So, you’re considering getting married in Central Park in the springtime. It shouldn’t be too hot, or too cold, but what if it rains?! You’ve seen photos of Central Park looking fabulous in the spring time; the blossom is out, the flowers are blooming, and all is has that lovely greenery, and let’s face it; we need the rain to get all this. Perhaps you don’t like extremes of temperature, or perhaps spring is a better time for you to get married for other reasons. You’re wondering; is it a good idea to get married in Central Park in spring?
So many couples would say yes! May is one of the most popular months to get married in Central Park. But, did you know that May is New York City’s rainiest month? And the biggest fear for many couples getting married outdoors is the rain. In all my contracts I say “in case of a change of plans or bad weather, every attempt will be made to work with a new date or suitable alternative location.” That may sound rather vague but I do it deliberately because it is hard to cover even the most common eventualities. Myself and the couple will discuss the possibility of wet weather during the planning process and we will be watching the weather forecast in the run up to the wedding day. A couple could choose a location for their wedding which will provide some cover for them in case of rain. Or, they could choose their favorite location for a ceremony for plan A, and a location with cover for plan B. In the past, sometimes we have been able to change the time of the wedding, or even the day to avoid wet weather. Click the link for more information on what happens if it rains on your wedding day if you need it.
Spring is of course the season of change. As with every other place on earth, the start of spring will be colder than the end of spring. In New York, it can still be very chilly in March, and spring can begin any time between then and May. Spring can come very gradually or in a rush, it varies year on year. So, keep that in mind if you’re really hoping to have wedding photos with the cherry blossom all around you. It is difficult to predict when it comes out, although a wedding in May will be your best bet to be surrounded with blossom as you say “I do”.
The days will get longer throughout spring, so if you’re looking for a sunset wedding then an early spring wedding may suit you, or to capture photographs at the golden hour before an evening reception, then towards the end of spring will be a great time of year for you. Of course the days will also get warmer towards the end of spring, and we’ve seen some very warm days in May in previous years, so keep that in mind when choosing what to wear.
Spring sees several holidays, so think about that when choosing your date. We usually get some couples from Ireland getting married around St Patrick’s Day in March, and of course lots of people get time off over Easter so can travel to the city then. At the beginning of May many celebrate Cinco de Mayo and at the end of the month the US celebrates Memorial Day. Holidays bring pros and cons. The city can be busy with tourists, but have less residents around holidays, and parades and celebrations can make traffic even more difficult to predict and close off areas of the city. On the other hand, the couple and their guests may be more likely to be able to get time off work around these times, which is very helpful, especially when planning a destination wedding, as many of my clients are.
Lots of the flowers start to bloom in the spring, although some hold out until the summer, and birds migrating through the area will often settle in Central Park for a little while during the spring, so there are lots of lovely things to see. There will be lots of color in wedding photos taken in Central Park during the spring, and you will have a wide choice of blooms in season for your bouquet.
If you would like me to help you with planning your own Central Park wedding, whatever the time of year, visit our website, or “like” us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram and follow us on Pinterest where we pin like crazy with all things New York or wedding-related.
