If you and your spouse-to-be are looking for a way to make your special day memorable, consider a beach wedding. Beach weddings happen in all sorts of styles and sizes for all sorts of reasons. Consider what it is about the beach that is meaningful for the two of you and then explore ways to express that special feeling in your wedding plans.
You may just want a normal, beautiful, formal wedding. But you may want it in the most romantic place you can think of. In that case you plan as usual the formal clothes, the champagne, the limos and all the rest.
You will want a beach with a big parking lot nearby. You might hire caterers who can provide tables along with food. Or you may want to just transport everyone to a nearby restaurant for the reception.
On the other hand, what if the two of you are surfers and you met at an international surfing competition? You might want to make your wedding part of a day of surfing and other sand and surf activities with your friends and loved ones. Traditional wedding clothes might not be your style.
The bride might want a traditional bridal gown but beach weddings offer many other options. Beach cover-ups have become so elegant and pretty that they are often worn off the beach in restaurants and night clubs. If you plan to conclude your ceremony by running together into the waves a pretty cover-up that can be tossed aside to reveal the swimsuit underneath might be the practical way to go.
Food for the reception might be catered, potluck or a traditional luau. One of the great things about beach weddings and receptions is that children can attend and have great time. One of the things you can do to ensure a good time for everyone is to hire a couple of reliable people to supervise the kids so their parents can relax and enjoy the festivities.
By: Douglas Gibney
About the Author:
Read more on Beach Weddings Can Be Romantic, Memorable And Fun…
Filed under Relationships by on Nov 16th, 2010. 
Today more and more couples are choosing to have a beautiful wedding right on the beach. This is a very romantic way to celebrate a marriage. With the wind, sun, waves, and beautiful natural setting of the beach what more can a couple ask for. It is the perfect setting for a wedding.
However, one thing that the bride will want to plan for in advance is the pair of shoes that she will wear for the wedding. Finding the perfect option for beach wedding shoes can be difficult if not planned well in advance.
Brides can not just walk everywhere barefoot on their special day. Therefore, pair of water resistant, low healed shoes are needed for a beach wedding.
So What Is The Best Option For Beach Wedding Shoes?
Slip-ons are one very viable option that works for many brides. They are very simple and compliment the “go for bare” theme of a beach wedding and a very simple look. They are also very easy to add to and accessorize to your wedding colors and motif.
Having a beach wedding includes the bride having to walk around a lot of beach sand both wet and dry. With a simple pair of beach wedding shoes like slip ons it can be very easy to dust off the sand. This means that sand will not get stuck between your toes and be a nuisance to clean up.
Also beach wedding shoes that slip on allow for fast trying. So you can always choose to dip your feet in the water or if you get a little wet it won’t matter.
Beautify Your Beach Wedding Shoes
It is typically best to use plain white slip on beach wedding shoes. You do not want your wedding shoes sticking out and drawing to much attention to your feet versus your wedding dress so white is typically the best option. However if you want to use some color silver, gold, aquamarine often work well in small amounts. It is best to go slow with color and not add too much.
Another option for decorating the shoes is to add semi precious gemstones to the back strap of the shoe. You can almost always find something that will fit with the color of your wedding. For example if the dominant color of your wedding then why not try some synthetic rubies. You can even use these semi precious gemstones to make fun patterns or design motifs on the shoes.
The type of fabric is really up to you. Something traditional like satin can work well. However don’t try a leather slip-on beach wedding shoes. Leather is heavy and it will not dry very well once it gets wet.
Synthetic leathers are fine since they are waterproof and are easier to accessorize. Gems and rhinestones are easier to stitch in or glued on synthetic leathers.
Slip-on beach wedding shoes made from organic materials like Abaca are getting recognition lately because of its beige, nature-like color. Abaca slip-on beach wedding shoes looks simple, and natural which works well for a beach wedding. The only setback with Abaca slip-on beach wedding shoes is that they do not dry up easily when they get wet. The solution with this is buy a pair of Abaca slip-on beach wedding shoes for use on the sandy part, and buys a pair of synthetic leather slip-on beach wedding shoes if you decide to go on partying along the shoreline
By: Chris Ryerson
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Filed under Relationships by on Sep 8th, 2010.
