Planning a wedding can be a lot of fun, but a lot of work, too. From the dress, to the caterer and the venue, there is a lot to think about. When you plan a destination wedding, there are also additional considerations to keep in mind. However, a beach wedding can be one of the most beautiful ways to say “I do.”
According to research, more than two million couples in the United States wed, each and every year. While many of them are traditional hometown weddings, some of them are also couples that seek out exotic locations. If you’re planning a beach wedding, we found six tips to make it fantastic.
Start Early
Our first tip for a fantastic beach wedding is to start planning well in advance. Because these are normally destination weddings, it may be more difficult to make plans without seeing everything and meeting everyone involved in advance. For this reason it is important to start early.
In addition, you will want to let your guests know well in advance of the wedding so that they too may plan to attend. The American Wedding offers a large number of save the date cards. While you do not need all of the specifics pertaining to your wedding, at least it gives your guests a date and location so that they can put it on their calendar.
Use a Wedding Planner
You may also want to consider using a wedding planner to help plan your event. Choose someone experienced with planning destination weddings. This allows you to lean on their expertise when it comes to hiring a caterer, photographer, or florist.
While some resorts offer wedding planners who are well versed in the process, not all do. When you hire an experienced wedding planner, it helps you navigate the potential problems that crop up, and it can help you come up with solutions.
Public or Private?
Another tip when it comes with a beach wedding is to understand which type of beach you have selected. While some resorts may include privately owned and operated beaches, you still run the risk of other resort guests interrupting your nuptials. If possible, you may want to look into privatizing the beachfront just for your wedding ceremony. This helps ensure that other sunbathers or curious onlookers do not mar the view you are after.
With a public beach you do not have this option. However, you may want to ask those in charge of the beach what your options are. You also need to make sure that you have permission to use a beach for your own private ceremony.
Daylight or Sunset?
Our next tip is to consider what time of day you want to have a wedding ceremony. A beach wedding in the bright sun means loading up on sunscreen and fans. While some brides dream of a sunset wedding, you need to plan this kind of ceremony right, too. If the ceremony is delayed for any reason, you could end up losing a beautiful opportunity. Since many beaches do not have lights, once the sun goes down, the water will be too dark to enjoy, as will your ceremony.
The Weather
Another tip when planning a beach wedding is to plan for the weather. The sun is only one issue you may have to deal with in a beach wedding. When you have a beach wedding there can be a great deal of background noise from the waves and the wind. If you are having music, you may need to account for this. There is also a danger of the wind overpowering your vows. If you wear microphones, you may want to use a windscreen cover so that your guests can hear you.
In addition, because the weather is sometimes unpredictable, you may want to have a Plan B. Choose a location that has another option for moving the ceremony off the beach, if need be. This is where it becomes helpful if you are getting married at a resort. Likely they have performed hundreds, or even thousands, of weddings, and they already know what your options are in the case of bad weather.
How to Dress
Finally, our last tip has to do with how to dress. If you’re having a beach wedding, you may want to choose a wedding dress made of a lightweight, airy material to keep you cool. You may also want to choose a short veil, or none at all, so you won’t have to worry about the wind.
A beach wedding can be a beautiful occasion. If you follow these six tips, you are well on your way to a fantastic occasion that you and your guests will remember for a lifetime.
