And the times you may wish to avoid planning an elopement!
In this Guide
- NYC Weather
- Events
- City Hall
- Recommendations
NYC Weather
While we can predict temperature trends and ranges, the weather remains, well, difficult to predict! Best to have a back-up plan (umbrellas, indoor locations in mind) and don’t stress until a day or two before. I watch the forecast frequently, and often storm systems speed up or slow down, and conditions can change rapidly. Unless truly unsafe conditions, it is usually best to plan to proceed with adjustments as needed.
Spring
Cherry blossoms typically begin early to mid-April and last into early May. Wisteria can be found in Central Park in early to mid-May for about a week. Flowers are blooming and leaves are green until mid-October when fall starts. Consequently, if you are a tree pollen allergy sufferer, avoid park weddings in May-June, as it tends to be bad!
Summer
July and August are hottest, but there are always some 90-degree days in May through early October! Avoid the middle of the day this time of year, as it is hottest and the light is also the harshest. Mornings and evenings are best.
Fall
Peak fall is end of October to early November, but the leaves can start changing in early October. Fall can be rainy like spring, but the temperatures are typically well above freezing. Slight chance of snow in November and December.
Winter
Holiday lights and attractions begin just after Thanksgiving, and most run though New Year’s Eve or into early January. Best chance for snow is late January to mid-March, but it can come in December and sometimes in November! In this situation, hiring a car for the day makes sense in the winter to limit time outdoors and give us a place to get warm in between shots.
See this guide on eloping during the holiday season.
Large Events To Be Aware Of
When you are planning to elope in NYC, there are some large events you should be aware of. You may want to plan your visit to participate in one of these events or to avoid them. Aside from increased crowds, street closures or extra high hotel and airfare rates, these events will impact elopements in different ways. Some have limited effects if you plan accordingly, including your arrival and departure from airports. Additionally, scaffolding, construction or just other unexpected things can block or limit access to an area anytime of the year. That’s just typical NYC and I always have alternatives in my back pocket.
World Cup 2026
All NY / NJ World Cup matches will be at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Biggest impacts will be in hotel fares and transit on game days to the stadium. I personally wouldn’t worry about these dates in tmers of taking photos and eloping in NYC. However, hotel prices may be elevated.
- June 13, 2026 — Brazil vs. Morocco
- June 16, 2026 — France vs. Senegal
- June 22, 2026 — Norway vs. Senegal
- June 25, 2026 — Ecuador vs. Germany
- June 27, 2026 — Panama vs. England
- June 30, 2026 — Round of 32
- July 5, 2026 — Round of 16
- July 19, 2026 — World Cup Final 2026 FIFA World Cup Final
Parades
There are many parades and street fairs through out the year in NYC. (Street fairs are usually on weekends, often Sundays) Barricades will block off areas on the route and nearby. In some areas, you may not be able to cross the street and taxis and ride shares will not be able to arrive easily. Here are some of the largest parades to be aware of. However, other areas of the city may be largely unaffected depsngin on your plans.
🧧 Lunar New Year Celebration & Parade
- 2026: March 1, 2026
- 2027: February 21, 2027 (expected — typically Sunday following Lunar New Year)
☘️ St. Patrick’s Day Parade
- 2026: March 17, 2026
- 2027: March 17, 2027 (annual fixed date)
🇺🇸 Memorial Day
- 2026: May 25, 2026
- 2027: May 31, 2027 (last Monday in May — federal holiday)
🏳️🌈 NYC Pride March
- 2026: June 28, 2026
- 2027: June 27, 2027 (last Sunday in June tradition)
🇮🇹 NYC Columbus Day Parade (Fifth Avenue)
- 2026: Monday, October 12, 2026
- 2027: Monday, October 11, 2027
🎃 Village Halloween Parade
- 2026: October 31, 2026
- 2027: October 31, 2027 (always Halloween night)
🦃 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
- 2026: November 26, 2026
- 2027: November 25, 2027 (fourth Thursday in November)
Races – May and November
The two biggest races to take into consideration are the New York Marathon (The first Sunday in November) and the 5 Boro Bike Tour (The first Sunday in May). Unquestionably, the biggest impact on these aside from hotel prices is on transportation. Both events are on Sundays which helps, but main arteries will be blocked off and given the volume of traffic in NYC, any disruptions will cause ripple effects. You can minimize this by using the subway. Additionally, getting to the airport by taxi can be impacted on these days. (I personally got stuck on the BQE due to the bike race one time after flying in to LGA, never again!)
