How to Plan for a Moab Wedding in Every Season
Moab, Utah is a destination that will surprise you. No matter the time of year, we find ourselves in awe of its wild beauty. Each season provides its own light, vegetation and sunsets specific to that quarter of the year. At The Red Earth Venue, we enjoy taking each season for what it is and optimizing what it uniquely offers. We’ll walk you through how our desert wedding venue offers a spot for planning your Moab wedding in every season.
What to Expect in Every Season for Your Moab Wedding Planning
The Moab desert is consistently dry with warm days and cool nights. This high desert is hot in the summer, cold in the winter, and windy in the spring. Spring and fall are generally the most tempered of the four seasons and therefore the most popular.
There’s never a shortage of Moab, Utah things to do in our outdoor playground. The weather in Moab doesn’t stop locals or visitors from finding something beautiful in every season. Most of the vast range of outdoor activities Moab offers can also be done year round. The unpredictable and natural beauty of Moab always lures people in!
A Moab Winter Wedding
The Moab weather is the coldest from late November through February but can run into March. Winters are mild at lower elevations, and very cold with snow in the mountains with temperature ranging from 10°F to 50°F. Heavy snowfall (except on the mountains) isn't typical but light snowfall is possible. Warm layers are key!
The pros of the cold season is that fewer tourists are on the trails and the town is basically empty for you to explore! The days are also shorter, which means opting for midday activities: scenic drives, hiking, visiting the national and state parks, bike rides, off-roading, snowshoeing, cross country/backcountry skiing (La Sal Mountains), and winter camping.
A Moab Wedding in The Spring
Spring weather lasts anywhere from April through mid-June. The temperatures are perfect for all-day activities but it can get windy. It’s one of our favorite Moab wedding seasons as we watch the wildflowers beginning to appear. Locals also start crawling out of their winter slumber and are ready to play!
It’s an ideal time of year for biking, hiking, 4x4 off-roading, canyoneering, camping, trail running, horseback riding, landscape photography in Utah, and scenic drives. Apart from the fall, the spring is the next busiest time of year in Moab.
In the early spring, be prepared by layering jackets and keeping an eye on the weather. It’s crucial to include heaters in your rental and alert guests to bring proper outerwear for the chilly evenings. The highs average 60º to 80º F and the lows average 30º to 50º F.
A Moab Wedding in the Summer
Moab is hot and dry during the summer reaching its peak heat during the months of mid-June through mid-September. Water and shade are your best friends during this time of year with highs reaching a brutal 100º F and above while lows hit 60º F.
The best parts of summer are the water activities and the incredible sunsets. Activities are best done in the early morning and late evening. You can go for scenic drives, hikes or bike rides along creeks, 4x4 off-roading, swimming, kayaking, paddle boarding, or stargazing and astrophotography. River activities are a must!
The surrounding La Sal Mountains are a great option for Moab summer weather to escape from the heat. They also provide some great backcountry activities in the winter. Our local alpine mountain range reaches 13,000 feet offering hiking, mountain bike trails, camping, hunting, skiing, and fishing encapsulated by pines, aspens and alpine lakes! The La Sal Range offers such an awesome getaway that is only 30 minutes from Moab.
Rainstorms aren’t common but not unheard of and will appear most typically in the late summer (July/August) and fall. Our Moab wedding venue has an amazing view of a runoff waterfall that manifests on the red rock cliff faces. The rain is very welcomed in the desert and there is nothing like that after-rain desert smell!
Keys to a successful Moab summer wedding:
Stay hydrated
Sun protection is a must
Plan for early morning or late evening activities
Be mindful of the heat
A Moab Wedding in the Fall
The fall is hands down the most popular and busiest time of year in Moab (with the spring running in 2nd place). The prime time is September through mid-November with temperatures ranging from lows of 40º F to 70º F. It is our favorite time of year for a Moab wedding as a fall wedding color palette compliments the red rocks.
Moab becomes a playground for all activities: hiking, cycling, climbing, canyoneering, river activities (in the early fall), camping, backpacking, stargazing, 4x4 off-roading and everything in between. You can also head to the mountains to see the changing leaves!
Temperature changes can be drastic so come prepared for warm days and cool nights. We recommend renting heaters and alerting guests to bring jackets for the evening. Or have them drink and dance enough to stay warm–which they usually do!
How The Red Earth Venue Moab is Ready For You Year-Round
Being a Moab wedding venue, we’ve had some of our largest events in August when it was hot and in December when it was snowing. It is possible to make a wedding or Moab adventure work in every season if you know what to expect and plan accordingly. With our Moab knowledge and expertise, we can make it work!
Since Red Earth was built as an indoor/outdoor concept, spring and fall are the ideal seasons you can fully utilize the space. There are many options available for your layout and guest count with inside/outside options for dancing, bar and buffet placement, etc.
The Glass Venue was actually built as a weather contingency plan if needed due to rain or wind. You still get the views when doing a wedding ceremony indoors against the big glass windows. We’ve only had to do this once and the wedding photos still turned out beautifully!
Most couples have chosen a Moab wedding so they can do so in nature against the red rocks. Keep in mind that wedding ceremonies generally last only 20 to 30 minutes. So even if the weather isn’t perfect, that short time of discomfort shouldn’t be too much to ask of your wedding guests. They are here for you and if getting married outside is important to the two of you then they will understand.
As your desert view wedding venue, we make it our priority to help your guests remain comfortable:
Heat: tents for shade (especially for bathroom or bar queues), drinking water for the entire day, cold towels, parasols, water misters, hats, folding hand fans, and umbrellas for rent.
Rain: depends upon the intensity, since it doesn't often pour in Moab but rather sprinkles. This often includes umbrellas, a tent, or moving the ceremony inside.
Wind: we mostly just embrace the elements and allow flexibility in timing and decor placement.
Cold: blankets or pashminas, we have heaters and fire pits available for rent to keep guests cozy inside and outside of the venue (especially for bathroom or bar queues).
Wedding vendor comfort is also necessary to consider: your musicians, DJs, bartenders, etc. will require shade in warm months and heaters in cold months if they are located outside.
The Red Earth Venue Summer Moab Wedding Accommodations
The sun sets behind the sandstone cliff across the highway about 2-2.5 hours before it sets on the horizon. This puts the entire venue into shade providing instant relief. The Glass Venue is also equipped with an evaporative cooler as well as two portable AC units for really hot days. Summer is the best for dancing into the night with your friends and family under the stars with that warm summer night feel.
The Remote Desert Site isn’t as ideal for a summer Moab wedding since it requires a walk into the desert and there is zero shade. Water must be provided for the walk and also at the site itself for your wedding guests. The heat in the desert is no joke and should not be taken lightly–hydration and sunscreen are always necessary.
Choose your own favorite Moab season and we will start planning!
Venue | The Red Earth Venue
Photographer | Matt Davidson Photography
Photographer | Jessie Lyn Photography
Photographer | Emily Klarer Photography
Photographer | Sadie Photo
Photographer | Amanda Avery Capture Co
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