You are planning a beach front wedding and while you are trying to put together your table settings and place cards and other details to complete the look, you cannot seem to decide on what style or theme you should pick. Why not go with beach related place cards, table settings and other wedding favors? The choices vary from something very elegant or a more casual theme based style, or simply just a few beach wedding favors for your guests to signify that you were married on the beach. Should you decide to go with something that is also a wedding favor it would allow your guests to take a keepsake home with them as a way to commemorate your wedding day.
So what options do you have to choose from? Let’s go through some of the different items that you would be using and see what selections are usually made and how they can be catered to the theme specific wedding. Let’s start with place cards, imagine your table with beach themed place cards. How about using miniature Adirondack chair place card holders for your place settings. You could have these personalized with Bride and Groom’s name or even add tea light candles. Perhaps the Adirondack idea is not for you. Then how about silver plated dolphin place cards or even beach palm tree place card holders? Clearly there are quite a few options it really depends on what your style and taste calls for. The selections can be varied from table to table or kept consistent on each table. How far you take it is entirely up to you and the overall look you are trying to achieve.
You would also have to pick the table decorations and favors. By the time you get to this stage, you have most likely decided on the style and theme if any, so with that in mind, you can go with shell related favors and keepsakes, and these can range from sand dollars to personalized heart shaped bottles with sand and sea shells. There are also elegant orchid gel candles. Once again this option will really depend on what you have planned for your wedding. The favors can also range from very casual or inexpensive, to elegant and higher priced. You can get personalized table settings or ones that can have your pictures and/or candles. There is a wide range of assortments to choose from, and your imagination can create even more choices.
When it comes to beach wedding favors, you can also provide such items as cheese spreaders, wine bottle stoppers or even wine glass markers that follow your chosen d
Filed under Relationships by on Sep 5th, 2010.
If you’re destined for a beach wedding, you may be interested in beach wedding cakes.
Beach weddings are often destination weddings, a popular choice by many couples who are looking to wrap their honeymoon and wedding into one, or to have a smaller, intimate and inexpensive event. To boot, getting married near the shore is extraordinarily romantic, and can make your wedding experience and memories, that much more special.
If you’re a bride-to-be, looking for a beach wedding cakes, what design should you be looking for? What design makes a cake so “by the shore”? Well, that depends on a lot of things. It depends on the couples’ style, interests and hobbies. It depends on theme of the event, the time of year, the characteristics and layout of the location…just to name a few. To get ideas on which cake may be right for your beach wedding, we’ve rounded up lots of ideas that we’ve included below:
Sea Shell Cakes – You just can’t go wrong with sea shells on a beach wedding cake. So what shells? Beaded periwinkle, Florida cone, and maculated ear moon, are some of the most beautiful sea shells for decoration. Small pieces of coral, is also another great choice. The sea shells can be real (wash them well!), or can be made from a variety of icing, molding paste or chocolate. Sea shells can be used subtly or as the main design of the cake. A cluster of shells, as the seashell cake topper is a must for this cake design.
Marine Wild Life Cakes – Incorporate enchanting sea creatures, such as anemones, turtles, tropical fish, sea lions, jellyfish, sea stars, dolphins, whales, or sea horses. We did a wedding in Monterey a few years ago, and the reception was at the Monterey Plaza Hotel – which is right next door to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. The entire wedding party visited the aquarium the day before the wedding, experienced a private tour and had a wonderful time. The aquarium was the perfect inspiration for the theme of the cake. The cake designer subtly incorporated some of the sea creatures from the aquarium into the dessert. The topper was a large pearly clam with jewels and pearls pouring out of it, cascading down the side of the cake. (not real pearls, but fondant balls covered with pearl dust!)
Surf Cakes – Crashing waves encircling the cake is the perfect trim for a cake with a surf theme. This style cake is most appropriate for couples who surf, or just love the waves. The surf can be puffy foaming waves, or just subtle hints of wave shaped frosting. Incorporating some blue into the cake can help it look more like the ocean. Airbrushing blue onto cake’s frosting, gives a real nice blended, and realistic effect. Add in a surf boards or figurines surfing as your cake topper, and you’re set.
