When Is Wedding Season In Texas?

You’ve heard the old rule—the best time of year to throw a wedding is late spring to early fall. However, for certain locations and couples, that time frame just doesn’t work. In fact, some wedding venues might work best during the “off-season.” And that’s just the case if you’re getting married in Texas.

With warm weather and diverse venues, Texas operates on a unique nuptials calendar. To help you book the best wedding date, we’re going to explore the Texan wedding season.

Winter

• South Texas Location: The more south you travel, the warmer the winter months are. Cities like Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen, and Laredo stay mild in winter, perfect for outdoor or partially outdoor winter weddings.

• Indoor-Only Celebration: Skip the sweat and sun. An indoor wedding keeps your guests in comfort, plus prevents any heat damage to decor or food. Search exclusively for indoor venues across Texas with Zola's vendor database.

• Lower Budget: Traditionally, winter is the least popular time to throw a wedding. But that means major savings on all vendors and services. Most venues have “off-season” menus, offering a significantly lower price for rentals.

Spring and Fall

• Higher Budget: As the most popular times of the year, peak months mean higher charges. If you’re keen on a spring or fall date, then set aside enough funds to cover the peak wedding season prices (particularly for venues).

• Outdoor Celebration: When the weather’s this good, an outdoor wedding is practically required. Spring and fall are the perfect times for garden, vineyard, ranch, farmhouse, or even backyard weddings in Texas.

• Flexible Date: During the spring or fall wedding season, you’re facing a little more wedding competition. One booking tip? Pick a weekday instead of a weekend. Weekday weddings have more flexibility, and some venues will even offer lower prices.

Summer

• North Texas Location: Cities in North Texas keep the heat pretty mild during the summer, compared to other regions. If your wedding is located in Dallas, Fort Worth, or Arlington, then you can worry less about sweating off your clothes.

• Medium Budget: Depending on the Texas venue, midsummer may or may not be considered peak wedding season. Make sure your budget has enough room to cover any potentially higher costs.

• Rain Plans: Summer isn't just the state’s warmest season. It's also the rainiest, particularly in June. Don't let the rain wash away your wedding by keeping a backup indoor space if any drops start to fall.

Locations for Texas Wedding Season

• Austin: Bring your celebration to Texas’s most creative, popular city for a truly unique wedding. The mild spring and fall seasons welcome outdoor celebrations across the parks and riverfront, while the city’s hip warehouses and hotels can host an artsy reception.

• Dallas: In Dallas, you’re close enough to Fort Worth and other North Texas cities to have your pick of the venue litter. At your fingertips, you have peaceful ranches, historic homes, and beautiful urban locations like The Dallas World Aquarium. And with mild North Texas weather, the outdoor wedding season is long and plentiful.

• El Paso: With its strong Mexican culture, El Paso practically feels like a destination wedding location. The adobe architecture and roaming plains give a tranquil, rustic feel to all celebrations. For a taste of West Texas culture, this border city is as authentic as it gets.

Texas Weather Tips—How to Handle the Heat

• Mixed Settings: No matter the weather, it’s always hotter under the sun. To balance out any outdoor events, provide at least one shaded or indoor setting during your wedding. For summer weddings, you can even have dedicated indoor “cooling areas” in case anyone needs a break from the heat.

• Heat-Resistant Decor: Not every plant can withstand Texas summer temperatures. Strategically picking heat-resistant decor will keep your wedding picture-perfect. Look for florals like protea, sunflowers, eucalyptus, and local wildflowers that won’t wither in the sun.

• Light Dress Code: Three-piece suits and formal ball gowns might look great for wedding pictures. But in the sweltering heat, you’ll be sweating up a storm. Give all groomsmen, bridesmaids, and guests the chance to wear lighter clothing that still matches your style.

Types of Texas Wedding Venues

• Farms, Barns, and Ranches: Sitting at number one are Texas’s renowned and picturesque countryside properties. For a real Texas-style outdoor wedding, you can’t beat the state’s rustic barns, spacious ranch grounds, and sunshine. Authentic farmsteads like The Barn at Watson Ranch can be found outside the largest and smallest cities across the state.

