The best time to get married in Italy: weather, crowds and light, month by month
For most couples, the best time to get married in Italy is late May, June or September: warm days, long evenings and softer light than in the heat of July and August. Below is every month from April to October, with climate averages, events and sunset times, so you can choose with your eyes open.
Couples often ask me for the best time to get married in Italy, expecting one month as the answer. There isn't one, even if the Italy wedding season has clear favourites. There is a best month for your region, your guests and the kind of day you want, and the light is part of that choice, not a detail. I photograph and film weddings across Italy from Turin, and the month decides more about the day than most people expect: the ceremony time, the heat, the crowds, even how long the portraits take.
The short answer: the best time to get married in Italy
If you want warm weather, long light and a reasonable chance of a dry day, choose late May, June or the first three weeks of September. These months give you evenings warm enough to eat outside, sunsets late enough for a relaxed dinner, and light that is soft by the time guests sit down.
July and August are beautiful but hot, especially inland. April and October are quieter and the light is lovely, but you trade warmth for rain risk and earlier sunsets. Winter suits small, indoor weddings and couples who love an empty city.
Month by month, April to October
I calculated the climate figures below myself, from the daily ERA5 reanalysis data of the Copernicus Climate Change Service for 1995 to 2024: average daily highs and average monthly rainfall. They describe a typical month, not your day, and a city centre on a still afternoon can feel several degrees warmer. The sunset times further down are also my own calculation, for the 15th of each month in 2027.
| Month | Turin | Lake Como | Florence | Rome | Rain: Turin / Como / Florence / Rome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April | 16°C | 17°C | 18°C | 18°C | 94 / 120 / 81 / 74 mm |
| May | 20°C | 21°C | 22°C | 23°C | 122 / 148 / 79 / 63 mm |
| June | 25°C | 25°C | 27°C | 28°C | 80 / 140 / 47 / 33 mm |
| July | 27°C | 27°C | 30°C | 31°C | 52 / 123 / 28 / 22 mm |
| August | 27°C | 27°C | 30°C | 31°C | 59 / 154 / 37 / 27 mm |
| September | 22°C | 22°C | 25°C | 26°C | 72 / 136 / 94 / 81 mm |
| October | 17°C | 17°C | 20°C | 22°C | 90 / 159 / 104 / 100 mm |
April
Fresh green hills, blossom in the parks, mild days around 16 to 18°C and sunsets around 8 pm once the clocks have changed. Rain is likely at some point in the month, so every outdoor plan needs a covered alternative. Easter matters for church weddings: in 2027 Easter Sunday falls on 28 March, in 2028 on 16 April, and some dioceses do not celebrate weddings during Lent. Venues are calmer and Saturdays easier to find.
May
Gardens at their best, long soft evenings (sunset around 8:50 pm in Turin) and pleasant warmth. The catch: May is the wettest month of the year in Turin, about 122 mm on average, and Lake Como is wetter still. I love May weddings, with a real plan B: a covered terrace, a marquee, an indoor room that you would be happy to use.
June
The longest days. Sunset is around 9:17 pm in Turin, 9:15 pm on Lake Como, 8:58 pm in Florence and 8:46 pm in Rome. Highs are about 25°C in the north and 27 to 28°C in Florence and Rome. Golden hour arrives during dinner, which shapes the whole timeline. You can see June light in Daria and Andrea's session in a Turin garden. Book early: for a Saturday from May to September I suggest 9 to 15 months ahead. On 2 June Italy celebrates the Festa della Repubblica, a national holiday.
July
Hot: average highs of 27°C in Turin and on Lake Como, around 30 to 31°C in Florence and Rome, and more on a still day in a city square. It is also among the driest months in Turin, Florence and Rome. Avoid an outdoor ceremony in full afternoon sun: 5 to 6 pm is gentler for you and your guests. Give guests shade, water and fans; at Mohammed and Hejrat's July wedding at the Reggia di Venaria, the bridesmaids carried white parasols.
August
As hot as July, and the heart of the Italian holidays. 15 August (Ferragosto, the Assumption) is a national holiday, and many Italians take their holidays around it, so check that your venue, suppliers and the town hall are working that week. Lake Como averages about 154 mm of rain in August, so keep a covered option even in high summer.
September
For many couples, the best balance of the year. Highs fall to about 22°C in Turin and on the lake and 25 to 26°C in Florence and Rome, the evenings cool down, and sunset comes around 7:40 pm in Turin and 7:20 pm in Rome. The light is lower and warmer through the whole afternoon. In Piedmont and Tuscany it is harvest time, beautiful in the vineyards but busy for wine estates, so book estate venues early.
