7 things you need to know before planning a beach wedding
Planning your wedding on the beach? There's nothing more romantic than the sound of the wave, soft sand sand between your toes, cool ocean breeze and gorgeous sunset in the distance. —it's all more amazing than you can imagine. But to make sure everything goes off without a hitch, follow our beach wedding tips.
1. Go informal
Leave the wedding ball gown behind, beach brides! Your body will thank you for choosing a lightweight attire under the sun of an outdoor beach wedding. Fabric is the key here: chiffon, charmeuse, or any airy material would be suitable. Plus point, these light gowns flow in the ocean breeze is perfect for photographs. For the gents, cotton or linen are some of the comfortable choice. Ditch the heavy and thick jackets to prevent sweaty shirts in the photographs.
2. Right timing
The most ideal view is none other than a beautiful sunset. So, time your wedding properly to begin an hour or two earlier than the sunset time. For those who prefer to have a morning ceremony, you can have some sunrise photographs taken before the ceremony. However, if you cannot schedule a morning or evening ceremony, and would like to avoid the afternoon heat – build a tent or choose a shady area so that everyone, including you and the guests, can enjoy the ceremony thoroughly.
3. Ensure privacy
One important tip to keep in mind when planning a beach wedding is to make sure that the resort privatizes the beach for your wedding. You definitely want to avoid having massive crowds at the beach as you exchange vows with your partner. If it is not a private beach, have your ceremony set during weekdays which has lesser crowds as compared to weekends.
4. Lasting decoration
Windy breeze and hot sun are two of the killer of soft, fragile fresh flowers. Not that we are discouraging the use of fresh flowers, but choose the types that are longer lasting under these conditions, such as orchids, daisies and plumeria. You might want to avoid flowers that wilt easily like peonies and ranunculus. Stay away from tall glasses, which have higher chances to be toppled by strong winds. Instead, opt for a lower arrangement and make it unique by incorporating personalized ideas and creativity.
5. Good photographer
Make sure to hire a photographer who is familiar with shooting beach weddings. Other than the technical skills like finding correct lighting and capturing the right moment with nice backdrops – you also need someone who is able to gel well with the candid, natural vibes of beach weddings so that you guests would feel easy when taking pictures under the sun. So, loosen up and be frank with your expectation when engaging a photographer. To be safe, prepare a must-have photo list if you prefer to do so.
6. Prepare your guests
Venue, checked. Decoration, checked. Attire, checked. Now don’t forget your guests, who are a big part of your wedding. Ensure clear information has been given to them, especially on the location. You can also be a more thoughtful host by preparing some necessary items in the welcome bags, like travel-size bottles of good quality sunscreen, sunshades, or hand fans for them to beat the heat. You may also give them a dress or color code so that everyone would look coordinated in the photos.
7. Backup plan!
The very fearsome thing for every bride is a complete weather washout when the plan is a sunshine, outdoor beach wedding. Even though it is good to stay positive and hope for the best, but weather always has a mind of its own. So, be ready with a plan B: speak to the venue person in charge to reserve another indoor location. This could avoid unpleasant last-minute panic. At the very least, you still have the wedding going on and marry the person you love at a comfortable venue.
