Fall Wedding Invitations

Designing Beautiful Fall Wedding Invitations with the Experts at Bliss & Bone

Spring has sprung, summer has warmed things up and now, it’s almost time for your fall wedding. Peak wedding season is summer and early fall, so it makes sense that many couples want to announce their upcoming celebration with fall wedding invitations. With a focus on autumnal colors and objects that reflect this time of year, elegant fall wedding invitations are dreamy and warm. 

If you are getting married in September, October or November, you can expect for the leaves to start changing and romance to be in the air. Sending out autumn wedding invitations may feel overwhelming, but our expert designers are here to help. With near-countless designs and fall wedding invitation templates, there is so much you can accomplish with Bliss & Bone. 

In this guide, we will walk you through every aspect of the wedding invitation planning process, in the hopes that you will feel prepared and excited to get started on your own stationery. There is a lot to over, but rest assured that you and your partner can accomplish all of it in time for your big day.

What Are Fall Wedding Invitations?

There are so many ways we can describe the most beautiful fall wedding invitations. Some are more direct with the theme, and might feature fallen leaves or branches. Meanwhile, others could simply have the same warm tones often associated with the season. For instance, anything from apricot to cranberry to copper could count as a fall wedding color. Think reds, oranges, yellows, greens and browns for this iconic color swatch. That being said, there are also black and white or grayscale options that will fit this trending topic.

You may also want to consider the theme and vibe of your celebration. If you are getting married in a place where leaf-peeping is a known hobby, stick with a fall wedding invitation that showcases similar greenery. Keep in mind that you could send these in the summertime, but having a fall-themed style will immediately translate the feeling of the celebration. So, while you might not send them during the fall season, the colors and objects featured in your design will work well for your specific event.

When Should You Send Out Fall Wedding Invitations?

Unless your event is in the late fall, you will most likely send out your autumn wedding invitations in the summertime. Etiquette rules advise that fall wedding invitations should be sent out six to eight weeks before your celebration. This will give you enough time to manage your guest list as your wedding approaches. 

There are several other significant decisions you need to make and “check off” your to-do list as you prepare to design unique fall wedding invitations. Here is what you should accomplish prior to sending them to your loved ones:

1. Talk with your partner about your wedding budget. First, you both need to be on the same page when it comes to how much you plan to pay for every part of your wedding. If you and your partner are getting financial assistance from family or friends, those loved ones will also need to be in that discussion. In this conversation, make sure to write down a list of your vendor priorities, plus how much you are willing to pay for each of them. To give you perspective about your wedding stationery, invitations account for four to six percent of your overall budget.

2. Think about hiring an experienced wedding planner. After your budgeting conversation, you may find that you have enough money saved up to hire an expert wedding planner. These pros have the experience and resources to help you plan out your celebration and all of the details that go into it. Planning out your upcoming event is understandably overwhelming, and these experts can take the guesswork out of the process. 

3. Confirm your guest list. You need a solid estimate of how many people will attend your wedding before you book your venue. A certain number of invites should be allotted to you and your partner, and then think seriously about who you really want to attend your epic celebration. Is there anyone you simply can’t get married without? Add them to the list. Venues will come with capacities, or perhaps your budget cannot accommodate hundreds of guests. Either way, confirming your guest list will prepare you for your venue site visits.

4. Research local or international wedding venues. It goes without saying that your venue is a major piece of the planning puzzle, since it is where you will say, “I do.” Some venues can host both your ceremony and reception, while others might need a venue for each specific part. Depending on where and when you want to get married, we highly recommend touring the sites and determining the best option for you. This might be more difficult for couples who want a destination wedding, but you can always work with onsite coordinators and teams to learn more about every location.

5. Book your date at the earliest convenience. Think you have found “the one”? If so, you need to put down a deposit as soon as possible. The year 2022 marked a massive wedding boom, and venues and vendors are still swamped with all of the events happening throughout the year. And since autumn is a super popular time to tie the knot, you need to book your venue so you can send out your fall wedding invitations ASAP.

6. Customize your wedding website. While your fall wedding invitation will provide the main details, there are so many pros to creating a wedding website. This digital information hub can connect guests to your wedding registry, give them access to a photo gallery, recommend things to do near your wedding and much more. Plus, guests can even RSVP directly on your wedding website for extra efficiency.

7. Design and send out your Save the Dates. About six to eight months before your wedding, you should send out a few details about your event in the form of a Save the Date. In most cases, Save the Dates include the date (or dates, if it is a wedding weekend) and at least the city where the wedding will take place. Some couples might want to specify the venue, but it is not 100 percent necessary to do so at this point.

