Wedding Considerations for Each Season of the Year
There are many different factors that go into choosing when during the year you want to host your wedding. For example, you may choose to do it on your dating anniversary or on the same date that you met each other.
You could also decide to do it on a holiday, like Valentine’s Day or New Year’s Eve, or, on/around one of your birthdays!
What most couples first think about, however, in terms of the when, is what time/season of the year they desire most to have their love-filled festivities take place.
While this may not be as prominent in decision making for those living in climates that don’t fluctuate often like California, Arizona, and Florida, for others in locations with increased variability, it can be a much more important matter.
So, with that said, we thought we would break down some key things you may want to consider before selecting when during the year is right for you and your partner to begin your new life as a married couple!
Spring
Being one of the most popular times of the year to get married, if you’re dreaming of having a wedding in the spring, you may want to start the vendor selection process (especially for your venue, caterer, and photographer) as soon as possible after getting engaged. Some vendors book as early as a year or year and a half out, so, doing your research and setting up tours/tastings early is the way to go.
Spring can also tend to be more of a rain-filled season (depending on your location) If you’re super opposed to the chance of rain - even a slight drizzle - on your wedding day, you may want to look into venues that are completely indoor to avoid this, or, just make sure the venues you’re looking at have a good rain plan/plan B in place.
While it’s possibly slightly less of a concern, given that spring is when many people experience bad seasonal allergies, if you or your partner are people that suffer from them and are wanting a portion or all of your wedding to be outside, that’s something you may want to think about and prepare for. You’re not going to want to be sneezing or have itchy, watery eyes when you’re standing at the altar trying to say your vows!
Summer
With bright color schemes and mostly sunny skies, summer is a beautiful time to get married. Here are some considerations, however, for the time between June and September…
Summer months, albeit usually a little more free from consistent rain patterns, are of course when you’re going to experience higher temperatures and either increased levels of dryness, or, humidity, contingent upon where you live (or are traveling to if doing a destination wedding).
Given this, you may want to look into some different cooling solutions if you happen to end up with a pretty warm day for your nuptials.
Some ways to try and combat the heat if your ceremony/reception will be outside, are by having paper fans (you can even personalize them) available to grab before your ceremony, a table/display with welcome beverages or water for your guests to sip on throughout it, and having your reception under a tent or other shaded area to escape the sun.
Summer is also a time in which bugs seem to be a bit more prevalent. One way to help this issue could be to provide a toiletry basket in each bathroom that includes bug spray/anti-itch cream/etc. for guests to easily use if they were to need it.
Fall
Crunchy leaves and crisp air means that fall has officially arrived, and with it, similar to spring, comes increased bookings for all things wedding-related.
Within the months of September and October are often the busiest wedding weekends out of the whole year for many vendors across the country.
Just like for any folks out there dreaming of a spring wedding, fall-focused couples are going to want to try and be ahead of the game in their engagement period so as to secure their spot amongst others also in the search for vendors.
On the opposite side of the spectrum in relation to the seasons aforementioned, as fall approaches, it means the entrance of chillier weather and cooler evenings.
Seeing as how many venues with outdoor options wait until the end of October (or even November) to take down their tents if they have them, heater rentals may come in handy and help to keep you and your guests nice and toasty as you dance the night away.
Winter
Last but certainly not least, we have winter. While this time of year may be the least popular time to get married, there are still a good number of couples that choose it!
Some things to keep in mind if you and your partner find yourselves wanting a marriage celebration somewhere between December and March are that first and foremost, in most places in the U.S., it’s going to be cold.
You can always tailor your wedding day outfits to match the weather, such as wearing a couple layers or, for brides, adding a cute shrug or bolero jacket to your dress. Also, having lower temperatures means that it may be difficult to find a venue with a ceremony/reception spot outside, unless perhaps you’re located somewhere down south in which case, there may be some options.
Another thing is that in this particular season, the sun usually sets much earlier in the day, especially in the first few weeks, so, you may have to end up scheduling your sunset/golden hour photos to be before your ceremony if you keep it within the typical 4-5pm time slot.
No matter what time of year you end up choosing, there is so much beauty to be found in every season. Whether it’s a flower-filled spring day, a sunny summer day, a cool fall day, or a winter wonderland, it’s going to be amazing because it’s the day you and your partner start the rest of your lives together, and there’s nothing more beautiful than that!