Events in Central Park – June
There are MANY events in Central Park. Most of the time, due to the size of the park, these won’t impact weddings there. (There are so many locations) Races and parades on 5th avenue will make getting to the park harder, but you can always take the subway or walk farther. This is mostly going to effect weekends, which is one reason I recommend having elopements on weekdays in Central Park.
However, events taking place around the Bethesda Terrace and Fountain area are the most difficult to work around. The Friends of the Central Park Conservancy typically hosts an event, The Taste of Summer, in early June. (They do it every year around the first or second week in June on a weekday) For 2026, it is June 3rd so be advised June 1-5th will difficult to take photos in that area. The terrace will be unaccessible the day of, two days before and after the event. (It reopened at noon in 2025 on the Friday, so I’d say June 5, 2026 in the afternoon will be fine for photos at the terrace.) If the terrace area isn’t important to you, there are plenty of other areas in the park to marry and take portraits.
UN General Assembly – September
Every September the UN General Assembly opens and traffic gridlock alerts and high hotel prices will be seen all over Manhattan. In 2026, the assembly will open on Tuesday, the 8 September 2026 and run until the end of the month. The main impacts will be felt starting on September 22nd, when high level meetings taking place. The UN building itself is in Midtown East on the East River. Aside from traffic, impacts to weddings are minor but expect to pay more for hotels. The farther you can stay from Midtown east, the better but with the traffic increase, make sure you have adequate subway access or can walk. A great time for a DUMBO elopement! Or, wait until the first week of October which will be cooler.
Manhattanhenge
Twice a year the sun set aligns with the Manhattan city grid just so as to shine perfectly down the streets. It is quite a spectacular and locals and tourists flock to these street to see it:
- 4th Street
- 23rd Street
- 35th Street
- 42nd Street
- 57th Stree
Typically occurs on May 28 to 29 and July 12 to 13. May not be ideal for taking photos, it is a good idea to know when it is to avoid unexpectedly running into large crowds.
Peak Tourist Seasons
December – Late November through New Years
Spring Break – The weeks before and after Easter see an influx of tourists
City Hall Availability
Marriage Bureau Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m., Monday through Friday only. All services are by appointment only. In addition, see Project Cupid to book and read the clerk’s website for more info. If you want to marry on a weekend, you will need to hire an officiant. If you need the certificate right away, say for an apostille, schedule a records appointment to have your license processed right away.
Manhattan Office – City Clerk’s Office
141 Worth Street, New York, NY 10013
Closest subway stations are: 4/5/6 Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall, N/Q/R/W Canal St, and A/C at Chambers St.
Brooklyn Office – Brooklyn Municipal Building
210 Joralemon St # 205, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Closest subway stations are: 2/3 Borough Hall, R Court Street and A/C/F at Jay Street/MetroTech
Marriage Bureau Holidays 2026-2027
2026
New Year’s Day – Thursday, January 1st, 2026
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday – Monday, January 19th, 2026
Washington’s Birthday (President’s Day) – Monday, February 16th, 2026
Memorial Day – Monday, May 25th, 2026
Juneteenth National Independence Day – Friday June 19th, 2026
Independence Day (observed) – Friday, July 3rd, 2026
Labor Day – Monday, September 7th, 2026
Columbus Day – Monday, October 12th, 2026
Election Day – Tuesday, November 3rd, 2026
Veterans Day – Wednesday, November 11th, 2026
Thanksgiving Day – Thursday, November 26th, 2026
Christmas Day – Friday, December 25th, 2026
2027
New Year’s Day – Friday, January 1st, 2027
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday – Monday, January 18th, 2027
Washington’s Birthday (President’s Day) – Monday, February 15th, 2027
Memorial Day – Monday, May 31st, 2027
Juneteenth National Independence Day (observed)- Friday June 18th, 2027
Independence Day (observed) – Monday, July 5th, 2027
Labor Day – Monday, September 6th, 2027
Columbus Day – Monday, October 11th, 2027
Election Day – Tuesday, November 2nd, 2027
Veterans Day – Thursday, November 11th, 2027
Thanksgiving Day – Thursday, November 25th, 2027
Christmas Day (observed) – Friday, December 24th, 2027
Recommendations
Selecting when to elope in NYC is going to be a personal choice which will likely be based on more than just the factors here. Of course, I think it is important to consider the day you want to have and how the time of year, or even the day of the week, can impact the experience.
I’d love to hear about what you are planning and how I can assist. Please inquire.
