Paul Burlingame
Traditionally the fall and winter holidays are times when family members from all over the country reunite. Grandparents, Uncles and Aunts meet new additions to the family and see each other’s children sprouting up after another year.
Often couples use these holiday gatherings to announce their wedding plans for the coming spring or summer.

Fall and Winter Weddings: Image by Paul Burlingame Photography
Time for New Traditions?
This year is different. Our conversations with wedding planners and couples tell us that more weddings than usual are being planned for November and December.
Last summer many well-to-do families with the desire and means to put on a fancy celebration postponed summer weddings. They felt it in bad taste to hold ceremonies that could be perceived as a display of wealth at a time when others are economizing.
Not all weddings have been postponed. Those whose focus was on being married rather than the ceremony did so last summer. But, untraditionally, they forgave fancy celebration and held ceremonies with a minimum amount of expense and fanfare.
Why Fall and Winter?
Many couples are waiting to have their weddings at the end of 2009 or sometime in 2010 because they believe the economic situation will improve.
Others realized that holding a ceremony during the off-season can reduce the cost of renting venues and lower hotel rates. Still others are saving for weddings they are planning for 2010. Rather quickly, time of year has become less important.
All this is causing a spreading of wedding dates throughout the fall and winter months of this year and into next year.
Which Makes Us Wonder:
Should the economy improve will venues and services be extra busy this coming summer? Or will couples embrace economic weddings over time-of-year ceremonies?
In any event, we feel fortunate that San Diego’s warm climate & beautiful scenery provide a fantastic location for weddings during every season of the year!
We’re interested: How has the economy affected your wedding, or weddings you have/will be attending?