Getting married is one of the most memorable experiences of your life. Some people plan huge weddings with hundreds of guests that get featured in the Who’s Who column of newspapers. Others may not want to have a wedding at all and just visit a justice of the peace to get hitched. One of the most common wedding themes is getting married on the beach. Here are some things you’ll need to know about how to plan a beach wedding.
Planning a Beach Wedding
If you’ve ever watched television, you’re sure to have seen a couple saying their vows while standing on a sandy beach, the waves delicately lapping at the edges of their gettogether but not making a mess. In case you haven’t figured it out yet, everything in Hollywood is fake, including how easy it is to have a beach wedding.
Getting married on the beach holds unique challenges you might not face if you got hitched somewhere else. One of the most significant factors that can mess up your big day is the weather. Mother Nature is unpredictable and temperamental; it’s pretty obvious why we’ve assigned it a female personality. My boyfriend says Mother Nature and I are a lot alike. We can never make up our minds.
Many weddings have been veered off course by surprise showers. If your wedding has components that will cost you by the hour, like a deejay, caterers, and location, an unexpected storm could cause you a long host of problems. Being prepared for the unexpected can help you keep your wedding on track, no matter what occurs.
Steps for Planning a Beach Wedding
When planning a beach wedding, there are some steps to take to ensure a good time for everyone. Well, almost everyone. There’s always going to be a few people who hate something you did, just because it’s you. As long as the bride and groom are happy, who cares what other people say. To improve your chances of a successful wedding, follow these tips.
Step One – Plan Your Guest List
A lot of people say that the first step in planning your wedding should be to pick your location. But I have to disagree with this method. Having a beach wedding poses some unique challenges, such as lack of handicap access, seating, and shelter from the heat, sun, and weather.
Before deciding where you want to have your wedding, consider the people you will be inviting. Do you have elderly parents or grandparents that need a place to sit during the ceremony? Friends or family members, who will have physical limitations crossing the sand? Young children, who will need to be kept away from the water?
The number of people you plan to invite to your wedding is a crucial factor to consider. You don’t want to invite 200 guests and not have enough room to fit them all. If you’re planning a short ceremony, consider having a standing only viewing area so you won’t take up as much space with chairs. However, it is wise to have a few seats set up for the parents, grandparents, etc.
Step Two – Pick a Location
Once you have your guest list figured out, the next thing to do is pick the location. Just because you want to get married on the beach doesn’t mean you have to jump on a flight to the closest ocean. A beach means sand, sun, and aqua. It doesn’t have to be salty water. If you have a beautiful lake or river with a large enough beach area, you could undoubtedly tie the knot there.
While you’re considering the place where you’re going to host your wedding, you’ll want to consider your bridal party. Is there an area where the groom and bridal parties can get ready for the ceremony? Or will you have to get prepared somewhere else and travel to the wedding site?
Your guest list will also play a factor in where you choose to have your wedding because you don’t want to pick a place that your guests won’t be able to go. Destination weddings can be a dream come true but they can also be expensive. Not everyone would be able to travel with you. You would be in the position of deciding to get married without a person’s attendance or to cover the costs of their trip.
Common destination locations include:
- Mexico
- Hawaii
- Jamaica
- The Keys
- The Bahamas
Booking Your Location
The great thing about having a wedding on the beach is that it’s usually considered public property, which means you don’t have to worry about availability. But it also means that you might have to deal with strangers roaming around and possibly intruding on the ceremony.
Getting married on a public beach means you won’t have to shell out a ton of money to book a location. But you do need to check with the city officials to make sure you won’t need a permit or any type of documentation to allow you to have a public gathering. Permits usually range from $30 to $300 and will depend on what you’re requesting permission to do.
Many beaches have restrictions against having bonfires or alcohol, so you might want to consider having the exchange of vows on the beach and then relocating to a private area such as a restaurant or event room for the reception.
