Spring
Weather: More frequent rainfall in late May and early June give this time of year in Southern California the name "June Gloom." Wedding photographers Erin and Courtney de Jauregui (Erin Hearts Court) have shot many May and June outdoor weddings in pouring rain, so they suggest always having a backup plan.
Best time of day to take photos: The most magical light for taking photos always comes an hour before sunset, which varies from season to season. Erin Hearts Court stresses planning the wedding timeline around sunset. They even have a sunset app on their iPhone to figure out the timing for all their weddings!
Look out for: Big events (like the LA Marathon) take place throughout Los Angeles every spring. Roads will be closed, making it hard for guests (and you!) to get to the wedding. Check community event calendars well in advance of your wedding date.
Must-have: Springtime comes with awesome clouds, so ask your photographers to get great shots with the sky in the background.
Summer
Weather: SoCal summers are hot and sunny, so you should have nothing to worry about for your outdoor soiree. (Though, again, you should always have backup plan, and lots of refreshing drinks!)
Best time of day to take photos: As it gets deeper into the summer and the sun sets later, you obviously can't wait for evening dusk; your guests are going to get hungry! Instead, plan for a 6 p.m. ceremony and take photos before. Then, after cocktail hour, schedule your first dance around 7:45, inside that magic window before sunset, which in July is a little after 8 p.m. Trust us, the photos will look amazing.
Look out for: Unexpected cold. It may be super-warm during the day, but temperatures can drop dramatically (as much as 20 degrees) by nighttime. Rent heating lamps. Even if you don't use them, it'll be worth knowing your guests won't freeze (read: leave early) if it gets chilly. It's especially important to remember this in SoCal because so many guests come from out of town and they dress for warm weather.
Must-have: A traffic plan. Test drive the route from ceremony site to reception site at the time planned for your wedding day. Time it and put the results on your wedding website so your guests know what to expect. Traffic on the west side (by the piers) is brutal during the summer.
Fall
Weather: From September to March the Santa Ana Winds blow through Southern California. Don't worry, though; the wind is warm. Clear days and minimal fog make fall one of the nicest times of the year.
Best time of day to take photos: The sun sets anytime between 6:30 p.m. in early October to 4:45 p.m. toward the end of November, so be sure to look up the estimated time for your wedding day and take at least some photos within the hour before it sets. Remember: Turning the clocks back that one hour makes sunset much earlier.
Look out for: College football games. On game days, parts of Los Angeles can turn into a giant parking lot and traffic is slower. College football season runs from early September to early December. Try to steer clear of areas around The Rose Bowl stadium, where UCLA plays, and Memorial Coliseum, which is home turf to USC.
Must-have Take photos somewhere unconventional, like an orange orchard, inside the California Citrus State Historic Park in Riverside (Parks.Ca.gov).
Winter
Weather: Winter in Southern California means rain. January and February tend to be the rainiest months. Luckily, temperatures remain comfy in the high 60s.
Best time of day to take photos: When the sun sets really early (we're talking before 5 p.m.), sticking to a strict timeline is even more important than other times of year. Set up a pre-ceremony photo shoot around 4 p.m., so you get that pretty light in the hour before the sun disappears. If you run out of time, and you want pictures outside, make sure twinkly lights are set up on the trees so it's not completely dark in the background of your photos.
Look out for: Awards season. If you have many guests who plan to visit from out of town, have them book hotels early. When Oscar comes to town, rooms fill up fast.
Must-have: A Santa Monica Pier photo shoot. The place looks completely different in the winter than it does in the summer. Instead of crowds of tourists, there are fishermen, and they make for a much cooler background for photos than fanny pack-wearing men.
-- Jaimie Dalessio