Don’t Sweat It—You Can Have an August Wedding

The mere mention of “August” as a wedding month can send the most resilient bride into palpitations. Images of wilted hair, thunderstorms, and groomsmen sweating in stifling tuxes can all spoil your special day.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

According to The Knot, 34.5 percent of all weddings take place in June, July or August. As a month to hold a wedding ceremony, August actually has a lot going for it, at least in Luray/Page County.

If you’re looking at this month for your wedding, the following considerations ought to part of your planning:

Mountaintop Climate or Deep Underground — The higher elevations of Shenandoah National Park are usually about 10 degrees cooler than the valley below. And, yes, you can get married in Shenandoah National Park, although it requires a Special Use permit and a number of rules apply. You can also get married in the cool underground of Luray Caverns and small wedding parties can stay at their Shawnee Farms Estate.

Contingency Venue—One great attraction of Page County as a wedding site is the number of splendid outdoor venues for the ceremony—but the majority of wedding sites have adjacent indoor facilities should the weather turn bad and the congregation have to be moved inside at the last minute. Ryan Kelly with the Sales Department at the Mimslyn Inn said, “We always have an option, a contingency, of moving indoors in case the weather turns bad.”  Study many other venue options here.

Time of Day—An evening ceremony with the sun setting behind the mountains combines mild temperatures and a tremendous photo op. A sunrise ceremony does the same thing, though of course, not everyone wants to get up that early.

Canopy/Cover—Depending on how long the ceremony is, the bride, groom, officiant and wedding party could be standing in front of guests quite a while. A canopy placed over the point where they gather will provide a good bit of shade.

Lightweight Wedding Outfits—for both brides and grooms—will look perfectly acceptable in August (and most likely be less expensive than alternatives). On your invitations, you might even suggest to guests they dress appropriately for a hot day.

Scheduling—One nice thing about August is that there are no major conflicting holidays; plus if your guests need time off from work, employers are accustomed to people taking leave in August.

Amenities—Have small samples of sunscreen available for both you and your guests. A small hand fan—maybe even with the program printed on it—makes a useful keepsake. At the reception, spritz bottles of water on each table will go over well.

Food—Working with Page County caterers, you will find an abundance of fresh, local fruits and vegetables for your reception.

Photography—August in Page County is a time of lush farms, vineyards, wildflowers and mountain views. Photo opportunities are endless.

The wedding industry in Page County is positively thriving. Regardless of the time of year you want to hold your ceremony, professionals are standing by to help you with virtually every aspect and service associated with it. Click here to find all the help you need.