Decorating a Fall Wedding With Wheat, Straw, and Hay

If you are planning an autumn wedding, now is the time to get all of your décor elements decided and ordered. One of the most wonderful themes for a fall wedding is “rustic elegance”. Here are some ideas on how to decorate an autumn wedding using warm seasonal materials like wheat, straw, and hay.

Wheat has very powerful symbolism for autumn, which makes it a wonderful motif for a fall wedding. It represents the bounty of the fall harvest, as well as fertility and the cycle of life. As one of the most elemental foodstuffs in history wheat (in the form of bread) also is attached to the concept of nourishment and plenty. How could you do better than this when looking for a motif to use in decorating for a wedding reception?

One of the great things about wheat is that it has a rustic and natural appeal that makes it well suited to receptions in places like farms and barns, and yet, it also looks very elegant when neatly bundled. A large group of wheat stalks gathered into a fat bundle look amazing when tied with a wide satin ribbon for a contrasting texture and a touch of elegance. This wheat stalk bunch can stand up on its own when the stems are trimmed to one length, which is a very attractive effect. You can place your be-ribboned wheat on buffet tables, the guest book table, or use it as a part of the centerpieces.

Individual stalks of wheat make a nice seasonal addition to the wedding bouquets. Wheat combines beautifully with other rustic elements like mums, berries, dried grasses, and seed pods. Tie with a satin ribbon or a gingham one for a true touch of country style. The soft color of wheat works very well against many of the more popular colors for bridesmaid dresses and jewelry, like chocolate, russet, or deep gold. A pretty detail for your attendants would be to give them sets of bridesmaid jewelry to wear that are handcrafted in Swarovski pearls in a warm bronzy tone to complement the wheat color.

Straw and hay are natural companions to wheat when you are creating a rustic elegance design scheme. Greet your guests with escort cards standing in a bed of straw. If you are the diy type of bride, you can make your own escort cards by creating a rubber stamp of a sheath of wheat to stamp on one side of a heavy card stock. Write the name of each guest in simple calligraphy next to the motif. You can easily build a shallow box to contain the bed of straw. In fact, this could be a terrific project for a handy groom.

If you are having an outdoor wedding, haybales make for great informal ceremony seating. Simply line them up in rows facing the altar. Because hay is scratchy and can snag fine fabrics, you will want to cover the bales with a pretty fabric to prevent damaging your guests’ clothing or scratching their legs. A thick bed of straw makes a nice alternative to a petal-strewn aisle for the bride.

You can use wheat, straw, and hay to decorate in many, many more ways. A rustic chandelier can be festooned with wheat. A simple straw wreath in a horseshoe shape would make a lovely decoration for the door of your venue. You can even have your wedding invitations designed around a wheat stalk motif. These simple natural materials are a wonderful addition to a fall wedding, and you are sure to have fun designing around them.

Look to Bridget for advice on planning your wedding. Check out how we can help with your bridesmaids jewelry at SilverlandJewelry.com. Bridesmaid jewelry that has been custom made in rich colors is a lovely gift for a fall wedding.

The post Decorating a Fall Wedding With Wheat, Straw, and Hay appeared first on Inspired Spaces Designs.

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