Nobody asks to figure out wedding planning logistics in a city they are not even familiar with. But here you are! You probably have all kinds of questions, such as: “What Time of the Year Should I get Married in St Augustine?”, “What Time of the Day Should I Plan my Ceremony in Florida?”, “When Should I Book Vendors in St Augustine?” and “What are Busy Wedding Months in North Florida?”, along with “What are the best venues to get married in St Augustine, FL?”, “What Should my Wedding Timeline Look Like?” and even “What Are Some Fun Things to do While We are Visiting St Augustine?”
Let’s break it down, because as a St Augustine Florida girl and a local photographer (plus wedding planner, day-of bestie, and dress fluffer) I’ve got you covered in this “How to Plan Your St Augustine Wedding: Ultimate Guide”.
First things first: you’re not going to find a more romantic city than Saint Augustine anywhere in the States. We have a reputation for being not only charming, romantic, and unbelievably scenic, but also we were named one of the friendliest destinations in the USA to visit and to tie the knot!
If you’re looking for quaint cobblestone streets, breathtaking architecture, golden lit sunset, historic feels, cinematic vibes: you’re exploring the right town. Trust me!
10 step checklist as you begin planning your wedding in St Augustine, so you can stay on track:
- Decide on your theme, vibe and overall style of your wedding. Do you want an old town vibe? Maybe you like fairy gardens? Are you modern and sleek? Old Hollywood glam or vintage? Feeling like jazz, candlelight and slow romance? Do you get lit up by history and old city charm? Are you into making a big impression? Each one of these themes and so many more are easily attainable at one of our venues. We will get to these soon.
- Decide if you want to invite everyone and have a grand celebration – galla style, or if you want something small and intimate. Remember – it is your day and you’re the one who deserves to be happy and to enjoy every minute of it. Your wedding is meant to be a fairy tale dream and not a planning nightmare. If that means – shortening the guest list, so be it! On the other hand, if being surrounded by all your loved ones under one roof for one whole day lights you up – go for it!
- Which brings me to a key decision in your planning flow. I highly recommend investing in a wedding planner for your big day. Yes, I will help you with a ton of logistics here (and especially if we work together), but when it comes to assuring that your wedding is uniquely planned out and tiny details do not fall through the cracks, this is where a quality wedding planner steps in. And don’t even get me started on how (especially for a big wedding), day-of-coordination can quickly turn a fun easy going bride into something she is not.
- Do you have a specific memorable date in mind? Maybe you want to get married on your anniversary or a historic date? Up to you! I think you will find that being flexible on your date helps a lot when securing your top choice wedding vendors. Here I will tell you what to expect from the different seasons and months in St Augustine so you can be well prepared.
- Most brides planning their wedding in our town will start with either their first choice venue or their first choice photographer, when first inquiring with vendors. Either way, we will want to know what your date is, so I recommend securing the venue but also beginning the conversation with your photographer around the same time to make sure they are both available. It is advisable to secure a venue 16-12 months in advance and your photographer at least a year in advance as we do book up!
- Some venues provide a wedding planner, but most allow you to make that decision on your own. I suggest booking someone with a solid reputation. Your wedding planner or your venue coordinator (or both), and your photographer are all wonderful sources to help with recommendations for: florists, hair and makeup designers, and even caterers, DJ’s and entertainers. These are very personal choices to make, so it’s always best to check in with yourself and your partner to make sure you’re aligned.
- After you book a photographer, don’t forget to plan your engagement photoshoot (before the thick of wedding planning begins), so you can meet before the wedding and so you can create some awesome wedding invitations or a personalized guestbook. The importance of an engagement shoot cannot be overstated.
- Leading up to the wedding, I highly recommend that you create a detailed Pinterest board with sub sections for engagement photos, wedding hair, makeup, flowers, and wedding photography inspiration. I have a St Augustine based Pinterest, feel free to borrow from any of my inspiration here.