• Hotels, Inns, and Resorts: With so many tourist-worthy locations, Texas has tons of charming inns and swanky hotels. Take guests on a remote getaway at the boho-chic Camp Comfort, or host a sleek modern reception at Virgin Hotels Dallas.

• Historic Estates and Mansions: With its long history of settlers, Texas has some elegant historic properties dating all the way back to the 1800s. Set your wedding in classic style at the Victorian-era Allan House or Houston’s fire station-turned-venue at Station 3.

Popular Texas-Style Wedding Decor

• Rustic and Rural: When in a farmhouse, embrace the earthy and heartwarming vibes of the space. Texas is the perfect locale for a rustic wedding, complete with mason jars, wooden furniture, and lantern lights. For a touch of cowboy style, add some succulents and leather details to your decor.

• Modern and Elegant: Clean lines, sharp color palettes, and geometric designs fill the industrial buildings in Texas cities. For the modern couple, a matching sleek aesthetic will wow your guests. Bring your monochromatic or minimalist dreams to life in these urban spaces (Zola has the perfect modern invitation designs to set the mood beforehand).

• Vintage Southern: Nothing turns up the charm factor like the vintage southern decor. Lacy tablecloths, tinted glass, soft pastels, and plenty of florals bring a timeless touch to any celebration. Whether going for a groovy 70s or a romantic 50s look, a retro theme brings style and fun to your wedding.

Texan Food and Menus for Wedding Season

• Southern Classics: Heartwarming and sinfully delicious, traditional southern food can please any crowd. Favorites include crispy fried chicken, cornbread, macaroni and cheese, and pecan tarts. Or for a more dressed-up menu, put a modern spin on these dishes and serve them as bite-sized hors d'oeuvres.

• Tex-Mex Tastes: Over decades, Texas has developed this unique cuisine that combines American and Mexican flavors in harmony. Delicious dishes like chili con carne, fajitas with flour tacos, enchiladas, and nachos make for some excellent sit-down or buffet food.

• Coastal Cuisine: If on the Gulf shore, take advantage of the seafood. Grilled shrimp, lobster, snapper and grouper are all popular options for lighter reception fare.

Tips for Marrying in Texas

Marriage Licenses and Laws

Since marriage licenses are granted by county, the individual rules might differ between Texas cities. But no matter your location, there are a few Texas marriage laws that apply to every couple.

Texas allows couples to obtain a formal marriage license or a common law marriage license. For either license, you and your partner must be:

• 16 years or older (stricter rules apply to minors)
• Unrelated as close blood relatives
• Married within Texas borders (if applying for a formal license)

You’ll also need a few documents to apply, including:

• Photo ID (passport, driver’s license,)
• Social Security number or employee ID number
• Birthplace information
• License fee (anywhere from $71 to $88)

Once you and your partner successfully apply for and receive a marriage license, you have to wait 72 hours to marry. Then, you’re free to get hitched within the state. Remember, in popular cities or wedding locations, it’s best to apply on the earlier side. Long lines shouldn’t keep your marriage at bay.

Tourism and Popular Events

Every major city has festivals and events that draw crowds. Avoid the tourists or loud celebrations on your wedding day by planning around those events. A few major Texas festivals that you should avoid during the prime wedding season:

• March: South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
• April: San Antonio Fiesta, WorldFest Film Festival in Houston
• May: JMBLYA in Dallas
• July: Gran Fiesta de Fort Worth
• August: Austin Pride Parade
• September: Austin Urban Music Festival, Texas State Fair in Dallas
• October: Austin City Limits, Austin Film Festival
• November: Astroworld Festival in Houston

Embracing the Culture

This state has personality, mixing western, southern, Mexican, and cowboy influences under one massive name. If you choose Texas as your love story locale, it’s only right to embrace the culture. From food, to decor, to cowboy boots, celebrate the Texas way on your big day.

Say “I Do” in Texas With Zola

In a state this large, you have every wedding option under the Texas sun. Whether you want a winter ballroom reception in Dallas or a summertime ranch wedding ceremony in El Paso, Texas has the versatility to help you plan your dream wedding. With a little help from a local wedding planner and our seasonal guide, you can create a Texas wedding that’s worth shouting “yee-haw!”