Boise Wedding Planning: What to Expect in Every Season
I may be biased as a Boise wedding photographer, but Idaho’s capital city is a beautiful place to get married year-round! From the snow-covered mountains of winter to the golden hills of summer, every season offers an array of stunning backdrops. However, while every season is naturally beautiful, each will affect your Boise wedding planning journey differently. Each time of year presents both unique challenges and opportunities to enhance the guest experience. Today, I’m sharing them all so you know what to expect when choosing your wedding date. Let’s get started!
Boise Wedding Planning: What to Expect in Every Season
Winter
A winter wedding, while nontraditional, can be uniquely magical, especially in Boise! The snow-capped mountains provide an unforgettable backdrop. Plus, with temperatures in the 20-to-40-degree range, it’s the perfect time to gather with loved ones in front of a roaring fire. If you’re into skiing, consider including Bogus Basin in your wedding weekend itinerary! It’s a great spot for a group excursion.
The sun sets around 5 p.m. here in winter, which will affect your wedding timeline. We want to budget plenty of time for natural light portraits, so I recommend getting ready early and having a first look. That way, we can complete all portraits before your ceremony. If your ceremony and reception are in separate locations, I also recommend budgeting ample travel time. The weather can be unpredictable!
Note that some Boise wedding venues don’t book winter events to take time off for growth, or because the icy mountain roads make them inaccessible. However, the ones that do often offer discounted rates!
Notable Events:
These winter events occur in Boise every year. Whether you’d like to plan your wedding around them or to coincide with them is up to you! The city is more crowded on event weekends, so expect pricier airfare and hotel rates.
December holidays (obviously, these aren’t unique to Boise, but they affect hotel pricing and availability!)
BSU basketball games
Guest Experience Options:
Leaning into your wedding season is one of the best ways to provide a unique guest experience! Some of my favorite options for a winter wedding include:
A warm drink station
Heated transportation, especially for venues outside the city
Blankets (if having an outdoor ceremony)
A venue with a fireplace
Spring
Boise’s spring is a breath of fresh air after the long, cold winter! The foothills turn bright green and wildflowers bloom in spots, including the Boise River Greenbelt and Camel’s Back Park. Flower gardens and orchards in nearby Emmett and Kuna are also blooming in the spring. These make stunning locations for engagement or wedding portraits!
Spring temperatures in Boise range from the 40s in early March to the 70s in late May. So, you might want to book in the second half of the season if you’re envisioning an outdoor event. However, note that spring also brings a higher likelihood of rain. I recommend renting a tent to provide coverage for any outdoor events, or booking a venue with an indoor space you love to prevent disappointment.
Booking a spring wedding could also save you some money! Depending on your venue choice, rates are usually more affordable than summer and fall “peak” dates.
Notable Events:
Treefort Music Fest (late March)
Boise Farmers Market and Capital City Public Market (every weekend in Downtown)
Guest Experience Options:
Tented reception
Umbrellas (if having an outdoor ceremony or reception)
A flower crown or bouquet making station
Summer
In summer, Boise’s foothills change in color from green to a beautiful gold. The days are long, allowing for sunset portraits and evenings spent dancing underneath the stars! There’s an inherent romance to the season, making it the perfect time to tie the knot.
However, summer isn’t without its drawbacks. The temperatures climb high and can even crest over 100 degrees (but in the mountains, the weather can still be unpredictable—they recently got snow in June!). The heat brings an elevated risk of wildfires, and Boise’s location in the Treasure Valley means that smoke can blow in from the mountains and shroud the city in smoke. Mosquitoes and other pesky bugs are also out at this time of year.
Still, summer’s natural beauty and relatively clear weather mean that it remains a sought-after wedding season in Boise! It’s a particularly popular time to host a multi-day wedding, with the potential for unique shoulder events like backyard barbecues, pool parties, and rooftop soirées.
Notable Events:
In addition to the events listed below, there are typically musical events in town every weekend, with Albertsons Stadium and Ford Idaho Center being the most popular spots. These generate significant traffic, so be sure to check event calendars and plan around any concerts happening the weekend of your wedding!
Boise Music Festival (mid-late June)
Fourth of July
Western Idaho Fair (mid-late August)
Alive After 5 (June-August)
Guest Experience Options:
Comfort measures to beat the heat, including water stations, parasol umbrellas, and cooling towels or fans
An ice cream truck or sundae station
Bug spray and sunscreen
Float the Boise—the perfect activity for out-of-towners who want to explore the area while keeping cool!
Fall
With mild weather and colorful foliage, fall ties with summer for the most popular season to get married in Boise. Temperatures drop from the 70s to the 50s and 60s throughout September and October, going from comfortably warm to chilly and crisp. Rain is occasional, so while a plan B is necessary, it’s a great time to have an outdoor wedding!
Shortening days mean earlier sunsets, so we’ll plan your timeline accordingly! We need enough time to shoot family formals and all other portraits before the sun sets. In addition, note that peak fall foliage doesn’t arrive until mid-late October (depending on your wedding location). So, be sure to choose your wedding date with that in mind! The Kathryn Albertson Park and Boise River Greenbelt are my favorite spots for photographing foliage in the city.
Another perk of a fall wedding in Boise? It’s harvest season for local farms! Many Boise catering teams offer farm-to-table food and allow you to create locally sourced food and wine pairings—yum!
Notable Events:
BSU football games at Albertsons Stadium
Spirit of Boise Balloon Classic (early September)
Art in the Park (early September)
City of Trees Marathon (mid-October)
Guest Experience Options:
A warm drink station
Blankets (if having an outdoor ceremony)
Fall-themed desserts
Fall-themed decor (pumpkins and hay bales galore!)
As you can see, each season in Boise has its pros and cons. However, the city is beautiful year-round and offers plenty of activities and events to ensure a fun-filled wedding weekend! Note that most wedding venues book 12-18 months out—so, if you know where you want to get married, don’t wait to reach out!
I hope that these tips make your Boise wedding planning journey a smooth and successful one. Are you in the market for an Idaho wedding photographer? It would be an honor to meet you and your partner and document your love story! Get in touch to hear more about my all-day wedding photography packages and documentary-style approach.