Pros And Cons of Having an Autumn Wedding in New Zealand
Autumn (March-May) is the best season, period. And I’m ready to defend it against anyone who insists otherwise. Layering up, drinking hot tea, snuggling up with loved ones — what’s not to like about the cosy vibes?
In terms of weddings, it’s not quite the crowd favourite (summer wins that one), but still a pretty popular time.
But my favouritism bias aside, you obviously are here because you’re not quite sure whether autumn is the season for you and your wedding. With that said, let’s figure this out —
Contents
How to Know if an Autumn Wedding is For You
Wedding planning can be a whirlwind with all the choices and decisions to make. So, how do you figure out which season would be perfect for your dream wedding day?
One way I help my couples get started is by guiding them through a quick visualization exercise. It’s a simple yet powerful way to get a clearer idea of what you really want.
Take a moment, maybe even close your eyes, and picture yourself on your wedding day —
You’re standing there, face-to-face, about to make a lifelong promise to your favorite person in the world.
What’s it like around you?
Do you feel a crisp, refreshing breeze? Are the leaves around you glowing in shades of red, orange, and gold? Can you see the golden light filtering through the trees, adding a touch of warmth to the day? How many loved ones are there to share this moment with you both?
Fully picture the kind of setting that would make you feel completely at peace, brimming with love and happiness as you stand alongside your partner, celebrating this culmination of your journey together and beyond.
And that’s it, you now have a clearer vision for how you want your dream wedding experience to be.
Now, as you read through the rest of this article, all you have to do is hold onto that beautiful image and compare it with what autumn has to offer.
Autumn Weather in NZ: Temperature Averages & Rainfall (March-May)
Autumn is when the days start to cool down, and the leaves change color, giving the landscape a beautiful, warm hue.
What’s considered “cool” or “crisp” can be pretty subjective. If you’re thinking about an autumn wedding, have a look at the temperature averages below to see if this season aligns with your idea of comfort.
This climate data comes from historical averages recorded by the MetService (thanks for the solid info, team!).
Note on rainfall: less than 20mm per day is considered a “low” amount of rain or showers, 20mm-40mm is moderate to high, and more than 40mm is high rainfall. The data below shows rainfall per month, so keep that in mind when planning, friends.
Upper North Island (Whangarei, Auckland, Tauranga, Rotorua, Hamilton)
Region
Whangarei (W)
Auckland (A)
Tauranga (T)
Rotorua (R)
Hamilton (H)
Highs
W: 22.3°C-26.5°C
A: 21.3°C-26.1°C
T: 20.8°C-25.9°C
R: 18.9°C-25.0°C
H: 20.9°C-27.1°C
Lows
W: 5.8°C-10.5°C
A: 5.2°C-11.0°C
T: 4.1°C-9.7°C
R: -0.8°C-4.6°C
H: -0.7°C-4.7°C
Rainfall per month
W: 93.9mm-117.8mm
A: 67.0mm-112.6mm
T: 87.1mm-129.1mm
R: 102.1mm-134.1mm
H: 79.5mm-114.2mm
East of the North Island (New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Wellington)
Region
New Plymouth (N)
Palmerston North (P)
Wellington (W)
Highs
N: 19.3°C-24.4°C
P: 20.6°C-26.6°C
W: 18.3°C-24.0°C
Lows
N: 2.8°C-6.8°C
P: 0.0°C-5.0°C
W: 4.3°C-7.8°C
Rainfall per month
N: 80.3mm-128.7mm
P: 57.4mm-87.0mm
W: 98.8mm-134.4mm
West of the North Island (Gisborne, Napier, Masterton)
Region
Gisborne (G)
Napier (N)
Masterton (M)
Highs
G: 22.5°C-28.1°C
N: 22.4°C-28.7°C
M: 21.6°C-27.9°C
Lows
G: 2.1°C-7.2°C
N: 0.7°C-6.2°C
M: -2.1°C-2.4°C
Rainfall per month
G: 74.6mm-88.2mm
N: 54.2mm-69.5mm
M:71.8mm-78.1mm
Upper South Island (Nelson, Blenheim)
Region
Nelson (N)
Blenheim (B)
Highs
N: 19.5°C-24.9°C
B: 21.2°C-28.1°C
Lows
N: 1.2°C-6.8°C
B: -2.2°C-2.6°C
Rainfall per month
N: 60.7mm-79.0mm
B: 43.4mm-66.2mm
East of the South Island (Christchurch, Mount Cook, Timaru, Dunedin)
Region
Christchurch (C)
Mount Cook (M)
Timaru (T)
Dunedin (D)
Highs
C: 22.3°C-28.7°C
M: 18.1°C-25.4°C
T: 21.3°C-29.5°C
D: 20.2°C-26.3°C
Lows
C: -2.1°C-2.6°C
M: -4.0°C-0.2°C
T: -2.4°C-1.9°C
D: 1.3°C-5.1°C
Rainfall per month
C: 40.4mm-51.6mm
M: 300.7mm-327.4mm
T: 33.9mm-45.1mm
D: 48.8mm-67.2mm
West of the South Island (Wanaka, Queenstown, Invercargill)
Region
Wanaka (W)
Queenstown (Q)
Invercargill (I)
Highs
W: 18.5°C-26.6°C
Q: 17.9°C-24.9°C
I: 18.5°C-24.8°C
Lows
W: -2.7°C-1.5°C
Q: -2.9°C-1.6°C
I: -1.6°C-2.0°C
Rainfall per month
W: 44.8mm-61.4mm
Q: 38.9mm-64.5mm
I: 74.8mm-94.9mm
Why it’s important:
Knowing what the weather/temperature conditions would be on your wedding day can help inform you of all sorts of decisions — whether you need back up layers for your attire, blankets and heaters for your guests in the evening, or whether you should opt for an indoor location rather than outdoors.
