Friday, June 11, 2010

How to plan a beach wedding

plan a beach wedding


It's interesting:
"It gives me enormous pleasure and pride to be here today, although I am slightly unprepared for this heat; when Paul told me the wedding was to be held in his ..."

You can significantly improve your odds of an auspicious wedding if you do your research and make preparations for potential obstacles. If you have your heart set on a beach ceremony, there are a number of associated issues to consider. With the right amount of planning, a beach wedding can be romantic and magical.

Instructions

    • 1

      Plan your wedding around your environment. Any outdoor celebration automatically comes with its own list of concerns- the most obvious of these is the weather. Take certain precautions. For example, avoid hurricane season in the southern and southeastern states. On the west coast, consider the Santa Ana winds. In addition to the weather, if you are on the beach you need to adjust your time schedule so that high tide isn’-t arriving right before your grandmother. Finally, you should think about the time of day. Midday on most beaches means crowds of surfers and swimmers. It also could mean plenty of heat to make things uncomfortable.

    • 2

      Try to make sensible choices for wedding attire. Regardless of the time of day or time of year, the majority of beaches are at least moderately windy. Keeping the dresses more form-fitting and excluding the veil will allow you to keep everything in its place. Beach attire doesn’-t have to be as formal as would a dress worn in a church ceremony. A simple, white sundress will even work well with your surroundings. High heels and panty hose do not do well in the sand. Consider some dressy but flat sandals, or you could even go barefooted. Don’-t forget the men. The groom can get away with wearing a nice linen, button-downed shirt, and his groomsmen can do the same.

    • 3

      Next, consider your dé-cor. Some beach resorts offer a wedding package that will provide seating- but if you are planning the ceremony on your own, make plans to bring in enough chairs for your guests. If your wedding will take place after dark, you will need some type of lighting. Tiki torches or strings of small, white bulbs set an exotic tone for the evening. You can also add flowers or balloons and perhaps even a decorative bridal arch or podium. In place of a carpeted aisle, you can try sprinkling rose petals along the ground.

    • 4

      Double-check your facilities. If you are getting married on a public beach, there should be restrooms available. It is a good idea to check them out beforehand to see if they are appropriate for wedding attire. If not, make arrangements with a local hotel to allow your party to get ready there. Most beaches don’-t have handicapped access, so if any of your guests are confined to a wheelchair, warn them or make arrangements for them to be transported to your seating area. Regarding music, if you want to hear the wedding march, a CD player will not do the trick. With the wind and waves, no one will hear it. Plan to have a small speaker system in place for your music, as well as for a microphone so your friends and family can hear your vows.

    • 5

      Consider details for the reception. If your reception is at another location, you can keep the beach theme going with the food, decorations and music selection. If you are staying on the beach, ensure that the foods you are serving will stand up to the weather conditions. An area off to the side, partially enclosed, will keep your food from getting a coating of sand. If your party area is not well-defined, you may get unexpected guests in the form of other beachgoers. You can either chose to employ a bouncer or invite them to join the party.

Tips &- Warnings

  • Planning to say your vows during sunset will most certainly prove to be a memorable moment.

  • Or, have the ceremony over before sunset so you can have your pictures taken with the sun going down on the horizon behind you.

  • Send out beach-themed invitaions and thank-you notes.

  • Strollers will have problems with the sand. A mom with one baby can easily carry her to her seat, but a mom with multiple children may need a warning

  • Whatever you erect on the beach, you will have to take it down--possibly even directly after your vows--so you should make arrangements to have that happen so you will be free to greet your guests and take photos.

  • Sand and beach conditions can damage recording equipment. Consider providing a screen for your videographer.


Source: www.ehow.com

Tags: beach wedding, make arrangements, your guests, have your, plan beach, plan beach wedding