Chattanooga, TN is called the “Scenic City” due to it’s amazing natural beauty. The Tennessee River runs right through the middle of the city and there are various hikes and lookouts you can get an amazing view of the river! Chattanooga also gets all four seasons and each season has unique aspects depending on what you’re looking for. In this blog, I’m going to go through the pros and cons of the four seasons here to help you decide what time of year sounds best for your Tennessee elopement!
Summertime in Chattanooga is the time for being in the water. It gets very hot and humid in the summer which makes it the best time to go for a swim in a waterfall or river since the water is cold year-round but it’s much more refreshing to swim in the summer! It also is extremely lush and green this time of year making it beautiful for hiking.
So if you don’t mind the heat and love the greenery and want to swim, I would recommend visiting in the summer! However, the waterfalls will not be as full in the summer as we often get droughts this time of year.
Autumn is a magical time of year in Chattanooga since we have such a wide variety of tree species making for a burst of color. The fall colors change earlier at higher elevations, so if you’re looking to elope in autumn, I highly recommend choosing a location in advance so you can best time the change of colors based on the elevation. The Smokies start to change in early October, the Cumberland Plateau in mid-October, and in Chattanooga around late October and early November.
The disadvantage to visiting Chattanooga in autumn is that it’s the dry season, meaning that waterfalls, rivers, and creeks will be very low or empty. So if you were hoping to have a full waterfall as your backdrop, autumn would not be the best time. But if you’re looking for fall colors and amazing weather, then this is the season for you!
Springtime in Chattanooga is known for beautiful weather and the return of greenery and blooming flowers. A big thing to note is that this is the peak time for pollen so if you are prone to seasonal allergies, I would avoid traveling here in the spring. But if you don’t have outdoor allergies, spring has a lot to offer since it has mild weather, the waterfalls are fuller since there is still a good bit of rain, and the trees are coming back to life.
The time of year you choose for your elopement makes a big difference in what photo locations will be available to you so I hope this guide helped you navigate which season best aligns with your vision for your day! Feel free to comment any questions you have, I’m happy to help!