The Pros and Cons of Each Wedding Season

Pros:

1. Nothing says dreamy like a fresh snowfall to amplify your already-perfect day. “When we’re lucky enough that it has snowed and everything is white, we love that any color palette just pops because the world has been neutralized. This goes for not just colors but for lighting too, you’re just turning it up a notch,” says Michelle Leo Cousins, Owner of Michelle Leo Events.
2. Options, isn’t that one of the most important factors for a successful wedding? We sure think so. Winter allows for endlessly rich dessert tables, hot cocoa bars, and copious amounts of comfort food. Your guests will not be leaving hungry or unsatisfied.
3. It’s also all in the details, because they make all the difference. Some might think that cool temperatures are limiting, but it really allows for additional creativity. If you want an outdoor winter ceremony, you can have one — you just need clear tents, portable heaters, and maybe some champagne right after you say, “I do!”
4. If fireplaces, candles, and dimmed lights are all you’ve dreamed about since you first got that ring on your finger, you can have all of them — and more. A winter wedding is the perfect place and time for calm, cozy, and casual details that you and your guests will enjoy together.
5. Depending upon the specifics, it’s safe to say that you can save extra money when booking all your vendors for a winter wedding. It’s typically a slower time of the year, and what’s better than having leftover wedding budget money to start your marriage?

Cons:

1. If having a large attendance at your ceremony is a deal breaker for you, think about the holidays you are competing with. A Christmastime wedding can be absolutely gorgeous, but keep in mind that many of your guests could be traveling back home — in the opposite direction of your event — leaving you with a present in the mail rather than their physical presence.
2. “A challenge with winter weddings is booking them with enough notice so you can get invitations out a bit earlier than normal,” says Leo. If you want to have the best possible attendance in this season, getting your invites out before your friends book flights and commit to holiday parties is crucial.
3. Snow-focused venues are highly sought after and can be everything they’re dreamed to be, but they come with complications. “I absolutely adore winter weddings, I have one scheduled on Jan. 9 in Park City but am holding my breath that we don’t have a terrible storm,” Leo says, “It’s awful for vendors trying to get places and transportation for guests; adding snow can be a total game changer.”
4. While there are many twists and touches winter weddings allow, there are only so many hours of daylight to utilize them all. Depending on the month and location of the ceremony, the sun sets fairly early, and the day needs to start — and end — much sooner. This can increase stress during planning and execution stages of the wedding as you’re trying to fit everything into a tight schedule. And if you're looking to party into the wee hours of the morning, you'll definitely want to look into hosting an after-party.
5. Even though wedding dresses have tons of fabric and multiple layers, you’ll most likely need a second piece to add to your dress in order to stay warm. And finding the perfect jacket to go with your perfect gown can be a real headache. Not to mention, your poor bridesmaids will be freezing their tails off in your outdoor pictures — prepare them with tights and wraps to stay warm.

Pros:

1. The season's natural beauty is so romantic. “There’s nothing prettier than a tree full of cherry blossoms, spring associated floral, pastel colors and that soft romantic pop of color that nature bursts with at this time of the year,” says Leo.
2. If you prefer a larger wedding party in all aspects, spring is a smart and safe time of the year. Friends aren’t quite taking trips left or right, and you aren’t competing with any major holidays. This allows for you to send out your invites a little later, if needed, and you can still expect lots of "yes" replies.
3. You don't have any weather-related restrictions when it comes to selecting your gown. If you want to wear sleeves, you can without overheating. You’ve always imagined yourself going sleeveless? Do it. Whatever style you prefer can be the style to go with a spring wedding.
4. If your dream color palette has always been soft, light, and neutral colors, then you are in for a treat. All accents of the day will be matched with blossoms and all things blooming. This creates not only a beautiful backdrop for your photos, but you can also mix light colors if you like rather than committing to just one or two wedding colors. The more colors the merrier in the spring!
5. Lighting is everything when the biggest day of your life is being photographed. Spring showers may bring May flowers, but also brings cloud coverage, which is ideal for flawless photos.

