How to Choose a Season for Your Colorado Wedding

Choosing a Season for your Colorado wedding Colorado Wedding Planning Resources by Colorado Wedding photographer Jennie Crate

Love is not determined by the number of hours of sunshine in a day or by the amount of snow on the ground. Your relationship isn’t defined by the color of the trees in fall, or the afternoon storms in the sky.

However, all of those factors do often play into choosing your wedding date and choosing a season for your Colorado wedding.

Below are some of my tips for choosing the best season for your Colorado wedding, as well some pros and cons for each!

Choosing a Season for Your Colorado Wedding

  1. Think about the arc of your relationship and your history. Did you start dating in a certain season? Did you get engaged in a particular month? Do you have a season of adventuring that you look forward to every year? Use these answers to determine if there is a particular season that you’re drawn to; a season that makes the perfect sense for your relationship.
  2. Consider the vibe you want to create for your day. Do you like the city? Do you want to escape to the mountains? How does a relaxing week away with family and friends sound? Do you want to have tons of activities available and planned for your guests? Deciding on mountains vs. city is a huge part of the planning process and they each have their pros, depending on what is important to you.
    1. A city wedding provides year round accessibility, as snow doesn’t typically shut Denver down for more than a few hours (if that)
    2. Some mountain venues are only accessible in the summer months
    3. Denver can be HOT in the summer
    4. The mountains offer fresh air and cooler temperatures during the hottest months of the summer
  3. What does your budget look like? Some venues offer reduced pricing for “off-season” weddings. Off-season is typically November – April so if you’re not tied to a particular season initially, you might save major bucks planning on a less popular date.

Pros and cons for planning a wedding in each season

Summer weddings in Colorado

Winter Park intimate wedding photo

Pros

  1. Al fresco dining is so refreshing
  2. The days are long and there is lots of sunshine
  3. Outdoor activities are plentiful for your guests
  4. Venues at high elevation are accessible (though often with limited availability)
  5. Flower and foliage are lush
  6. We’ll have lots of time for sunset portraits as sunset starts later
  7. Fresh fruits and veggies are available for catering options
  8. Wildflowers can be a gorgeous addition to your landscape

Cons

  1. Denver can be HOT
  2. Mountain towns can be hot, depending on elevation
  3. Weddings are popular in the summer, so expect venue costs to be higher
  4. Again, weddings are popular in the summer, so there will be more competition for vendors
  5. Sunburn is likely
  6. Afternoon thunderstorms are likely in the mountains, so you have to be prepared to be flexible with your timeline

Fall weddings in Colorado

Pros

  1. Leaves will be changing colors and the Colorado aspens have the potential to be gorgeous
  2. The mountains feel crisp
  3. Fall opens up cozy autumn vibes like apple cider, cooler nights, fire pits
  4. You’ll have the pick of late summer harvest for catering options

Cons

  1. Fall dates are also popular so you’ll want to reserve your choice vendors early.
  2. We can try to predict when peak leaf dates will be, but it changes yearly, so there are no guarantees (although, late September is often ideal for the mountains and mid-October for lower elevations like Denver).
  3. The weather can be unpredictable particularly in the mountains (could be 30 and snowing, could be 60 and sunny)

Winter weddings in Colorado

snow boots at winter wedding photo

Pros

  1. The snow makes a great natural reflector for photographs
  2. A winter mountain vibe is unique to Colorado and the west
  3. Venues are cheaper because there is typically less competition for winter dates
  4. Cozy vibes and hygge can be included in your wedding vision

Cons

  1. Shorter days means a good timeline is a must because we’ll likely loose light by ceremony time
  2. Sunset occurs early, so if you want sunset photos, they might also happen before the ceremony
  3. Yes, it’s winter. It will likely be cold
  4. With the temperatures in mind, you’ll have to make provisions for guest comfort if wedding is outdoors (but there are so many awesome ways to do this!)
  5. Even if you marry outdoors, you’re likely looking at indoor options for your cocktail hour and reception

Spring weddings in Colorado

bridesmaids in teal bridesmaids dresses Beaver Creek wedding photo

Pros

  1. Flowers are starting to bloom
  2. Mountain passes are beginning to open
  3. People are itching to start spending more time outside
  4. Vendors are excited to kick off their seasons

Cons

  1. The weather can be super unpredictable in the mountains
  2. The weather also be unpredictable in Denver, though it’s unlikely to hinder your overall plans
  3. Colorado trees are smart and some don’t fully leaf out until June.  You might get some early buds, but you might also still have a lot of dead looking trees around you.

As a final note, it’s important to realize that there is no wrong answer to the question of choosing a season for your Colorado wedding. There is only what is right to you.

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I can’t wait to hear what season you’re excited about, so contact me and let’s get started with the planning!

Looking for other resources for planning your wedding in Colorado?

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