When Is Wedding Season? Here Are the Most Popular Wedding Months

When picking a wedding date, there are a lot of factors to consider. If you already have a potential date in mind, it's important to figure out whether or not you're getting married during peak wedding season, since this can affect your wedding in a few ways. But when is wedding season, exactly? Thanks to The Knot 2023 Real Weddings Study, we have the answer. When there are a lot of other couples getting married around the same time as you, vendor availability and demand are just a few things that could be impacted. But there's no right or wrong when it comes to the best wedding month—each season has its own pros and cons. Below, we break down everything you need to know about wedding peak season (and the off-season) to help you and your partner decide what's best for you.

In this article:

What Is Wedding Season? | When Is Wedding Season? | Wedding Off-Season | Most Popular Wedding Months | Least Popular Wedding Months | Most Affordable Wedding Month | Most Expensive Wedding Month | How Wedding Season Has Changed

What Is Wedding Season?

"Wedding season" is the time of year when the majority of weddings happen. You may hear the term mentioned by wedding vendors or other industry experts, and it's important to understand how wedding season can impact your planning process in a few different ways. Number one: Prices during wedding season are typically higher, as there's more demand for vendors and venues. Number two: Book your wedding vendors early if you're getting married during wedding season. The peak months can impact vendors' availability, since you're competing with other couples who may have the same wedding date as you. Bookmark our list of important wedding dates for 2024, 2025 and 2026 for other days that might affect your planning. Once you're ready to get started, use The Knot's free, customizable wedding planning checklist to stay organized.

When Is Wedding Season?

According to our study, which surveyed nearly 10,000 couples married last year, 42% of weddings took place between September and November, solidifying fall as the peak of wedding season. Peak wedding season varies slightly from year to year, but typically, wedding season starts in early summer and lasts through mid-fall.

Fall weddings have become even more popular over the last few years—a trend that will likely continue based on our data. In 2019, 36% of couples got married between September and November, followed by 40% of couples in 2021 and 43% in 2022. Factors like temperate weather (not too hot and not too cold), pretty fall foliage and the lull between summer and winter holidays all make the fall season an appealing time of year to get married. Summer was the second-most popular wedding season, with 25% of couples getting married between June and August 2023.

FEATURED VIDEO FROM THE KNOT

When Is Wedding Off-Season?

In contrast, winter is considered the off-season for weddings. Only 11% of weddings took place between December and February last year, making it the least popular season to get married. Winter weddings peaked in December, which accounted for 5% of weddings.

Most Popular Months to Get Married

Wondering how your wedding month (or ideal wedding season) stacks up against other couples? These were the five most popular wedding months in 2023, according to our data.

1. September & October

September and October are tied as the most popular months to get married in 2023, each accounting for 17% or a combined 34% of all weddings. They mark the peak of wedding season, and if you attended any weddings last year, there's a good chance it took place during the fall months. Spoiler alert: The most popular wedding date of 2024 will be in September.

2. June

Early summer is the second-most popular time of the year to get married, with 11% of weddings taking place in June last year. This is an increase from 2022, when 10% of weddings happened in June.

3. April & November

Tied for third place are April and November, with 8% of weddings taking place during each month last year. These "shoulder" months (the months on the cusp of the season) may offer more flexibility and budget-friendly options compared to the popularity of summer or fall.

4. July & August

For the second year in a row, July and August were tied for the fourth-most popular wedding months, each accounting for 7% of weddings in 2023. Unsurprisingly, the warm summer months are a great choice for outdoor venues and beach weddings.

5. March & May

Thanks to their goldilocks temperatures (not too hot, not too cold), March and May tied for the fifth-most popular wedding months in 2023. Each month accounted for 6% of weddings, and March saw the biggest increase, up from 3% in 2022.

Least Popular Month to Get Married

January and February are tied for the least popular months to get married in 2023, each accounting for just 3% of weddings. According to our data, January is usually the least common month to get married, responsible for 2% of weddings in 2022 and only 1% of weddings in 2021.

Most Affordable Wedding Month

Although there isn't a specific month that's officially the most affordable time to get married, you may have a better chance of finding lower prices during December, January and February compared to peak wedding season—but it all depends on a few factors.

If you're getting married in an area that experiences cold temperatures and unpredictable weather in winter, vendor costs might be slightly lower during the off-season since there is less demand from other couples. This could be a great chance to book a Saturday wedding at a coveted wedding venue or hire a vendor that's usually in high demand during the peak season. On the other hand, if your wedding venue is considered a popular winter destination, like a ski resort, you could experience limited availability and higher demand or costs. The same goes for winter holidays, especially New Year's Eve weddings. Since the date is so popular for non-wedding events in addition to weddings, you can expect higher prices and more competition for venues, caterers, entertainment and event rentals. If you're getting married around Valentine's Day, keep in mind that florists will be especially busy and could raise their prices to match the increased demand and shipping costs for flowers.

Ultimately, you should consider choosing a date in the wedding off-season if you're hoping to save money and don't mind a chance of inclement weather on the wedding day. And even though the winter season is a less popular time to wed, you could argue that it's even more romantic than other times of the year. Details like candles, wedding string lights and rich fabrics like velvet really stand out during the winter months, so look for ways to incorporate the season that you couldn't pull off during other times of the year.

Most Expensive Wedding Month

You can expect your total wedding cost to be higher during the most popular wedding months such as October, September and June. Supply and demand is the main reason, although actual costs will vary depending on your location, specific wedding details and how many guests you're inviting.

Saturday is the most popular day of the week to get married regardless of season, and since there are only a limited number of Saturdays each month, you'll be competing with more couples (and potentially paying more) to lock in your desired date. On top of that, most wedding vendors are booked for multiple events per week during peak wedding season. In that case, they might raise their prices to cover the cost of additional employees or equipment. During busy times of the year, you could also run into higher costs as a result of increased demand for materials, but the right team of vendors will help you get the most out of your budget.

How Has Wedding Season Changed Over the Years?

Since 2019, fall continues to grow as the most popular wedding season. Spring is gaining traction as the third-most popular wedding season—March, April and May accounted for 17% of weddings in 2022 and 20% of weddings in 2023.

But as weddings evolve even more and couples continue to rethink the traditions that are most important to them, we expect the idea of wedding season to evolve as well. Courthouse weddings, elopements and destination weddings are all popular these days, and to-be-weds are no longer limiting themselves to specific months or days of the week, which could mean that weddings will be more evenly spaced out throughout the year. One up-and-coming trend? More couples have opted for winter weddings in recent years (11% in 2023 compared to 9% in 2019), indicating a possible shift in the most popular wedding months and what's traditionally considered to be the off-season for weddings.