Some areas do have outside pavilions you can rent for parties so you could have some form of shelter while hosting your reception. But be sure you follow all the rules so your party isn’t over before it can kick-off. This includes noise ordinances, alcoholic beverages, and the maximum capacity of people.
To save money, consider having your wedding in the off-season. Not only will prices be lower, but there are fewer crowds so that you might have more privacy for your ceremony. Waiting until the off-season is also an excellent tip for destination weddings or staying at a resort. It will also make your honeymoon more fun as you won’t have to worry about crowds and unavailability.
Private Weddings
You could always search for a private beach, which you might have to end up paying for, but at least you would have a way to keep your wedding exclusive to the guests and not the entire world. If you want to have your wedding and reception on the beach, this might be the way to go.
When doing a destination wedding, it’s a smart choice to consider staying at a resort. Many locations will handle all the details of setting up and hosting your ceremony for free, provided you book a certain number of rooms for guests for a certain amount of days.
You can often get group discounts. If your wedding party will all be staying at the same place, make the reservations under one name for everyone to qualify. In the long run, you might save money by using the services of a resort, as you won’t have to handle all the preparations and you won’t have to pay extra for the services of a wedding planner.
Step Three – Pick Your Decorations
When you’re having a beach wedding, you won’t need to use a lot of decorations. The backdrop of the water will provide all the visual appeal you’ll require. But many people like to use wedding arches and a platform for the bride, groom, and officiate to stand on. If you’re wearing a long dress, you might prefer not standing directly in the sand.
If you are planning to set up chairs and an arch, be sure you check the tide charts ahead of time. You wouldn’t want to get everything ready for the wedding only to have the tide jump up and flood the area. Or recede too far out, leaving your wedding party standing in soft damp sand that sticks in clumps to your clothes and feet.
Many people don’t consider the fact that it’s often windy on the beach. Extra decorations like balloons, streamers, and flowers can end up making more of a mess than being an attractive accent to the wedding. Instead, keep it simple.
Decorations to Use During a Beach Wedding
Instead of going overboard with decorations, pick one or two areas to showcase. If you’re setting up chairs, throw down a disposable carpet or tarp to cover the sand. But remember that the fabric can cause the sand to bulk up so it can pose a tripping hazard. Use colored chairs for a pop of color or cover them with fabric coverings.
Aisle runners give your guests something substantial to walk on so they aren’t traipsing through the sand. The runner will also help the bride as she walks down the aisle. It can be difficult walking on sand in normal conditions. If you’re wearing heels, forget about it. You’ll be nursing a twisted ankle on your honeymoon. Runners also add a touch of elegance to a simple beach wedding.
What’s a wedding without flowers, right? Well, at a beach wedding, flowers can be a hit or miss. Not all flowers will hold up under the wind and direct sun. Roses and hydrangeas, two of the most common flora used in weddings, aren’t durable enough to handle an outdoor wedding.
Instead, consider species like chrysanthemums, orchids, succulents, or my personal favorite, calla lilies. Make it a nautical themed wedding to match the beach backdrop by putting these flowers in glass bottles, in vases surrounded by seashells, or use mason jars painted to match your wedding colors and stuff in the sand.
Step Four – Pick Your Colors and Clothing
Many people feel that they need to have a color scheme for their wedding. Since you’re at the beach, it’s common to see varying colors of blue, white, and yellow. These colors can be used in the decorations, the flowers, and even in the clothing of the wedding party. Having everyone wearing the same colors can tie your whole theme together.
For the Bridesmaids
How your bridesmaids and groomsmen dress will be up to the bride and groom. The bride may prefer to choose the dresses for her bridesmaids, or she may give her ladies free rein to pick their own style as long as it matches the color scheme.
When deciding how to do your bridesmaid’s dresses, you might want to set a budget so that everyone can afford to pay for their outfit without financial strain. You could have a friend who can afford a $500 bridesmaid’s dress, which might be a problem for your other bridesmaid. Or you might decide to pay for their dresses out of your pocket.
