Planning A Beach Wedding

As the old adage goes, the perfect beach wedding is all about location, location, location. Choosing the perfect destination can be one of the most difficult, yet rewarding parts of planning the wedding.

The venue options for a destination wedding are numerous, but the most popular beach locations are in the United States, Pacific Islands, Carribbean Islands and South America. In the U.S., the beaches in Louisianna, California, Florida and of course, Hawaii are the top choices. The exotic locals of Bora Bora, Tahiti and Fiji provide beautiful backdrops for a beach wedding, but these locations can often be more expensive choices. The Bahamas and Cayman Islands have many resorts that seem to specialize in destination weddings, while the Dominican Republic is the trendy location for beach weddings this year. Finally, Brazil and Argentina have a wide array of beaches that are also terrific choices.

When choosing the venue, there are numerous things to consider. First and foremost, you should choose a location that has special meaning or that can provide the backdrop that you envision. Do you picture a white sandy beach with clear turquoise waters or do you see yourself on a cliff overlooking the ocean? Next, consider the budget and cost of having your guests travel to the destination that you select. Perhaps you will only have immediate family and a few attendants with a reception to follow at home. In that case, a more exotic location might be appropriate. Finally, make sure that your venue is accessible not only to your guests, but also the caterer, photographer and officiant.

Since you are having a beach wedding, you have the unique opportunity to have wedding invitations themed around your destination. By choosing invitations that incorporate palm trees, sea shells and flip flops, your guests will have no doubt that a beach wedding is on the way. You can either go for a more traditional look by using fancy paper and font along with traditional wording or add a bit of whimsy with colorful ribbons, illustrations and modern informal wording. No matter what style you choose, be sure to order some extra invitations for those guests that you may have forgotten on the original list. To save money, you can buy do-it-yourself invitation kits that include everything you need to print and create your own beautiful wedding invites.

Choosing a wedding color scheme is usually dictated by the bride or groom's favorite color or the shade of their favorite flower which they plan to incorporate in the bridal bouquet. However, beach wedding couples most often choose colors to fit in with the shades of their surroundings. This means that ocean blue, palm tree green and tropical floral colors are the most popular. From the attendant attire to the reception decorations to the wedding cake, whatever color scheme you choose should be carried through on all the wedding details. Beach weddings tend to be casual affairs with the groom dressed in tan colored linen pants with a white shirt while the bride often wears a simple, yet beautiful white or ivory dress. We've even seen beach brides wear flip flops or simply go barefooted. It really is up to you to decide how formal or casual you'd like your wedding.

Flipping through a couple bridal magazines or looking at destination wedding photos online can always help narrow the color choices for your big day.

As the popularity of beach and destination weddings has increased so too has the availability of unique decorations and accessories. There are numerous ways to incorporate ocean and beach inspired items throughout the reception area decor. Incorporate things like shells, brown sugar or real sand, starfish, driftwood for a beachside feel or things like buoys, nets, oars and lighthouses for a more nautical feel. For the wedding accessories, many companies now offer beach themed guest books or unique signature platters, cake serving sets with a shell motif, beach themed toasting flutes, ocean inspired wedding garters for the traditional garter ceremony and so much more.

For the ceremony itself, consider buying a ring pillow and flower basket that have a seashell or palm tree motif if you are having little attendants. Many traditional couples still have unity candle ceremonies so look for a glass marble or sand-filled glass vase unity candle, or a seashell covered unity candle set.

The ideal menu for beach weddings will vary based on the locations. For instance, a beach wedding on Cape Cod or Martha's Vineyard is the ideal location for lobster and other local seafood with fresh veggies and light desserts such as granitas, whereas a wedding in Hawaii is the perfect place to serve grilled Opacapaka with skewered vegetables plus fresh pineapple and mango. For the more casual beach affair, consider 'picnic' style food such as pulled pork sandwiches, potato salad and baked beans. The menu should incorporate local delicacies (as long as you like them) that fit well within the style of your wedding, be it formal or casual.

If you are having a destination or beach wedding outside the United States or your local area, it is likely that you will need a local wedding coordinator. Often times, a beach resort will provide one to help nail down all of the wedding details as part of a wedding package. In any case, it is best to get recommendations from local event planners regarding the best photographers in the area. You should be able to get copies of their work either online or via mail so that you can assess their work and prices. I recommend choosing a photographer that specializes or has a lot of experience in photographing beach weddings. The lighting and background are important aspects that experienced beach photographers can appreciate and utilize to their advantage. Catching the bride and groom with the perfect sunset or angle can make the difference between fabulous photographs and ones that are just OK. I also recommend that you 'interview' any prospective photographer or videographer yourself so that you can guage their professionalism and make sure that your personalities do not clash. There isn't anything worse than having a wedding planner choose the photographer and then showing up for the photos only to find that the photographer doesn't share your vision of what the photos should capture.

Many times if you are booking a wedding package through a beach resort, they will include a photographer to take a few shots, but it still may be a good idea to book your own if you'd like to capture more photos throughout the reception and other wedding events. Before signing any contract, review it thouroughly to make sure that all of the moments that you want captured on your big day will be included in the quoted price.

If you have wedding attendants, most couples give them a little token of appreciation for doing such a great job on the big day. For bridesmaids, consider either giving a jewelry set that they can wear to the wedding and afterward, a personalized tote bag or an engraved jewelry box. For groomsmen, the choices are endless ranging from engraved beer mugs to personalized pub signs to engraved cuff links. And for the adorable flower girl or boy, how about a cute flower girl jewelry set or personalized t-shirt?

And don't forget to treat yourself to a little something fun for your destination honeymoon, 'just married' flip flops, bride t-shirts, groom boxers or 'just married' palm tree embroidered tote bags are excellent choices.