October
Golden vineyards, quieter towns and the softest light of the season. In the Langhe the autumn brings the Alba White Truffle Fair; check this year's dates on the fair's official site before you plan a weekend around it. The trade-off is rain: October is among the wettest months on Lake Como and on the Ligurian coast. Sunset is around 6:45 pm in Turin until the clocks go back (31 October in 2027). Since 2026, 4 October (Saint Francis of Assisi, patron of Italy) has been a national public holiday on the same footing as 15 August; in 2027 it falls on a Monday, so expect town hall offices to be closed that day.
November to March, briefly
Short days and cool weather: sunset falls between about 4:40 and 6:35 pm, and average highs in December and January are around 6 to 8°C in Turin and on Lake Como, 10 to 13°C in Florence and Rome. Winter is lovely for a small wedding with an indoor dinner, a city ceremony at midday and portraits in the last hour of light. Ask venues early whether they open in winter.
Sunset times for an Italy wedding, month by month
This is the table I keep open while planning. I calculated these times myself with NOAA's solar equations, for the 15th of each month in 2027, in Italian local time (summer time from 28 March to 31 October 2027) and for a flat horizon.
| Month | Turin | Lake Como (Bellagio) | Florence | Rome | Golden light from, Turin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 5:13 pm | 5:03 pm | 5:02 pm | 5:03 pm | 4:26 pm |
| February | 5:56 pm | 5:48 pm | 5:44 pm | 5:42 pm | 5:15 pm |
| March | 6:34 pm | 6:28 pm | 6:20 pm | 6:16 pm | 5:55 pm |
| April | 8:14 pm | 8:09 pm | 7:58 pm | 7:50 pm | 7:34 pm |
| May | 8:51 pm | 8:48 pm | 8:33 pm | 8:23 pm | 8:08 pm |
| June | 9:17 pm | 9:15 pm | 8:58 pm | 8:46 pm | 8:32 pm |
| July | 9:13 pm | 9:10 pm | 8:54 pm | 8:43 pm | 8:29 pm |
| August | 8:36 pm | 8:32 pm | 8:19 pm | 8:10 pm | 7:55 pm |
| September | 7:40 pm | 7:35 pm | 7:26 pm | 7:20 pm | 7:02 pm |
| October | 6:44 pm | 6:37 pm | 6:32 pm | 6:29 pm | 6:04 pm |
| November | 5:00 pm | 4:51 pm | 4:49 pm | 4:49 pm | 4:15 pm |
| December | 4:47 pm | 4:38 pm | 4:38 pm | 4:39 pm | 3:59 pm |
Times shift by a minute or two from year to year, so check your exact date. In the hills and on the lakes the visible sunset comes earlier, because the sun drops behind a ridge, so I check the real horizon from your venue.
Golden hour: what the light means for your ceremony time
There is no official definition of golden hour. I count it from the moment the sun drops below 6 degrees above the horizon until sunset: about 40 to 45 minutes in summer in northern Italy. That is the window for portraits, and 20 to 30 minutes of it is enough.
What it means in practice:
- June and July: an outdoor ceremony at 5 to 6 pm, aperitivo with family photos straight after, dinner around 8 pm, portraits between courses around 8:30 pm.
- May and August: the same shape, about half an hour earlier.
- September: move everything about 90 minutes earlier than June: ceremony around 4 pm, portraits around 7 pm, often during the aperitivo.
- October and winter: ceremony by early afternoon, portraits straight after, dinner after dark.
Midday sun is the hardest light for faces: deep shadows under the eyes and squinting guests. If your town hall slot is at noon, we do a few portraits in shade and save the rest for the evening.
Region by region
Lake Como and the lakes. Wetter than Turin in every month of my data, from about 120 mm in April to 159 mm in October. Summer rain is frequent, so a covered plan B is essential even in July. The mountains bring the sun down early on many shores, and narrow lakeside roads make guest transport part of the timeline: public boats run to a timetable, so check it for your date. Late May, June and September are my favourites here.
Turin and Piedmont. May is the wettest month in Turin and July among the driest. The Langhe hills are hot in July (Alba averages about 29°C), lovely in September and October with the harvest and the truffle season, and often grey in late autumn. The Reggia di Venaria and the city's historic venues work in any season.
Tuscany. July and August average highs around 30°C near Florence. The best Tuscany weeks are late May to mid-June and September. Rain picks up from September, to about 104 mm in October, so ask about covered spaces.
The coast. On the Ligurian coast (Sestri Levante, for example) July is the driest month and October and November the wettest, with almost 200 mm in October. Highs stay around 26°C in midsummer. Small harbour towns are busy in summer, so May, June and September are easier for guests.
