August Wedding: Flowers, Dates and Harvest-Style Ideas

August is one of the most popular months for weddings in Ukraine. It was the same a hundred years ago: villages held weddings after the harvest, when field work was over and there was time and plenty for a celebration. Today August is valued for its warm weather, long evenings and abundance of seasonal flowers. Here is what to consider when choosing a date, which flowers to pick for the bridal bouquet and décor so they survive the heat, and how to use the harvest theme in your styling.

Why August is a good month for a wedding

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• Weather. Daytime temperatures in central Ukraine are usually +25 to +28 °C, there is less rain than in June and July, and evenings are still warm, so an outdoor ceremony and dinner are realistic.
• Long days. In Kyiv the sun sets around 20:50 at the start of August and around 19:50 at the end. The "golden hour" for photos falls in the evening, when the heat eases.
• Flower and harvest season. Dahlias, asters, hydrangeas and sunflowers are local and affordable, and fruit, berries and grain ears are natural décor.
• Holidays. Many guests plan vacations in August, so announce the date early, 3–4 months ahead.

There are downsides too: the heat tires guests and wilts flowers quickly, and popular venues and photographers for August weekends are booked six months or more in advance.

Church calendar: when weddings are not held

If you plan a church wedding, check your church's calendar. The sacrament of marriage is not celebrated during fasts, on the eves of Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, or on the eves of major feasts. In August the key period is the Dormition Fast:

• under the Revised Julian calendar, adopted in 2023 by the Orthodox Church of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, it runs from 1 to 14 August; the Maccabees feast is on 1 August, the Transfiguration (Saviour's Day) on 6 August and the Dormition on 15 August;
• under the Julian (old style) calendar it runs from 14 to 27 August; the same feasts fall on 14, 19 and 28 August.

That leaves roughly half of August for a church wedding. A civil registration can be scheduled on any working day. Always confirm exact dates with your parish.

Folk beliefs about August weddings

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In folk tradition August was a "well-fed" month, and a marriage made after the harvest was expected to be prosperous. People avoided weddings in May (the Ukrainian and Russian word for May sounds like "to toil") and in leap years, and rain on the wedding day was said to bring wealth. These beliefs are best taken with a smile: they tell us about our ancestors' way of life, but they affect a couple's happiness no more than the colour of the napkins. Read more about family customs in traditional Ukrainian weddings.

Which flowers to choose for an August wedding

The main rule for late summer is to use what is blooming now. Seasonal flowers are fresher, cheaper and cope better with heat because they have not spent days in transit.

• Dahlias are the queens of August, from small pompons to 20 cm "dinner plates", in every shade except blue. They work in bouquets and on arches.
• Hydrangeas add volume but lose water quickly. Before the ceremony, submerge the flower heads in cool water for 20–30 minutes.
• Sunflowers are a symbol of the Ukrainian summer and a great accent for a rustic wedding.
• Asters, zinnias, echinacea and amaranth are bright, hardy and charmingly countryside.
• Lisianthus and spray roses are delicate classics that last longer than garden roses.

In August peonies are only available imported and expensive, while sweet peas and delicate garden roses wilt within hours in the heat. See what blooms in late summer in August flowers.

Bridal bouquet in the heat: practical tips

• Have the bouquet delivered on the morning of the wedding and keep it in a vase of water in a cool room until you leave.
• For an outdoor ceremony choose a compact bouquet on a frame or with wrapped stems, so it stays comfortable and neat.
• Make the groom's boutonniere from hardy flowers: a spray rose, chrysanthemum, sprig of eucalyptus or ear of wheat.
• During a midday photo shoot keep the bouquet in the shade; direct sun makes petals translucent within half an hour.

Browse ready-made options in our bridal bouquet catalogue and table ideas in wedding table flowers.

Harvest-style décor

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August suggests the theme itself: wheat sheaves at the entrance, baskets of apples and pears, bunches of grapes on the tables, candles in glass jars and linen tablecloths. In Ukrainian tradition the bride wore a flower crown (vinok), and the wedding loaf (korovai) was decorated with grain ears and viburnum; these details look natural at a modern wedding too. For an open-air party, provide a tent or shade, water for guests and mosquito repellent, and plan the dance programme ahead; see wedding dance ideas.

Frequently asked questions

Which flowers cope best with August heat?

Sunflowers, spray chrysanthemums, dahlias, amaranth, echinacea, lisianthus and spray roses.

Can you have a church wedding in August?

Yes, except during the Dormition Fast (1–14 August on the new calendar, 14–27 August on the old one) and on the eves of Wednesday, Friday, Sunday and major feasts.

How do I keep hydrangeas fresh?

Cut the stems at an angle, submerge the heads in cool water for 20–30 minutes and keep the bouquet in the shade.

Do I need peonies at an August wedding?

Peony-style roses or large dahlias are a cheaper and more reliable substitute.

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Author: Maria Svitlovir

Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.