I started a mini seasonal series on the blog back in February, and today, you get to read the second of FOUR posts! I’m sharing the truths about having a wedding in each season… from the good to the not so good, I’m letting you in on all my secrets! More specifically to today, we’re diving into the truth about having a spring wedding!
If you missed my post for winter, get caught up on the series here!
This mini-series was originally born because I had so many friends ask about the best time to have their wedding! Truthfully, there are many factors that go into determining what months are “best” for a wedding, and I personally believe that it all starts with what you prefer as a couple! However, if you are a little overwhelmed with making decisions and don’t quite know where to start, I’ll be sharing a few key truths about having a wedding in each specific season. Throughout the year, you can expect to find a post for winter, spring, summer & fall! (Which means… if you have a question about hosting a wedding during the summer or the fall, ask away, friend!)
I’m not someone that likes to feel like a negative Nancy (I really DO love spring weddings!), but I’ve found that I feel a little like one as I write this series! These truths? They’re more reality checks than anything else! Let me be clear: there are amazing things and drawbacks about each season! I am simply here to point out a few things that you may not think to consider when setting your date! These posts are coming from a place of love and a desire to ensure that you are considering everything as you plan your wedding.
To keep things clear, today’s post is focused on what I classify as spring in my head: End of March-Beginning of May (For my DC friends, at least! This will most likely be slightly different, depending on where you live and where you are having your weddings! Example: Texas spring is vastly different than DC spring!) Shall we begin?!
It may be warm… it may be cold! The weather makes no guarantees!
Truthfully, the weather in the spring is very unpredictable! At the end of March, we had one weekend where Saturday brought shorts weather and Sunday required a coat and boots. You never really know what you are going to get with the temperature! Spring likes to throw one wildcard after another, with varied temperatures, plenty of rain, and some absolutely gorgeous spring days mixed in. If you are hoping to schedule a spring wedding, please know that there is no guarantee that your day will be a warm, beautiful day! Yes, the beautiful spring days are typically plentiful, but there are also many chilly and rainy days during the spring too.
On that note: RAIN. Spring brings a lot of unpredictable rain & precipitation! If you are planning for an outdoor ceremony, DO make sure you have a contingency plan for a rainy or freezing cold day.
If you have your heart set on a warmer, spring wedding day, I recommend opting for a date that is a little closer to the end of spring (Think: the beginning of May!)
Flowers are beautiful, but they also bring pollen!
I think we can all agree that spring flowers are the absolute best! They’re beautiful, and they make the loveliest photo backdrops! I am not someone that suffers too much from seasonal allergies, but I know many people that do. These lovely, beautiful, wonderful flowers? They’re also filled with pollen! If you are someone that spends the months of March-May with puffy eyes, a tissue box in hand, and extra Flonase on tap, you may want to consider having your wedding during another time of year. I know that seasonal allergies are no joke! If you have seasonal allergies that are able to be managed, there’s no need to worry about having a spring wedding. I would just hate for a bride or groom to be miserable because of something totally out of their control that could have been avoided!
Another thing to note with spring flowers: there is no guarantee that the flowers will bloom by a certain date or that they will last through a certain date. I know how sad this sounds, but I’ve seen it first hand with the cherry blossoms here in DC! (Their peak bloom date changed twice this year and four times last year!) Spring flowers are guaranteed to come at some point, but the day is often unpredictable. If you are planning your wedding day, hoping to have a certain bloom for photos or natural decor, give Mother Nature a little grace. I would hate to see you get your hopes up, only to be disappointed!
The world is still coming back to life…
This sounds kind of funny and is a bit of an offshoot of the last topic, but keep in mind: trees, bushes, flowers? They’ve all been pretty dormant and brown for the last couple of months. Meaning? They’ve been reallll brown for a long time. It takes a few months for the trees to completely fill back in with pretty green! Keep in mind: If you have a spring wedding, the leaves may still be budding!
If you are in love with a specific venue and have fallen in love with it because of certain images that you have seen of trees, foliage, ivy, vines, or something similar, it doesn’t hurt to ask which season or time of year the photos were taken in. As I write this post now, most trees in DC are just starting to get small leaves. We’re still waiting for the pretty green canopy to make an appearance! While the world IS coming back to life, it does so slower than many people realize!
Bonus: light lasts a little longer in the spring!
The BEST thing about spring is that there is SO much more evening light than there is during the winter. Yes, the sun does rise a little later for a few weeks in the early spring, but as we work through the season, we have access to more and more light in the evening! (Which is AMAZING for your sunset photos!). While sunset still isn’t as late as it is during the summer, it is significantly later than it is during many winter months. DO keep an eye on the sunrise and sunset times though, as you schedule your date, as the times can change quite often during the spring months!
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[…] If you missed my post for spring, get caught up on the series here! […]