- Do not wait until the last minute to pick out colors (the Pinterest board is a great place to start), because every single vendor will ask you what your colors are plus what your mood and overall vibe is, and since we are all very visual people, it’s useful to provide a starting point for your artists. Same goes for bridesmaid dresses, tuxes, and of course your own wedding gown depending on your chosen venue and vibe. This is the fun part!
- And finally, don’t forget to breathe and give yourself loads of grace during these high stress planning months. Delegate! The more vendors you bring on board early on, the easier you will breathe knowing that we’ve got your back!
Let’s do some logistics. Answering THE question:
“What time of the year should I get married in St Augustine?”
To be honest, when people ask me what busy wedding season is around here, I generally chuckle. It is pretty much always beautiful all year long and there are reasons to get married you can consider for every month of the year.
Planning a wedding in St Augustine in the fall months (September, October, November):
The fall months are arguably the busiest months of the year for wedding vendors and venues in St Augustine overall. The weather is still beautiful, it’s fairly green, and the only real thing to watch out for is hurricane season which can show up as early as July or August and last through October, making November the easy choice for many couples. The biggest downside to fall and winter months is that the sun sets earlier, around 5 or 6 pm. This is something to keep in mind when setting a ceremony time and deciding on whether or not to have a first look. I will discuss timeline logistics later on. BONUS: November and early December are gorgeous months to have an outdoor wedding in North Florida.
Having a winter wedding in St Augustine during the famous nights of lights (December, early January):
In case you haven’t heard: St Augustine is famous for turning up the romance and charm an extra bit during the holiday season. Millions of lights adorn the droopy trees, old style lamp posts, the main square, bridges, and buildings for miles in downtown and on St Augustine beach. It’s an incredible sight! If you plan your timeline right, you could even sneak away for some nighttime portraits just outside the Lightner Museum or Casa Monica, or on the square outside of the Treasury Building for those magical holiday feels. The biggest drawback: there are a ton of visitors during this time as well. This may or may not be your cup of tea, so it is something to consider. If you’d rather avoid the crowds, choose early January, when the lights are still on but the streets quiet down.
What about planning a winter St Augustine wedding in mid to late January and February?
Florida (and even North Florida) natives sport our flip flops all year round. It’s completely possible to have a day in the 40’s or 50’s here (when we reluctantly pull our two sweaters out of the back of the closet) or in the 70’s, and nobody can tell you for sure which one you’re going to get. What is wonderful about these months is that the lighting outside is pretty much suitable for photos at any time of the day. The lighting will not even be too bright for photos at 10 am, like it is in the summer and spring. This can make for some flexibility with downtown portraits, especially if you’re planning to have a first look. Late February tends to be wonderful weather for an outdoor wedding underneath the large spanish draped trees in downtown St Augustine.
What are the spring months like for a wedding in St Augustine? (March, April, May)
March and April are still fairly cool months to have a wedding. May can start being a little on the hotter side, so it’s advisable to do an indoor ceremony vs in March – you can easily get away with a gorgeous outdoor wedding. The biggest drawback is the afternoon rain which begins to show itself in late April and throughout May. Short answer: go for it, but consider a venue with an indoor ceremony option or a backup rain plan.
Does anyone plan a wedding during the hot summer months in St Augustine? (June, July, August)
Yes!!! Even though this might surprise you, many couples still plan their weddings in these months. Reasons: families can travel easier with their children, and many working people often save their vacation time until summer, so your guests will probably love you. Just make sure your ceremony is indoor, if possible (it is hot and muggy AND it rains around 2 pm almost every day in July and August). You can still do bridal portraits outside in historic downtown, if you plan them about an hour prior to sunset. The rain is generally done by then and it is much cooler and comfortable.
“What Time of the Day Should I Plan my Ceremony in Florida?” & “What Should my Wedding Timeline Look Like in St Augustine?”
The biggest question is: whether or not you’d like to do a first look with your partner? This is the most discussed question in the wedding community, for a good reason. Many wedding vendors swear by the first look. Ultimately – it is up to you, as a couple. To help decide, I will share with you some timeline samples. These should help ease the stress of making this decision.
