Florida Beach Weddings – 6 ways to beat the summer heat

Florida is called the sunshine state for a reason – when you’re planning ahead for your beach wedding there are ways to make sure you beat the summer heat – your guests will appreciate the attention to detail and the photos will be filled with smiles no matter how hot the beach is 🙂

Parasols

Instant shade and instant style. These look great in the wedding portraits, too!

Water

Make sure there are water bottles on hand for yourselves and your guests. Although you may not be out on the beach for very long, if someone wants a chilled drink, it’s easy to have a cooler or water station nearby.

Dress Code

Although some weddings are formal attire, most of our happy couples and their guests opt for lighter fabrics and a semi-formal or tropical dress code. This translates into summer dresses, shorts, sandals, flip flops, or sandy toes 🙂

A morning ceremony

Temperatures tend to be cooler in the morning hours and the skies are often the brightest blue. A morning ceremony can be followed by a celebration brunch and there is the rest of the day to celebrate!

Fans

Providing a fan on each chair will help with the heat – they can be found in a number of styles and shades – also a great prop for the photos. A popular twist on the ‘fan’ theme is to print a card program and attach it to a holder so it doubles as a memento.

The waves

When you’re steps from the shoreline, it’s hard to resist! Make time for some cooling fun in the sun with a dip in the Gulf of Mexico

If you’re ready to start planning your beach wedding or vow renewal, give us a call to start planning. 727-443-0039 or visit us online at http://www.suncoastweddings.com

Bouquet inspiration for your Florida beach wedding

Bouquets are so varied and unique, it’s fair to say they all look great as the bride walks down the aisle. Seeing so many Florida beach weddings over the years, we want to share some of our all-time favorites – many are inspired by the beach and the ocean. It’s an opportunity to stamp your personality on a key accessory for the day.

 

Shell bouquets

Whether all shell or with shell accents, these bouquets are sure to be perfect on the seashore

For the bridesmaids, shells can also make a dramatic statement

 

Starfish

Did you know you can buy starfish in a variety of colors and sizes? Here we also feature crystal starfish pins adorning beautiful bouquets

 

Pearls

A great theme for a beach wedding, pearls are a traditional element woven into a modern setting

 

Exotic flowers

This is an opportunity to wow your family and friends with exotic blooms and amazing bouquets

 

Brooches and crystals

It’s time to bring the bling! Brooches and crystals pick up the sunlight and shine brightly. The outdoor setting of a beach wedding illuminates the jewels, elevating their shimmer.

 

It’s always worth looking for seasonal flowers and thinking ahead to the time of year you are planning to say “I Do”. Seasonal flowers are often more affordable and certainly in their prime. Traditional favorites like roses and lilies can be transformed with a few shells or starfish and we hope you’ve found some new ideas here today 🙂

 

If you’re ready to start planning your own Florida beach wedding or vow renewal, give us a call at Suncoast Weddings, we’re always ready to make the magic happen.

727-443-0039

10 Fun Ideas with a Beach Wedding Theme

If you love planning and playing with a theme, beach weddings give a perfect opportunity to think outside the box and have fun with the details.

Here are some of our favorite ways to take inspiration from the beach and incorporate them into your wedding.

1. Message in a Bottle

A great way to send ‘save the date’ invites is a ‘message in a bottle’. Here, the addition of a sand dollar adds extra charm.

2. A nautical centerpiece

A net, shells, and starfish transform the table with style and whimsy. Easy to set up, yet effective and appealing, this popular choice works for indoor and outdoor receptions.

3. A seashore inspired sign

Everyone loves being at the beach, and there are so many ways to personalize your wedding day.

4. Themed Coozies

Because once you say “I Do” they’ll be …

5.Sandy Favors

This is a really nice idea to create a personalized keepsake for guests. Shells can be picked from the beach or locally bought and the sand can be from your special location 🙂

6. Fisherman’s Frivolity

For the couple that loves to fish, we have unexpected ideas like starting your aisle with fishing poles!

And for symbolism and theater during the ceremony, tie a fisherman’s knot together.

7. Beach ball shower

No confetti is allowed on the beach and a shower of beach balls creates a fun mood and a great backdrop for pictures

8. Tropical Music

Everyone is transported by the distinctive and uplifting steel drums. Get ready to dance down the aisle!

9. Wedding cake – beach style!

No need to compromise on flavor or impact – a beach inspired wedding cake can be a show stopper!

