Obviously a backup plan in case of rain will be made, but ideally I'm looking to have a wedding and reception that are completely outdoors, using a campsite as a venue, which has a gorgeous stone amphitheater for the ceremony, and a big bonfire pit. I want to have the bonfire going during the reception, which I'd like to plan to start around sunset (So the timing of that would vary based on the date I choose) Clearly I have more planning to do, but that's the general idea. The wedding would be in Connecticut.
So what's the best time of year for that? I'm worried about doing mid-summer because I don't do well in too much heat, but I've been thinking that maybe if I fiddle around with start times (Maybe have the ceremony start at sunset instead of the reception?) I can plan it late enough that heat won't be so much of an issue. I'm a bit hesitant to rely on it cooling off when it gets dark though, because there were plenty of nights this summer where I still needed the AC going at 1 am because it was so hot. Of course I also have to think about ways to deal with bugs if it's during the summer.
I've also been thinking about late september/ early October, because for the last few years, that has been really nice in terms of temperature- I didn't start wearing a jacket outside until late October this year, plus there are no bugs to worry about. But I'm worried that might end up being too cold when it starts getting dark.