Destination or beach weddings are at the mercy of the elements, planning such a special occasion takes thoughtful planning and unique ideas.
Essential planning tips for a beach wedding:
Planning a beach wedding comes with unique, unexpected problems, don't over look these details and be disappointed on your big day. If you are having your wedding at a resort, most of these issues will be handled by their staff. If in doubt - ask.
For the couple who are planning their own beach wedding - use this guideline as a check list.
If you are using a public beach as your wedding venue, try to avoid mid day, when the beach will be bustling with kids and sun worshippers. Early morning or late afternoon are less busy times. Dusk - during a beautiful sunset can be a very romantic time for a sea side wedding.
Once you have determined the best time of day and location, be prepared for the worst and have a cleanup crew scour the area before guests arrive. Roping off the area ensures that your wedding venue is somewhat private from the public eye and will allow time for any tidying up to be done.
Every bride and groom planning a beach wedding envision a bright sunny day - unfortunately, Mother Nature doesn't always cooperate.
Don't rely on good weather, while every beach wedding should be in sunshine, unfortunately it doesn't always work that way. Have a back up plan in case of bad weather, whether it's an alternate indoor location or an extra tent to retreat into. Be sure to inform wedding guests of the alternate location included in the invitations .
If you are lucky enough to have good weather, choose a location out of direct sunlight, This is especially important if some of your guests are elderly, frail or prone to sunstroke. A tent or canopy works well to provide shade, add ambience by stringing winkle lights or fish net and adding sea shells, beach glass or plastic dolphins.
Destination weddings require extra special planning....
Plan Ahead! - Popular places for destinations weddings book a year or more in advance - even the ones close to home!
Stop to consider what is more important to you - where you tie the knot or who is there to witness your ceremony. A luxury tropical resort in the South Pacific may be your idea of paradise, but you must consider if everyone you love can get there? Even if they afford the travel, can they physically make the trip and once there, can your family and friends walk on a sandy beach or climb a staircase.
As a general rule guests pay their own air fair. The families of the Bride and Groom often pay for hotel costs as well as something extra that makes a beach wedding more than just a service and a reception, a round of golf, fishing trip or a sunset dinner cruise. These extras make the destination wedding unique and very special - instead of just a wedding day - you and your guests will enjoy a week-end of fun and activities.
An idea for bachelor party could be a deep sea fishing trip or a hike to a spectacular look out. A spa day for the Bridesmaids and all the girls - Moms included, sets the scene for a life time of fond memories.
Most of the big resorts have wedding planners on staff, they are full of ideas and they will arrange everything from a cocktail party on the first night to the entire wedding day preparations, and the breakfast party the next day. Are destination wedding expensive? - yes, but what you don't spend on flowers and all the other little extras, will be spent on activities that everyone will enjoy.
Looking for privacy? You won't be happy at unrestricted destinations like a public beach - no matter how beautiful it is - if you can't control who gets to be there when you say, "I Do".
Once you have decided on a location for your destination wedding....
Check with local authorities in the U.S. and the consulate and embassies abroad to find out if you need a simple reservation or a formal permit for the location where you will hold your destination wedding.
The marriage requirements of your destination wedding venue will vary from state to state and country to country.
Your checklist should include:
- birth certificate
- passport
- proof neither bride nor groom is married
- blood test
- residency requirement - can be days or weeks
- documents translated to native language
- fees for document needed to get married
