Getting Married in Central Park in September

September is a very popular month for weddings in Central Park.  I think some people think it’s the beginning of Fall in New York, but it’s still quite warm and most of the trees are still green, although the flowers won’t be at their best by this point.  It’s certainly cooling down after the oppressive heat of August, but we see some lovely days in September.  There are 150 species of trees in Central Park, and by September some of them will have begun to change color, and some will have lost a few leaves, but in general the park is still looking quite green. 

The sun is up for quite a while in New York in September, but this is the month when the days begin to shorten.  At the beginning of the month the sun is up between around 6:20am and 7:20pm and by the end of the month the sun is up between around 6:50am and 6:40pm.  This difference may matter to anyone considering a wedding at the golden hour, when the light is lovely, which is a popular option at this time of year. 

In high summer my photographers usually discourage getting married in the middle of the day because the sun will be too high and bright, but this doesn’t tend to be an issue in September, especially as we move towards the end of the month.  The cloud cover that we might see on some September days will help avoid any squinting in photos! 

A great thing about getting married outdoors in New York in September is that you should be able to wear pretty much whatever you like – the weather will be temperate enough for you to be comfortable in whatever you choose.  The drawback of marrying at this time of year is that it is difficult to know when planning ahead if the weather will be very warm or starting to cool.  In recent years we’ve seen some unseasonably high temperatures in September.  The good news is that in general the temperatures are mild enough that couples taking photos at the Top of the Rock or a rooftop bar should be comfortably warm, before the weather starts to turn colder. 

The risk of rain is September is pretty low.  New York may be coming to the end of quite a dry spell by the time we get to September but the lawns still remain green, but the ground is likely to be at it’s hardest, which can be helpful for anyone planning to marry on Cherry Hill or at Wagner Cove.  If the ground is soft under foot then these locations might not suit high heels!  At this time of year the wisteria cover at Cop Cot and the Wisteria Pergola in the Conservatory Gardens will be at its most lush.

The first Monday in September is Labor Day.  Many businesses close on this day, because it’s a big holiday in the US – it kind of signifies the end of summer.  The couple must pick up their marriage license in advance of their wedding.  They must have it at least 24 hours in advance of the ceremony.  City Hall will be closed on Labor Day, so keep that in mind when making plans to pick up your license.