Beach weddings are so romantic — sunshine, blue waters and beautiful pink and orange sunsets. If you’re the type to tie the knot in laid-back attire, toes in the sand, these 14 beach weddings will provide magical inspiration.
If you are considering a beach wedding, here are some of the pros and cons.
Pros
- The beach provides a beautiful, natural setting and can be a great venue, especially for non-religious ceremonies.
- A beach wedding can be less expensive than other weddings, considering that you will not be paying a lot for a location fee, which is often a big part of the budget. If you get married on a local public beach, you may have to pay only a small permit fee.
- You and your guests can wear laid-back attire. You can even go barefoot, if you like.
- Your wedding will be like a vacation for some of your guests — everyone will be in a relaxed and celebratory mood.
- Wedding and reception happen in the same place, right on the beach, so you don’t need to book two venues.
- Beach theme decorations and favors are fun — you can get creative.
- Your wedding photos will be taken in natural light, so you’ll be gorgeous.
Cons
- The weather may not cooperate. If it rains or gets windy, things can get ugly fast.
- Having a second location lined up in case of bad weather pretty much negates any cost savings.
- Your flowers may wilt. You’ll want hardy, tropical flowers or non-floral arrangements.
- Most beaches have rules. You may need to pay for a permit ahead of time, sometimes up to a year in advance. And some beach rules forbid alcohol and fire — should you be planning to light candles or have a bonfire.
- There will be strangers on the beach when your wedding is taking place. This is true for public beaches as well as private beaches, even those you obtained a permit for.
- You can’t control wild life. Seagulls are notorious beggars. If there’s food around, they will try to snatch it up.
- The tides will dictate the timing of the vows, as well as photo sessions, so look up the tidal charts.
Did we leave anything out? Do you have more pros and cons for beach weddings? Tweet us at @BritandCo.
(Photo via Chloe Murdoch Photography / Style Me Pretty)