Better weather than summer(!)
Might be an unpopular opinion but autumn probably has the best weather out of the whole year!
While summer technically ends in February, the days stay long and sunny well into autumn, giving you that perfect balance of sunshine without the intensity of summer heat.
The air cools down just enough to make everything feel crisp and refreshing, but not so much that you’re shivering in your wedding attire.
Plus, with the milder temperatures, you can play around with your wedding wardrobe — think cozy shawls, layered dresses, or even a sharp suit jacket — and not worry about sweating through the day.
Sunrise & Sunset Time in Autumn NZ
Most people know that golden hour — that magical time just after sunrise and right before sunset — is prime time for photos. The way the light wraps everything in a soft, warm glow makes for some truly breathtaking shots. There’s nothing quite like capturing you and your partner in that golden light — it’s like nature’s own Instagram filter, but way better.
As the days shorten with the coming of winter, sunset and sunrise times shift too. This means golden hour adjusts along with them, so it’s a good idea to keep an eye on those times when planning your day.
And if you’re wanting something different — don’t sleep on moonrise! The moon can add its own kind of magic to your photos. You don’t have to wait until it’s pitch black either, the moon actually often rises while it’s still light out.
Why it’s important:
Many couples like to structure their wedding activities around sunset/sunrise to catch the most flattering light of the day.
The softer light also feels much nicer in terms of comfort (no squinty eyes or sunburns).
Having an idea of when that is can be an anchoring point of your day — you can then decide when everything else should flow around it. If you feel like the sunrises are too early or the sunsets too late for your liking in autumn then that would be a great reason to consider a different season instead.
Sunrise and Sunset Times Autumn 2025 in NZ
Auckland
Sunrise
March 2025 — 7:05am-7:33am
April 2025 — 7:34am-6:59am* (Daylight savings)
May 2025 — 7:00am-7:24am
Sunset
March 2025 — 7:59pm-7:16pm
April 2025 — 7:14pm-5:36pm*
May 2025 — 5:35pm-5:12pm
Wellington
Sunrise
March 2025 — 7:01am-7:35am
April 2025 — 7:36am-7:06am*
May 2025 — 7:07am-7:36am
Sunset
March 2025 — 8:04pm-7:14pm
April 2025 — 7:12pm-5:28pm*
May 2025 — 5:27pm-5:00pm
Christchurch
Sunrise
March 2025 — 7:07am-7:44am
April 2025 — 7:45am-7:19am*
May 2025 — 7:20am-7:51am
Sunset
March 2025 — 8:14pm-7:21pm
April 2025 — 7:20pm-5:33pm*
May 2025 — 5:31pm-5:02pm
Queenstown
Sunrise
March 2025 — 7:21am-8:01am
April 2025 — 8:02am-7:38am*
May 2025 — 7:39am-8:12am
Sunset
March 2025 — 8:32pm-7:37pm
April 2025 — 7:35pm-5:45pm*
May 2025 — 5:44pm-5:13pm
*Note: Daylight savings ends in April — clocks are turned backwards by 1 hour, hence the bigger time difference
Venue and Vendor Availability & Costs
Peak wedding season is generally between October to April, meaning for the most of autumn venues would charge peak season rates, and their availability would be filled up much faster compared to off-peak season.
