Beach Up your Wedding

A tropical beach is one of the most picturesque settings you could hope for to host a destination wedding but couples are now tying more than just the scenery into their ceremonies and celebrations. By adding personalised beachside touches you can make the absolute most of the spectacular surroundings.

The kiss of a cool sea breeze, powder soft sand beneath your feet and the pink hues of sunset sky are just a few of the factors that make beach weddings stand out as special. If you tie-in a host of other niche elements drawn from the coastal surrounds, you can make your wedding ceremony even more magical.

Couples are constantly coming up with new ways to make their wedding day a little more unique and a lot more entertaining by incorporating “beachy” components into the décor and accessories that extend the theme into every aspect of the day. Brides and grooms who don’t want their beach wedding fun to end with sunset snaps can read on for some inspiration…

Beach bouquet

Instead of opting for simple floral arrangements, tropical brides are introducing coastal elements into their bouquets by adding seaside details like starfish and shells. A collection of real shells from the beach can really make a wedding bouquet stand out, and matching blooms and accessories can be co-ordinated for the boutonnieres of the groomsmen. If using real starfish isn’t your cup of tea, it is easy to get your hands on a jewelled brooch version to give a bouquet a little more sparkle. A selection of brightly coloured, contrasting blooms dispersed between the shells and starfish will also help the bouquet stand out from the white sand in photo, and add an exciting visual element to the shots.

Fun for the kids

One challenge faced by many brides and grooms is keeping the guests' children occupied. The tears and tantrums of bored children do not exactly make for a fun-filled wedding day, but the problem is easily overcome when your wedding is on a beach. Brides and grooms can simply buy a selection for beach toys in advance to keep little ones amused throughout the long afternoon. Buckets, spades and beach balls never fail to provide young children with hours of entertainment and the grown ups can take turns to join in.

Keep it casual

One of the perks of a beach wedding is that it is perfectly acceptable to dress things down on the big day. After all, brides, grooms and wedding guests can’t make the most of frolicking in the surf if they are suited and booted in traditional formal wedding attire. Many beach brides choose to wear a shorter wedding dress to stop elaborate trains from collecting too much sand, and grooms in shorts are following suit. Losing restrictive ties can also help the groomsmen stay cool in the heat of a Thai afternoon.

Parasol pretty

Parasols are both pretty and practical accessories for bridesmaids to carry at a beach wedding. Not only do they help minimise the risk of sunburn; they also add a unique visual element to wedding photographs, particularly when they come in a range of vivid colours. It's even possible for parasols to introduce more of a local flavour to the wedding day, as the cute accessories can be decorated with traditional designs in advance.

Take the beach home

Sand has a lot of symbolism, particularly for couples who have travelled all the way to Asia for a destination beach wedding. Sand can be incorporated into the ceremony as newlyweds capture the moment by making a sand sculpture, inscribing their names i the beach or even crafting an ornament to take home with them.  Ornaments make for chic decorations and also provide an unusual souvenir of the wedding that can always be on display. Brides and grooms that want their “sand ornament” to be as unique and colourful as possible can even prepare their artistic creation in advance by dying a few handfuls of sand different colours before the big day.

 

 

by Wayne Hue

 

 

"The Signature Weddings is a bespoke destination weddings service offering a wide range of options to couples. However, some of the products and services mentioned in the blog articles on this page may not be available as part of the Signature Weddings' service."