Planning A Flawless Beachside Wedding

Every bride has a mental image from a very young age where she would like her wedding to take place, and some know from the start that a beachside wedding is for them. A beachside wedding just seems like a perfect backdrop for a romantic start to a marriage with natures beauty in her glory all around you. What better than to say your vows of unending love with the splashing of waves in the background?

A beachside wedding can be formal or very casual and some brides choose to wear the big white dress while others don their flip-flops and shorts. A beach really is the perfect setting for any type of wedding, as long as some thought has gone into it. A beach wedding really isn't one of those things you can do spontaneously because of weather, tides, and any decorating you'd like to do.

The first thing to do when planning a beachside wedding is to decide where you'd like to have it, and then figure out if you need to call anyone, pay anyone, or reserve the area. Most areas have a parks and recreation service that you can call for this type of information. If there is a fee, its usually a small one of fifty or seventy-five dollars and you have the area for as long as you'd like it.

Next, you'll want to contact someone about tide information. If you are truly having a beachside wedding that is right down on the beach you'll want to know where the water will be and when. You don't want to get all of your friends and family out there in their formal gear only to be wading in knee high water! You should be able to get fairly accurate tide information so you can plan accordingly.

If you are inviting many guests you'll want to rent chairs so that they have a place to sit. Many rental companies wont rent chairs if there is a risk of weather or water damaging them, so make sure your rental company knows that you are putting these chairs out on the beach, and for your convenience as if they can deliver, set them up, and take them down for you.

Flowers are a great decoration for a beachside wedding. Small flower arrangements placed in the sand, or even just flower petals strewn about the area are beautiful against the beach sand. You can always get really fancy, but whatever you decide to decorate with you should remember that at any moment it could get really windy, rainy, or just plain uncomfortable and you want to be able to grab the decorations and head for cover. Usually, simple is better when it comes to a beach wedding.

Plan for an alternate site! Many brides and grooms forget to do this, and then on the day of their wedding its raining all day long and the wedding has to be put off. If you have out of town guests you don't want to have to delay, so be sure to plan ahead for bad weather.

A beachside wedding really is the perfect backdrop for any type of wedding, and with a little planning it can prove to be a remarkable experience for all involved. If you are sure to plan ahead and be conscious of the weather and the water, it's sure to be a flawless day.

About the Author

Rachel Johnson has been married for eight years and resides in Texas with her husband and children. Rachel, a freelance writer, planned her own wedding from start to finish with great success and continues with an interest in weddings and wedding planning.