We’re looking at some of the factors in deciding if a package is the best fit for your wedding day.
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Author: jo2ashton
6 Ways to bring Crystals to your beach wedding
There’s something magical about crystals catching the sunlight and that’s the beauty of having an outdoor wedding in Florida – when you come to the Sunshine State, why not maximize the bling appeal and incorporate crystals into your big day. We’ve got some creative ideas and we’ve been inspired by our Suncoast Weddings couples. So read on and start planning, here’s to the glitz and the glam 🙂
A crystal drape
A picture is worth a thousand words. In the sunshine or as the sun sets, adding our crystal drape as a backdrop for your arch truly sets the stage for a magical ceremony and stunning wedding portraits. It can be added to any of our packages or as part of a customized a la carte ceremony.
A Chandelier
Why not? If you love crystals, a chandelier is an easy way to set a shimmering centerpiece within the arch. There are many styles to choose from – some bring a vintage flair and others are chic and modern in style. Looking to carry the theme to the reception? A chandelier over the top table will leave no doubt who the stars are on this special day 🙂
Your bouquet
This could be an homage to crystals or some strategically placed gems in your flowers, we’ve seen both versions and they both look awesome. Easy to transport, you can order these well before your wedding and adding that touch of decadence will really make a difference to your photos.
Your wedding reception
Bring the bling to catch the candles and lights of your reception. We can help with beautiful centerpieces or votives. The glimmer from the crystals showcases your flowers and brings an opulent setting. It’s a super special day and every detail counts.
Your Wedding Dress or shoes
Yes – there are stunning wedding dresses with crystals as a part of the gown. Stylish, eye-catching and very fashion forward, if you love crystals then check out your options.
Your Jewelry
Hair clips, bracelets, necklaces, tiaras, earrings … whatever makes you feel special on your wedding day! You’ll remember this day forever and it’s the perfect time to take your confidence to the next level with your bridal style.
When you’re ready to start planning your big day, we’re your Florida team to make your dreams come true. Check out our wedding themes and wedding packages and then give us a call at 727-443-0039
Weaving florals into your wedding day
Flowers are a classic staple of any wedding day but why stop at the traditional bouquet and boutonniere? Here we look at some creative ways to feature your florals. Fresh flowers are most affordable when they are in season and featuring them more could help lock in a ‘bulk’ deal, however, fresh flowers, especially the exotic blooms, can soon add up. Silk flowers are a good alternative or even a mix. Consider fresh florals for the bouquets and the arch, then silk flowers for the chairs or aisle.
She wore flowers in her hair …
The options here range from subtle to bold. An example of a subtle style would be simple, elegant orchids. These images also show the contrast between a bright color palette and softer tones. The flowers are a great way to extend the color theme of the wedding into your bridal fashion.
For a bolder style, flower crowns give an ethereal, utterly romantic wedding day aura.
Decorating the cake
The flowers needn’t be edible, having them purely for decoration before slicing the cake is a great way to get a show-stopper impression. Flowers can also be positioned around the cake as well as on it.
Of course, you can always evoke the romance of flowers with the skill of a great wedding cake designer, who can craft the flowers as part of the design.
A centerpiece with a twist
Flowers are often used as centerpieces, in fact, the bouquet(s) can be ‘recycled’ after the ceremony to do double duty. We like the effect of submerging flowers (real or silk work equally well) as a centerpiece. Teamed with floating candles or alone, the beauty and delicacy of the petals and stem seem to be magnified.
A backdrop for the rings
A great album shot, use the flowers as a ‘stage’ to showcase your wedding bands.
An accent for the chairs
Flowers can be peek-a-boo style in the sash, or can be attached to chairs as accents. Some couples opt for all chairs, others opt for those only along the aisle.
Aisle markers
The most popular options for aisle markers are conch shells, starfish, and grasses, but flowers can also lead the way towards the arch.
Flower girls
It’s exciting to be a part of a beach wedding – especially such an important role. To make it extra special, let your flower girl sprinkle petals of a different color if you already have a petal-strewn aisle – she can see what a great job she has done!
