Inspiration For Your Beachside Wedding
If you’ve always envisioned yourself walking down an aisle of sand without shoes or listening to a ukulele serenade your guests, then you’ve come to the right place. The beach can be a stunning place to exchange vows and with such a neutral backdrop, you can really make it your own. To help provide some inspiration for your beachside wedding, we’ve pulled some of the most beautiful ideas from flowers to wedding dresses — all with a tropical or nautical twist.
Setting
From the gorgeous sands of the Carolina’s to the stunning sunsets in Mexico and all the way over to the transparent waters of Greece, there are endless places to host your beachside wedding. If you’re eloping or hosting a smaller ceremony, a destination wedding could be a romantic way to get a jumpstart on your honeymoon. For larger groups or budget weddings, finding a local beach can still be just as unforgettable.
If you’re staying close to home, it’s likely best to find a planner that has worked beach weddings before. If you can’t afford a planner, consider a day-of coordinator. Although the beach is a beautiful setting to host your celebration, it can also be tricky. Often you have to deal with the elements and this can often create problems that are out of your hands. Having someone on your side that knows how to handle these situations will take a ton of stress off of you.
Flowers
As you’ve probably realized, there are tons of choices when it comes to florals for your big day! From your bouquet to the table arrangements, it can seem daunting to decide on a collection of flowers that you love.
Our #1 suggestion? Try and incorporate flowers from the area in which you’re getting married. This will not only make it easier to actually purchase the flowers, but it will help to tie the setting and atmosphere into your decor. For example, if you’re planning on getting married on the beaches of Cornwall, you might try and include some Spergularia. Not only are these small flowers absolutely breathtaking, they also come in a few different colours, making it easy to match.
Many couples have also started to incorporate more and more plants into their wedding. Succulents have become extremely popular and are also helping alleviate some of the waste on your wedding day. While most people don’t want to grab a bunch of flowers to take home at the end of the night, many would love to take a plant home!
Bridesmaids and Groomsmen
Speaking of the elements, you’ll want to make sure your bridal party is dressed appropriately for the weather. The last thing you want is a bunch of sweaty armpits in your wedding pictures!
Be sure to pick out a groomsmen fabric that breathes easily and looks good in your setting. For example, if you’re having a casual beach wedding at your local shores, it might be a bit out of the ordinary to have your groomsmen in tuxedos. Often times, the best route to take is a white shirt and linen pants.
For the ladies, you might want to consider shorter dresses. Although full-length dresses can be nice, it will be much easier to walk around in the sand and not get too overheated with a shorter dress. The same goes for the neckline. When it comes to the beach, especially during the warmer months, a simple, strapless bridesmaids dress will keep maids cooler and more comfortable.
Bridal Set
If you’re not yet engaged, here’s one of the best tips you’ll read: make sure your browse bridal sets and not just stand-alone engagement rings. Here are a few reasons why:
- You want to ensure that your engagement ring and wedding band match perfectly, in both colour and design.
- Some rings have designs or elements that would make it difficult to lay another ring next to. Bridal sets are made to fit with one another.
- You don’t have to worry about buying another ring.
If you’re already engaged, contact your jeweller to find the best possible matching band. You might be able to find a band that works with your engagement ring. Or, you can find an online retailer, such as Clean Origin, that has tons of matching bands available and free shipping to get it to you with ease.
No for the grand finale. There are endless wedding gown options for beach weddings, but there are a few key things to consider before making your final pick.
Many women nowadays are incorporating more and more colour into their wedding gowns. Gone are the days of strictly white wedding dresses. Many bridal designers are adding pinks, creams and even blues to dresses to help set them apart. This can be a fun way to tie your sunset setting into your ceremony.
You’ll also want to decide if you just want one dress. It’s also become fairly common to have both a ceremony and reception dress. There are even some designers who have made dresses that can convert from one to the other. If you plan on doing a ton of dancing or wanting a shorter dress at the second half of the event, then you might consider more than one dress.
Beachside weddings can be absolutely beautiful and they’re easy to personalize. As always, you can find more ideas and wedding inspiration, here!
all images via clean origin
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