20 Fall Wedding Destinations

From russet-colored New England landscapes to golden hour in California wine country, these romantic locales are perfect for a fall wedding.

September 30, 2019

By: Lauren Oster

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Biltmore Estate, Asheville, North Carolina

A charming town set in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains, Asheville comes alive in the fall as the leaves change and the air turns crisp. Love the mountains, but not so fond of rustic barns? Biltmore Estate, a 250-room French Renaissance chateau on 8,000 acres — complete with an award-winning winery — blends refined elegance with sweeping mountain views for a picture-perfect wedding.

SEE MORE: Asheville

Devon, England

If you fancy assembling your wedding guests at a magnificent English destination like the characters in Succession (minus the high-stakes drama and crime, of course), you'd be well-advised to retreat to Bovey Castle in Devon's Dartmoor National Park. Two hundred and seventy-five acres of countryside surround the magnificent Jacobean mansion, which was built in 1907 for the second Viscount Hambleden and overlooks both a lake and the River Bovey. The park itself is heaven for nature and history buffs and teems with everything from wildlife and waterfalls to quaint villages and relics that date back thousands of years.

Bretton Woods, New Hampshire

Nothing could be more romantic than a fall wedding in New England, with a canopy of autumn’s stunning colors as the backdrop. A favorite New England haven of presidents, writers and celebrities and a National Historic landmark, Omni Mount Washington Resort in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, offers a grand history and refined luxuries, such as an on-site spa, amid a serene mountainside setting. After the big day, adventurous newlyweds and guests can take an unforgettable three and a half-hour zip-line tour to see the foliage up close. Those with the spirit of Halloween on their minds should keep their eyes peeled for longtime resident Carolyn Stickney, the widow of the hotel's original owner; she's said to make regular appearances in the third-floor bedroom where her four-poster maple bed still stands, though she passed away back in 1936.

Bogotá, Colombia

Bask in colonial-style splendor at the Four Seasons Hotel Casa Medina Bogotá, an architectural gem designed by Colombian artist-architect Santiago Medina Mejia (which has been declared an official Monument of Cultural Interest). Step from your gorgeous urban retreat back into the present to explore Colombia's bustling capital city, a hip and historic metropolis nestled in the Andes.

Vail, Colorado

There's no time like autumn to take in the crisp mountain air and dazzling vistas of the Colorado Rockies. It just happens to be shoulder season, when luxurious alpine retreats like Four Seasons Resort and Residences Vail offer some of the best values of the year. Soak up the sun in an outdoor ceremony, then send your guests out into the wilderness to enjoy fly-fishing, horseback riding, hiking, mountain biking, jeep tours and more.

Texas Hill Country

Half an hour and a world away from downtown Austin on the Colorado River, Lake Austin Spa Resort offers city slickers a bucolic getaway that can be utterly private. If your party will fill all 40 of its rooms, the property will transform itself into your exclusive retreat. (Unsurprisingly, it's popular with bachelorette parties as well.) For a truly show-stopping arrival, the resort offers brides and grooms-to-be (and their attendants) water-taxi transportation to their wedding site.

San Diego, California

The iconic Hotel del Coronado — known affectionately as the "Hotel Del" — played a starring role alongside Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon in Some Like It Hot (1958), and it has had a reputation as one of the most spectacular (and spectacularly romantic) resorts in southern California for more than a century. Any stretch of the Pacific makes for a showstopping ceremony on the shore, but it’s hard to beat the Hotel Del’s private beach, where festivities can include everything from custom sandcastles to a live bandstand and fireworks. Now that’s what we call old-Hollywood glamour.

Aruba

Dreaming of a Caribbean destination wedding in the fall but fear hurricane season? Consider Aruba, since it’s situated in the Southern Caribbean, far from the hurricane belt. Fall is a great time to visit, as the summer crowds are gone, but the sun is still shining and constant trade winds will keep you from sweating through your gown or tux. The white-sand beaches provide a spectacular stage for your white wedding, too.

Napa Valley, California

Fall is the best time to visit Napa Valley — the summer crowds have thinned, and it’s "crush time," when grapes are harvested. Get married while surrounded by 27 acres of vineyards at the Carneros Inn, a resort that seamlessly mixes rustic barn charm and understated luxury. Say "I do" in the resort’s apple orchard, a grassy lawn that’s dotted with apple trees and has panoramic views of the rolling hillside.

SEE MORE: Napa Valley

Hudson Valley, New York

A mere 90 miles upstate from Manhattan lies the respite of Hudson Valley, a favorite fall getaway to take in autumn’s color show. Plan a wedding at the Mohonk Mountain House, a Victorian castle mountaintop resort that overlooks Lake Mohonk and is surrounded by 40,000 forested acres and breathtaking views of the Catskill Mountains. Nature lovers can choose an eco-friendly wedding, which includes an organic and local menu, extensive composting and recycling and flowers from the resort’s greenhouse.

SEE MORE: Hudson Valley Road Trip

Charleston, South Carolina

Palmettos and painterly sunsets beckon couples to South Carolina's 17th-century port city, where balmy fall temperatures rarely creep down into the lower 50s. The Beach Club at Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina takes Southern hospitality seriously. So seriously, in fact, that the Dean of the Charleston Academy of Domestic Pursuits offers would-be hosts an actual master class in entertaining. The property's eight waterfront venues can accommodate intimate groups of 15 all the way up to large gatherings of 300, and its quintessential Lowcountry design details (think massive wraparound porches and architecture inspired by historic Mount Pleasant) send you on a trip back in time.

