By AML Publisher

Fall Wedding Planning Tips Courtesy of Sheryl Garman, CEO of Perfect Weddings

Photos courtesy of Shea Roggio

Fall Guy
Groom Will Tucker of Bryn Mawr on his wedding day, November 8, 2008.

In 2005, Carolyn Tucker (nee: Harper) had been noticing the good-looking guy who had started renovating a West Conshohocken house, three doors down from her home. For weeks when she pulled up from work, Will Tucker had made a point to be outside to say hello. On weekends, she managed a quick chat with him after her routine morning jogs. “We started out as friends and it was very casual. And, after a year of these casual chats and ‘heh, how’s it going’ conversations, we started dating and moved in together. With Will, everything has always been easy and natural,” said Tucker.

The couple dated for two years and last April decided to take an early spring vacation. Tucker, 36, had always envisioned a fall wedding as the ideal time to tie the knot and she and Will both share autumn birthdays. But, she hadn’t been prepared for planning the biggest day of her life in a tight six month timeline. That was until mother nature intervened.

The Tuckers tied the knot during their favorite time of year to take advantage of the tremendous cornucopia of color mother nature had to offer.

On April 8, 2008, Will, 38, and a Bryn Mawr native, asked Carolyn for her hand in marriage during a vacation in the Florida Keys. A fortuitous coconut had fallen from the tree in the garden house they were staying in earlier that afternoon. That evening, as the pair sipped a fresh pina colada under a tiki hut (compliments of the coconut) and soaked in a sensational south Florida sunset, Will pulled out a stunning antique-style platinum ring.

When they returned to their West Conshohocken home, Carolyn, who works in photographer relations, and Will, a computer analyst, knew time was of the essence. So they decided to keep their November 8, 2008 wedding theme simple and elegant. “We were so excited to get married in the fall but I didn’t want to overdue the accents, so it was important to balance the color scheme and use oranges and yellows very selectively. I had my bridesmaids each wear their own black dress, which was practical and let them express their own style. And, we let the natural colors of the season really do the decorating for us! We lucked out. It wasn’t the sunniest of days but it made for some amazing photos because the foliage contrasted with a deep gray November sky,” said Tucker.

Wedding Details:

Wedding Colors: Black, ivory, deep yellows and oranges

Ceremony Venue: Mother of Divine Providence Parish, King of Prussia, PA

Reception Venue: 160 people, The Merion Cricket Club, Haverford, PA

First Dance: Coldplay’s Yellow

Wedding Menu: Butternut squash soup, filet mignon or potato-crusted Halibut, served with risotto and asparagus

Wedding Cake: Dough Main Bakery, Bryn Mawr, PA

Wedding Dress: Custom designed

Bridesmaids Dresses: Each attendant was asked to wear a knee length black cocktail dress of her own choosing.

Wedding Photographer: Shea Roggio, Cake and Pictures

Florist: Cheryl Ann Floral Design, Conshohocken, PA

Honeymoon: Two weeks, St. Lucia, The Landings Resort

Finalizing the details on your Main Line fall wedding? Wedding consultant Sheryl Garman, of Conshohocken’s Perfect Weddings, offers her expertise and insight for those all important accents that celebrate the season.

Sheryl Garman of Perfect Weddings recommends choosing concentrated pops of colors, as in Carolyn’s bridesmaids’ bouquets of roses, for the perfect touch of sophistication for a fall wedding. Flowers courtesy of Cheryl Ann Floral Design, Conshohocken, PA.

The autumn wedding planning season is upon us. For three glorious months, couples have the opportunity to be married in the most diversified of the four seasons-and it’s not too soon to start finalizing your plans. Early autumn weddings can comfortably be held outdoors providing that you ensure the comfort and safety of your guests. Many weather-related concerns must be considered when planning an outdoor event during this time of the year, especially since the 2009 Atlantic hurricane season officially begins on June 1st and ends November 30th. Indoor options must be discussed with each venue and vendor should the weather take a sudden turn for the worse. Deciding earlier in the week (leading up to your wedding) what course of action you wish to take will alleviate some of the stress you may incur if you wait to the last minute.

If it is the look of the brilliant gold, red and orange leaves that you want, the last week of October and the first week of November seem to be the most colorful times of the year. This fall we will experience the end of daylight savings time on Sunday, November 1st at 2:00 a.m. If you choose an evening ceremony, have formal portraits shot outdoors earlier to utilize sunlit options. Of course, having your photography sessions begin earlier frees you to join your guests in the cocktail hour. If your choice of photography style is candid, this is an excellent opportunity for your photographer to capture the bridal party interacting with others.

