With plans for June weddings in full swing we thought you would like to see what we feel are the best and worst wedding destination during that month and why. There is a New England State and anyone of the New England states could have been listed. After all, June is one of the peak times of the year for outstanding weather in New England. I can also personally vouch for the Kona Coast on The Big Island as a prime location to hold your wedding outdoors. We would like you June brides out there to give us your June wedding indoors or outside.

By: Casey Morris weather.com | Lead Picture By: Travis Harris Photography

Why June?

June has always been a popular month for weddings. Named after Juno, the Roman goddess of marriage, the ancients believed that June weddings would bring the marriage prosperity and happiness. However, there are more modern reasons why so many women choose to be “June brides”.

Having a wedding in June can come with many benefits. Schools are out of session, making travel easier for guests. A variety of in-season flowers and outdoor venues are also available during this month. June can also have great weather that is not too hot or cold, and a lower likelihood of spring showers. But not all locations are ideal for outdoor weddings during this month.

We searched for some of the best and worst places for outdoor weddings in June. You might be surprised with a few places we think would be great for an outdoor wedding, while others known for having beautiful weather might not be the best choice for June.

Jesse Schloff/Spruce Peak Realty, LLC.

• Stowe Mountain Resort

Best – Stowe, Vermont

A popular skiing destination in the winter, Stowe also offers a beautiful retreat in June. With lush landscapes, golf courses, mountain top and mountain side wedding sites, and mild summer weather, Stowe is a perfect location for an outdoor wedding in June.

“People have been coming to Stowe in summer to escape the heat since the mid 1800’s. That’s when the area was established as a resort town,” explained Jeff Wise, Marketing and Communications Director for Stowe Mountain Resort. “We only average a handful of days above 80 degrees all summer, usually in August. June’s weather is just perfect–it’s hard to do anything indoors knowing just how beautiful it is outside here in June.”

Stowe wedding tip: Why not take advantage of one of the local golf courses? The groom and groomsmen might enjoy a round of golf before the wedding, or the bride and groom can sneak in a few holes (and some down time for two) after pictures and before the reception.

Photography by Gary Concoby

• Alohaceremonies.com

Best – Kona Coast, Hawaii

Hawaii is one of the most popular locations for destination weddings. With such a beautiful backdrop, it is almost unthinkable to have an indoor wedding on the island state. But not all areas of Hawaii are created equally, and the geography of the Kona Coast allows for particularly nice weather, especially in June.

“We have been officiating and photographing weddings on the Kona Coast of Hawaii’s Big Island for over a decade,” said Rev. Barbara Concoby of Alohaceremonies.com. “Through our years of experience, with only one very mild rain event, we have found that with our island’s coastal consistent 83 degrees plus trade winds conditions, Hawaii is the best place to get married ever–spring, summer, fall, and winter.”

Not only does Hawaii provide a beautiful and romantic landscape, but the summer weather is particularly nice because the northeast trade winds dominate, helping to keep unwanted weather away from the coast. “By the time these trade winds reach the Kona Coast, located along the western edge of the Big Island, they’re dry winds, moving down the slopes of the island’s mountains,” explained Sr. Meteorologist Jon Erdman. (Follow Jon on Twitter.) “The precipitation is deposited along the windward (east-northeast facing) slopes of the Big Island’s mountains. This occurs in other locations in the Hawaiian Islands as well.”

Kona Coast wedding tip: Incorporating Hawaiian wedding traditions is a great way to make the ceremony unique for both the couple and the guests. At the beginning of the ceremony, a traditional Hawaiian lei can be exchanged between the bride and the groom. Much like the wedding ring, the lei represents an unbroken circle that symbolizes the couple’s eternal commitment and devotion to one another.

Island Photo

• Island Photo

Best – Mackinac Island, Michigan

Michigan is known for having some pretty brutal winters, but luckily there are three more seasons of the year. Mackinac Island, located on Lake Huron, is less than four square miles wide, but more than 80 percent of the island is preserved as a state park. Immense natural beauty and great weather make Mackinac Island a great location for outdoor weddings, especially during the month of June.

“You can’t beat daytime highs typically in the low to mid-70s,” said Erdman. “But bring warm clothes for the cool mornings with temperatures averaging in the mid-40s to low 50s.”

Mackinac’s June weather also allows brides a greater variety of choices when it comes to wedding flowers. “Spring flowers, such as tulips and roses, open up in the summer heat and don’t look as good, so June is a great month to use those,” explained Fawn Whelahan, Floral Designer at Beth’s Flowers. Other in-season flowers Mackinac brides opt for are peonies, Indian River hydrangeas, and irises.