Pros of doing a first look when planning a wedding in St Augustine FL:
- You get the jitters out of the way early on.
- You can capture more group photos before the ceremony so you can go to cocktail hour with your guests.
- You can do private vows without any onlookers.
- You can do two bridal portraits sessions: one after the first look and one after the ceremony during “golden hour” (the hour before sunset that gets the best lighting for those glowy portraits).
With that said: it is ultimately your decision and should not be something you ever get “bullied” into doing. Think it over and decide what is right for both of you. Everything else will still turn out beautifully. Perhaps, if seeing each other at the altar is important to you, opt to do a wedding in the months that have longer daytime hours and a later sunset time.
Here are some sample timelines with and without a first look:
Summer Timeline (with first look):
- 1:30 PM dress on, and suit up
- 2:30 PM first look
- 3 PM bridal portraits #1
- 3:30 PM bridal party
- 4 PM immediate family
- 5 PM ceremony
- 5:30 PM cocktail hour starts, extended portraits begin
- 6 PM you can join cocktail hour
- 6:30 PM intros and first dances
- 7 PM dinner
- 7:30 PM bridal portraits #2
- 8 PM cake, dancing, speeches if you do them, sunset
- 11 exit
Summer Timeline (without first look):
- 2 PM dress on, and suit up
- 2:30 PM bridesmaids and groomsmen
- 4 PM ceremony
- 4:30 PM cocktail hour starts, family portraits begin (immediate and extended)
- 4:45 PM bridal party
- 5 PM bridal portraits
- 5:30 PM intros and first dances
- 6:00 PM dinner
- 7 PM cake, speeches if you do them
- 7:30 PM bridal portraits #2
- 8 PM dancing, sunset
- 11 PM exit
Winter Timeline (with first look):
- 12 PM dress and suit on
- 1 PM first look
- 1:15 PM bridal party
- 2:30 PM ceremony
- 3 PM cocktail hour starts, family portraits begin (immediate and extended)
- 3:15 PM bridal portraits
- 4 PM intros and first dances
- 4:30 PM speeches
- 5 dinner
- 5:30 sunset
- 6 PM cake, dancing
- 9 PM exit
NOTE: I recommend around 3 hour or dancing, too much can lead to intoxicated guests and tired grandparents
Winter Timeline (without first look):
- 1 PM dress and suit on
- 1:30 PM bridesmaids and groomsmen
- 2 PM ceremony
- 2:30 PM cocktail hour starts, family portraits begin (immediate and extended)
- 2:45 PM bridal party
- 3 PM you can join cocktail hour or do some bridal portraits
- 3:30 PM intros and first dances
- 4:30 PM dinner
- 5 PM (optional) sunset bridal portraits
- 5:30 sunset, cake
- 6 PM speeches if you do them, dancing
- 9 PM exit
As you can see, it’s all doable, but your timeline can get a little more tight in the winter and especially without a first look. There are always pros and cons to any decision, it’s good to weigh yours out.
7 finest wedding venues in St Augustine FL:
Have you already decided on a wedding style and vibe for your St Augustine venue?
My favorite tried and true St Augustine wedding venues are listed below, and I have separated them into two groups: large wedding and micro wedding.
St Augustine venues for a wedding with 100-200 guests:
- White Room – The White Room has 3 private waterfront event venues with indoor and outdoor options. The outdoor rooftop faces the Bridge of Lions and gets a breathtaking water view. The indoor chapel option has hardwood floors, and brick walls. All of the food is prepared in house. This venue is perfect for either simple white and modern arrangements or colorful florals, candlelit tables, circular or long tables. Located conveniently next to the central plaza and within walking distance to the best romantic downtown streets. Great for getting ready, having a ceremony and a reception all in one convenient location.
- Treasury on the Plaza – Located in the very heart of St. Augustine, The Treasury on the Plaza originally opened in 1927 as the area’s central bank. The building was remodeled, and now features a vaulted bar, high ceilings, marble flooring, towering columns and an aged brass-toned elevator, perfect for those Old Hollywood vibes. There are arched windows and a balcony: gorgeous spots for photos. The getting ready area was recently remodeled and is breathtaking with floor to ceiling windows and mirrors, armoires and a high luxury chic decor. Great for getting ready, having a dim indoor ceremony with lowlights and a roaring reception (featuring a bank vault as the bar) all in one building.