Cons:

1. High temperature it always something to be aware of when deciding on a summer wedding. Leo says, “There is nothing worse than seeing a bride sweat off her hair and makeup in the heat, especially in 100 plus degree weather.” We definitely don’t know any bride who wants to look oily or shiny in her forever-to-remember pictures.
2. Besides the bride losing her full-face coverage, heat is distracting and can be difficult to deal with when it comes down to guests. “It’s so hard to keep people focused and comfortable depending on the severity of the temperature,” says Leo.
3. Attendance is always a toss up when it comes down to those friends who are avid summer vacationers. Guests you want to invite may have already spent significant amounts of money on their family vacation or abroad escapades and won’t be able to watch you walk down the aisle. Carefully consider who is most important to you and your groom to be there — and get your save-the-dates out there early.
4. Shorter engagements can work in many scenarios, but a summer wedding requires a longer lead time. If you get engaged right at the end of spring or beginning of summer, you will likely not have enough time to plan a wedding that same summer. Top vendors will be booked months beforehand, and you’ll have to settle for whatever is left. Give yourself plenty of time to make proper arrangements for a summer wedding, and have a yearlong engagement if needed to execute your dream wedding.
5. Summer means sunshine, and that means harsh lighting for your photos. It will be more challenging to be photographed in spots you may have envisioned during your ceremony, reception, or for your bridals, and not all photos can be corrected. Carefully consider this, as your photos are what you’ll have to remember your day by.

Pros:

1. The leaves are falling, the temperature is cooling, but if you can schedule for late September, the options are still endless. Your dreams of an outdoor wedding can still be fulfilled with proper planning around your date, and your natural backdrop will make mouths drop and be the talk of the town. Prefer an indoor rustic barn wedding? Done. The flexibility with a bit cooler temperature makes fall one for the books.
2. If you prefer a deeper and darker color scheme for the day, then fall is your season. Bronze, orange, deep purple, reds, and green are all great selections to go with the natural décor surrounding your venue. The nature and color scheme will accent and complement each other very well.
3. Reliability for anything can make or break a wedding. When it comes to weather, fall is that great season that’s dependable and predictable. You know exactly what to expect and can plan around it months in advance, depending on how long your engagement is.
4. Although the days get darker a little sooner, you still have an open time range of selecting your ceremony and being able to eat a little bit later. “You don’t have to have a 3:30 p.m. ceremony; you can get a way with 5 o’clock and go straight into dinner and dessert after,” says Leo.
5. Money always matters, and finding avenues to cut costs down on the budget is huge. When planning a fall wedding, whether outdoor or indoor, you can reduce your spending based on the beauty of the nature around you on its own. To get extra foliage if it’s not natural around you, focus on a destination wedding to get you what you want.

Cons:

1. Attendance can be difficult any time of year, but unexpectedly so when planning a fall wedding. If you have many guests who would need to travel to your wedding, they may have used up their travel time in the summer and are saving the rest for the holidays. Selecting a location that is accessible and easy for most friends and family could help with this, but that's often difficult to do.
2. Stunning skin is something every bride and groom wants to achieve on his or her big day, but the changing weather can wreak havoc on skin. Skin tends to start drying out as summer ends and fall makes its way. There's nothing worse than trying a brand new skincare routine and having it fail on you. No one wants flakes or dry spots on their face, let alone on your wedding day!
3. Fall tends to be a difficult time for most people financially — your guests may be strapped for cash following their summer vacations, they're now beginning to pay for school, or maybe they're just starting to save for the holidays. While you certainly shouldn't choose your wedding season based on the gifts you'll receive, you'll have to remind yourself not to be offended if your friend or relative gives you half as much as you spent on her wedding last summer. And out-of-towners may not be able to splurge on the airfare and travel accommodations necessary to attend your big day.
4. If you are planning your wedding in a climate that’s known to be cooler in the fall months and having an outdoor ceremony and reception is out of the question, you have less flexibility when you’re restricted to an indoor facility. You will have limitations in this controlled environment that you are renting out and need to make sure you wouldn’t be missing anything extremely important to you.
5. As fall weddings tend to be indoors more than outdoors overall, booking indoor venues can be tricky and if not planned far in advance. You may have severe trouble getting the space and spot you would like. If you are recently engaged, you’ll need more time to plan the details to be immaculate.

Check out more great stories from Bridal Guide:

• 20 Venues For a Winter Wonderland Wedding
• Bridal Fashion Trends Forecast For 2016
• The Best Wedding Photos of 2015
• Top 10 Instagram Accounts For Major Wedding Inspiration
• Wedding Vendors: When to Say Yes — or No