Beach Weddings 101
Tropical breezes caressing your back, the sound of the waves lapping at the shore, the sweet smell of the salt air…
It really can be beautiful and romantic and many couples dream of an idyllic ceremony sharing vows at the beach. Planning and luck can help you have it all!
Beach Wedding Bests (The Good)
- You will get amazing photos in a perfectly picturesque setting. The sand, the water, a jetty in the distance, the sea oats and grasses… No need for your photographer to hunt around for the perfect place for photos, you are standing on it! Some of the best photos we have seen have come from beach weddings.
- Another great thing you may have considered: A wedding on the ocean is a unique element for some of your guests. Often weddings bring together guests from far and wide; most of them very rarely get to see the ocean. And the vibe is distinctly laid back and very relaxing.
- Often a beach ceremony is less expensive than any other venue you might consider. Public accesses and private ones allow weddings, though you may need a permit or permission, especially if you will have any decoration or chairs for the ceremony. The cost of receptions on the beach compare with other venues since there are fewer options that can host both ceremony and celebration. It’s an affordable and memorable venue, but hopefully in a good way!
Beach Wedding Challenges (The Bad)
A beach wedding comes with some uncertainty. There are potential challenges to consider and plan for when making the decision to have your marriage ceremony on the beach.
Weather.
- Plan to hold your ceremony in the morning or early evening for best photos. When the sun is high on the white or light sand, you may be squinting and/or washed out for the ceremony.
- As with all outdoor ceremony locations, you should have a back-up indoor plan should the day be a rainy day. Also consider the element of wind. We’ve all be for walks on the beach when the wind is really blowing hard and felt the sting of the sand on our legs. And it is really hard to hear on a windy day, so make sure to have amplification to mitigate this potential issue.
- The sea is mysterious and ever-changing; part of its universal attraction. Not ideal when it comes to planning a day in the future. Many places where there are beaches, there is the possibility of tropical storms and hurricanes. Even if the storm isn’t on your wedding date, travel becomes an issue for guests when the weather is severe.
- Of course, the other element is a social one. Beaches can get crowded, during the winter months when snowbirds are escaping cold weather elsewhere. Tents, chairs and people may be littering the background (though a good photographer can help you deal with this from a photography standpoint.
Beach Wedding Fails (The Ugly)
There are many things that occur once in a blue moon, but they have happened in our experience as wedding ceremony officiants.
- Wedding rings can be dropped in the sand or on a dock with slats! We do our best to advise you on preventing this, but it happens. Most venues that do beach weddings have a metal detector for such events, but a micro wedding on a public access might spell l-o-s-t f-o-r-e-v-e-r!
- Seagulls, planes and jet skis…oh my. For loud motors, etc. we pause during the ceremony, but we cannot control when a bird needs to go or a flock of them does passing overhead. Once and only once, a beautiful bride received an unwanted smear of bird poop down the front of her gown.
- Can’t help but see the thong bikini right through the ceremony arch! While digital correction is magic, guests can be quite distracted by uncertain visuals at the beach. It’s your one and only day to be the center of attention, but on the day this occurred, we ran out to the beautiful, but distracting body in the distance and politely explained that a wedding was in starting and guests were staring.
If you are lucky and you plan for uncertainties, a beach wedding (on the FloridaSunCoast) may be the perfect venue for you and your partner. After all, there is really nothing like the natural beauty and majesty of the sea. If you are the type to roll with the punches, can deal with a rain delay or Plan B, and tend to laugh off adversity, you will find the laid-back vibe of a beach wedding to be a great kickoff to your next chapter together as a married couple. For more information or to book a SunCoast beach wedding or ceremony package, contact us here.
– Stacy Prouty, Lead Officiant and Minister – Say “I Do” on the SunCoast
