So you’ve set a date for your big day…. but now what? Did you know that some couples wait up to two years to get their top choices for venues, photographers, videographers and so on? Weddings take a lot of planning and organisation and is generally an industry that pre-books to ensure the couple has all the right options. This is especially true for destination weddings in places like Tuscany, Santorini, Provence and Cyprus are booked 12 to 18 months in advance.
Fridays and Weekends are usually booked out first!
With such long lead times, the top talent and locations are usually the first to get booked and you might miss out on your favourite wedding videographer. And since most weddings take place on the weekend, Friday, Saturday and Sunday are the most desired dates. This is also important for your guest as they will need to take time off work and having the weekend can make it easier for them. So if you are looking for a weekend during high season, ensure you start inquiring 14-18 moths before the wedding date.
Peak Season matters
In Cyprus for example, the Wedding season starts in May and has multiple peaks. May to June are warm but not too hot and are considered the first peak in the season, although a more difficult time for families with Children. July to August are peak summer months and can get very hot, but they are considered the 2nd peak as they coincide with school holidays and kids can travel. November to April are off-season but can still be great months for weddings. You might be able to get a better deal on all prices during those moths as most photographers and videographers are just editing their final projects.
Here is a table with the top European wedding destinations and their peak wedding months.
| Country | Peak Wedding Months | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Italy | May – June, September | Avoids extreme summer heat. Tuscany, Amalfi Coast, and Lake Como are popular. |
| France | May – September | Provence, Paris, and the Riviera are top picks. July–August can be very hot. |
| Cyprus | May – June, September – October | Ideal weather for beach and outdoor weddings. July–August is very hot. |
| Greece | May – June, September | Santorini, Mykonos, and Crete are in high demand. July–August often too crowded and hot. |
Notes:
May–June and September are the sweet spots across all four countries.
July–August are often considered too hot and crowded, especially for destination weddings, although still popular with locals.
October is part of the extended season in Cyprus and sometimes Greece due to warmer Mediterranean weather.
In a nutshell!
So to wrap it up, if you are looking for top talent during peak seasons, ensure you start the enquiry 14-18 months before the wedding date. Anything closer and you will need to count on your luck or… take the leftovers.