What Is The Best Time of Year to Get Married?

Written by Angela Strauman

We get it, planning a wedding can be stressful; that’s why we’re here to help! If you haven’t checked out our blog post on why you should hire a wedding planner, go check that article out because having a wedding planner will literally change your life and help make your dream wedding come true. (Also, literally everyone involved will thank you because you will be less stressed, and planners make sure everything runs smoothly.)

 

Now, one of the most important planning details to figure out is your wedding date. You will be completely stuck without this. What calendar dates work for you and when is the best time of year to get married? Because you need to let guests know when to come, organize schedules with vendors and planners, etc. it can be a lot, so let’s help you figure it out. Here are a few key tips to take into consideration when planning your wedding and considering when is the best time of year to get married. 

• Location

Location is a huge factor of considering when is the best time of year to get married. Each location has its own seasons and the best time of year is dependent on the location. For example, if you are looking for a winter wonderland wedding with snow, hot chocolate, and a ski lodge, yet you live in Florida, you may want to go somewhere where they have snow. So, a destination wedding could be on your horizon! However, take into consideration that some places aren’t cold or hot year round. Even in Norway, winter temperatures can get up to 79 degrees Fahrenheit, which is no time for snow. What we recommend is that you really take a look at what location you want to get married at and, from there, choose a date. That way, it’ll make it easier to plan your vision for a boho beach wedding or a luxurious winter wonderland wedding because you’ll have more of an idea of what to plan for.  

 

• Out-of-Season Versus In-Season

Another factor to take in on when is the best time of year to get married is this concept of out-of-season versus in-season. Venues and vendors alike have different times of year that are busier than others and products that might be in or out of season/stock depending on when you’re looking. This could mean there are big price differences between the two months you are considering getting married. For example: 

• If you want to get married in Italy’s beautiful Lake Como location, the weather is mild and great in May and June. That being said, many venues are often busiest during these summer months. Consider who uses those interesting and beautiful venues, i.e. summer family vacations and weekend outings. Planning ahead as to what venue you want and looking at whether a venue is going to be highly sought after due to the time of year, are all things to take into consideration. 
• Another detail to consider for out-of-season or in-season weddings are flowers! Who doesn’t love flowers? From bridal bouquets to centerpieces, flowers play a huge role in many aspects of a wedding. Depending on the time of year, certain flowers may not grow traditionally during your wedding date, so acquiring those  lilies of the valley or wildflowers for your wedding may take a much bigger bite from your budget and be way more expensive than you originally planned for. If you’re a flower person, looking into what’s in-season is imperative to a successful wedding. 
• Tropical destinations have on and off peak seasons.  An example would be getting married in Bora Bora or Maldives.  Off peak tend to be rainy weather, but it’s still beautiful and worth looking into the discounted rates if you’re on a budget.  Reach out to the St. Regis or one of our other favorite Bora Bora wedding venues

• Date Communication

Something we’ve mentioned earlier in this article, and think is so incredibly important that it deserves it’s own section is choosing your wedding date. When is the best time of year to get married? Really, that is up to you. A significant consideration in planning, when is the best time to get married, is family and friends. Who’s going to be in the wedding party? Consider involving these people in your plans so that they feel heard and can make sure that they can come. After all, you are important to them! Communication is key in all aspects of life, but especially here! Truly, there is no wrong time or best time to get married – the best time is what works for you and your significant other (and people)!  Again, there are things to take into consideration, of course, (flowers included) but the bottom line is, really, what works best for you two and what do you want your wedding experience to be. It’s your wedding so make sure you put your priorities first. And if family is a the top of that list, great, invite them and make sure you pick a date they can come! If you want that destination wedding at the beach in the cold winter months, great! Do that. Create the wedding of your dreams with the people you want and at the time of year you want it to happen. You don’t get married for someone else, or at least we hope you aren’t doing that, you get married for you and your partner, so make it the event that you want at the time you want. 

 

• Favorite Vendors/Venues

One last big thing we are going to throw out there as factors to take into consideration when thinking about when is the best time of year to get married: your favorite vendors and venues. If you really want a specific photographer or videographer you love or a venue you really want your wedding to be at, be very proactive and make sure to plan ahead, and schedule them months in advance. Most of the time, last minute planning isn’t to your advantage because so many vendors and venues book months out in advance. During certain times of the year, they may already be booked because so many other couples had the same thought – for example, June is the best time of year to get married. A planner can help you organize the details, and is sometimes able to get a last minute booking for you, however, this is rare. More often than not you need to work details out in advance. Plan ahead, so you can get your favorite vendors and venues during the best time of year to get married!

 

We want to say this to you again,  the best time of year to get married is totally up to you. That’s the truth. While there are things to take into consideration like location, whether things are in or out of season, date, communication, and favorite vendors or venues you may want to hire, ultimately the choice is up to you. It’s your decision to make, don’t let anyone pigeon you into a date that you don’t want to do because guess what? It’s your special day! So if you’re looking for a sign, this is it. This is your sign to make your wedding exactly how you want it to be. The best time of year to get married is what’s right for you..

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