If you have a unique way you would like to weave flowers into your wedding day, we’ll help may the dream come true. Maybe you ‘make’ your bouquet as you walk along the aisle by gathering a stem from each person in your wedding party, maybe you want a backdrop of suspended flowers behind the arch. When December rolls around, how about mistletoe on the arch to await that first kiss 🙂 If you’re ready to start planning, give us a call at 727-443-0039 or visit us online at http://www.suncoastweddings.com
Beach Wedding Photography Tips
Trust your photographer
There is nothing more frustrating than looking at a beautifully composed shot of a wedding party where some people are looking in another direction! This happens easily when well-intentioned family or friends are also trying to capture ‘the perfect shot’. When you have a professional wedding photographer, trust them and let them direct your wedding photography session. This will lead to less frustration and better shots with everyone looking the right way 🙂
To encourage people to put down their electronic devices and truly enjoy the ceremony with you, consider an ‘unplugged ceremony’. The sign says it all.
Sunset Portraits
If you want a chance to get portraits as the sun sets, work backward from the scheduled sunset time to plan for the ceremony and group shots before the happy couple poses for romantic sunset shots.
Silhouettes
Sunset is also the perfect time to get creative with stunning silhouettes, particularly dramatic with a ballgown style wedding dress or a veil. Make sure the couple aren’t too close as their silhouettes will merge into one.
Use the beach for inspiration
You chose a beach wedding because you love the beach so what better way to be creative with photographs. Sand, starfish, shells and the surf itself all make for great photo opportunities.
Keep Equipment Clean
Sand can be an enemy of cameras and spare equipment. Use clear plastic bags to protect and seal and change lenses carefully.
Have a wishlist? Speak up!
If there are certain photos you know you want in your album (like a particular grouping of people for instance) then make sure your photographer knows asap.
Keep the horizon straight
A crooked horizon will instantly draw the eye and can ruin a picture. Set the horizon straight and remember the rule of thirds – a picture will often look better if the horizon is at the 1/3 or 2/3 level than at halfway.
How not to do it:
How to do it:
Look for reflections
If the tide is going out you may be lucky enough to get some great portraits and awesome reflections. If the tide is coming in, this isn’t likely to be an option.
Beach Wedding Photography is unique
Taking great beach wedding photos is not as easy as it looks. Being able to take great photographs elsewhere doesn’t directly translate to the lighting challenges and changing weather conditions on the shore. The safest way to plan on a beautiful beach wedding album is to hire a professional beach wedding photographer. The Suncoast Weddings team of photographers specialize in beach wedding photography.
Play with Color
Sometimes looking at an image in black and white can change the mood of the photo. Alternatively, selective pops of color can be used to great effect.
Listen to your photographer
Part of being a good photographer is composing shots. Listen to your photographer during the shoot so they can coordinate the wedding party. A good example is the blessing stones, the best shots have everyone throwing the stones at the same time.
Turn off any sounds on your camera and have backup plans by bringing spare memory cards and batteries.
If you’re ready to start planning your destination wedding, give us a call and we can start planning! 727-443-0039
Email: inquiries@suncoastweddings.com
Beach Wedding Tips
Beach Wedding Locations – How to choose?
There are many factors which should be considered when choosing the perfect beach wedding location for you and your wedding party. Here we explore a few of the obvious and not so obvious points you should take into consideration.
Nostalgia
If you’ve vacationed to the same beach area throughout the years and already have a firm favorite, that’s going to be a hard beach to beat. It could be the beach you proposed on, the beach you shared your first kiss or your dream beach that you’ve pictured in your mind forever. If you already have that venue in mind that is calling your name, look no further!
Parking
If you have lots of guests driving to the ceremony then you may want to choose a beach where parking is straight forward and plentiful. There are many beaches which fit the bill and some of them require parking meter fees – not a problem as long as you know in advance what to expect!
Proximity to your accommodation
Believe it or not, there are hotels and inns nearby where you can literally step out of your room, onto the beach and down the aisle. If that appeals, we know the best local places to stay and take transport off your wedding day ‘to do’ list.
