Nestled within the serene foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Camp Holiday Trails is an incredible summer camp that also doubles as an unforgettable wedding venue. A Camp Holiday Trails wedding will include scenic woodland views and open fields, and it’s just minutes from UVA and downtown Charlottesville.
I had the chance to capture Amelia and Alex’s wedding here, and I have to say that this was arguably one of my favorite weddings of the year.
Let’s dive into more about Camp Holiday Trails so you can decide if you want to have your celebration here!
Plan a Camp Holiday Trails Wedding
Camp Holiday Trails is a year-round non-profit camp for children and teens with diverse medical needs. Something that I love about this venue is that if you plan your wedding here you’ll be helping to support their mission as all rental income directly funds their transformative programs!
A Camp Holiday Trails wedding is perfect for you if you love the outdoors, rustic charm, and natural scenery being a part of your celebration.
This venue is super versatile, as it offers several options for where you can plan your ceremony or reception. For your ceremony, you can choose their pasture under the trees, the Pavilion field, the Campfire Circle, or the serene waterfront with floating docks.
Amelia and Alex had their ceremony at the Campfire Circle, a beautiful and spacious green space surrounded by the property’s cabins that served as a gorgeous backdrop.
If you don’t want to have an outdoor ceremony, that’s not a problem as you can plan to have an indoor ceremony at the rustic Dining Hall. The Dining Hall is a charming location that features large windows that look out towards the woods and a wraparound deck, and it has plenty of space for you and your guests.
Another indoor space you can choose here is the Pavilion. The Pavilion includes overhead lighting, a stage area, a dance floor, and a bar. It also has sliding barn doors that can be enclosed as needed or left wide open.
At Camp Holiday Trails, you’ll be offered the choice to choose between a weekend wedding package which includes the use of: The Pavilion, Dining Hall, Kitchen, Lodges, and all fields and trails, or you can choose their one-day wedding package.
Another huge perk of choosing this venue is the cozy lodges where you and your wedding party can get ready and stay the night. All the lodges feature modern amenities and can accommodate up to 14 guests.
Having the lodges makes things so much easier for you as you’ll have everything you need all in one place – no worrying about transportation, traffic, or other logistics. It also simplifies coordination between your wedding vendors.
Your hair stylist, makeup artist, and photographer will all know exactly where they need to be and can easily move around the space.
One last amenity of this venue that I have to add is that if you want to add a fun activity to enjoy with your guests, they offer zip lining, archery, or the use of their climbing wall! For more information about Camp Holiday Trails, go here!
Amelia and Alex’s Weekend Wedding at Camp Holiday Trails
So, a fun fact for you: I actually used to work at Camp Holiday Trails, so I was so excited when I found out that Amelia and Alex were planning a wedding here! Amelia and Alex decided to plan a super fun weekend wedding. They started their celebration with a welcome party/ rehearsal that included a firepit, food trucks, and jello shots.
The next day started with a slow morning enjoyed with their loved ones. They exchanged their vows right in front of the stone fire pit, surrounded by nature. They ended their celebration with face painting and a kick-ass party.
Why You Should Plan a Weekend Wedding
Why not make your celebration last a little longer with a weekend wedding?
Planning a weekend-long wedding allows you to spend more time with your guests, and you can add more activities for you and your guests to enjoy. For example, some activities that you can include in a weekend-long wedding are: a welcome happy hour, a farewell brunch, and a rehearsal dinner.
A wedding is meant to be a time to celebrate with those you love the most, but let’s be honest: With a traditional wedding, the day is often jam-packed with a busy timeline to adhere to, and you don’t really get the chance to slow down and spend time with your loved ones.
On the other hand, a weekend wedding makes it possible to create meaningful memories with your guests, and you can choose exactly what your weekend looks like.
Another great reason to plan a weekend wedding is that it doesn’t have to be super expensive. You might think adding an extra day would come with a hefty price tag, but it doesn’t have to.
You get to choose how much extra room you want to add to your budget to accommodate an extra day and any additional activities.
With a weekend wedding, you can also create an immersive guest experience that’s full of activities that you and your partner enjoy doing together, whether that’s organizing a cookout, sitting around a bonfire making s’mores, and looking at the stars, cooking a big breakfast together, or something completely different.
You can make your wedding weekend as creative and fun as you want it to be while planning a weekend on your terms and still getting to have plenty of extra time with your guests!
Ready to Plan a Camp Holiday Trails Wedding?
I hope you found this guide helpful! Camp Holiday Trails is such a unique wedding venue that promises you a joyful and unforgettable experience.
And, if you are still looking for the perfect documentary wedding photographer to capture your wedding at Camp Holiday Trails or in Charlottesville I would love to chat. Capturing these moments for you and your partner to cherish forever is one of my favorite things about being a wedding photographer.
You can click here to learn all about my wedding photography services and my process, or you can head over here to get in touch and start planning your own dream wedding!
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