are another great way to make your wedding cake feel more unique and stand out.

Unique Fall Cocktail Hour Extras

Hot Cocoa or Cider Bar

In addition to (or instead of) a regular bar, offer guests a very fall-feeling hot cocoa bar! Not only will it warm them up at an outdoor wedding, it is super fun and unique for the season. Bonus points for extra toppings!

Backyard Wedding Bar

Make your own backyard wedding bar with these unique ideas that stand out in your space and will make your backyard wedding feel upscale. Make a bar or table out of oak barrels, or rent or make your own rustic-looking bar.

Fall Cocktail Hour Hightop Tables

Make your cocktail hour space feel defined and well-designed with hightop tables decorated in fabulous fall decor. Incorporate your fall wedding colors with table cloths, sashes or runners, florals, vases, and votives, then add greenery and candles to complete the look.

Tips for Planning a Fall Backyard Wedding

Planning a fall wedding has a few extra things to consider compared to spring and summer weddings, especially when it’s a backyard wedding. Here are our top tips:

Have a Bad Weather Backup Plan

Bad weather happens, make sure you have a plan to keep your backyard wedding running without a hitch. You may want to check out forecasts a month in advance, again 2 weeks before your date, and of course, when you’re a week out and every day leading up to your date.

Having an idea of what weather you’re working with will help you make a proper decision. Call in advance to local party and event rental shops to see if they will have tents available. It may even be a good idea to tent your backyard wedding either way just in case you get an unexpected rain shower.

Depending on wedding size your backup plan may be to have a tented space, move indoors, or have a list of local venues that have indoor spaces or covered outdoor spaces that you can call the day before should a storm or cold front unexpectedly move in.

Keep Guests Warm at Outdoor Weddings

Fall weddings can get chilly if you have them outdoors, it can be a good idea to offer guests additional ways to stay warm. Complimentary hand warmers, blankets, shawls, and hot drink stations can be very helpful and comforting to cold guests. Additionally, depending on your outdoor space and budget, fire pits and heat lamps can be a great idea as well.

Ensure There’s Proper Parking

At a backyard wedding, you don’t want to overlook details that will be frustrating to guests or neighbors, such as parking. Make sure you have a plan in place to deal with the surplus of vehicles that will be at your event.

Hiring a neighbor or local valet service to park cars in designated areas can be a great way to make this easy on guests. You’ll also want to check with your neighbors, neighborhood and city rules, and HOA restrictions (if there are any) that may limit where you can park or how many vehicles are allowed.

Make Sure You Get All Necessary Permits

For events in residential zones you will likely need some sort of permit to make sure you are in compliance with local rules and ordinances. Check with your HOA and city government to see what permits you will need and to verify an event is allowed in your space, as well as what rules you’ll need to follow.

Be Courteous to Your Neighbors

Be a good neighbor! If you’re going to have a large gathering outdoors or a lot of parked cars, it’s considerate to let your neighbors know ahead of time.