Planning a Winter Wedding in Augusta: Dates, Daylight, and Why Booking Is Easier

A winter wedding in Augusta falls between December and February, and those dates are usually easier to book than spring or fall ones. Our prices are the same all year, so the season will not change what you pay us. What it changes is the planning. Days are shorter, calendars are full of holidays, and the weather could go either way.

Which months count as winter wedding season here?

December, January, and February. They share a season and not much else.

December

Family is often already in town and half the world is decorated, which saves you some work. The trade is that everybody has plans. Give guests plenty of notice. Court offices keep holiday schedules too, so call the probate court before you go for your license late in the month.

January

January tends to be the quiet month. Guests have fewer conflicts, and vendors tend to have more room on the calendar. If you want a Saturday without a fight, look here first.

February

February brings Valentine's Day. If you want the 14th or the weekend closest to it, ask early. You will have company.

Why are winter dates easier to book?

Most couples aim for spring or fall, so winter weekends tend to stay open longer. That is true for us and often for other vendors, though you should ask each one.

There is a catch. Late November through February is engagement season. A lot of couples get engaged over the holidays and start booking soon after, many of them for dates later in the year. So winter is slow for weddings and busy for inquiries. If you are planning a winter wedding in Augusta for next year, the time to hold your date is while this year's newly engaged couples are still showing off the ring. Our post on when to book a wedding officiant goes through the timing.

Does a winter wedding cost less?

With us it costs the same. We have no peak season rate and no off season rate.

• License Signing: $60 when you come to us, $100 when we meet you anywhere in Augusta or Richmond County. No ceremony, just a legal signing.

• Elopement Ceremony: $200. A short ceremony with a set script, standard vows, and a ring exchange, for up to 20 guests. No rehearsal.

• Custom Ceremony: $400. Written from scratch for you, with one planning meeting, and we attend the rehearsal.

Payment plans are available on every package, split into as many payments as you like. This is where planning a year ahead pays off. Get engaged this December, plan a winter wedding in Augusta for next December, and the $400 Custom Ceremony comes to about $33 a month over 12 months. Our fees also support the Augusta Birth Center, a local 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Other vendors set their own prices, so ask each of them how the season affects theirs. Everything we offer is on our packages and services page.

What should we plan around for a winter ceremony?

Daylight. Winter light fades early, so plan the ceremony time with your photographer before you print anything. A start time that works in June may be too late in January.

Weather. A winter day here can be bright and comfortable or cold and wet, and you will not know which until that week. Have an indoor option you actually like. If any part of the day is outside, say so on the invitation so guests bring a coat.

Length. Guests are patient in the cold for a short ceremony and less patient for a long one. Our Elopement Ceremony is short by design. If you book a Custom Ceremony and will be outdoors, tell us at the planning meeting and we will write with the cold in mind.

The license. Georgia has no waiting period and the license is usually issued the same day, which helps when relatives are in town for a short visit. Georgia residents can apply in any Georgia county. If neither of you lives in Georgia, you apply in the county where the ceremony takes place. Our Richmond County marriage license guide has the details for Augusta. Crossing the river to North Augusta or Aiken means a South Carolina license, and South Carolina has a 24 hour waiting period after you apply. Do not leave that for the day before a holiday.

Is winter a good time to elope in Augusta?

Yes. A winter wedding in Augusta does not have to be large, and small weddings move indoors without much trouble. Our Elopement Ceremony covers up to 20 guests. A License Signing can often happen the same day you get your marriage license.

Fort Eisenhower military couples are a big part of our work, and winter suits a short timeline. Some couples marry over the holidays because that is when both families can be in one room. At the ceremony we complete and sign your license and hand it to you. You take it back to the probate court yourselves within 30 days, in person or by mail, and you can ask for certified copies when you do. You will need those for a name change and for DEERS enrollment.

What should we ask an officiant about a winter date?

Ask what happens if they get sick. Winter is cold and flu season, and an officiant with no backup is a risk in any month. We have a backup officiant system, so a ceremony is never left without an officiant.

Ask about paperwork too. Many Augusta area venues now ask officiants for a business license and proof of liability insurance, and more are expected to. That is a venue rule, and marriage law does not ask for either. We hold a business license and $2 million in liability insurance.

As for who we are: three officiants, Nick, Katie, and Jonathan, veteran owned and family run. We perform ceremonies in English and Spanish, and we have married more than 1,200 couples across the CSRA, from Evans and Grovetown to Hephzibah and Aiken.

Winter wedding in Augusta FAQ

What months count as a winter wedding in Augusta?

December, January, and February. Each one plans a little differently, with holidays in December and Valentine's Day in February.

Are officiant prices lower in winter?

Ours are the same all year, with no peak season or off season rate. Payment plans are available on every package in every month.

How far ahead should we book a winter wedding date?

As soon as you have a date and a place. Winter weekends tend to stay open longer than spring or fall ones, but engagement season runs late November through February and calendars start filling then.

Can we get a marriage license and marry the same day in Georgia?

Often, yes. Georgia has no waiting period and the license is usually issued the same day. Check the probate court's holiday schedule before you go.

Should a winter ceremony be indoors or outdoors?

Either can work if you have an indoor backup you like. Winter light fades early, so settle the ceremony time with your photographer first.

Hold your winter date

If you are planning a winter wedding in Augusta, send us your date and we will tell you if it is open. Payment plans are available on every package. You can also read what couples say about us in our 5 star Google reviews.