Tips on Planning your Perfect Beach Wedding

Beach weddings can be quite beautiful, romantic and very memorable and the playful ideas you can implement are endless. What better backdrop could you ask for than the blue azure ocean?

Here are a few tips on how to make the memories good!

Select The Time Of Year

Cape Town weather is very unpredictable.  We can have four seasons in one day so it is very important to plan the time of year carefully.  The first season that springs to mind for beach weddings is summer. Summer is not always a good option however; one has to take the wind into consideration.  Our favourite time for the beach wedding is believe it or not – Spring or Autumn.  We have fabulous weather that time of year where the wind is low, the skies are blue, the air is warm and the rain is kept at bay.

Select Your Theme

Consider a theme for your beach wedding. You can create something amazing whether it be relaxed and casual, elegant and sophisticated, fun and playful - either way would be appropriate provided your Planner advises and guides you in the right direction.  You don’t want a mix match of colours with no real theme and too much décor to resemble a bazaar. You want to have a wedding that will be remembered for years to come.  If the wedding is in the evening your can create a magical, romantic atmosphere with lots of fairy lights, candles, lanterns, torches and more.

You could also create a surfer themed wedding with surfboards arranged form the promenade archway and the wedding arch. They will certainly not fly away in a wind gust.



Beach Seating And Flooring Ideas

If it is at all in your budget, you should consider temporary flooring for solid footing beneath the chairs.  If the wedding is an informal one, then use the beach chairs for the guests to sit in.  This eliminates the necessity to put flooring down underneath the chairs.  Make sure the area where the ceremony is to take place is on a solid platform.  IF the ring drops into the sand it might be lost for a while.

If the budget is a problem ask each guest to bring a picnic blanket with them to sit on.  Some guests might be allergic to sand and you don’t want them to be scratching throughout the ceremony.  To have a few chairs available for the “older” guests might be a wise idea.


Wedding Photographer Preparations

It is imperative that you have a photographer that is prepared for outdoor photos no matter what the lighting.  Be sure to give your photographer clear details, so he is ready for a cloudy day or a sunny day.  Some photographers will suggest having your ceremony when the sun is setting because people are less likely to squint at these times, so you will have some decisions make on this matter.



Plan For The Sand

The biggest factor when having a beach wedding is dealing with the sand.  You know what sand can do and how it can get into everything.  Also remember that it can be difficult to walk on.  Make sure that you advise all of the women in both the wedding party and on the guest list to wear flats for beach walking comfort.  They can keep a spare pair of heels in their bag for the reception.  Make sure you keep a tub of water and towels available for your guests to wash their feet before they enter the reception. Sprinkle with some flower petals and fragranced oils for a nice effect.

Plan For The Wind

Having a beach wedding means that you realise weather conditions dictate whether or not the actual ceremony can take place.  While rain might mean a cancellation, strong winds can be a disaster just as well.  Just because the weather forecast is for a “clear day” this won’t take into account that it may be overly windy. 

Try plan for the ceremony to take place a little bit after lunch time.  This is the one time at the beach where winds would be at their weakest since the water temperature and the temperature of the land are typically equal.  It’s very important that you do not forget to also check the tide while you are at it.  If you set your ceremony time for later or earlier than lunch, be aware that the tide just might come in right in the middle of saying “I do”.

Also consider having a Bedouin tent available in case of bad weather!  There is nothing worse than having a beach ceremony where the wind is howling and the guests are uncomfortable.


Anchor Everything Down

This means everything!  Tents are usually anchored, but people often forget the flower stands and the wedding arch.  Also do not forget the guests.  Try to suggest that they do not wear any loose garments, no matter how much in fashion they might be.  Women’s hair styles should be wind proof.  Short cropped hair is best, but if not feasible then wearing the hair in an “up do” style will suffice unless they don’t mind being blown away.

Consider Your Guests

Take your guests into consideration when planning your beach wedding.  Remember they have made the effort to attend your special day and have to wait around for you to arrive. Make sure you have ice cold bottles of water available for them – a parasol or a handheld fan would also be a good option.

After the ceremony make the beach playful for them while you go off for photographs – have games available like a rugby or soccer ball for the guys, cricket, bat and ball, boules, volleyball; make a fun “photo corner” for them with props, hats and masks to keep them entertained.

The music can also be fun with a marimba band playing African or Caribbean tunes to a saxophonist or even an ipod playing your favourite music.

Don’t forget that your guests will become a bit hungry during this time so ensure that you have canapés and drinks available for them.

Planning a beach wedding does take some major consideration.  If you follow these simple suggestions you can have a beach wedding that will be beautiful, unique and long remembered by all your guests.

By: NDG WEDDINGS & EVENTS

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