If you have made it to this phase of your wedding planning process, it is time to get started on those fall wedding invitations. In your wedding invitation, you need to clarify how and when guests need to RSVP. It is common to ask guests to submit their RSVP—either virtually or through the mail—about two or three weeks before your wedding. If you can confirm your final guest list by that point, it will be easier than ever to make table assignments and seating arrangements for the reception. 

The Best Ideas for Unique Fall Wedding Invitations

If you are still falling in love with fall wedding invitations, there are even more reasons that make them irresistible. You can transform existing templates into the most incredible season-inspired styles. These are the can’t miss ideas for autumn wedding invitations: 

• Three-dimensional leaves: Rustic fall wedding invitations can get a modern twist with unique three-dimensional objects. Bliss & Bone’s invitation builder allows you to attach lifelike shapes and figures to your template. For instance, there are several autumnal leaves you can click on and add to your fall wedding invitation. 

• Shadow overlays: For a more subtle alternative to the objects feature to include in your fall wedding invitations, you can opt for a shadow overlay that casts over the design. These bring so much dimension without overpowering your fall wedding invitation, and you can find a more seasonal option as well. Our invitation builder also allows you to adjust the strength, so it can appear as clearly or softly as you would like.

• Rustic floral elements: We have discussed fallen leaves, but what about fall florals? If you are getting married in the early fall, you can find plenty of templates with more rustic flowers and greenery. As long as you make sure the color palette is consistent with the season, you can easily create an on-theme floral fall wedding invitation. 

These are only a few of the many ideas you can use to create the most unique fall wedding invitations. By considering these options, you will be one step closer to making the most original invites imaginable. 

Examples of Fall Wedding Invitation Templates

Looking for real-life examples of top fall wedding invitation templates? At Bliss & Bone, we offer a variety of stationery solutions for your upcoming celebration. Ranging from black and white to brown and green, these fall wedding invitations are sure to fit your venue and vibe.

These are the most popular examples of fall wedding invitations: 

• Rustic fall wedding invitations: For couples getting married in the forest or some other outdoor locale, rustic fall wedding invitations are the winning match. The Forest fall wedding invitation template, for example, has a modern serif font that is contrasted with a deep green paper and fall leaf accessory. You can also find a similar three-dimensional object in the Clark fall wedding invitation design. 

• Elegant fall wedding invitations: For chic, elegant fall wedding invitations, look no further than the Angie template. With a matching paper color and background, plus a natural leaf shadow overlay, you get the most classic yet unique fall wedding invitation. You might appreciate the similar aesthetic and shadow hovering over the Astrid fall wedding invitation templates as well.

• Modern fall wedding invitations: As an alternative option to rustic fall wedding invitations, the modern-minimalist style is a trending style that we do not see slowing down any time soon. The Brie fall wedding invitation is a perfect example of this, as it has a thoughtfully crafted emphasis on spacing and a soft, seasonally inspired accent to the right of the page. This idea for a template is all about less is more, and it can work for anything from an intimate to large celebration. 

• Whimsical fall wedding invitations: We love anything that sparks a feeling of whimsy, and what is a better way to do that than with a little help from some butterflies. In the Charlotte fall wedding invitation, you can see romantic butterfly icons floating across the online invite template. And with a color palette consistent with the autumnal season, it is an easy choice for many couples. 

• Floral fall wedding invitations: Flowers and greenery are not exclusive to the spring and summer seasons. For examples of floral fall wedding invitations, check out the Hunter and Samantha designs. These give the impression of pressed flowers, and the tones match the season to create a more colorful fall wedding invitation. 

• Metallic fall wedding invitations: We do not automatically associate metallics like gold with autumn wedding invitations. However, they do bring along warmth and a copper-like appearance that coordinates with the season. The Avery fall wedding invitation, for instance, has a rustic gold background that is combined with a forest green background and botanical shadowing. And that similar gold accent can also be found in the Celine fall wedding invitation, which boasts a light pink paper and fall leaf stems.

Your fall wedding invitations will not look anything like another couple’s—and that is a good thing in our book. These templates serve as blueprints to craft the elegant or rustic fall wedding invitations you have always wanted.