For the Groomsmen
Your colors also usually appear on the men, in the form of ties, vests, or cummerbunds. Chances are, you aren’t going to expect your groom and his men to be standing up for a beach wedding wearing a tuxedo. These events are a more casual affair and don’t need to be black tie.
A lightweight linen suit is entirely appropriate for the groom and his party to wear to a beach wedding, as is just wearing a nice button-up shirt and slacks. Ties optional. If you need a way for them to match the colors, consider matching shirts, ties, pocket handkerchiefs, or boutonnieres. It’s probably going to be warm out there, and you don’t want your groom passing out from heat exhaustion before he can say, “I do.”
For the Guests
The mother of the bride usually matches her outfit to the bride’s colors, but in casual weddings like at the beach, you might choose to skip this tradition. If you and the wedding party aren’t going to be dressed formally, be sure to inform your guests to dress appropriately.
They are coming out to share in your special day. These people are willing to brave the heat and humidity to watch you and your partner start a new life together. The least you can do is make sure they get to enjoy it as comfortably as possible. Tell everyone to come dressed for the heat in casual attire. You could even set up a basket at the back of the area so everyone can dump their shoes and enjoy the ceremony barefooted. Sandy shoes aren’t any fun.
The Wedding Dress
The wedding dress is said to be one of the most essential parts of a wedding. From a young age, girls dream of their wedding day, right down to the type of dress they want to wear. If you’re getting married on the beach, you might want to skip wearing an expensive formal wedding dress.
Instead, look for a lightweight dress. Finding a dress that can billow in the sea breeze not only keeps the bride safe from heatstroke, but it can also make for some fantastic photos as you’re saying your vows. Cotton and linen dresses work best.
Your Hair
Veils provide a classic look, but they can be troublesome with the wind. If you’re choosing to wear a veil, go for one that is short or one that you can secure in place. It can be hard focusing on the officiate’s words if you’re busy swiping lace out of your face.
Wearing your hair down is a classic look, but you face the same problems as you would with a veil. By the end of the ceremony, your perfectly styled locks will look like a rat’s nest. Not the look you want to go for in your first pictures as a married couple. Instead, go for a classic updo that will make you look elegant and sophisticated. And it keeps you cooler.
Makeup
We know that you want to look your absolute best on your wedding day. So if you’re planning a beach wedding, you might want to consider going light on the makeup. Make sure you wear waterproof mascara and eyeliner. You don’t want to look like a raccoon if you start tearing up during the vows, as most of us women tend to do.
As great as you look with appropriately applied contour, consider the temperature before doing a full face of makeup. If you’re going to be standing in the heat for a while, chances are you’ll start sweating. Modern makeup has come a long way in being able to withstand sweating and moisture, but too long outside, and your face could start looking clumpy.
Highlight your eyes and lips for a dramatic effect and rock the natural look to avoid messy makeup. If necessary, use a light powder and blush. On your wedding day, no one is going to be paying attention to your complexion, as long as you aren’t looking ghastly from exposure to the elements.
Don’t Forget Sun Protection
Many people get so caught up in the excitement of the big day that they forget to consider preventative measures such as sunblock. When hosting a wedding outdoors, you might want to offer your guests individual size sunscreen products. Not everyone can handle being outdoors for an extended period without getting sunburnt.
While you remember to protect your guests, you should also not forget to protect yourself. The last thing you want on your honeymoon is to have stiff, burnt skin that makes it hard to move around. Wait until you’re lazing on the beach during your vacation before you risk the lobster look. Lather your exposed skin with an excellent moisturizing SPF sunblock before your ceremony begins.
A great benefit is that your skin will glisten, making you look even more breathtaking. Just make sure you rub the lotion in good enough that you don’t have white streaks. And take care not to get the product on your clothes. Don’t forget to use an SPF lipstick or lip gloss to keep your lips healthy and protected too.
