Summer is creeping up slowly and beach weddings are all the rage (again) this year! I wrote this post earlier this year but think it is far more appropriate now...so this is a repost but TOTALLY worth it!
Unless you're planning a fancy resort
destination beach wedding
where your wedding worries are whisked away by the tropical winds
or your budget allows for a super awesome planner who manages every last
piece until you walk down the sandy aisle, you've got some planning to do if you want the
beach themed wedding of your dreams. So grab your
Pinterest app, your to do lists and a cup of coffee and let's get down to business with some de Lovely practical planning tips.
Location
- After choosing your date and guest list, location,
location, location is the most important decision. You've fallen in love with a gorgeous secluded beach and the breathtaking view but it is a bit out of the way, the services are few,
and the only bathroom is a stinky public 1/2 mile away.
Okay, a little over the top but you get my point. Your wedding location MUST be
is easily accessible for you, your guests and vendors, who may charge
more for an inconvenient location.
Pre-wedding jitters should not
include location stress for you; do you have a place to dress, relax,
pose for pictures? Guests should be able to easily park and walk, and
vendors need to access facilities. Plus your
DIY projects and wedding
party need a staging area.
If
you want to be directly on the beach, research
public and privates beaches. Beach side hotels may the best option with their beach
access, reception services, and guest accommodations. Boathouses,
state parks,
historical beach homes, or small seaside communities offer perfectly
good alternatives to the traditional resort or hotel beach wedding.
Depending on the size of your wedding, you may be
able to get away with a secluded beach wedding. Hire an accommodating
planner who can handle all the small details and set your DIY projects
in motion.
BOTTOM LINE TIPS: * Permits may be needed if your
guest list is large. * Check city ordinances for laws regarding alcohol
and music. * Sun and wind may be a factor, plan for the right time of
day and year.
Do It Yourself - I am a huge
fan of DIY; it saves you money, is a fun way to get people involved,
and adds a touch of your personality, making your wedding
anything but cookie cutter. For Beach Weddings, choose
three to five DIY projects;
more than that you risk overwhelming yourself. I like the idea of one
or two items per time period: pre-wedding (Check out our DIY Save the Date project), ceremony, and reception.
Carry your beachy brand theoughout the entire wedding for a cohesive and
visually pleasing theme.
BOTTOM LINE TIPS: * DIY is better with friends, invite your bridesmaids
to help out. * Assign a family member or friend to be in charge on the
big day. * DIY projects are supposed to save your money, don't go over
the top buying sand, when you can get it at the beach.
Beach Theme: I suggest limiting your "beach" look to a few pieces
of varying sizes here and there; not every decoration needs to be
themed. It just looks cheesy and may actually cost you more money if
vendors need to customize every item. Instead use color, music,
food to enhance the celebration.
Wedding invitations
set the tone, location sets the mood, reception centerpieces continue
your brand and a touch of the beach on your cake finishes the
theme....going overboard (pardon the pun) can ruin the sentiment behind
choosing a beach theme in the first place.
BOTTOM LINE TIPS: * Choose a brand and stick with it but sparingly. *
Find other ways to incorporate the beach theme instead of just shells
and starfish. * Scour the web and blogs for inspiration; Pinterest and Lover.ly are all the rage.
Go Local - For food and flowers, request your
vendors go local or work directly with a local provider, such as a
flower farm or farmer's market. It is easier to deal with smaller
companies for catering or rentals as they can be more accommodating. A
wedding trend for 2012 is to request caterers and hotels go "locavore",
which means that food must be gathered within 50 miles of the event. It
is cheaper, better for the environment and supports small businesses.
BOTTOM LINE TIPS: * Vendors may charge less if they don't have to
travel, especially musicians; search locally for good talent. * Use
local business directories and sites such as YELP to help locate quality vendors.
Beach weddings
can offer more savings, fewer headaches and more fun than a traditional
wedding but in the end, it all comes down to planning and planning
well. There are a million other tips to help you plan your wedding day
but the very best we can offer: have fun, be casual, be yourself, make
your wedding about you and your sweetie and let all the rest go.
Have a de Lovely day! xx
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