10. Beach bouquets

We love seeing these creative and beautiful bouquets and boutonnieres – look forward to great portraits and style points from all your guests.

If you’re ready to start planning, we’re here to help! Call us today to get started 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.

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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

 

 

7 Ways to set your Beach Wedding Mood

We’ve had weddings with tears, we’ve had weddings with laughter, and plenty of ceremonies with both! How do you picture your special day? Serious and sincere or lighthearted and uplifting?

We’re looking at ways you can help set the mood for the day – for yourself and your guests. A bit of pre-planning can reduce your stress levels and set the stage for a fantastic experience.

Music

If you are having music at your ceremony, think about the tone you want. You already have the soundtrack of the waves, how do you want to enhance that? Here are a few suggestions:

• If you want a really tropical vibe, consider steel drums. We can help arrange the musicians and you’ll be dancing down the aisle.
• If a friend or family member sings or plays an instrument, maybe they would like to perform. We have microphones and speakers for hire if you have a large gathering.
• Traditional and instrumental pieces of music can bring sentiment and emotion to the occasion.
• Play “your song”
• Choose lyrics that make you feel good – a popular choice for 2016 has been Pharrell Williams’ “Happy”

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Dress Code

From tuxedos and gowns to flip flops and Hawaiian shirts, the dress code will change the mood of the day. Whichever choice you make, formal or informal, make sure all your guests have some expectation so that they feel comfortable and know what to expect.

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Beach Balls and Bubbles

Not just for kids! To bring an element of fun to the celebration and for some awesome photographs, beach balls or bubbles are beach friendly and easy to arrange. In addition, if children are in the group, they will love the distraction and your only problem may be keeping them waiting for the “I Do’s”.

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Your Own Vows

Surely the part of the ceremony where we’ve seen the most tears! Vows can be heartfelt and also humorous at the same time. Speak from your heart and rehearse your vows before the big day.

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Have fun with the Cake

Set the mood to deliciously relaxed by decorating your cake informally with a beach theme. We love starfish and shells and the sky is the limit when you get inspired.

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Time of Day

Sunset over the Gulf of Mexico is magical and romantic so if you want those beautiful wedding portraits with the sun setting, aim for a ceremony about an hour before the sunset. If you want vibrant blue skies, then consider a morning wedding. Cooler temperatures, less change of inclement weather and a whole day to party!

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Take a Dip

You’re at the beach – why not! Whether you plan ahead or the mood just takes you, get ready for some serious fun and some great pictures.

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When you’re ready to start planning, call us at 727-443-0039 or visit us online at SuncoastWeddings.com.

Should I wear a veil to my beach wedding?

If you are lucky enough to be planning your wedding and have dreamed about this day for months (or years!), then you probably already know the answer. Some brides have always imagined wearing a veil and having a beach wedding certainly shouldn’t get in your way. We’ve got some super ‘looks’ to share with you from our Suncoast Weddings albums as well as some ideas to inspire.

If you’re worried about a breeze on the beach, remember that you can buy small weights to keep the veil under control. To be honest, some of our most beautiful bridal portraits are when a breeze does catch the veil – the look is romantic and ethereal.

 

Cathedral length veils

These tend to bring the most drama and the ultimate ‘bridal moment’. Here are some portraits with long veils. Ironically, the length of the veil actually makes them less likely to blow up or misbehave in a slight breeze. To get movement into a portrait, you may need a willing helper to lift the veil then duck quickly out of the shot.

 

 

Echo the veil in the train

This look gives the illusion of a long veil although in fact the veil is mid length and the train of the dress appears to follow the veil’s lines.

Short Veils

Sharp, modern and sassy, these veils give the bridal look without any worries about a breeze. As an added bonus, they can be easily paired with accessories to enhance the look.

THAT photo op!

Yes – there are some brides who cannot imagine their wedding album without the classic shot of the kiss beneath the veil. Here are some of our favorites.

Showing off the veil

It’s also a great portrait shot when the bride revels in the one day she will wear a veil – maybe that is the ultimate charm of the veil …. this is the only occasion it will ever be worn.

What are the alternatives to a veil?

There are certainly options if you opt not to wear a veil. Here are some of our favorites.

Jeweled Clips

Starfish as hair accessories

Peacock Feathers

Flowers

Jeweled Headbands

When it comes to your wedding day, there are no rules, just follow your heart and the day will be perfect. If you’re ready to start planning, call us at Suncoast Weddings today 727-443-0039