Weekends usually get booked out much faster (sometimes even a year or more ahead), but if you don’t mind a weekday wedding then you might not have to worry about rushing your decisions. Mondays-Thursdays are usually still available a few months out.
Best practice is to book in as soon as you’re able, including all your other vendors as their availabilities are limited as well during this popular season.
Autumn Holiday Season & Tourism
Autumn is less busy in terms of tourism in general. Although there are lots of long weekends scattered throughout, and depending on your preference you might want to make use of them or avoid them entirely.
On one hand, you and your guests would have to take less time off work for your wedding celebrations, but on the other the long weekends might mean longer travel times or traffic depending on where you’re going.
The end of term school holidays would also affect how busy the streets are, so you might want to keep those dates in mind as well.
NZ School holidays Autumn (End of Term 1) 2025
Saturday 12 April to Sunday 27 April
Autumn (March-May) 2025 NZ Public Holidays
Taranaki Anniversary — Monday 10 March*
Otago Anniversary — Monday 24 March*
Good Friday — Friday 18 April*
Easter Monday — Monday 21 April*
Easter Tuesday** — Tuesday 22 April
Southland Anniversary — Tuesday 22 April*
Anzac Day — Friday 25 April*
* Long weekends galore!
**Technically not an official public holiday, but schools and people who work in education get the day off.
Scenery Options, Flowers & Nature
The browns, reds, and golds of autumn leaves can make for stunning backdrops for your wedding experience.
Rustic options like barn weddings or vineyard weddings definitely scream autumn, or mountain weddings with lush evergreens would also work beautifully with the chillier weather.
For you non-traditional couples who are thinking of eloping — autumn is a great time to be in nature without the discomfort of harsh sun and muggy weather, leaving you fresh and cool even if you have to hike to your ceremony spot.
While nature is starting to wind down, there are still heaps of beautiful fresh flowers available in season, for example: dahilas, chrysanthemums, asters, calla lilies, roses, sunflowers, aster flowers and many more!
Autumn vs. Spring Wedding in NZ?
Autumn or spring? They’re incredibly similar in lots of ways.
Peak season does extend into most of autumn, whereas most of spring is off-peak, so if a quieter season is what you’re looking for, they’re both pretty equal (although I’d say based on experience, autumn is much more popular).
I like ask my couples whether they’d prefer going from warm to cold (meaning more cosy vibes, slowing down, layering up) or whether they’d prefer going from cold to warm (more fresh vibes, things winding up again, the feeling of rejuvenation). At the end of the day, it usually just comes down to what vibes you prefer!
Pros and Cons of Having an Autumn Wedding
Tldr? I get it. Here’s the long story short:
Pros
Best weather of the year
Not as hot as summer, but you still get plenty of sunny and long days well into the season — meaning you’d be able to enjoy the outdoors without melting or freezing (for a better idea of roughly how warm it gets and how long the days are in your region, scroll up to the sections on weather and sunrise/sunset times)
Beautiful colours and scenery
A great variety of landscapes are available for your choosing: beaches, mountains, vineyards, rolling fields — the possibilities are endless!
Trees, bush, and greenery is lush and thriving — making for great natural backdrops
Lots of long weekends
All of the public holidays in March-May are on Mondays and Fridays (eg. Easter weekend, Anzac Day)
Having your wedding on a long weekend means you’d have to take less time off work, and you’d be able to have a breather before or after the big day
Off-peak season towards the end of autumn
Most venues and vendors offer cheaper off-peak packages, saving you some money
Since there’s less demand, you’re more likely to lock in your dream vendors and dates (like a weekend wedding) without the pressure to rush your planning
Cons
Peak season popularity (March-April)
Higher volume of weddings during peak season = venues and vendors get booked out months (even a year) in advance
You’re less likely to be able to book a weekend wedding if you’re not that far out from your desired date
Peak season venue prices are often significantly higher than off-peak
Potential fluctuating weather
Although autumn boasts of some of the best weather in the year, there is still a higher chance of rain and unpredictable weather
This might affect whether you’re able to have your wedding ceremony and activities outdoors
Leafless trees
Autumn colours are beautiful, but if you happen to get married later in the season or are celebrating in places like Auckland where the leaves don’t turn colour as much, the autumn scenery can seem more bleak and gloomy with less green around
Tips for Planning Your Autumn Wedding in NZ
Planning an autumn wedding in New Zealand is a great way to take advantage of the beautiful colours and cozy vibes that come with the season. From the stunning scenery to the crisp air, autumn can make for a really magical day.
But, like with any season, there are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind to make sure everything goes smoothly. Here are some simple tips to help you plan a truly memorable autumn wedding!