How I plan the timeline around the light
Every collection includes a pre-wedding consultation (how I work), and the first thing I look at is the sunset time for your date and venue. Then I build the day backwards: a few quiet minutes for portraits in the best evening light, family photos when everyone is still fresh, the ceremony when the sun is kind to faces, and getting ready with enough time that nobody rushes. We add photo spots and a rain plan, and I share it with your planner.
For full sample schedules, from a civil ceremony in Turin to an all-day Piedmont estate wedding, see wedding day timelines for Italy. If you are marrying legally, the town hall sets your ceremony slot, so read the civil wedding guide for foreigners first. My free planning guide has a 12-month checklist.
FAQ
What is the best month to get married in Italy?
For most couples, June or September. June has the longest evenings and reliable warmth; September is a little cooler, with lower, warmer light and fewer crowds than midsummer. Late May is close behind, but it is the wettest month of the year in Turin, so plan a covered alternative. The best month for you also depends on your region and guests.
When is wedding season in Italy?
The main season runs from May to September, and June and September are the months most couples ask me about first. April and October are shoulder months: quieter, often easier to book, with lovely light but more rain. For a May to September Saturday, I suggest booking your photographer 9 to 15 months ahead, and earlier for Lake Como.
Is August a good month for a wedding in Italy?
It can be, if you plan for heat and holidays. Average highs reach about 30°C in Florence and Rome, and 15 August (Ferragosto) is a national holiday, with many businesses closed for some days around it. Choose a venue with shade, hold the ceremony late in the afternoon, and confirm that your suppliers and the town hall are working.
What time is sunset in Italy in June?
By my calculation, on 15 June 2027 the sun sets at about 9:17 pm in Turin, 9:15 pm on Lake Como, 8:58 pm in Florence and 8:46 pm in Rome. The warm golden light starts about 45 minutes earlier. In the hills and on the lakes, mountains often hide the sun before the official time, so check the real horizon at your venue.
What time should the ceremony be for golden hour photos?
Work backwards from sunset. In June, an outdoor ceremony at 5 to 6 pm leaves time for congratulations, family photos and the aperitivo, with portraits during dinner around 8:30 pm. In September, start about 90 minutes earlier. A morning town hall ceremony also works: portraits simply move to the evening.
Is October too late for a wedding in Italy?
Not at all, especially in Piedmont and Tuscany, where the vineyards turn gold and the light is soft all afternoon. Plan for rain, as October is one of the wettest months on Lake Como and the coast, and for an earlier day: sunset is around 6:30 to 6:45 pm before the clocks go back.
Is it cheaper to get married in Italy in spring or autumn?
It depends on the venue, so ask each one for its prices by month and by day of the week. Even when the price is the same, a Friday in late September or a Saturday in April can open dates that are long gone in June, and suppliers are easier to find. Weigh that against more rain and shorter days.
Tell me your date
If you are choosing a month, or already have one, send me your date and venue through the contact page. I will tell you honestly what the light and the weather usually look like there, and how I would shape the day around them.
Sources
- Copernicus Climate Change Service / ECMWF, ERA5 and ERA5-Land reanalysis, accessed through the Open-Meteo Historical Weather API, daily data 1995 to 2024 (monthly averages computed): open-meteo.com/en/docs/historical-weather-api
- NOAA Global Monitoring Laboratory, solar calculator and equations used for sunset and sun-elevation times: gml.noaa.gov/grad/solcalc
- Gazzetta Ufficiale n. 236 of 10 October 2025, Law 151/2025 adding 4 October as a national holiday alongside the Assumption (15 August): gazzettaufficiale.it
- Law 260/1949, 2 June as the national holiday of the Republic: normattiva.it
- Pontifical Irish College, Rome, on weddings in Lent in the diocese of Rome: irishcollege.org/weddings
- Navigazione Laghi, public boat timetables on Lake Como: navigazionelaghi.it
- Fiera Internazionale del Tartufo Bianco d'Alba, official site: fieradeltartufo.org
Keep reading
Planning guideCivil wedding in Italy for foreigners: the documents, the steps and the rules by nationalityTwo foreigners can marry legally in Italy, and the marriage is normally recognised at home. You need a nulla osta from your own country, translated and stamped documents, two witnesses and a booking with the town hall. Here is how it works, step by step and nationality by nationality.
Planning guideWedding day timeline in Italy: five sample schedules built around the lightA good wedding day timeline starts from two fixed points, the ceremony and the sunset, and fills the hours between them with enough slack that nobody has to run. Here are five real-world schedules for Italy, with the hours of photography and film each one needs.