Best Month to Marry in Greece: Heat, Wind, Ferries

The Best Month to Marry in Greece: Meltemi, Heat, Ferries and Prices

There is no single best month to marry in Greece. There is a best month for your guests, your place and your budget, and the trade-offs are easy to see once you put the numbers side by side: how hot it gets, when the wind blows, when flights and ferries run, and when costs drop.

This guide uses measured temperatures from Greek weather stations, the Hellenic National Meteorological Service's description of the Greek climate, and the season rules that change what you pay.

TL;DR:

• Late May, June and September are the sweet spot for most couples: warm, dry, and before or after the hottest weeks.
• Late July and early August are the hottest stretch of the year. Greece's national weather service puts average highs then at 29°C to 35°C.
• The meltemi, a strong summer north wind, blows mainly in the Aegean. It matters most on Cycladic islands and anywhere guests travel by boat.
• October is still warm in the south, but many direct flights and ferry runs thin out as the season ends.
• November to March is the rainy season, and the climate resilience fee on guests' rooms is lower.

How hot is each month?

Average daily high temperatures, in °C, from stations in the meteo.gr network run by the National Observatory of Athens. Each station's records start between 2006 and 2016, so treat these as recent averages, not long-term norms.

A few things stand out. Athens is the hottest in July and August, Santorini the mildest. Corfu and Chania are close to Athens at the height of summer. September on every list is about as warm as June, and October is roughly as warm as May.

The Hellenic National Meteorological Service describes Greece's year as two seasons: a cool, rainy season from mid October to the end of March, and a warm, dry season from April to October. It names the last ten days of July and the first ten of August as the hottest period, with average highs between 29°C and 35°C.

The meltemi: the wind that changes island weddings

In summer, northerly winds blow mainly over the Aegean. The national weather service notes that they, along with sea breezes, take the edge off the heat on the coast. Locally the wind is the meltemi.

For a wedding, it has two effects:

• Outdoor set-ups. A cliff terrace in the Cyclades can be beautiful and very windy. Ask your venue where it moves the ceremony on a windy evening, and pick decorations that won't fly.
• Boats. Fast ferries are the first to be cancelled when the wind is strong, as our ferries and transfers guide explains. Ask guests travelling by sea to arrive the day before.

Corfu, on the Ionian side, and the Athens Riviera are less exposed to the Aegean wind, which is one reason couples worried about it look there. Our comparison of Santorini, Crete, Rhodes, Corfu and the Athens Riviera covers the other differences.

When flights and ferries run

Most direct flights from northern Europe to the islands are seasonal, roughly spring to autumn, and the North American routes to Athens are seasonal too. A June or September wedding gives guests the widest choice. For dates in late October or later, check that your guests' routes still run.

Ferries follow the same pattern. Outside the peak months there are fewer departures and the last boat of the day is often earlier, so build in a buffer day for island weddings in spring and autumn.

What is the cheapest month to get married in Greece?

The months outside the season usually cost less, but not everything changes with the calendar.

• Guests' rooms. Greece's climate resilience fee, charged per room per night, is higher from April to October and lower from November to March. As announced by the government in September 2024, the summer rate is €2 for 1 and 2 star hotels and rented rooms, €5 for 3 stars, €10 for 4 stars, and €15 for 5 stars and villas, and €8 for short-term rentals, according to the government announcement reported by Taxheaven in September 2024.
• Venues and vendors. Many price by season and by day of the week. Ask every venue for its high-season and low-season rates, and for a weekday price.
• Fixed fees mostly don't move. In most towns the civil ceremony fee and the paperwork cost the same in any month, and in some towns, such as Hersonissos, a weekend ceremony costs more than a weekday one.

Our cost guide has per-person estimates for 20, 50 and 80 guests.

Month by month

• April and early May. Mild days, and some island venues are only opening for the season, so ask. Greek Orthodox Easter falls in spring, and Metropolises don't hold weddings during Lent and Holy Week, so check the date with your parish for an Orthodox wedding.
• Late May and June. Long days, warm evenings, and highs in the mid to high twenties on the islands. Our first choice for most couples.
• July and August. Reliably dry and hot, with the meltemi at full strength in the Aegean. Book shade, water and an evening ceremony.
• September. As warm as June on every station in our table. A favourite for good reason, so book early.
• October. Still warm in Crete and Rhodes, cooler in the north. Some civil ceremony schedules change with the season: Chania, for example, has held its outdoor civil weddings from June to October.
• November to March. The rainy season. Fine for an Athens city wedding or an elopement, harder for an outdoor island wedding.

Plan around the month you choose

Once you have a month, send the date early so guests can book flights while the routes are cheapest. A save the date and a wedding website with travel details do most of the work, and our Greece wedding timeline from abroad shows when each step falls.

Ask us about your dates

We're not wedding planners. Email us at [email protected] and we'll suggest Greek vendors that fit your date, place and budget, and explain the paperwork. Neutral advice, free, and we pass your details to a vendor only once you say so.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best month for a wedding in Greece? For most couples, late May, June or September: warm and dry, without the peak heat of late July and early August.

What is the hottest month in Greece? July and August. The national weather service names the last ten days of July and the first ten of August as the hottest period, with average highs of 29°C to 35°C.

When is the meltemi wind in Greece? It is a summer wind that blows mainly over the Aegean, strongest in the height of summer. It affects the Cyclades and ferry travel most.

What is the cheapest month to get married in Greece? Outside the April to October season, costs are generally lower, including the climate resilience fee on guests' rooms. Ask venues and vendors for their low-season and weekday rates.

Is October a good month for a wedding in Greece? In the south, yes: average highs are around 24°C to 25°C in Crete and Rhodes. Check that guests' flights and ferries still run on your dates.

Recommended

• Santorini, Crete, Rhodes, Corfu or Athens Riviera?
• Island Wedding Travel: Ferries and Transfers
• Greece Wedding Timeline From Abroad, Month by Month
• Greece Wedding Cost Per Person, Outside Santorini