If your venue does not have adequate photography location options that suit your style, ask your florist to design a backdrop or trellis using autumn foliage. This can be used for formal photographs as well as for the ceremony. Many parks, museums, universities and arboretums allow photographs to be taken on their properties, but most do require permits. When preparing your timeline, always take travel and unexpected traffic into consideration.

A five-tiered buttercream cake is simple and appropriate for a wedding in which the vibrant, autumnal accents of the season took center stage. Cake courtesy of Dough Main Baked Goods, Bryn Mawr. www.doughmainbakedgoods.com

Brides planning their fall wedding shouldn’t feel restricted to matching bridesmaids’ gowns with linen colors. There’s a lot of freedom with working with an autumnal color palette so be creative; include accents of gold, red or burgundy on your wedding gown, incorporate unique vests or bowties on groomsmen and tie everything together with flowers that compliment your choices. Different styles of bouquets and boutonnières can be matched for each of your bridal party pairings to give you a multitude of floral looks. Color blocking using these shades in your bridal bouquet and groom’s boutonnière will set you apart.

Before choosing your ceremony décor, ask your venue, church or synagogue what they allow to be displayed. If you are permitted to take the altar flowers following the service, use them to enhance the entrance of your reception venue or as centerpieces on food stations, your place card table or on the band stage. Arrange with a family member or friend to transport the arrangements after the ceremony.

For the reception, simple accents such as hollowed-out miniature pumpkins with votive candles inserted add a fun and festive touch. Place spiraled sheaves of wheat on food station tables or your place card table. Ask your florist to tie sheaves of wheat or dried corn stalks to the poles at the entrance of the tent and accent with pumpkins, gourds, chrysanthemums and hay.

In lieu of place cards, use gold or silver markers to write guests’ names and table numbers on miniature gourds. If guests will be selecting their meals, use gourds, which differ in color, to indicate each guest’s choice. If you are a creative couple, have your guests “design” the table centerpieces. Attach their place cards to a variety of potted plants in assorted decorative containers. Ask your florist to design a multi-tiered stand on each table for guests to position their plants or assign table assistants to instruct guests to incorporate their plant into the centerpiece. These plants can also serve as creative and affordable favors.

Photography courtesy of Cake and Pictures
www.cakeandpictures.com

Cornucopias of fresh fruits and vegetables can also be used as centerpieces. These items can be donated to local shelters after the reception. Contact a shelter to arrange for pick up or delivery of the food at the end of the evening.

For a Halloween-themed wedding, ask your family and bridal party members to carve your table numbers into pumpkins. This should be done close to your wedding date for freshness. Pumpkin-carving tools and number templates are available at craft stores. The candlelit pumpkins can become an affordable and creative part of your centerpieces and can be accented with colorful leaves, nuts and miniature gourds arranged at their bases. Entertainment for your younger wedding guests can include drawing on pumpkins with washable markers, along with craft projects using artificial colored leaves, glue sticks and construction paper.

Instead of a guest book, have your guests write their notes to you on paper leaves and attach them to a faux or real tree using autumn-color ribbon ties. Color-match cocktails to your décor and have them served as guests enter the reception. Add seasonal produce, such as acorn squash, corn and apples to your hors d’oeuvres and dinner menu. For dessert, serve a spice or carrot wedding cake with cinnamon frosting accompanied by pumpkin mousse or gingered pears.

Transportation on the wedding day can also be autumn-themed. Hire a horse-drawn wagon to transport your bridal party. Children can be entertained with rides on the wagon. Check with your local municipality for regulations regarding special permits that may be required. All in all, fall is a beautiful time to plan your special day and celebrate mother nature’s great autumnal gifts.

Before becoming the owner of Perfect Weddings, Sheryl A. Garman worked in the off-premise catering business for thirty years as a wedding sales consultant and event planner. Sheryl received her professional education at the Restaurant School in Philadelphia. Her training as a gourmet and pastry chef gives her further insight into reception menu planning. Perfect Weddings is a member of the National Association of Catering Executives, Association of Bridal Consultants and Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce. Perfect Weddings was chosen by Temple University to develop curriculum and Sheryl A. Garman teaches Wedding Planning I and II courses offered at their Fort Washington campus.

For information about Perfect Weddings, visit www.perfectweddings.tv , call 610-941-7034 or email info@perfectweddings.tv.