Adding bride and groom pumpkins to your fall wedding decorations adds more wedding flair to your seasonal decorations. Whether you go with fun, rustic pumpkin couples or more elegant representatives of the bride and groom, it's a festive way to celebrate your autumn nuptials.
Scarecrow Country Couple
A great display of the bride and groom is one that starts with a scarecrow, similar to the image at the top right. Stop by a consignment or thrift shop to pick up a used wedding dress and a suit jacket. Set up your scarecrows and dress them in the purchased attire. Add a plaid waistband to the bride's gown and place a fall wedding bouquet in her arms. The groom can have a plaid bowtie and maple leaf boutonniere. Top the scarecrow with traditionally carved jack-o'-lanterns. Glue a veil to the bride to complete the look.
Bride and Groom Pumpkin Carving Templates
A carved pumpkin allows you to add a small LED candle to the center to create a glowing decoration for an evening wedding. Set them near doors, along paths, on the guest book table, and on tables for centerpieces.
Dancing Bride and Groom Pumpkin Stencil
Click on the image to open it up. Right click to save it to your computer and then you can resize the silhouette to match the size of the pumpkin you are carving it into. Make sure you have a fine tip marker or pencil for tracing this template in order to get the small details, and several sizes of carving knives for best results.
Man and Wife Template
This image of the bride and groom celebrating after being pronounced man and wife is another great option. Click to open the image and then right click to save it to your computer. Resize as needed. Cut out the black areas on the template. For the bride's dress, you can either outline with paint or marker or you can make very slim cuts (about 1/4" thick) to outline the dress.
Instructions for Carving Your Pumpkin
- After downloading the template, cut out the stencil. Set it aside.
- Select the carving pumpkin.
- Cut the top and remove the inside.
- Clean the pumpkin and allow it to dry.
- (Optional) If you'd like to paint your pumpkin white, gold, silver, or another color, do so now. Wait for it to dry.
- Use spray adhesive to place the template on the flattest side of the pumpkin.
- Cut around the stencil using your carving knife.
- Wipe the outside of the pumpkin again.
- Add an LED candle to the pumpkin if desired.
Optional Painting Instructions Using the Template
If you want to avoid carving the pumpkin, the templates can also be used as stencils for painting. Cut out the stencil design. Lightly trace the silhouette using a pencil. Paint the silhouette in your desired color. Consider doing black on orange, gold on white, or even yellow on maroon.
Bride and Groom Painted Pumpkin Options
If you don't want to deal with the mess of carved pumpkins, there are several ways to create painted bride and groom pumpkins for your wedding.
Painted Pumpkin Mannequins
Set up two basic forms for the bride and groom. These could be scarecrow forms or mannequins. Dress them in a suit and bridal gown purchased from a thrift or consignment shop. Sketch the faces on using a pencil, then use a pumpkin painting kit to make their features pop:
- Groom - Make two large arch shapes for the eyes. Add blue (or the groom's actual eye color) to help distinguish his features. Have his eyes looking towards the bride. A large moon shape in black, with white teeth, creates a happy smile.
- Bride - Create the bride's eyes by making two large almond shapes. Select the bride's own eye color and don't forget to add eyelashes and eyebrows. Large red lips are perfect for the first kiss. Top the bride with a veil to complete the look.
Wooden Pumpkin Couple
Real pumpkins will eventually rot. If you don't want to worry about disposal or you want to have your bride and groom pumpkins ready well before the big day, consider using a wooden pumpkin cut out in place of the real thing. Set up scarecrow forms but don't worry about stuffing them. Instead, just dress them in an old suit and used wedding gown. Purchase plywood pumpkin cutouts that have faces on them or paint the faces yourself. Nail the wooden pumpkin heads to your forms. Set aside until the wedding day and then place near wedding barn doors, in front of a field, or leaning near corn shocks.
Elegant Mr. and Mrs. Pumpkins
Decorating a pumpkin to represent the bride and groom doesn't mean you have to make them literally resemble the couple. Instead, go for a conceptual representation by hand lettering "Mr." and "Mrs." on two pumpkins in your best calligraphy. Use white, silver, or gold pumpkins for a luxurious look. If your handwriting is less than desirable, use a font you like and print the letters on paper. Cut them out and affix to the pumpkins using Mod Podge.
Fall Bride and Groom Pumpkin Designs
Pumpkin wedding decorations are budget-friendly options for your ceremony and reception. Whether you choose lighted jack-o'-lanterns or go with a larger display for greeting guests, the bride and groom designs are sure to delight everyone and show up in many photos to enjoy for seasons to come.