Tropical Flower Cakes – Hibiscus, cymbidiums, tuberose, or any of your tropical favorites. They can be used as a flower cake topper, they can cascade down the side of the cake or tiers, or used sparingly throughout. Tropical flowers can also completely cover the cake, or be used just on the base. Wherever placed, they will dress up the most plain and dull cake – and make it instantly gorgeous looking, and smelling.
Sandcastle Cakes – Sandcastles on wedding cakes, are usually used as a toppers. But, we have seen entire cakes shaped like castles, or at least the top half of the cake shaped like a castle, with a few traditional wedding cake tiers below it. To get the sandy effect, the cake can be sprinkled with fine graham cracker crumbs or brown sugar.
Palms and Coconut Cakes – To remind you of your beautiful location, how about a subtle design of palm leaves circling the outside cake? A few coconuts as garnish? A cake topper oasis? How about a cracked open half of a coconut as a cake topper, with bride and groom figurines lounging in it, as if it were a hammock?
Buried Treasure Cake – You don’t have to be in the Caribbean to pull this off. The topper could be a treasure chest with gold coins and jewels pouring out of it, cascading down the side of the cake. If you’re in love with Pirates, make have figurine cake toppers of a bride and groom…one as Captain Jack Sparrow, and a fair maiden in her wedding dress, of course.
Bamboo and Tiki Cake – Coat the outside layers of the cake with confections made to look like bamboo. You can also incorporate Tiki masks. We once attended a luau wedding and the cake had miniature tiki torches sticking out of the top, and around the cake on the table. When the bride and groom cut the cake, tribal drums were playing in the background.
Ocean Activity Cake – Love to go snorkeling, fishing, diving, boogie boarding, or kayaking? How about bride and groom figurines fishing for wedding rings off of a pier? This would be easiest to incorporate into a cake topper, but don’t forget figurines can be anywhere on the cake! Get creative! Any of your favorite ocean activities can be incorporated into your cake.
Sea Bird Cake – Sea birds in flight, in love, with their long necks forming a heart. Best as a cake topper, but can be incorporated throughout the cake tastefully if sea birds are your thing.
Lighthouse Cakes – Is your wedding near a really cool lighthouse? We’ve seen a lot of lighthouse cake toppers, but we also had a client who had her baker create an entire cake as a lighthouse. Another client had the two bottom layers of the cake as tiered rounds, and the top half of the cake was a lighthouse and its surrounding area, right down to the boating docks below it.
Sand Cakes – Not real sand! Many bakers use crushed crumbs, like graham crackers, or brown sugar. The base of the cake can be covered with “sand”, or the top of each exposed layer…or the entire cake! Our favorite, is when a pile of “sand” is formed at the base of the cake and spread out on the table a couple inches around it. Something can then be written in the sand, i.e. “Charlie and Beth Forever”, or “CV + BE, 9/12/08″. You get the picture.
Nautical Cakes – Go Nautical! Anchors, ropes, buoys, wooden docks, life preserver rings, etc. These can be made from marzipan, subtly sprinkled around the cake, placed as the base, or used as a cake topper.
Beach Relaxation Cakes – Our absolute favorite beach wedding cake is 2 Adirondack chairs as the cake topper, with 2 pairs of flip flops beneath them. Figurines of the bride and groom sitting in the chairs is optional. A regular beach or lounge chair can also be used instead of the Adirondacks. One of our other favorites was a figurine bride and groom snoozing in a large hammock as the cake topper, with sand and miniature beer bottles beneath them.
Swimming Pool Cakes – Not with real water, we promise! Picture this: the top cake layer made to look like an endless swimming pool. This can be done by cutting the top square edge off of the cake (like a router would carve out the edge of a wooden table), to simulate an endless pool. Figurines of the bride and groom’s heads could be sticking out of the top of the pool, with shades and sunhats on, holding cocktails of course!
Hawaiian Cakes – How about leis as a cake topper? Or a hula bride figurine enticing the groom on the top of the cake? The cake could be wrapped with a sarong, or beach umbrella, Hawaiian cocktails, pineapples, or anything else Hawaiian could be incorporated.