- Oldest House – The Oldest House in an outdoor venue that will give you the best of both worlds: historic colorful Spanish style architecture, that St Augustine is so famous for and large oaky trees with draping thick moss in one convenient place. Jazz up your outdoor reception with long tables full of wildflower arrangements and a candlelit atmosphere. With an early closing time due to city ordinance, this is perfect for a laid back couple that isn’t looking to party until midnight.
- Lightner Museum – The Lightner Museum is probably the most versatile option. It is worth noting that the indoor area used for weddings was originally constructed as a three-story, (now hollowed out) indoor hotel pool, used during the venue’s Alcazar Hotel days. Now it can fit up to 225 guests for a ceremony and then reset for a reception, while you and your guests enjoy cocktail hour in one of the museum’s many other spaces. The Lightner has two gorgeous outdoor wings, a koi-fish pond courtyard with a stone bridge and lush greenery, two large staircases and a balcony space outside in the back and a gorgeous fountain in the front of the building. This venue has great getting ready rooms as well. BONUS: The museum portion allows for bridal portraits inside the gorgeous Russian baths, and there is also an elevator as well.
- Casa Monica – The Casa Monica Resort & Spa in St. Augustine is known for its historic Spanish architecture, Moroccan-inspired details, and luxurious amenities. I love it due to the gorgeous staircase at the front of the building, and its proximity to all the best romantic streets to take outdoor wedding portraits in St Augustine. The venue provides various spaces for weddings, including ballrooms, an outdoor pool and pavilion (wonderful for a rehearsal dinner, the night before), and rooftop views, along with custom catering and planning services. Newlyweds receive a complimentary room at the hotel, perfect for getting ready photos.
- River House – River House Events in St. Augustine is a waterfront wedding venue (a short 5 minute drive from the town square) that has indoor and outdoor spaces, including a Grand Ballroom, Conservatory, and terraces overlooking the Matanzas River, with the St. Augustine Lighthouse in view from their main ceremony area outside. There is a long dock that overlooks the Lighthouse. The venue can accommodate up to 300 guests. My favorite area is the editorial style library with a fireplace inside the venue. Perfect for edgy brides wanting a vintage look with a modern edge.
- Fountain of Youth – The Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park in St. Augustine is located in uptown St Augustine, a short seven minute drive from the main town square. The outside park is 15 acres, overlooking the Matanzas River, it provides a picturesque backdrop with Spanish Mission, waterfront, and garden settings. You can rent out Magnolia Room, a 2,500 square foot event space with retractable bay doors that open to two open-air patios, accommodating up to 300 standing guests or 170 seated tables. The park offers various outdoor settings, including waterfront locations, garden areas, and wooded sites. Exotic peacocks roam the grounds, adding a touch of magic to the event. The venue also provides a private changing area, a caterer’s prep kitchen, and free parking. My favorite thing about this wedding venue is the location! Right outside the front gates is famous Magnolia Avenue – voted the most beautiful scenic street in all of the United States, it is a green avenue adorned on both sides with large oak trees (not magnolias!), heavily draped with low hanging mossy oak. It’s truly a site! I recommend this venue for months that are nice for an outdoor wedding.
Has this guide been helpful so far? I would love to continue supporting you on your wedding planning journey, with the following resources:
Micro wedding venues in St Augustine, perfect for elopements or mini weddings with 25 guests or less:
Check out this guide for the best elopement and micro wedding venues in St Augustine FL.
Reception or rehearsal dinner options in St Augustine FL:
Check out this guide for great reception and rehearsal dinner options in St Augustine FL.
What to do for fun while you are visiting my vibrant city of St Augustine FL:
Check out this guide on the best places to visit while you are vacationing in our town.
I would be incredibly honored to be chosen as your wedding photographer.
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