Florida Brides; I need advice!

Courtney, our rainy season is mid-June through Sept. That usually means afternoon thunderstorms that are over before sunset (when I schedule most of my beach weddings). Of course, there are no guarantees that it won't rain in May or Oct.

May is already pretty hot here. About mid-Oct. we get a little break in the heat & humidity. I got married in Oct.

I would suggest October over May, mainly for the reasons Nancy suggested. But being FL, there's no guarantee on the weather at all. Do you know where on the Gulf you'll be hosting your wedding or are you still looking?

And welcome to WW, Courtney! I hope you'll stick around and update your avatar (the rings) to any unique picture we can more easily remember when you need help in the future (and to tell you apart from pesky spammers!) This post tells you how to do that and more: https://www.weddingwire.com/wedding-forums/welcome-to-the-weddingwire-forums-please-read-if-you-are-new/b433c40c1a62b96a.html

Coming from Michigan, I enjoy the heat lol. Therefore, that is not a factor. It just seems like every time I visit Florida which is always in May/June, it rains almost everyday for about an hour or so. I know nothing is guaranteed but before I book a venue in May, I just wanted opinions.

Thank you! I am new to all of this so I appreciate it!

Id pick October over May. Though what everyone else said is true. In Florida the weather is very unpredictable so have a back up! It could be windy and rainy in the morning and by noon its beautiful!

No, no. You *think* you enjoy the heat. I know many a person from Michigan, and the heat here is not what you envision. It is a muggy, sticky, uncomfortable heat, even for those of us that grew up in this. It is not a dry heat at all, a bearable heat, it is a draining heat.

Not to mention, it's not just you, it's your guests. You are hot as hell in 10 minutes flat, and they'll be out there sitting longer than you, so since you asked for our help, we are telling you to do yourself a HUGE favor and pick October over May.

I was married in December, a brunch wedding. It was approximately 75-80 degrees out, and my dress got looser as the day went by. Florida is just a different type of hot.

I've visited Florida in May, June & July for weeks at a time. I appreciate your opinion but the heat does not bother me. I am asking for opinions in regards to the amount of rain.

I think May can be warm (I am a native) but I think early May isn't unbearable at all. I also think early May is pretty early for our rainy season. I think it can be less for rain actually than October if that is your main question.

The best month to get married in Fl is in October its cooler compared to May which can get hot. Just prepare for some rain, rains just about everyday but usually will clear up by the end of the day. I'm a Florida native born and raised lived in West Palm Beach most of my life. Congrats on your engagement! I live in OH now but wish my upcoming wedding could be in Fl but my all of my fiances family lives here in Ohio.

Your best chance with no rain is October

I have to agree and say that October is your best bet; please trust people who actually live or have lived in FL. In May the weather is just awful; you will probably overheat if your wedding is outdoors, not to mention your guests.

Ultimately the final decision is yours, but I think October would be more comfortable. As far as rain that is really unpredictable; we got married in December and it rained I believe 2-3 days before our wedding even though December is not typically "rainy season". If you would like a better idea of weather trends just do a Google search, and look up the weather history for your city of interest.

Good Luck

Temp is going to 81 today and it's the end of January. Of course, in a couple of days it will go up to 71 which is more typical.

According to the Longboat, Lido, St. Armands Key Chamber of Commerce:

May averages a daily high temp of 87 with 22 sunny days

Oct. averages a daily high temp of 85 with 22 sunny days

Thanks so much everyone!

& especially thank you, Nancy! According to that, the averages are about the same.

It would be May 17th or October 4th. We like the idea of October but we want to go to Italy for our honeymoon & unfortubately, I cannot take three weeks off of work so May 17th is an important day to us. We were going to get married May 17th then go on our honeymoon in October..since from my research October/November is the best time to go! Obviously, we have a lot to discuss & think about as far as options.

I'm doing may 21 this year in destin! I've been there many summers right at this time and never really been rained out or anything. I am hoping for the same luck this coming may!

I've lived here for years....and am getting married in Sarasota County at Nokomis Beach on May 18th. We do have a tent for a backup but to be completely honest there is NO WAY to say if it will rain in May or October. One thing I do know is you wont be threatened with a hurricane in May. Our weather is crazy unpredictable and you just need to find a back up. We are going to purchase two 20 x 20 tents and if we need them, we use them. If not, we bring them back and get a refund. I don't want to pay my rental company $250 per tent for a DAY if its going to be nice out and I don't need them. That's our solution, and I think it's pretty simple. I have been baking in shorts and tank tops in December...you just never know. Go with what works best for you.

Rain in nothern Florida, which includes the gulf, is a hit and miss. I'm originally from Michigan, so I understand enjoying the heat, but when they say it is hot, it is really HOT in May. My family, who is still in Michigan, can't deal with the heat in April, let alone May, and I live on the nothern tip of Florida. If the wedding is going to be outdoors, I would suggest October. There is generally a nice breeze, especially coming off the gulf around that time. But May and October are hit and miss for rain.

Thank you all for your advice! I appreciate it!

Vicki-Our main place would be Siesta Key beach but I'm having a hard time finding venues & hotels in close proximity for convenience for myself & our guests. That is why we started looking into Clearwater/St Pete beaches. I will have to look into Nokomis Beach though!

I have noticed when contacting venues, October is quick to fill up.

Please post pictures of your May weddings so I can see how beautiful they turned out (:

October is hurricane season, I would nix October. It may rain in May, but less likelihood of a hurricane.

Courtney, how many guests are expected at your wedding? There are a lot of rentals on Siesta, it will depend on your budget and if are paying for the guests to stay. You can rent a block at the hotel, or a private home. Also, Siesta is very popular for weddings, and just so you know, there might be 3 or 4 weddings going on next to yours. Something to consider as it's a public beach and is fairly crowded.

I've done a lot of weddings in Clearwater and St. Pete, i can tell you beaches there are much more interesting than Siesta Key.

As for May or October, i would definitely recommend month of October. It's hot in May, and you have to think about your guests, make sure you provide them with a lot of water, especially if you have some elderly guests.

Best of luck!

Marina- Our budget is $7-9k for everything except flights & rings. We are guesstimating 50 guests. We are not paying for all of their flights or hotel stays. I have only visited the Ft Myers/Sarasota area in May, June & July..not October. End of June & July rain A LOT. My mother lives in Punta Gorda (which is where I stay when I come down) but she has only lived there for a few years. She has a lot going on so I'm not asking her for much help. & I know hurricane season is mostly July/August/September.