Beach Colored Cakes – Just want to use beach themed colors? Stick with white, tan, off-white, teal, and of course, blue. The use of blue can be subtle as the color of the frosting, or air brushed onto the outside of the cake for a blended or accented look.
By: Maria Binasco
About the Author:
Read more on Beach Wedding Cake Toppers & Beach Wedding Cakes…
Filed under Relationships by on Sep 1st, 2010.
Beach weddings are gaining popularity, with it more and more brides to be are having trouble finding the right bridal wear for their big day at the beach. The traditional wedding dresses just won’t do in this more natural setting. Finding a dress that works can present some challenges for the bride to be.
You will probably give up your idea of being a Disney princess in a perfect Cinderella dress. You just can’t wear those at the beach. You won’t certainly look good at the end of the ceremony. The sea breeze and the beach environment just aren’t hospitable for such a formal gown.
Simple designs are the way to go when doing a beach wedding. You can’t very well wear a long flowing white wedding dress across the sand, it would ruin the dress and with it your perfect beach wedding experience. Great beach wedding attires are casual, relaxed, sexy, cool and beautiful it should also still have an inherent elegance to it. A white satin strapless dress is one such example. Other materials for great dresses are chiffon, crepe, georgette, organza, cotton and charmeuse. You should avoid wearing silk since silk isn’t a breathable fabric.
The bridal entourage too should be dressed in similar attires. The bridesmaids could be given dresses of similar make and cut. The colors could be of the lighter hues such as white, cream or light pink. These colors are more appropriate for such a venue. Another idea is to have them wear short identical prom dresses. You can also have them fitted for dresses made especially for the occasion. This saves time in searching for that perfect design.
The sea breeze should really be taken into consideration. This should dictate the cut of the dress. Longer dresses tend to wave around in the wind and this could present some issues, so the best cut should be short. Slip dresses employing a straight-line design behaves better than fuller skirts. If you do decide to have a flowing dress, have it long. A simple strapless flared skirt is a possibility. To break the color up, you can add a little something blue for luck. This additional color won’t clash with the overall color theme since it matches the ocean.
A veil maybe a nice addition to the dress but it really isn’t that practical. The veil will tend to flap around in the wind. You may even lose it to the wind completely, might as well leave the veils for the ones doing traditional weddings.
You may want to wear a wide brimmed hat to complete the beach look. You may also try and add a flower to your hair. Make sure though that these are secured by pins. You don’t want them flying off during the “I do.”s.
You shouldn’t wear constricting high heels. You should wear sandals or go barefoot instead. Remember, the overall theme of a beach wedding is being free of the traditional. You should be casual and comfortable, instead of stiff and reserved.
By: Kelly Hann
About the Author:
Read more on Beach Wedding Dresses – How to Choose a Dazzling Beach Wedding Dress…
Filed under Relationships by on Sep 1st, 2010.
If you are planning your elopement in an area you are not familiar with you will
need assistance with the details of the area. In California for instance, if you are
planning an elopement ceremony the micro climates are a very important factor
to take into consideration.
They can effect the time of day and the location for your elopement ceremony.
If you are planning your elopement ceremony to take place in San Francisco on
the beach, should it be coast side or bay side? Should it be near 2 or near sunset?
Will your fantasy for your elopement ceremony match up with the reality of your
elopement ceremony?
Here are a few pointers. Ask yourself the following questions before you plan
your elopement ceremony location on a beach.
If you are thinking of a beach elopement ask yourself:
Do you want your feet in the sand while you are exchanging your wedding
vows? Most couples say no. They want to be near the water.
How many people will be on the beach during your elopement ceremony?
Beaches in California are public. Even with a permit the space is still open
to the public.
What time of the day will offer the best whether conditions for your
elopement ceremony? For a coast side elopement ceremony you would
want to begin before the trail winds begin.
Will I be cold during my nuptials? It’s not fun to be cold during your
wedding ceremony.
How far is the walk to the beach from the parking? How far is too far?
If you wait for a sunset elopement ceremony, will there be enough light for
wedding photography after your ceremony?
Consider the season of the year for your elopement.
If it is winter the beach will be cold. Few people go to the beach in the
winter. If it is summer, there will most likely be people on the beach.
