August in New York is hot and humid! That’s the bad news. The good news is that the coolest place to be in Manhattan over the summer is Central Park. The East River and the Hudson provide a nice breeze, so a wedding reception on or near the water is lovely. August does see a few storms, but it’s a good month for almost guaranteed dry weather, which is what everyone getting married outdoors wants!
The trees, flowers and plants will have still be blooming and many areas of Central Park suited to wedding ceremonies will be looking stunning. Of course, the days are quite long in August. Sunrise happens at around 6am and sunset is around 8pm. So, a river cruise or a rooftop bar are great options for the evening as the sun goes down.
A great thing about getting married outdoors in New York in August is that you can wear pretty much whatever you like – there’s no need for a jacket! It might be worth considering the sunshine when choosing a ceremony location. There are lots of lovely spots that will have covering during high summer; either places with a roof, such as the Ladies’ Pavilion or places with covering of greenery which will be at its fullest in high summer, such as Cop Cot or the Wisteria Pergola in the Conservatory Gardens.
In high summer my photographers advise against getting married in the middle of the day because the sun will be too high and bright. I suggest getting married in the morning if you want to keep cool in August. A late afternoon wedding is also lovely – you can do something relaxing or touristy during the first part of the day and then marry just before going off for cocktails somewhere fabulous.
There are lots of events going on in New York in August, and in Central Park specifically, and sometimes this affects our being able to obtain an event permit for a wedding from the Central Park Conservancy, so planning ahead is wise.
Central Park gets busy in August. It is truly the New Yorkers’ back yard so it won’t just be tourists enjoying the park, it will be locals getting some sun, taking their kids to play, and having picnics. You will have passers-by in your photos if you get married in Central Park at this time of year – it’s unavoidable. Because the temperatures are so high, you could take photos at the Top of the Rock or Brooklyn Bridge Park and not get cold – these places do get very chilly in the Winter!