When I say that throwing a wedding in the fall is ideal: I mean it. A fall wedding means a lot of different things.

Choosing a Date

When choosing date, you’re thinking about a lot of different things. You’re thinking about your schedules, other people’s weddings, every important date (can’t overlap your sister’s anniversary, ya know?), etc. And if choosing the right weather is important to you, a fall wedding can meet that need. I will recommend, however, that you have the option of an indoor wedding space in order to have the option in case of rain. Rain on your wedding day is good luck anyways! If you’re planning your fall wedding in Northern California, you know how hot a summer wedding in the valley can be. Most venues especially barn weddings which are becoming increasingly popular, don’t have any AC. In the fall, there is a great breeze and body heat does wonders in enclosed spaces.

Fall Weddings have great colors

With so many wedding venues established in wineries, orchards and shaded areas, fall leaves leave you with beautiful tones. Summer weddings, on the other hand, will lend themselves to bare trees, and little shade coverage except for in more mountainous areas. This means that when choosing your wedding, elopement or microwedding color palette, you’ll have so many options because you’re surrounded by neutrals to pull from.

Fall weddings don’t have to be Autumnal

Just because you’re in the fall, doesn’t mean you can’t use spring florals. With the majority of weddings opting for fake florals or wooden florals, it makes it so easy to stage your wedding florals so that they fit exactly what you need no matter what the time of year.

Sure, you can lean into the usual pumpkins and things of fall, but you should also consider this: your wedding is meant to be done your way, no matter what the time of year.

Considering weather on your best day ever

I’m a California wedding photographer; I’ve been everywhere in this state. You can trust me when I say that even if you’re not from here, I’m going to steer you in the right direction. In the summers, California can be brutal. In the valley especially, I’ve walked outside into 115* weather with no breeze. If you’re planning a summer wedding in Northern California, I’ll always recommend a late evening ceremony. June, July and August, you can expect sunset to land somewhere between 7:30 + 9:30pm. This makes a 6pm or 7pm ceremony ideal if you’re in flat lands and a little earlier in the mountains. Between valley venues in California to coastal weddings along Highway 1, California has some of the best weather there is; year round, too. Fall weddings are incredibly versatile all over the state and in the fall you can get any weather you want, depending on which California wedding venue you choose. In the fall + winter, our mountains are almost always covered in snow for my winter wonderland brides. At the beach, you’ll get that beautiful ocean mist and cloud shadowed rays. You really can find your ideal venue anywhere in the state at any time of year, but planning your dream fall wedding will give you many more benefits.