Most couples that are seeking a beach elopement ceremony are interested in the
water element being part of their elopement. There may be a better choice that
includes a water element and is in nature that would provide a more comfortable
environment for your elopement ceremony.
Insight is always better then hindsight. It is much more delightful to plan for the
desired outcome rather then have your wedding ceremony become the sad story
of your elopement.
By: Ema Drouillard
About the Author:
Filed under Relationships by on Aug 26th, 2010.
Beach weddings are the perfect option for couples who want to get married with their feet in the sand. There isn’t a better way to get married than in the sun on a warm beach.
Many times beach weddings are more relaxed than traditional weddings. Attire often consists of less formal options for the bride and groom, and receptions are usually a little bit laid back and less formal.
There are many themes that you can use to enhance your wedding including matching your colors with tropical flowers and anything nautical like boats and seashells.
There is one important component of a beach wedding that is needed, and that is the beach. There are several really good options for choosing a beach wedding location.
If you live on or near a beach you definitely have an advantage, however don’t be discouraged if you don’t. Destination weddings are a very popular option for couples that want to get married on the beach but don’t live near one. Many resorts offer wedding packages that make the planning fairly straight forward.
Here are three options for a beach wedding location:
On the Beach
To have a true beach wedding you need a beach. Many hotels and resorts on the East and West coasts of the United States, Hawaii and the Caribbean islands have wedding packages and wedding planners onsite to help with planning the details.
Be careful about using public beaches. Check with local towns for any rules or regulations that may be in place, and secure any needed permits before trying to use a public beach.
All this doesn’t mean, however, that you need to be near the ocean. Lakes and rivers also have beaches which can be used for weddings.
Near the Beach
If you don’t want to or can’t get married directly on a beach consider getting married near the beach. Many hotels and resorts have gazebos, gardens and other locations on the property for getting married. It may also be easier for set up and the reception to get married away from the beach.
You can still have the beach in the background during the ceremony, and you can always take photos afterwards on the beach.
Restaurants are another option. Many have beautiful beach views or facilities that overlook or are on the beach. Also, check public parks near the beach as a possible option for your wedding.
A Beach-Themed Wedding
If you really want a beach wedding but can’t make it to the beach maybe a beach-themed wedding is your last hope. Decorate the ceremony and reception in a beach theme, and choose tropical flowers for your bouquets and centerpieces.
Choose a beach-themed signature drink for the reception like a Mojito, and send your guests home with a beach wedding favor. Use your creativity to pull it off.
By: Stephen Badiali
About the Author:
Read more on Beach Wedding Ideas – It All Starts With The Location…
Filed under Relationships by on Jul 28th, 2010.
Wedding is the most significant day in anyone’s life. Choosing one’s wedding attire may be an interesting as well as a difficult task. The wedding attire must keep you cool, comfortable and make you feel the man or the woman of the day too. Destination weddings are becoming popular and among them beach weddings are preferred by most, as it has a stunning effect with the sun set backdrop.
Women’s beach wedding attire:
Read more on Beach Wedding Attire – What Do I Wear To a Beach Wedding?…
Filed under Relationships by on Jul 23rd, 2010.
Looking for beach theme wedding cake ideas?
When it comes to wedding cakes, long gone are the days of following tradition. Since you are considering a beach theme wedding cake, you are obviously not a slave to those traditions.
So…let’s stray from the “norm” and be adventurous!
One thing to remember…there are no rules! If there are…well, rules are made to be broken. Your beachtheme wedding cake can be anything you want it to be!
What Size?
How many guests are you planning to have? If you have your cake made professionally it can range in price anywhere from $2.00 to $15.00 per slice. A “slice” is normally considered to be 2 ounces or, approximately 4″ x 2″. The range in price will depend on how much intricate detail you want on it. If the cake you choose is very labor intensive, you can expect higher prices. If you are on a tight budget, keep it simple!
What Shape?
A beach theme wedding cake can be any size, shape or description. Be creative. If you have an idea for your cake, sketch it out on paper and take it to that talented friend, relative or your chosen bakery. If you can imagine it, someone can make it!