Close to your reception
Maybe you are looking at a ceremony not even ‘close to’ your reception, but at the same place! There are beautiful venues nearby where we can set up your ceremony and then you and your guests can step straight into cocktail hour or your reception. This doesn’t have to be a sunset only option. Brunches and lunches also work and could be a more cost effective alternative. In this scenario you can stop worrying about transporting your wedding party from one place to another mid-celebration.
Wheelchair Access
There are some local beaches (particularly those in local parks) which have done a fantastic job of making their beach access accessible. Once the pathways and boardwalk have been crossed, a location with a relatively ‘narrow’ beach at the time of the ceremony (beaches always change with the tides so a picture might not be the best indicator) can make the logistics easy.
Location, location, location
Some beaches cannot be replicated no matter how soft the sand or how perfect the sky. For a location like our ‘Mangroves By The Sea’ venue, a spectacular beach of natural outstanding beauty, the location is unique.
Likewise, if your dream backdrop is a pier or rocks on the beach, we have local beaches that would be perfect for you.
Permit Fees
Most beaches now require permits before you say “I Do” however the price varies in different areas and may also change if your wedding party rises above a certain number of guests. Some permits require filing a minimum number of days in advance. This can be complicated and the fee structure has changed frequently so give us a call to find out the latest information.
Access to Gardens, Private Property or Parks
If you’re lucky enough to own property locally (or know someone who does!), that may become your wedding location. It needn’t be a beach – we have performed beautiful ceremonies in gardens. The looks you see on the beaches can be recreated in gardens or parks.
Shower-proof Cover
If inclement weather is likely to be an issue then consider a venue with a back up option. Sunset Beach has a pavilion which can be rented – it also acts as a picturesque backdrop for portraits.
A long aisle walk
If you are worried about walking a long way in the heat or you simply want the drama of walking down a short aisle before you’re seen, consider a beach where you can access the aisle directly from a boardwalk or a beach that is relatively ‘narrow’. Some of the locations have wide expanses of sands and even dunes which you may walk across before approaching the arch.
Ready to get planning? We are! Give us a call at 727-443-0039 or visit us online at Suncoast Weddings
Help! My Beach Wedding Dream doesn’t fit any Package
There is no doubt about it – planning your wedding can be stressful. Maybe you’ve dreamed about this moment for as long as you can remember – maybe the dream has changed or maybe you never thought it would happen until you met the one.
At Suncoast Weddings, we’ve got you covered. We’re all about taking the stress away – we don’t claim to be experts in everything, but we live and breathe weddings every day. We pride ourselves on personalizing every ceremony and we bring the expertise to plan an intimate service for two people, an elaborate celebration for family and friends from around the world and everything in between.
We offer Beach Wedding Packages to ‘bundle’ certain features, basically offering a selection at a reduced price compared to all the components added together. Sometimes that fits perfectly – for others their dream service might be a bit of mix and match – the Island Oasis without the palms for instance. That’s fine with us! In fact it’s really just a starting point to kick off the discussion. Nor do you have to be an expert in all our packages to get the best deal from Suncoast Weddings, if you let us know what you want, we’ll find the best savings for you and put together a clear proposal with all the costs itemized. No surprises, no last minute clean up fees and maybe extra savings you didn’t even know you were eligible for (we are proud to offer a 10% discount to military personnel and all first responders).
If you look around the galleries on our website, instagram and on pinterest it’s clear that every ceremony is unique. In fact it’s quite a challenge to characterize each package with a set of images because they look so eclectic!
Some of our couples choose to further personalize their day in some way with premium aisle décor or fresh flowers so taking any package as a starting point makes even more sense.
So if you’re reading this and have been stressed because you don’t want to compromise to fit into one of the predefined packages, just give us a call (727-443-0039) or drop us a line (inquiries@suncoastweddings.com) because we don’t want you to compromise either!
Maybe your uncle is a minister and you want him to perform the service, or you have no idea how many guests you will have yet, you’re not sure which beach you prefer or even which date fits best. That’s OK! Planning your wedding is a process (a fun one at that!) and once you get started, we’ll help put the details in place until you’ve arrived at your dream vision. Then you can relax and focus on enjoying the build up, the countdown and the big day itself.
Still unsure? Give us a call and ask for Sue or Michelle – we know we can make your dream come true.