The Cost of Fall Wedding Invitations

Your invites account for up to 6 percent of your budget, but there are ways for them to cost more or less. Printed wedding invitations are more costly, and can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars (depending on how many you need to order). In addition to the printing itself, premium options like gold foil and letterpress will hike up prices even more. For digital printing, prices are typically $700 to $1,200, according to Brides.com. A more cost-effective alternative is to send out online fall wedding invitations, which cost about $1 each, on average.

To get a better idea of the prices at Bliss & Bone, it is important to keep in mind that prices start at $257.50 for 25 A7 (5 x 7-inch), one-ply cards. Plus, letterpress starts at $527.50 and metallic foil starts at $655. Our online fall wedding invitations, however, are $1.20 for one to nine recipients, or $0.90 for 10 or more.

With these prices, you can evaluate your budget and see what works best for you, your partner and any other “stakeholders” who are helping you pay for your special day. If everyone is comfortable with the fall wedding invitations you choose, you can start thinking about building them out (more on that later!).

Online vs. Printed Fall Wedding Invitations

You have yet another decision to make about your autumn wedding invitations: print or digital? There are pros of both invitation mediums, and it all comes down to you and your partner’s personal preferences. In this section, we will break down why couples choose one over the other.

The Benefits of Online Fall Wedding Invitations

• Quick delivery. If you are on a bit of a time crunch, online wedding invitations are efficient and beautiful. You can design your autumn wedding invitations and send them out on the same day. Since they will be made and delivered virtually, it is a quick and easy way to share the information with your family and friends.

• Cost-efficiency. As we mentioned previously, online fall wedding invitations cost considerably less than printed ones. Because you will not be using paper, you are paying for the online service that creates and sends your invitation via email. And since extra features are digital as well, prices do not skyrocket in the same way that printed invite premium features do.

• Eco-friendly. You are not using paper, so of course, online fall wedding invitations are an environmentally-conscious choice for wedding couples. By keeping everything online and on a screen, you are reducing your carbon footprint—a major win for Mother Earth!

The Benefits of Printed Fall Wedding Invitations 

• Traditional packaging. If you want to follow classic etiquette rules, printed autumn wedding invitations could be the best route. You will send out an envelope full of your invitation and any other extra pieces guests will need. This could include an RSVP card and envelope, welcome party invite and more.

• Automatic keepsake. This is a physical item guests will receive, and couples love that they (and their guests!) can save it for years to come. Having this keepsake is important to many couples and their families, and it can also be used for your wedding flat lay. If this photo is significant to you, make sure you work with your invitation designer and photographer to make the best decision.

• A tech-savvy component. You can marry the traditional printed invitation with a more digital RSVP option. To do so, invite guests to RSVP on your wedding website. This provides you and your guests with the best of both worlds, as you can save paper and collect RSVPs in a super efficient manner. If you want a traditional approach with modern functionalities, there is no better solution. 

As you weigh the pros of both mediums, remember that there is not a “right” choice. Etiquette experts and wedding pros alike agree that more modern adaptations of wedding invitations are completely acceptable. Review your fall wedding invitation options and see which one is best suited for you and your event.

How to Build an Online Fall Wedding Invitation

Picture this: You and your partner have ultimately decided on an online fall wedding invitation. You are excited and ready to go, but not quite sure where to begin. At Bliss & Bone, our online builders allow you to see a step-by-step guide to completing your project. And to spell it out even more, we are showing you the exact steps you need to take. 

This is our guide to building out your fall wedding invitations. The builder will walk you through everything as well, but it is always helpful to have a clear set of guidelines:  

1. Review your options and click on “the one.” After browsing through the many options available, click on the one you love most. Then, click on the “Customize” button.

2. Switch up the background. Clicking “Customize” will take you directly to the fall wedding invitations builder, and the first choice you will make is about the background. You can leave it as is, or test out one of the many prints available in the gallery. There is also the option to adjust the texture and texture strength of the “paper” itself. When you are happy with how the background and online card appears, you can move on to the next step by clicking on the “A” tab.

3. Make adjustments to the text. Again, you can leave the appearance of the text as is, or try out a larger or smaller text size, add space between the letters or lines and test out different alignments, fonts and font colors. In this section, you are also allowed to add a text box, just in case you want to say a little bit more in your fall wedding invitations. When you are ready for another task, click on the paintbrush icon. 

4. Manage the card effects and shadow overlays. This is the stage where you can add a border or drop shadow (those “card effects” we talked about) and add a shadow. These are simple yet powerful changes that can truly make your fall wedding invitation stand out. And similar to the texture feature in the earlier steps, you can also increase or decrease the “strength” of these additions. To move forward, click on the icon with the square, circle and triangle.

