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.
Events To Be Aware Of
When you are planning to elope in NYC, there are some large events you should be aware of. Aside from increased crowds, street closures or extra high hotel prices, these events will impact elopements in different ways. Some have limited effects if you plan accordingly, including your arrive 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.
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 week in June on a weekday) For 2024, it is June 5th so be advised June 3-6th will difficult in that area. The terrace will be unaccessible the day of, two days before and after the event. 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 2024, the assembly will open on Tuesday, 10 September 2024, but the main impacts will be felt through the last two weeks of the month 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.
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 2024-2025
Memorial Day – Monday, May 27th, 2024
Juneteenth National Independence Day – Wednesday June 19th, 2024
Independence Day – Thursday, July 4th, 2024
Labor Day – Monday, September 2nd, 2024
Columbus Day – Monday, October 14th, 2024
Election Day – Tuesday, November 5th, 2024
Veterans Day – Monday, November 11th, 2024
Thanksgiving Day – Thursday, November 28th, 2024
Christmas Day – Wednesday, December 25th, 2024
New Year’s Day – Wednesday, January 1st, 2025
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday – Monday, January 20th, 2025
Washington’s Birthday (President’s Day) – Monday, February 17th, 2025
Memorial Day – Monday, May 26th, 2025
Juneteenth National Independence Day – Thursday June 19th, 2025
Independence Day – Friday, July 4th, 2025
Labor Day – Monday, September 1st, 2025
Columbus Day – Monday, October 13th, 2025
Election Day – Tuesday, November 4, 2025
Veterans Day – Tuesday, November 11th, 2025
Thanksgiving Day – Thursday, November 27th, 2025
Christmas Day – Thursday, December 25th, 2025
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.
