Seattle – it’s our town and it’s a gorgeous place to get married. Brimming with venue options and gorgeous natural backdrops (think mountains to water to vineyards to cityscapes – and even the iconic Space Needle!) for those oh-so-important wedding photos, a Seattle wedding will not disappoint.
That said, Seattle presents some unique challenges for transportation. Nestled between mountains to the east and the Puget Sound to the west – and dotted with several lakes in between – traffic snarls (with limited alternatives) are common. And who wants to be stuck in a traffic nightmare on your big day?? (I remember being minutes from being trapped on the wrong side of a downtown parade route when I needed to be in Cap Hill – that kind of stress is simply not needed by anyone on their way to a wedding venue!)
So, we’ve compiled 8 dates to consider bypassing when you look at getting married in the Seattle Metro area – and why.
The Seattle Boat Show – spanning 9 days from late January to early February, this mega-boating event has 3 downtown locations and boasts itself as the West Coast’s largest boat show. Lodging may be tight downtown and options for reduced group pricing limited, and venues near Century Link, Bell Harbor, or South Lake Union may be more difficult to access with reduced parking availability.
St. Patrick’s Day Celebration – a city billing itself as the Emerald City, Seattle definitely knows how to throw a St. Patrick’s to-do! From a costumed dash touting upwards of 17,000 runners through downtown Seattle to a 2-hour parade slicing downtown in ½ along 4th Street, this is definitely a weekend to avoid the downtown corridor for your venue – and definitely alert your guests of the potential travel impact regardless of where they are traveling from and provide alternative routes to your chosen location.
Seattle Rock and Roll Marathon (early June) – another event with the capacity to impact not only the downtown locations – but everything from downtown to Columbia City to the U district, the full marathon with road closures is actually on Sunday. But pre-marathon events begin on Friday and the ½ Marathon is on Saturday – thus impacting hotel packages for the weekend. And since the marathon weekend draws in 18,000+ participants – plus almost 20,000 spectators – from around the world, expect a busier airport, crowded restaurants, and general congestion.
Fremont Solstice Celebration (mid-June) – Fremont – aka the Center of the Universe – throws its biggest party of the year on the longest day of the year. Pulling in a crowd of over 100,000, the street festival can snarl traffic in or near this neighborhood – and forget about finding parking! Definitely not the weekend to choose the Fremont Foundry or the Abbey for your venue.
PrideFest (late June) – touted as the busiest one-day event at the Seattle City Center attracting 150 – 200,000 revelers – replete with a city-slicing parade along 4th Street (albeit on Sunday) – this is a weekend to consider venues away from the Seattle Center and Cap Hill festival locations. Not only will traffic be an issue, but the shear volume of pedestrians will make travel in or near those areas troublesome.
Seafair – Seafair is actually a 10-week long festival that runs throughout the summer months, but there are 2 official events that it is wise to be aware of when choosing your date and your venue. The first is the Torchlight Run and Parade (late July). While this is a local phenomenon so won’t put a big stress on lodging, the impact to late afternoon and evening travel throughout the downtown area on this Saturday evening will be intense. Second is Seafair Weekend in early August – a weekend filled with boat racing, live music, and a visit by the Blue Angels. Located at Genesee Park on Lake Washington, expect an impact to South Seattle traffic – especially when I-90 closes for the Blue Angels – and who wants those jet engines screaming just as you say “I do”. That’s a good date to head to outlying areas to seek out your venue.
Bumbershoot – an international music and arts festival held on the grounds of the Seattle Center on Labor Day weekend, Bumbershoot draws attendees from across the country. The congestion – and lodging impact – doesn’t spill much farther than the localized area around the Center grounds, but it is worth noting in case you’re considering a venue in Queen Anne or Belltown.
Seattle Home Games – Seattleites love their home teams. Any day when a major sports team or the UW Huskies are playing are worth communicating to your guests as traffic snarls around the stadiums are worth avoiding via an alternate route or at least allowing significant additional travel time.
The reality is on any weekend in this event-full city you can run into a Comicon, a street festival, a beer or wine fest, or simply a spontaneous protest that can impact travel in and around the city. We think the key is working with a planner that is familiar with the territory (aka US!) that can help you and your guests navigate the intricacies of Seattle logistics.
So you’ve chosen a date … and now your planner is asking about your vision. Want a peek at the latest wedding trends to help with your response? We’ll share some insider scoop coming next!