Step Five – Make the Announcements
Once you’ve figured out the details of your wedding, it’s time to make an announcement. Many couples take engagement photographs and use these as their save the dates. You can make your own photo invites that you print at home or purchase through a company. Or you could stick with a more traditional invite without pictures.
On your invite, you want to include relevant details like time, location, and dress code. For a beach wedding, it’s best to host during the day or right at sunset. Trying to organize a nighttime beach wedding doesn’t give you the same impact as you won’t be able to see the beauty of the water.
If you’re having a reception after the wedding at a different location, you’ll want to mention this as well. If there’s specific instructions about how to get to the area where you’re holding the ceremony, such as a pier number or private access, you need to list it.
Don’t leave anything open for interpretation. Ask your guests to RSVP so you can get an idea of how many guests you expect to have in attendance. This allows you to make sure you have adequate room for everyone, as well as enough food and beverages.
List Your Registry
One of the perks of getting married is getting the chance to register for things you would like to have to start your new life together. Appliances, home decorations, and furniture are everyday items couples register to receive.
You can register at just about any store, either in person or online. You could set up a registry on Amazon or use a website designed specifically for weddings like Zola. Other people prefer to request money to help pay for the honeymoon or to help offset the costs of the wedding.
If you and your partner have already started your life together and don’t need any type of gifts, you can ask guests to contribute money instead. Or even ask them to donate to your favorite charity if you prefer not to receive any type of gifts.
Step 6 – Hire the Staff
Even if you’re having a casual wedding, you might still need to hire different types of staff to help with your event. You know you’ll need a wedding cake, so it’s best to get one picked out and ordered at least a month before the wedding date. Check-in a few days before the big day to make sure they’ll have your cake done on time and that they have the proper delivery instructions.
Serving food after a wedding is a matter of personal preference. It does raise the costs of your wedding, so if you’re on a budget, you might want to consider finger foods instead of full entrees. It can also cost more if you have to reserve a location to hold your reception.
If you decide to serve food, you can do a buffet style, where everyone serves themselves. You can hire a company to cater to you and have a few friends or family members set up after the food has been delivered. Or you can hire a catering company which will prepare and serve food to your guests so everyone can just sit around and enjoy your time together.
Consider Using an Audio System
While you’re on the beach, it might be difficult for some guests to hear the ceremony over all the different sources of interference. You have to fight to be heard over the tide, the seagulls, other beach patrons, possible traffic if you’re close to a road, and any activities going on out in the water like jet skis or surfers.
You might want to consider using a PA system or wireless microphones while saying your vows, so your ceremony is heard by your guests. The PA system can also play the music for when the bride walks down the aisle, as well as the song for the first walk down the aisle as a married couple.
If you plan to have a reception, you might want to find a way to provide entertainment, such as a live band or a deejay. As a mom of four kids, I always look for ways to save a buck, and an easy way to do that here is to have a friend or family member play deejay. Put together your own list of music you’d want to play, including the song for your first dance.
Hook a laptop up to a soundbar or wireless speakers if you don’t have a PA system available. Or if you’re in a facility that has a sound system, talk to the facilitator so you can get access. Keep the music playing throughout the reception to keep things festive and entertaining. If possible, have a space for a dance floor. Weddings are more fun when you can cut loose and look like a fool.
Step 7 – Enjoy Your Big Day
If you’ve followed these steps, you should be prepared to have a perfect beach wedding. Planning a ceremony requires a lot of attention to detail. It helps to have someone who can help you with the preparations.
Many times, brides rely on their mothers, mother-in-law, or a trusted friend, who is often given the honor of being the maid of honor. There’s a lot that goes into making a wedding work. Don’t be scared to ask for help. Get your posse together and follow these tips on how to plan a beach wedding. Congratulations on your upcoming nuptials. May you and your partner have a happily ever after.