Colors

• Use fall, earthy colors like red, orange, yellow, brown, gold, dark green and purple. If you want more subtle colors, use lavender with gold for a feminine bridal shower, or rusty red with deep brown touches for a warm, classic scheme. Autumn makes most people think of dark colors, but feel free to lighten the colors with peachy orange, pastel yellow, light green and tan. Or, strike a luxurious note by using just gold and white with a few accents of maroon. A beautiful autumn bridal shower color scheme would be to use ivory with ivy green. White pumpkins paired with magnolia and vines can form the basis for the décor.
  
  

Flowers

• Turn to the seasonal selections at the florist to create fall bridal shower arrangements. Use autumn accents like gourds, sheaves of cut wheat, dried red berries and decorative branches like curly willow or birch. A popular choice for fall brides is the miniature calla lily, which comes in orange, yellow and red shades that complement fall décor and add characteristic texture and shape to tables. Roses are available in orange and burgundy shades as well; and hydrangea comes in similar colors and may be more cost effective because of the size of its blooms. Both are popular bridal flowers for their versatility. Add round seed pods, dried grasses and ivy as finishing touches.
  
  

Containers

• If you want a harvest-themed bridal shower, try stoneware or pottery jugs, or woven baskets, and pile fall-toned flowers in them, trailing greenery onto the table. If the bride likes more sophisticated designs, square, short glass vases will look modern and elegant filled with orange chrysanthemums or zinnias. Twist decorative cut copper wire around the neck or base of any container for a flash of autumn style. Or, use colored martini glasses, perhaps red, green or gold, and float a flower or candle in them for a girls' martini-lunch shower. Glass apothecary jars filled with silk flowers, cut rye, stacked miniature pumpkins or curly branches would be an unusual and attractive option if your shower is being held outdoors. Plain clay goblets can hold asymmetrical arrangements for an eclectic bride, or go a more traditional route and hollow out white or orange pumpkins to hold your flowers.
  
  

Accents

• Craft stores can be the best source for personal touches to your shower decorations. Look for garlands of silk fall leaves, or packages of wire-stemmed metal leaves you can twist into centerpieces or add to chair backs, napkins and place card holders.Velvety green ribbons or strands of gold beads might be just what you need to make the tables at this bridal shower look like no other fall event. If you want to use gourds or pumpkins but the colors don't fit, get some spray paint and turn them into a color that works with the shower theme, such as copper, dark red or even black. Add sticks of cinnamon or cloves scattered on the tables to bring a delicious fall aroma to the room, and use star anise, pine cones, dried fruits and moss to add more harvest touches to the bridal shower. Metallic fall leaf confetti will add some glitter to the tables.
  
  

Favors

• Let autumn favors double as added table accents. Place leaf-shaped soaps, name card holder or candles on the tables and allow shower guests to take them home afterward. Copper leaf cookie cutters are a great favor if you are throwing a kitchen shower for the bride. You can also have tins, boxes and bags printed or die-cut with fall leaves to hold candy, soaps, candles or other favors. Place a tiny bottle of locally made maple syrup at each place, or fill small glass bottles with bath salts in fall colors for a spa-style bridal shower. Add handfuls of unshelled nuts in amber glass bowls, or autumn candies in red-jeweled wire votive holders for shower guests to snack on or take home. See the Resources section for more favor ideas.
  
  

Linens

• For a rustic autumn bridal shower theme, use burlap as a tablecloth or as a place mat paired with ivory linens. Create a fringed edge by pulling away the outer threads. Burlap comes in many colors, including orange, burgundy and red. If you have simple, colorful table linens already on hand, like yellow or blue, just add a table runner and napkins in white, gold or dark green to pull in the fall colors of your shower decorations. If it's a casual shower, consider using printed paper or vinyl fall tablecloths, available from party stores.