The Wedding Atlas · United States
Getting Married in the United States
From the skyline of New York City and the canyon estates of Los Angeles to the vineyards of Napa Valley, the Elk Mountains of Aspen, the red rock of Sedona and the island of Maui, the United States offers weddings in very different landscapes. Choose the setting first, and let the venue follow.
Part of the United States destination guide.
Where to marry
Explore the United States
The United States spans skylines, vineyards, mountains, desert and islands. Each guide has its own settings and its journey.
New York and California
New York City
Skyline ceremonies, Gilded Age ballrooms and rooftop dinners across the city's boroughs.
Photo: The Langham Huntington Pasadena Los Angeles
Canyon estates, Malibu bluffs and Palos Verdes clifftops in California light.
Photo: The Langham Huntington Pasadena
Photo: Auberge du Soleil Napa Valley
Vineyard estates and golden hills northeast of San Francisco.
Photo: Auberge du SoleilMountains, desert and island
Not sure which destination suits you? .
On the map
Where the guides are
Each marker is one guide. Tap a marker to read a line about it and open the guide.
Choosing where to marry
Which United States suits you
For a city
New York City offers no natural landscape in the usual sense. Its wedding backdrop is architecture, skyline and the concentrated energy of a global city. Los Angeles works as a wedding destination across a wide geography, from the canyon gardens of Bel Air to the Malibu coast and the oceanfront bluffs of Palos Verdes.
For vineyards
Napa Valley lies northeast of San Francisco, a corridor of vine rows and estate properties that has shaped the American wedding landscape for two decades. Harvest in September and October is the peak.
For mountains and red rock
Aspen sits at 7,908 feet in the Elk Mountains of Colorado and works as a wedding destination in two distinct seasons. Sedona sits at 4,350 feet in the red rock country of Arizona, among formations of Permian sandstone that turn orange, coral and crimson in morning and evening light.
For an island
Maui pairs resort infrastructure on its south and west shores with Haleakala, a dormant volcano that rises above the cloud line, and a restaurant scene without an equivalent elsewhere in Hawaii.
For the coast and the South
The East End of Long Island, within reach of Manhattan, hosts the summer wedding market of New York. Charleston draws couples with antebellum architecture, working plantation houses and a live oak canopy that lines the roads of the Low Country. Palm Beach is a 16-mile barrier island off the South Florida coast and has been a winter resort destination since Henry Flagler built the first grand hotel there in 1894. Big Sur is the stretch of California's Highway 1 between Carmel and San Simeon where the Santa Lucia Mountains drop straight into the Pacific.
Planning
Planning by destination
Each guide sets out how guests reach the destination and what to do once there. The links below are grouped by the destination they describe.
New York City
JFK is the primary transatlantic hub, with the most direct service from the UK and Europe, and it is almost always the best option for guests from London.
- Read the guideThe New York City Wedding Atlas
Los Angeles
Los Angeles International is the primary gateway, and transfers to venues vary with traffic, with rush hour adding significantly.
- Read the guideThe Los Angeles Wedding Atlas
Napa Valley
SFO is a major international hub with direct flights from London, and most other European and Asian cities connect easily.
- Read the guideThe Napa Valley Wedding Atlas
Aspen
Denver International is the main international gateway, with direct flights from London all year.
- Read the guideThe Aspen Wedding Atlas
Sedona
PHX is the main gateway for international arrivals, and a private car transfer or hire car from there is the standard way in.
- Read the guideThe Sedona Wedding Atlas
Maui
From the UK, the common routing is London to Los Angeles and then on to Maui OGG, or alternatively via San Francisco.
- Read the guideThe Maui Wedding Atlas
Questions couples ask
Before you decide
When is the best time of year for a New York wedding?
New York is a year-round market, but the weather is most cooperative from May to June and from September to October. July and August are hot and humid, and summer rooftop events carry a heat and humidity risk. Winter ballroom weddings from November to March have a strong following, because the interior spaces of the city suit the season.
Which Los Angeles venue offers the most privacy?
The canyon hotel in Bel Air is generally regarded as very private, thanks to its canyon location, discretion and design. Greystone Mansion stands out for its architecture, and a Malibu oceanfront setting for its scenery.
Which month suits a Napa wedding best?
September is generally agreed to be the peak for weather and atmosphere. The harvest light is exceptional, temperatures are warm but not extreme and the valley is at full energy. October is almost as good and a little calmer. May and June bring green vines, spring flowers and smaller crowds.
Is winter or summer better for an Aspen wedding?
Both work, and the choice comes down to vision. Winter offers ski-in ski-out ceremonies, powder days and warming hut receptions. Summer suits guests who do not ski, has longer days and brings the wildflower meadows. Most couples who choose Aspen already lean one way.
Can a ceremony take place on the red rock formations themselves?
Small ceremonies and photography sessions on the rocks are possible through licensed outfitters that hold National Forest Special Use Permits. The format is increasingly popular with couples who put photography first.
Which months have the best weather?
Wailea is dry and sunny year-round. The months from June to September have the longest days and warmest water. November to March brings some rain to windward parts of the island, though Wailea sees little. Whale season from December to April adds a wildlife dimension.
The venues
A glimpse of venues across the United States
Meet Aura
Your wedding planning companion for the United States
Ask Aura about wedding destinations, venues and planning possibilities across the United States, drawing on the information available through 5 Star Weddings.
The directory
Ready to look at venues and people?
The guides help you choose where. The destination page lists the venues and wedding professionals themselves.