Indoor vs. Outdoor Wedding for Autumn
Choosing the right venue is so important, especially in autumn when the weather can be a bit unpredictable. A lot of venues offer both indoor and outdoor ceremony options, and some even have that “outdoor feel” but are fully enclosed and cozy (like the Glasshouse), so you don’t have to stress about choosing between the two if you’re torn. You can still enjoy the autumn vibes without worrying about the rain or chilly winds.
One thing to ask your venue is what backup plans they have in case the weather does what it often does in autumn. The best venues will have a solid weather contingency plan (or two) so you’re covered if your first choice doesn’t work out.
Or, if you'd rather avoid the weather stress altogether (and the potential chill), you could go for an indoor venue right from the start and keep things warm and cozy.
Plan for unpredictable weather + guest comfort
When it comes to autumn weddings, the weather can be absolutely beautiful but still a bit of a wildcard, so it's always a good idea to have a plan for those unpredictable moments. Even if the forecast looks clear, it’s smart to prepare for anything, like sudden rain, chilly breezes, or even a temperature drop as the evening goes on. This might look like making sure you’ve got extra layers or some clear parasols (cause they’re more “aesthetic-looking” for photos) ready.
Another thing to keep in mind is your guests' comfort. If you're having an outdoor ceremony, you could think about having a covered area or some umbrellas on standby just in case. For evening receptions, think about adding heaters, fire pits, or providing cozy blankets for everyone to wrap up in. Hot drinks like mulled wine or spiced cider are also a fun way to keep things warm and seasonal.
Make the most of the lighting
Autumn brings a softer, more flattering light that makes everything look just a bit more ethereal. Timing the most important parts of your day (like your ceremony, your portraits, or any other important activity) during the glowing times just before sunrise or sunset can make your experience otherworldly (not to mention your photos would be absolutely stunning).
Book in venue and vendors early
Especially if you’re planning to have your wedding in March or April, you might want to choose and book in your desired vendors as soon as possible. Peak season means peak numbers, so you’d want to get in quick if you want to book your dream venue or dream vendors.
I usually advise my couples to book vendors in the following sequence: venue, photographer and/or videographer, florist, hair & make up, and then other miscellaneous vendors like photobooths, bouncy castles, live wedding painters, etc. If you’re wanting to elope instead, then choosing a photographer would be first — and usually an elopenent photographer (like myself) would use their expertise to scout out the perfect elopement spot for you.
Plan around the holidays
Don’t forget to keep an eye on the holiday calendar! March-May in New Zealand comes with a few long weekends — like Easter, Anzac Day, and some regional holidays — so it’s important to consider how they might affect your big day. While long weekends might seem like a great opportunity for guests to have extra travel time, they can also mean higher travel and accommodation costs, and popular venues might book out faster.
It’s a good idea to send out save-the-dates or your invitations early, especially if your wedding falls on or around a holiday weekend. This gives guests enough time to plan and helps avoid any scheduling conflicts.
Plus, if you want a more relaxed, intimate vibe, you might prefer to avoid long weekends altogether to sidestep the holiday rush.
Communicate with guests
You’ve put so much thought into considering all the factors that would make your autumn wedding a smooth and amazing experience, don’t forget to communicate what you know with your guests as well!
It’s a good idea to give your guests a heads-up about what to expect in terms of weather and its unpredictability. If you’re planning an outdoor ceremony or reception, let them know there’s a chance of cooler weather, and suggest they bring layers or warmer clothes just in case. You could also mention any cozy extras you’ll have, like blankets, heaters, or hot drinks, to keep them comfortable.
If your wedding falls on a holiday weekend, again make sure to send out save-the-dates or your invitations early so they can plan ahead. You might also want to include info on accommodation options, especially if things tend to book out quickly during that time.
And if you’ve got backup plans for unpredictable weather, like a tent or an indoor space, give your guests a little reassurance by mentioning those plans in your communication. The more they know, the more relaxed and ready to celebrate they’ll be!
Autumn has its own kind of charm, and it might just be the perfect season to create a wedding that’s warm, relaxed, and unforgettable (at least to me it definitely is).
With thoughtful planning, you’ll be ready for whatever an autumn wedding throws at you — rain, shine, or chilly breeze — and your guests will love all the little touches you’ve prepared for their comfort.
But if you're still deciding, that’s alright, every season brings its own je ne sais quoi. Spring weddings enjoy fresh blooms and soft colors, summer weddings are all about endless sunshine and outdoors, and winter weddings bring a cozy backdrop for something extra intimate. Be sure to check out my tips for weddings in each season to find the perfect match for your dream day!
Have the best time planning, friends!
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