When to Get Married in Florida

Florida is one of the best states to get married in, not only because it’s extremely beautiful and surrounded by gorgeous beaches on all sides, but because the wedding season is so long.

Personally, I got married in Michigan, which has one of the shortest wedding seasons in the country (June through September). In Florida, those are actually the only months I would advise against.

Whether you’re a Florida local or are planning a destination wedding, here’s what to consider when choosing a month to say ‘I Do.’

Worst Time to Get Married in Florida

Let’s start with the negative stuff. When is the worst time to plan your wedding or elopement in Florida?

When it’s extremely hot, humid, and rainy, and when hurricanes are a possibility. One of my brides had to reschedule because she was supposed to fly down and get married the same day Hurricane Ian hit and shut down most of Florida. This was at the end of September.

June through September aren’t the best months for a Florida wedding or elopement. The temperatures are very high, and the humidity is through the roof. Since most people want outdoor ceremonies and/or receptions, you and your guests will be sweating.

Plus, the afternoon rain showers come almost daily. And hurricane season lasts from June 1 to November 30, with the highest risk in August and September. 

May isn’t too rainy, and the humidity hasn’t fully kicked in. But it gets quite hot during the day. Evenings are beautiful and long, however.  

Some people advise against October as well. But I share my thoughts on that month below. The first half of October is still quite hot. 

The upside of Florida during the summer is that the ocean is much warmer. Seriously, the water feels like a bathtub (in a good way), especially on the gulf coast. It’s much easier to enjoy the water when it’s this warm. If swimming, snorkeling, or sunbathing without wearing a sweater is important then this might be a great time for you to plan your wedding or elopement.

In the winter, the water isn’t terribly cold, but it’s cold enough that most people don’t go swimming. And with cool breezes blowing through on the coast, it’s tough to sunbathe, since you’ll likely want a sweater on.

Best Time to Get Married in Florida

So when is the best time to get married in Florida? When the temperature is comfortable, the sun is shining, and the chance of rain is slim.

That means November to April. Most experts will say January through March is the absolute best time. And in some ways it is. That’s when the weather is driest (hardly any rain), and temperatures are very mild. You might have a few days in the 60s, but most will be in the mid-70s, depending on where exactly you are in Florida. 

Jan-March is the absolute peak tourism season and peak wedding season. That means a lot more people around, accommodation is priced higher, and wedding venues and vendors book up well in advance. 

Rain and thunderstorms are infrequent during this time. The tradeoff is that there is a lot more wind. All the time. The good news is that this creates stunning motion for your wedding photos. But if you’re in a coastal location, and you spend 3 hours getting your hair done, you might get a little upset when the wind starts messing it up as soon as you walk outside.

December is also a great month to get married, for the same benefits listed above. And April is as well, though the temperatures do start climbing that month back into the 80s. But many of the tourists and snowbirds start to disappear then.

Here’s your average annual temperature in Tampa, for example (average daily high/low):

• Jan – 71° / 53°
• Feb – 74° / 57°
• Mar – 78° / 59°
• Apr – 84° / 66°
• May – 88° / 71°
• Jun – 90° / 76°
• Jul – 91° / 77°
• Aug – 91° / 77°
• Sep – 89° / 75°
• Oct – 85° / 69°
• Nov – 78° / 61°
• Dec – 75° / 58°

The highest chance of rain is between June – September, with all other months having about the same chance (3-4 days of rain per month).

What Is the Best Month to Get Married in Florida?

We know that January, February, and March are the best months to get married in Florida. But what is the absolute best month to get married in Florida, if I could only pick one?

I’d say March. January and February are known to have some occasional cold fronts blowing through, and lots of wind. March is when the temperatures are usually in the mid-70s and sunny – not too hold, not too cool. It’s just right. It’s probably the perfect month as far as Florida weddings go.

Florida Shoulder Season (Great for Elopements)

Let’s talk about shoulder season in Florida; fall and spring.

More specifically, I love the fall here (late October to the end of November). This is the time when the temperatures are moderate (the 80s), the chance of rain is low, and the number of tourists is much lower since they typically don’t come in large numbers until after Thanksgiving.

Of course, you still have the chance of hurricanes until November 30. But most of the time, the weather is perfect. Plus, flights are dirt cheap and accommodation prices are lower.

What I really love is that there are fewer people around. This is important for elopements in scenic, public destinations like state parks, natural springs, and private beaches. If you go on a weekday during October or November, there’s a good chance you’ll get a location to yourself, making it easy to capture the perfect elopement photos.

So for elopements, you can do them anytime between October and April, but I really like this late October to November, as well as April.

And if you’re planning an elopement, and want to come in the summer, that’s totally fine as well! The mornings are actually quite beautiful. If you planned a sunrise ceremony and photoshoot, you can get the most important bits taken care of before it gets too hot. It typically only rains in the afternoon during the summer, so you still have half a day to plan outdoor photos and activities like swimming, snorkeling, diving, paddling, and so forth.

Winter = High Season (Best for Traditional Weddings)

When planning a traditional wedding at an actual venue, you don’t need to come during shoulder season. Since you’re renting a venue for your wedding, you don’t need to worry about tourists or snowbirds crowding your beach.

In fact, a winter wedding (Jan-Mar) is probably the best. If a lot of your guests live in colder places like the Midwest or Northeast, these are the months they are looking to escape to Florida anyway. By planning a Florida wedding during this time, there’s a higher chance they’ll make the trip, as they’ll be desperate for some vitamin D and vitamin Sea. 

You’ll just need to plan 12-18 months in advance to get the venue you want during this season. 

Wedding and Elopement Photos

Hi friend, I’m Kelsey Jaeger. I’m a Florida wedding and elopement photographer based in Sarasota. I have easy access to the entire Gulf Coast of Florida and am available for travel throughout the state.

I can’t wait to hear from you so we can lock in your date and start planning your day! If you have questions about the seasons here in FL, please send me a message!