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Updated Dec 06, 2023When Is Wedding Season? Here Are the Most Popular Wedding Months
Plus, when the off-season occurs.
When picking a wedding date, there are a lot of factors to consider. The first (and arguably most important) step is to decide if there's a specific time of year when you want to get married. On top of that, you'll also want to take vendor availability and demand into consideration, especially if there are a lot of other couples getting married around the same time as you. But when is wedding season, exactly? Thanks to The Knot 2022 Real Weddings Study, we have the answer.
"Wedding season" is the time of year when the majority of weddings happen, and it can impact your planning process in a few different ways. (Bookmark our list of important wedding dates for 2023, 2024 and 2025 for other days that might affect your planning.) Prices during wedding season are typically higher, as there's more demand for vendors and venues. 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 at The Knot 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:
- When Is Wedding Season?
- When Is Wedding Off-Season?
- Most Popular Months to Get Married
- Most Affordable Wedding Month
- Most Expensive Wedding Month
- How Has Wedding Season Changed Over the Years?
When Is Wedding Season?
Peak wedding season varies slightly from year to year, but typically, summer and early fall are the most popular times to get married. According to our study, which surveyed nearly 12,000 couples married last year, 43% of weddings took place between September and November. October was the most popular month to get married in 2022, accounting for 20% of all weddings.
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 2020. 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.
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Summer was the second most popular wedding season, with 28% of couples getting married between June and August.
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. February is the least popular month for weddings, accounting for just 3% of them in 2022.
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 2022, according to our data.
1. October
October accounted for 20% of weddings in 2022, marking the peak of the wedding season. Pumpkin decor details, Halloween-inspired themes and seasonal desserts are just a few things to love about fall weddings.
2. September
Coming in at a close second, 15% of couples were married in September last year. Spoiler alert: The most popular wedding date of 2023 will be in September.
3. June
Early summer is the third most popular time of the year to get married, with 10% of weddings taking place in June last year.
4. July & August
July and August were tied for the fourth most popular wedding months, each accounting for 9% of weddings in 2022. Unsurprisingly, the warm summer months are a great choice for outdoor weddings and beach wedding themes.
5. May & November
Tied in fifth place are May and November, with 8% of weddings taking place during each month last year. These "shoulder" months may offer more flexibility and budget-friendly options compared to the popularity of summer or fall.
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Most Affordable Wedding Month
In general, you'll 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. 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 winter wedding date if you're hoping to save money and don't mind a chance of snow or rain on the big 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 and specific wedding details.
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 flower shortages and inflation, 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, which was historically a popular time of year to get married, is slowly decreasing in popularity over time. March, April and May accounted for 17% of weddings in 2022 compared to 25% in 2019.
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. Elopements, microweddings 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 2022 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.