Florence, Italy

Dreaming of an Italian fairy-tale wedding that rivals George Clooney’s and Kim Kardashian’s? Tie the knot at Il Salviatino, an exquisitely restored 15th-century villa on the hillside of Fiesole, a town 15 minutes from Florence’s city center. Exchange your vows in the enchanting Italian-style gardens against the sparkling scenery of Florence’s city lights and a view of the iconic Il Duomo di Firenze.

Yosemite National Park, California

Nature lovers will cherish a fall wedding in Yosemite National Park, surrounded by majestic pine forests, iconic sites such as Yosemite Falls, Glacier Point and Bridalveil Fall (how fitting!) and bursts of fall color in nearly every direction. There’s a range of hotels perfect for every couple’s style, including the elegant and historic Ahwahnee Hotel and the cozy, rustic accommodations of Yosemite Lodge at the Falls.

Whistler, British Columbia

This Canadian municipality showcases beauty and brains in the fall when its awe-inspiring scenery serves as a backdrop for an array of cultural activities like gallery tours, art exhibits, live performances and weekly wine walks. Fairmont Chateau Whistler, in turn, offers one-of-a-kind outdoor venues ranging from a rooftop wedding chapel to its lush Mountain View Lawn. Fancy a bucket-list betrothal? The resort works with local helicopter companies and can arrange ceremonies on top of a glacier.

Cancun, Mexico

A short, direct flight from most major U.S. cities, Cancun boasts sunny skies, year-round 80-degree weather and bright-blue ocean views. Sister properties JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa and CasaMagna Marriott Cancun Resort offer a world of options catering to various kinds of couples — from beachfront Catholic weddings (the nuptial seaside gazebo is approved for use as a Catholic altar) to Indian, kosher, LGBT and Mayan celebrations — all led by specifically certified professionals.

Scottsdale, Arizona

Don’t want to worry about rain on your wedding day? Tie the knot in Scottsdale, Arizona, a vibrant desert town that boasts more than 330 days of sunshine every year. You don’t have to have a wild, wild West wedding here; Montelucia Resort and Spa brims with luxury and sophistication in its indoor/outdoor ballroom. Could you dream up a more stunning wedding backdrop than Camelback Mountain and the Sonoran Desert?

SEE MORE: Destination Wedding: Montelucia Resort And Spa

Oahu, Hawaii

The "First Lady of Waikiki" first threw open her stately Victorian doors in 1901, and she's been a wildly popular destination for betrothed couples from around the globe ever since. The Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa, and its sister property, The Royal Hawaiian, host up to five ceremonies a day during peak wedding season. That said, the Moana Surfrider's intimate architecture and oceanside facilities make each and every couple feel like the only two people in the world. After tying the knot, stick around for a spiritual experience at dawn, when Ho'ala, the Hawaiian Sunrise Ceremony of Renewal, guides guests into the ocean to "cleanse the body, mind and spirit and help participants focus their mind towards a greater future."

Las Vegas, Nevada

Spontaneous trips to Sin City's drive-up wedding chapels will never go out of style, but there's more to Las Vegas than Elvis impersonators moonlighting as pastors and floor-to-ceiling kitsch. With all due respect to the King, you can tie the knot like actual royalty at luxurious venues like Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas, a far cry from the Strip's megacasinos. Lush poolside oases dotted with terraces and gardens are ideal for outdoor receptions, while high-in-the-sky spaces on the hotel's 38th and 39th floors offer a bird's-eye view of the glittering city and the Mojave Desert beyond it.

Palm Springs, California

Palm Springs has become a wedding hot spot in recent years for good reason. It's got something for everyone, from picture-perfect private homes that can be rented for intimate and hip desert-chic gatherings to luxury hotels dripping with design details, such as The Parker Palm Springs — a historic spot whose jaw-dropping, Jonathan Adler-helmed redesign helped put Palm Springs back on the map for glitterati from Los Angeles and beyond. The Parker is head over heels for hosting folks who are head over heels. "A last-minute elopement, the afternoon traditional that finally ends the long engagement or the third time around, black tie and evening dress soirée, we love 'le mariage,'" says catering manager Shannon Romijn. They'll offer up "The Gene Autry residence, the Great Lawn, the Palm Court or the entire estate — whatever suits your folly," she adds.

Allegheny Mountains, Virginia

Say your "I dos" amid the dazzling fall foliage at the Omni Homestead, a luxury resort nestled in the Allegheny Mountains. A National Historic Landmark, the Homestead has welcomed 22 American presidents as guests since the eighteenth century. Unwind after the big day at the Jefferson Pools, the legendary hot springs where Thomas Jefferson soaked in 1818.

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20 Fall Wedding Destinations

Related To:

Shop This Look

Biltmore Estate, Asheville, North Carolina

Devon, England

Bretton Woods, New Hampshire

Bogotá, Colombia

Vail, Colorado

Texas Hill Country

San Diego, California

Aruba

Napa Valley, California

Hudson Valley, New York

Charleston, South Carolina

Florence, Italy

Yosemite National Park, California

Whistler, British Columbia

Cancun, Mexico

Scottsdale, Arizona

Oahu, Hawaii

Las Vegas, Nevada

Palm Springs, California

Allegheny Mountains, Virginia

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