As I shared in my last post, for the next few blogs we’ll be sharing the top wedding themed receptions and ideas. For my hubby and I we swung the pendulum from both sides. Discussing our wedding reception ideas was like trying to figure out where to go to college; it wasn’t absolutely going to determine the rest of your life, but it was certainly something you’d be thinking about for years and years to come. So for us, it became a conversation about what kind of couple we were, what kind of feeling we wanted our guests to have and frankly, how much was this big shebang going to cost us.
One gorgeous and sometimes very inexpensive (or expensive) option is the Beach Wedding! Since Spring is just around the corner and I’m craving flip flops, I thought it would be fun to discuss!
Ahhh - to say I do here!
If you’re not an uber formal couple, the beach might be the way to go. Think about the beach; beautiful blue sky, gorgeous emerald ocean and soft cool sand. There are so many ways to go with it! Picture this:
It’s sunset. The temperature is a cool 70 degrees on a gorgeous summer evening. You, dressed in a gorgeous flowy but not to frilly gown, bare feet. Your fiance, cad in a khaki suit, blue tie, barefoot. Your guests, lined on either side standing to watch the beautiful unity of your marriage. Beautiful hues of yellow, blue, green and pink sprinkle the flowers that stand on either side of you as the setting sun kisses the water just as you and your hubby say I do and share a first kiss as husband and wife.
Sounds nice right? I know!
It was one of our choices and while I wouldn’t change anything about our wedding – its something I’m wondering now…why didnt we choose this option?
That’s right – our option would have been to host a restaurant style reception overlooking the water. During beach season some of the popular places down the Jersey Shore would have cost us around $150 / person. That doesn’t include booze. Oh well.
Picturesque sunset
But – there are ways to do it less expensively!
- Ask the restaurant if they have buffet options and opt for a smaller open bar.
- See if they’ll accomodate passed tapas and a speciality cocktail.
- Opt for an afternoon wedding and serve lighter fare.
- Get married just before or just after beach season; the prices are nearly cut in half.
There are also gorgeous ways to accessorize your wonderful beach wedding no matter how formal!
Theknot.com has some amazing insight into choosing the dress, venue, colors, flowers and cake for a beach wedding.
getmarried.com has a great blog on “Life is a Beach” which has beautiful pictures of beach weddings done right!
So – while you’re at the beach this summer, think about what it would be like to hold your own wedding there – or, if you’ve already booked, start to plan out renewing your vows! Either way, make your wedding your own – let it reflect the couple you are and enjoy every moment. Like the sunset, it’s beautiful, but it’s over far too fast.