Do not limit your thinking to a two or three tier cake. It can be round, square, a sheet cake, a sculpted cake, individual mini cakes, cupcakes or even cookies! Some brides even choose a one or two layer, individual wedding cake on each guest table rather than the traditional large cake at the head table. This is a nice idea because it also serves as the table centerpiece. This eliminates the added expense associated with having a wedding centerpiece at each table!
A couple of things to keep in mind though…
* Since your reception may be on the beach, consider the sun! If you are having a dawn or dusk ceremony, heat from the sun will probably not be a major factor. However, if you are having your wedding midday, consider an “ornamental” cake. By that I mean, not edible with the exception of perhaps the bottom layer if you and the groom plan to cut it. You don’t want your creation to melt!
* Consider draping your cake in a decorative manner with tulle to keep the bugs and sand out of it. It would be beautiful yet practical.
* Purchase decorative, individual cake boxes. Fill them and perhaps tie your wedding program or thank you to them with ribbon. Keep them in a cooler until time to pass them out to your guests. They will serve as your wedding favor, killing two birds with one stone!
* Make your own beach theme wedding cake! Look inside the next “DuncanHines” cake mix you buy. The instruction for making baking tiered cakesare in there! You can do it. If you can’t, I’ll bet you know a friend who could! In EVERY town there is a friend or a “friend of a friend” who makes beautiful wedding cakes. It’s a hobby for them. They love doing it! Of course they still want to be paid, but not the ridiculous prices that a professional will charge you.
So…go… find that friend!
By: Cindy English
About the Author:
Beach wedding themes full of fun, fantasy and romance!All-Florida-Beach-Weddings.com
Plan your wedding celebration in Paradise!
Filed under Relationships by on Jul 23rd, 2010.
Beach wedding is one of the most popular wedding themes of all time. This is probably because of the serenity and at the same time, the fun and frolic ambiance of the beach scene. Another possible reason is the laid-back nature of holding an occasion near the sea. Here, people do not have to be extravagant and flamboyant to look exquisite. You do not even have to fuss about the shoes since you can always walk down the aisle barefooted.
If you are planning to get married anytime soon and you are considering the beach theme for your wedding, here are some guidelines for the men’s beach wedding attire that you and your spouse-to-be will find useful.
Choose colors that complement the beach scene. Motifs for beach wedding usually complement the beautiful sand, sky, ocean, and foliage around the beach. Options for color themes include white, brown, orange, light blue, and different hues of green. Decide on a specific theme. A beach theme is quite general, having a more specific theme can help narrow down choices. For example, tropical beach theme would entail wearing bright and natural colors of green, orange, red, and blue. Having a nautical theme wedding means soft shades of blues. Hawaiian style, meanwhile, suggests wearing of Hawaiian patterned shirts of bright orange and green colors. Pick a material for the attire. Your choices on fabric include cotton, silk, linen, and seersucker. Cotton is great because it does not trap heat and moisture into the attire, which can be useful especially when you are near a humid area like in a beach. Silk is also a good option because of its elegance. However, many people stay away from this choice because moisture and perspiration salts can stain the fabric. Linen, another great natural material, is a popular option for beach attires because it gives comfort and ease to whoever wears it. Not only that, its fibers are strong, lustrous and free flowing.
Seersucker, a thin, all cotton fabric that commonly has checkered or striped patterns, is fast becoming a major fad in beach attire. For a man’s beach wedding attire, this can also be a wonderful choice. It is fashionable, lightweight, breathable, and economical as it saves you time from ironing.
Keep it simple. Men do not like spending so much time choosing garments and fitting clothes. Having a beach theme means you can have casual and laid back wedding attire that would still look tasteful and elegant. Set a budget. To avoid overspending, make sure that you allocate a budget for the man’s beach wedding attire. Remember, a man does not need to spend a fortune to look good on his wedding day. Getting married at the beach is one of the most romantic ways to exchange vows with your beloved. With the vast ocean panorama as your backdrop and the serene and soothing ambience of the beach scene, you, your spouse-to-be and all the guest attending will surely have a wonderful time celebrating your love and commitment for each other.
By: Angela White
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Filed under Relationships by on Jul 18th, 2010.