I had just recently read an article that The Knot put out about wedding dates to avoid, and it reminded me of some local events that have historically caused problems for weddings in the past, and I thought I would share those with any of you planning your 2013 wedding in the San Francisco Bay Area. 
 
First, are some key dates of Sept 1-22, 2013. This is during the America's Cup Finals, and while some don't know what that is, or how many people will attend, the early findings I'm having is that room rates and blocks are much higher and more difficult (courtesy blocks are almost non-existent during these dates). The other issue that is obviously a concern is traffic, as San Francisco already has heavy traffic along the waterfronts on warm September days, so this will almost certainly be an issue. Another thing to consider, is that rentals (i.e. tents, tables, chairs, the basics), will be possibly at a minimum due to all the private events being planned as well as September being one of the most popular wedding months in San Francisco. Just something to weigh out when choosing your date and venue, especially along the waterfront or with a lot of out of town guests.

Another big date to avoid is Bay To Breakers weekend. The race day is set for Sunday May 19, 2013, but hotel rates tend to be higher as there are a lot of people that travel here just for this race. The race literally takes over the entire city for most of the day, so you wouldn't want to be anywhere near the race route, which goes from near the Bay Bridge all the way to Ocean Beach.

There are dates that haven't been announced also as of yet, but if you are considering any of these venues/areas, always check the calendar before signing on the dotted line: 
 
Early June 2013 - Union Street/Marina Area (Flood Mansion, Hamlin Mansion) - Union Street Festival 
Late June 2013 - Sonoma/Napa/St. Helena - Nascar Race 
July 2013 - Fillmore Street/Pacific Heights Area (Yoshi's, St. Dominic's) - Fillmore Street Jazz Festival 
August 2013 - Golden Gate Park Area (Shakespeare Garden, Tulip Garden, DeYoung Museum)- Outside Lands Festival 
 
There are always things you can't avoid though that may be planned last minute, as came up in our real wedding that will post next week, but if you have a great planner in place, they will make sure that it doesn't affect your wedding day or your guests. Always feel free to email or comment here if you have any questions about any dates, we're always happy to help! 
 
Cheers,