Following the fall foliage

Fall is almost fully here, and if your wedding takes place this fall, you're probably very interested in the colors of peak fall foliage. What a fabulous background, all of those vibrant reds, oranges, yellows and a gorgeous blue sky behind them all! I love this Weather Channel tool that shows you when and where peak fall foliage is arriving, and don't forget that this is a fabulous site to check if you'd like to plan a fall foliage pre-wedding getaway with your sweetie [think B&B, spiced cider, hayrides and apple picking!] or a fall spa getaway with your girls.

Getting out in nature is a great way to de-stress too, so maybe this map will -- in the coming weeks -- inspire you to hop in the car for a spontaneous road trip together. Just make your hotel reservations before you go, since 'leaf-peeping' is hugely popular and thus many of the more affordable hotels and B&Bs will be booked solid during peak weeks. Call ahead, book, and -- okay, so maybe it's not so spontaneous, but better to call ahead. :]

Halloween weddings

That's right, they're more popular than ever! Wedding couples who want to do something different, or those -- like us -- who just *love* the holiday can now custom-design their own pumpkin carving patterns using this great tool at Better Homes and Gardens. Or go to the home page to find their lineup of very cool pumpkin patterns (I'm thinking of doing the Drippy Face pattern on my own pumpkin this year.)

With centerpieces being so expensive (over $150 for some floral arrangements), imagine the budget victory when you find a bunch of $10 pumpkins and invite your bridal party over a day or two before the wedding to carve all kinds of creative pumpkins for your centerpieces and decor. Put on some fondue or order pizzas, make some pumpkin bread and warm up some apple cider for a great night...perhaps even an even greater night if you took everyone to a family farm for locally-grown pumpkins and gourds.

Save hundreds of dollars and have fun with this design tool to make your Halloween or fall wedding extra-special! And browse through their many galleries to get fun new ideas on accessorizing pumpkins with veggies, branches, paint, etc. Some examples are amazing and some are cheesy, but you'll certainly get some fantastic inspiration for your DIY decor plans.