Crisp, cool and bursting with color, it seems like fall was designed with weddings in mind. The right venue and incredible scenery can make a fall wedding magical. Consider planning your unforgettable day at one of these 25 stunning locations perfect for an autumn celebration.
Located in one of the most beautiful places on Earth, Della Terra is perched above Estes Park at the Fall River Gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park. Not only will your wedding be backdropped by the magnificent Rockies, but it will take place on 14 acres of secluded and largely untouched natural beauty. This is no camping trip, however, and Della Terra has the luxury suites to prove it.
Few fall destinations can match the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains on the border of Tennessee and North Carolina. Lake Eden is situated near the artsy hotspot of Asheville, but feels like it's a million miles away from anything modern. The facilities, including the rustic guest cabins and the barn, are as charming as the 60-acre spread and the lake itself, all of which are surrounded by lush mountain forests that turn every color imaginable in the fall.
Although the scenery is rustic, the accommodations are elegant at the remote and private getaway that is Riverside Farm. The densely forested hills that surround the venue explode with color in the fall, giving bride, groom and guests alike a taste of Vermont's famous fall foliage.
Optimist Volunteers for Youth (OVY) Camp proves that New England does not have the market cornered on fall magic when it comesto trees. Although their leaves don't change color in the fall, the groves of redwoods that tower high over the Santa Cruz Mountains provide a sight with which few other natural beauties can compete. That will be the backdrop of your wedding, which features a service that takes place on a makeshift stage carved out of a massive sequoia stump.
Carnation Farms is an 818-acre certified organic farm that provides stunning background during all seasons, but autumn weddings enjoy scenery that's especially beautiful. Up to 750 guests can dine on farm-grown meals while a photographer snaps pictures of the tree-lined farm, the natural landscape and, at night, a black sky bursting with stars.
The Ranch at Rock Creek claims to be the only Forbes Travel Guide five star-rated guest ranch in the entire world — and it's built for rustic fall weddings. Guests will have their choice of glamping cabins, an historic barn, luxury homes, and a granite lodge, all of which are spread out under the legendary Montana open sky.
Tucked inside the urban bustle of New York City's Brooklyn borough is an oasis of tranquility known as the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. The pastoral lawns, towering trees, and flower borders are brought to vibrant life thanks to the seasonal blossoms that make fall the perfect time of year to get married in one of New York's best-kept secrets.
Missouri is home to one of the greatest fall wedding destinations in America — the Ozarks. Big Cedar Lodge is billed as "Mother Nature meets luxury." The luxury comes in the form of high-end accommodations and an 18,000-foot spa with 11 treatment rooms. The Mother Nature part is provided by the eye-popping beauty of the Ozarks in autumn.
Thanks to panoramic views of Mount Washington and the Presidential Range, the Jewell Terrace at Omni Mount Washington offers breathtaking views any time of year. Fall, however, is when the gardens, greenery, and forested mountains come to life with a rainbow of colors. The perfectly crisp and cool weather doesn't hurt, either.
The natural bounty of Yosemite draws visitors from around the world. Considering a wedding in one of the planet's most awe-inspiring natural landscapes? Check out Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite. The place has elegant and refined accommodations that contrast with the wild and rugged wilderness that lurks just outside.
Get married at Shadowbrook at Shrewsbury, and your ceremony will take place in a clearing nestled inside a thick and lush surrounding of tall trees exploding with call color. Luxury accommodations are complemented by five-star gourmet catering.
The Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES) at Hallam Lake opens its doors to couples looking for a unique venue for a small, low-key, but unforgettable place to host their wedding. Cozy and charming, the wooden patio, fire pit and reception hall are just part of the attraction. The real draw is the surrounding Colorado wilderness.
Once the summer heat is in the history books, Arizona becomes the perfect destination for a fall wedding, and few venues sum up the experience like The Saguaro. Between five and 500 guests can celebrate in any one of 17 event spaces, all located in the heart of sunny Scottsdale, and the chef's creations are the product of locally sourced ingredients.
Elegant yet intimate, the Coral Gables Country Club boasts one of the region's last true traditional ballrooms. The Mediterranean exterior, however, might be the bigger draw, and it's the reason that the club qualifies as one of the country's great fall wedding venues. Dating back to 1924, it's known locally as the Mediterranean Rivera.
Perched on the crest of a waterfall, Shadow Lawn oozes fall goodness. The perfectly manicured grounds are trapped in another time, with a restored barn serving as the centerpiece of the 19th century property. There's also a Dutch stone house, paper lanterns and, of course, crackling bonfires in the evening.
Built by a local magnate between 1925-1927, the Rollins Mansion is a relic from another time and place. It's partially built with beams from an inn where William Shakespeare performed, as well as from wood harvested from 16th century ships. The mansion was designed in the English and Tudor styles, earning it a coveted spot on the National Register of Historic Places.
Mississippi is beautiful, historic, and hot. But when fall rolls around and the weather shows some mercy, it's hard to argue that there's a finer state in the country for a wedding. Natchez is among the most historic towns in Mississippi, and Stanton Hall and Longwood Plantation have both been named National Historic Landmarks. The Antebellum plantation estate epitomizes the grandeur of old Mississippi, both in its architecture, sprawling grounds, and romance-inducing ambiance.
Generally reserved for larger weddings with 50 guests or more, the Hoffman Haus dedicates the entire grounds to each wedding. That means both the courtyard and garden are all yours, as are the grand hall. Anyone familiar with the Texas Hill Country knows that the natural landscape is at its finest in the fall, and the Hoffman Haus embodies the region's rugged beauty.
Before the rough Wisconsin winter takes hold, the Barn on Stoney Hill offers everything beautiful about the midwest in the fall. Although the barn has been converted into an elegant hall, none of its original rugged beauty has been lost, including the massive silos that still tower over the structure itself. The elevated wraparound deck is teeming with flowers, greenery and plants, too.
Classically designed yet Southern California through and through, the Resort at Pelican Hill is an Orange County gem. With soaring, 180-degree views of the Pacific, the grounds are dotted with century-old olive trees and lavender. Private but wide open, the venue begs for a fall SoCal wedding.
Tucked between the foothills of the towering Cascade Mountains and the open desert, Broken Top Club offers the best of Oregon's natural beauty. Before winter makes the event a chore, your autumn wedding will take place on the banks of a six-acre lake at a venue that's backed by a full-fledged resort club.
The Waterfall didn't get its name by accident. The venue's grandest feature is the cascading rush of water that greets visitors to the estate. The ballroom dance floor is made of marble and a glass ceiling covers the atrium. The biggest draw is Delaware in the fall. Delaware is the heart of the Mid-Atlantic region and one of the most entrancing autumn destinations in the country.
Tennessee is vast, beautiful, and built for fall. On the edge of Georgia lies the city of Chattanooga, where The Venue offers 9,000 square feet of autumn beauty. Not only is the space itself elegant by the standards of the Old South, but the surrounding trees and greenery come alive with color in the fall.
In the coldest months, Rancho Alegre Lodge is a winter wonderland, but the Wyoming hilltop venue really shows its beauty in the fall. Panoramic, 360-degree views of the Teton Mountain Range will dazzle your guests, as will the 10,000-square-foot lodge that anchors the property, which sits on a seven-acre hilltop meadow.
Deep in the woods of rural Maine lies the Alamoosook Inn, one of the greatest venues in Maine, a state known throughout the world for stunning natural beauty in the fall. Famed author E.B. White fawned over the town of Orland, where the Alamoosook Inn offers an oasis of elegance in the wild and rugged wilderness.