Mackinac Island wedding tip: Since 1898, motorized vehicles have been prohibited from the island, giving couples the perfect excuse to take a horse-drawn carriage after the wedding.

The Worst Places for Outdoor Weddings in June

Llanes Weddings

• Llanes Weddings

Worst – San Diego

San Diego is world-renowned as a city with beautiful weather. The Mediterranean climate has average high temperatures that only vary about 10 degrees, from the heart of winter in the mid-60s to the heart of summer in the mid-70s. But due to something called “June Gloom”, this mid-year month is one of the worst times to have an outdoor wedding in San Diego.

“‘June Gloom’ is a phenomenon caused by the desert heat being mixed with the cool Pacific Ocean water, which helps drive low clouds and fog to coastal areas,” explained Erdman. “Most days, this low cloud deck thins out to sunshine by midday. However, some days have thick fog and drizzle lasting into the afternoon, particularly in June.”

San Diego wedding planner Aleah Valley of Valley & Co. noted that her San Diego resident clients often opt for outdoor weddings in March through May. But for the 65% of her clients planning a destination wedding, the weather doesn’t seem to matter as much. “For them,” she said, “even if it’s gloomy, it’s still beautiful. San Diego is amazing.”

Of course indoor weddings are always an option. But for a bride whose heart is set on a San Diego outdoor wedding in June, a little creativity can make all of the difference. One way Valley combats the “June Gloom” is with the use of globe lights and by dressing up the area with colorful swatches of fabric to make everything feel warm and sunny. “The focus should be on the celebration–not the weather.”

Best time for an outdoor wedding in San Diego: September or October. It is before the rainy season, and there are fewer cloudy and foggy days along the coast. Tourism also drops off during these months, making it easier to get beach permits for weddings and receptions, and there are less people on the beaches.

Travis Harris Photography

• Travis Harris Photography

Worst – Miami, Florida

Miami is a tropical paradise, but even paradise can have its downfalls. June is one of the wettest months, with 9.66″ of rain on average. Measurable rain falls at least every other day during the month, and even weak tropical waves can bring heavy rainfall. Add highs near 90 and that classic Florida humidity, and you have a combination for a uncomfortable outdoor wedding.

But sometimes the rain can be a good thing. “It’s a common misconception that bright, sunny days are great for photography,” said Miami wedding photographer Travis Harris of Travis Harris Photography. “Dealing with the harsh sun, it’s more difficult than on a cloudy or even rainy day. The sun creates hard shadows and gives people squinty eyes.”

Instead of shying away from the rain during an outdoor shoot, Harris finds some nook or cranny for cover, even if it’s just for the bride and groom. He then uses off-camera lighting to make the rain seem more like a graphical element. “Rain is definitely something that you have to embrace.”

Perhaps it’s Harris’ attitude toward the rain that has earned him fans of his photography in the particular weather element. “The joke now during any of the weddings I have in the rainy season is that they say, ‘I hope it rains,’ because it gives them something new and different for their photos.” They do say that rain on the wedding day is good luck! Best time for an outdoor wedding in Miami: Mid-late November. This is when the first cold fronts of the dry season arrive and sweep away the humidity. The frequent sea-breeze thunderstorms also end during this time, and the hurricane threat is low. Highs can still reach the low 80s, but this temperature is much more bearable for those not used to the heat.

Cate Eighmey Photography

• Cate Eighmey Photography

Worst – Kansas

There’s no place like Kansas for a wedding. Last month, an outdoor Kansas wedding made national headlines when a pair of uninvited guests showed up: two tornadoes. While tornado tracker and groom Caleb Pence might have shrugged off the cyclones, his bride did not share his enthusiasm.

“While May presents the greatest threat for tornadoes in Kansas, there is still a significant threat in June, mainly early in the month,” said Erdman. So unless the couple really enjoys the thrill of possible tornadoes, having a June wedding outdoors might not be the best idea.

In addition to the chance of tornadoes, June also tends to be the wettest month for Kansas. Thunderstorm clusters are common particularly in the evenings to mornings. “Even in the absence of thunderstorms, June can still be very hot and often humid, with highs in the 90s on one out of every two to four days in June,” noted Erdman.

With all of this crazy weather, what is a June Kansas bride to do? “Hairspray!” answered Ali Ternes, hairstylist at Beau Monde. “I always carry extra hairspray and have the bridal party carry extras with them as well.” She also suggests brides opt for a ‘messy do’ versus a sleek look, which can easily be foiled by the weather. “With the humidity here, texture is in this season, so rock out and be natural,” suggested Ternes.

Best time for an outdoor wedding in Kansas: Early October (Much lower severe threat than late spring, much less rain, lower humidity, highs in the low-mid 70s).