So, you want to get married on the beach? It’s understandable – a seaside ceremony is super-romantic and one that you and your guests will remember for a lifetime!
Once you’ve decided to get married by the shoreline, however, you have to start planning the details. Will it be an elaborate, formal ceremony with lots of friends and relatives or do you want a low-key ceremony with just those who are closest to you in attendance?
For many brides, the whole idea of getting married on the sand is that they just want to have a simple beach wedding. That being said, we’ve put together some ideas to help you start planning.
Attire
Light and airy is the theme of a beach wedding! Lightweight linen suits for men and, for women, cocktail dresses or tea-length dress work well.
Because of the popularity of beach weddings, many bridal shops also carry simple, but beautiful bridal gowns that are made for just the seashore. Want something more casual? Try beige or tan bermuda shorts paired with a white polo shirt for the men and a short white dress for the ladies.
Of course, the simplest and easiest way to go is to wear a white bikini with a sarong, while the groom wears white board shorts! Complete any of these looks with beaded flats or sandals.
Decorations
A simple beach wedding doesn’t really even need decorations because Mother Nature has already done the work for you! However, you can set up tiki-style torches on either side of the minister and wrap them with silk tropical flowers.
Or, how about strewing flower petals on the sand in the shape of a heart? Mark out a bridal walkway (aisle) in the sand with tropical flowers, large starfish stuck into the sand, or large conch shells. Or, a potted palm tree would look great on either side of the wedding couple.
For a beachside reception, use battery-powered twinkle-lights wrapped around raffia of beachy colors or put silk tropical flowers on the center of each table.
Flowers
For a simple beach wedding, try just carrying a small bouquet made of a few tropical flowers or orchids. These flowers can be real or made of silk. You can make your own simple, but elegant, bouquet by gathering flowers into a bunch and wrapping tulle or silk ribbon around the whole cluster of stems.
Pin the tulle or ribbon to the top and base of the bouquet with pretty straight pins tucked up into the stems.
Guests
If you truly want a simple beach wedding, you’ll have to trim the guest list way down! Close family and friends should be the only people who get invitations if you are trying to keep everything low-key.
Don’t invite people out of guilt! You can always have a post-wedding party in a month or two for those who weren’t included in the wedding.
Reception
For really simple beach weddings, small wedding parties can just go out for dinner after the ceremony. No muss and no fuss!
Music
Play wedding music from CD’s on a battery powered player or hire a flutist, saxophone player, or violinist to play for your ceremony.
If even these ideas sound like more than you want to take on, you can make a simple beach wedding even easier with Sugar Beach Weddings! But book early, because beach wedding days and locations fill up fast. For more, call Sugar Beach Weddings at 850-650-1515 or email us today.