Your Sussex Wedding - Page number 63 - October/November 2021 (Issue 93)

HOT TOPIC Autumnal wedmin advice from those in the know CELEBRATE THE SEASON We want to make our ceremony and big-day as a whole a celebration of autumn. Do you have any ideas on what we could do and include to carry this off ? When I think of autumn weddings, I think crisp, clear days with dark sparkling nights, pine cones, vibrant leaves, rustic logs and tree stumps. Outdoor ceremonies almost feel like a must! Themed weddings spring to mind including apple bobbing, Halloween, Harry Potter or pumpkins and chestnuts with palette accents of orange, copper or gold if you want to go all out. Autumn is a romantic and atmospheric time of year to get married, as the warm colour schemes add a natural earthy feel to proceedings. Choose seasonal wedding flowers such as foxgloves, antique roses, dried ferns and eucalyptus. These all look amazing with muted peach and brown tones, perhaps even consider an artificial bouquet in rich hues reflecting the season. If you love the idea of a confetti throw, use fresh crisp leaves crushed into clear jars that can hold candles afterwards to light your venue’s outdoor spaces when the sun goes down. The autumn months allow you to be adventurous with your food options and be sure to use quality local produce. What could be more inviting on a crisp afternoon than a bowl of fresh homemade soup to start your wedding breakfast? Finish with hot chocolate, cream and marshmallows to take outside as you gaze at the stars. Magic and sparkles: I just love autumn weddings! Merie Brown| www.orangeroseceremonies.com WARMING BAKES We’re having an autumn wedding and would love to incorporate the time of year into our cake. Do you have any flavour suggestions or decorations we could choose? There’s definitely a wonderful opportunity here to include colours and flavours that really accent the season. For example, try replacing a raspberry or strawberry conserve filling for blackberry or plum. Also, orange or hazelnut praline flavours can be added to classic choices such as chocolate and vanilla to give them a real boost. Delicious caramel notes are very versatile and have proven popular in recent years, as have gingerbread and spiced carrot cake. These options offer a rich, spicy taste designed to warm the soul. When it comes to embellishment, decorate your cakes with bold, muted colours of burnt orange, mustard, cream, burgundy and dark green; or focus on grey blues, sage, peach and dusky pink if you prefer a more subtle palette. If you like a classic look, why not swap out the traditional white for an ivory or champagne hue, which will better complement the colours of the season? The use of dried foliage and grasses such as pampas, bunny tails and ruscus is on trend, and adds a distinctive texture with a rustic feel. Lastly, we love rose gold and copper accents, which bring a gorgeous metallic element as the final flourish. Carrie Raymond | www.carriespartycakes.co.uk  unsplash.com by Charly Pn EXPERT ADVICE 63