5. Consider adding objects, illustrations and graphics. If the idea of three-dimensional objects piqued your interest, this is the time to make it happen. Look through several floral, botanical and more objects, illustrations and graphics that you can click on to add to your fall wedding invitations. For more extras, click on the “&” tab.

6. Customize your own logo or monogram. Yet another type of customization at Bliss & Bone is our logo or monogram offering. You can work with one of our designers to craft a special logo or monogram that includes your names, initials, wedding date and any other pertinent details. Pricing starts at $40 for your own logo or monogram, and you can get two proofs with your purchase. In the “&” tab, you can shop for a logo or add a pre-purchased one. Or, you can upload your own logo by clicking on the following tab. Then, click “Next” at the bottom right of your screen.

7. Review the email information. You will then see a preview of the email your guests will receive with your fall wedding invitations. You can add the following: a greeting, the name of your event, a custom message for your guests, the event start and end times, venue details and host’s or hosts’ name(s). To go to the next phase, click “Next.” 

8. Edit the Event Page. Your Event Page is your chance to collect RSVPs and addresses, add a button or additional note, bring in an interactive map and more. Plus, you can even include details about when, where and who is hosting. Then, click “Next.”

9. Add your recipients’ information. You are closer to sending out your fall wedding invitations, but first, you need to upload your guests’ names and email addresses. Just like with printed invites, these should be sent to one person at every household. For example, if a couple and their two children are invited, you should only send one invitation to one of the parents’ email addresses. Verify that you have all of the necessary, not to mention up-to-date contact information before this stage in the process. After that, you can click “Next” for the final time.

10. Press send! You need to add in your payment details and then hit “Send.” Within seconds, guests will receive their fall wedding invitations and the RSVPs will start rolling in.

These are the key steps to follow to fully customize your fall wedding invitations. There are several stages, all of which are designed to personalize your invites as much as possible. 

What to Do After You Receive RSVPs from Your Fall Wedding Invitations

Here is another glorious image: Your guests have all responded and you can officially finalize your guest list. This will happen about two or three weeks before you head down the aisle, and trust us, a lot is going on at this point. You will be fielding calls and emails from your vendors to confirm all of the details related to your upcoming festivities. There is so much to look forward to, but one of the most daunting processes is figuring out your seating chart. 

With your guest list solidly in place, you can now start grouping people together. For starters, think about you and your partner. Do you want to sit with family members, friends, your wedding party or just have some alone time with your new spouse? If the latter sounds interesting, a sweetheart table might be the best option (Bonus: You do not have to pick and choose which guests to sit with). Also, some couples choose one long table—especially if they have a smaller guest list—or several round or rectangular tables.

When you have decided how you want to be seated, think about the other guests. You can seat your high school friends at the same table, and follow the same strategy for college and post-grad pals too. It seems like a more complicated step, so you and your partner should work together on this. After that, you can come up with a super fun way to display your guests’ table assignments. These are typically placed on a board that is in a high-traffic point at your cocktail hour. You can keep it classic with a display board, or go for something more original based on your fall theme.

Matching Your Fall Wedding Invitations with the Rest of Your Stationery Suite

Of course, your fall wedding invitations are not the only thing on your to-do this for stationery. In addition to the more formal invites, you will also need the following: a wedding website, Save the Dates, rehearsal dinner invites and wedding menus. To make them even more special, you can also throw in your own wedding logo or monogram, which can be used for all of the aforementioned items.

At Bliss & Bone, you can shop by collection, which allows you to see a full stationery suite that you can completely customize on your own. Whether you are overwhelmed or simply love the idea of creating a cohesive set, our collections were made to look like you spent hours and hours creating these custom designs. Instead, all you need to do is review the collection options and purchase anything you need. 

The flexibility of Bliss & Bone’s stationery collections is unmatched, and it gives you the confidence to connect your theme with every aspect of your stationery. From that first peek at your wedding website to the menu displayed on every seating arrangement, these collections bring consistency and beauty to the table—literally.

Get Started on Your Fall Wedding Invitation Design

You have fallen in love—with your partner and one of our fall wedding invitations—and now you need to do the work. If you have gravitated toward any of your autumn wedding invitations, you are well on your way to sending them out to your loved ones. But it is also more than okay to feel like you need a hand. For extra assistance from one of our team members, please do not hesitate to contact us online or send us an email at hello@blissandbone.com. We are so thrilled to help you personalize the most incredible fall wedding invitations.