Plan a Thanksgiving Wedding

Looking for Thanksgiving-themed inspiration? Here are some creative ideas to get you started toward planning an unforgettable wedding with a Thanksgiving twist…

Thanksgiving is the perfect time for an elegant yet relaxed celebration, as the autumn holiday lends itself to natural settings, simple decor and comfort food. And while the general rule of thumb is to avoid having your wedding around a holiday, Thanksgiving presents an entirely different set of circumstances. While you probably don’t want to hold it on Thanksgiving Day, the Friday or Saturday after can be a great option. Most friends and family will either already be in town or planning on traveling anyway, so making the trip to your wedding may not be a burden. Plus, most of your guests will already have the day off. Need more convincing? Here are some creative ways to plan your Thanksgiving wedding in style…

Ideas for a Thanksgiving Theme Weddings

Invitations and Stationery

• Send out save the date cards as soon as possible since your wedding will fall on a holiday weekend.
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• Dress up ordinary wedding invitations and wedding with inexpensive silk fall leaves included in each mailing.

Wedding Flowers and Decor

• Instead of gaudy arrangements featuring pricey blooms, keep your decor a simple enhancement to mother nature’s natural bounty. Use the autumn harvest for inspiration; think gourds, pumpkins, squash, gold-dipped fall leaves…you get the idea.
• Use hollowed out pumpkins or cornucopias for centerpiece holders.
• You’re not confined to rustic and casual for Thanksgiving. Create a posh Thanksgiving ambiance, and drape lush velvet in a rich chocolate brown or gold throughout your party space. Accent the scene with antique broaches, crystal candelabras, and stemware.

Menu and Catering

• The food is the main attraction for this party. You cannot go wrong with traditional favorites: turkey, red potatoes, corn bread dressing, green beans, and honey-glazed carrots.
• Consider incorporating your family recipes into your wedding menu and serving the meal family style (if your guest list is small).
• Serve traditional fare in sophisticated, creative ways. For instance, present soup or veggie puree in mini shot glasses or hollowed-out gourds, or warm apple cider in glass mugs with cinnamon sticks.

Wedding Cake

• To round out the Thanksgiving feast, serve a pumpkin cake or even a tiered pumkin pie!

• Favors

  • Make it – Homemade goodies like fudge, candy apples, or jams presented in festive packaging always go over well.
  • Bag it – Fill mini-burlap bags with coffee beans, bulbs, or any treat you desire, and tie a label with your monogram or wedding date to the top.
  • Pour it – Miniature bottles of maple syrup are a sweet treat.
  • Fill it – Miniature wood crates lined with straw and filled with goodies are a rustic touch.