Beach Weddings
Beach weddings are becoming more popular, as many more couples are considering creative and imaginative new ways to get married!
There are many different ways to make your beach wedding dreams come true! Let the following ideas fuel your imagination.
The most amazing thing about a beach wedding is that at different times of day, the mood is totally different. For example, at sunrise or sunset, the beach is a place of serenity, beauty and romance. The rich, deep colors of the sky contrast against the sea to paint a spectacular backdrop to the ceremony, while the gentle breaking of waves against the beach create an atmosphere of calm. during the mid-day, the beach is a lively place full of fun, excitement and motion. Dawn or dusk are perfect for intimate weddings with a small number of guests.
If you are planning a larger beach wedding with a large gathering of people, a mid-summer day long beach party allows all your guests to join in the fun!
At a beach wedding, nature is the decorator! The setting is perfect and you don't need to worry about the decorations! Your beach wedding photos will be spectacular with a wide vista serving as the backdrop to you and your guests.
Here are some ideas to fuel your imagination ...
- An obvious theme for a beach wedding is the surfing theme, with swim wear, surf boards and "The Beach Boys" being the order of the day. Perfect if you or your guests (or your minister!) like to surf.
- The beach wedding setting also suggests a Pirate theme. Guests can rent costumes, gifts can be presented in treasure chests, you could have a real treasure hunt, sea shanties could be sung (maybe not!) At the end of the day, the bride and groom could sail off into the sunset.
- A Robinson Crusoe and Girl Friday beach wedding! Guests dress as castaways and wave flares when the bride and groom kiss! At the end of the day, the bride and groom are marooned on a desert island...
- A rainbow beach wedding is very eye catching. A rainbow is made out of balloons (filled with helium) and the ceremony takes place directly under the balloon. The guests all bring colored umbrellas, which decorate the aisle and help to keep the sun off (and also helps if it suddenly starts raining!)
- A sand castle themed beach wedding! Get a professional sand sculptor to build a sand castle backdrop to the beach wedding. Decorate with brightly colored pails and spades!
Although beach weddings are popular, they do come with their own set of problems, which you need to prepare for, unless you want your beach wedding to be a disaster!
Not that you should be put off from holding your dream beach wedding. Just make sure you take these pros and cons into consideration in advance. This way your wedding day will be a wonderful event!
The "Pros"- Cost. A beach wedding can be much cheaper than a traditional wedding. These days, people spend an absolute fortune on their wedding (five figures on average!) A huge financial burden is not the best way to start a marriage.
- A beach wedding is casual. As a result, the guests don't need to worry about coming in formal dress, and can dress comfortably and affordable. This puts the guests at ease, and avoids embarrassment as not everyone can afford to buy formal wedding outfits.
- The wedding ceremony and reception can be held in the same place - the beach! This means there is no need to travel between two different locations.
- A beach wedding means that everyone can be involved in the fun! At traditional weddings, the guests just get to sit and watch. At beach weddings, they can be a part of the celebration.
- If you are planning a small ceremony, you probably won't need a permit and will not require that a section of the beach is blocked off.
- A beach wedding is an opportunity for you to express your creativity. You are not bound by tradition or convention.
The most important thing is that you, your partner, your guests and family have a spectacular day to remember, not how much you spent on your wedding!
- At a beach wedding, you are at the mercy of the forces of nature! Make sure you have an alternative location and a back up plan in case things turn ugly.
- Beaches are usually quite breezy, so try to choose a spot which is protected from the worst of the wind. A "cove" makes an ideal spot.
- Make sure you have authorization to use the beach. It would be embarrassing for the entire party to be arrested during the ceremony (not likely). Contact the authorities and make sure it is ok.
- Follow the "Beach Rules". Remember, the beach is a living habitat, and rules are there to protect the beach and its inhabitants, animal, vegetable and human!
- Make sure you keep food covered. Sea gulls are infamous thieves and have no problem with crashing your party and making off with the food! No matter what you do, they will attend your beach wedding.
- Remember the tide comes in as well as going out. You don't want to find your beach wedding interrupted by the unexpected arrival of millions of gallons of water!
- There will be bugs and other hazards, including the sun! Make sure you bring sunscreen and insect repellent for everyone at your beach wedding, as some of your guests are bound to forget to bring some.
- The chairs at your beach wedding may sink into the sand if you do not bring or rent flooring to place under them. You can get around this with beach blankets, which removes the need for chairs. Remember, however, that elderly guests will be more comfortable with chairs, so you may need to use both. Also, provide umbrellas to protect your guests from the elements.
Remember, although beach weddings are beautiful and fun, nature does introduce a degree of unpredictability. Planning is needed to eliminate any problems in advance.
In spite of these warnings, your beach wedding will be a memorable and unique experience which you will treasure for the rest of your life.