Beach Weddings

A beach theme wedding can certainly be a lot of fun. It's an opportunity to take advantage of the romance of the ocean and the fun of the sandy shores. You can have a formal wedding beach side at a cabana or at a beach side garden.

Informal weddings on a sandy beach are beautiful with a white arch covered in flowers and ribbons. Even if you don't have your wedding at the beach, you can use these ideas to convey the same feeling in a landlocked locale!

Start with your invitations. A sea-shell shaped invitation or one that shows sea scenes will set the stage early for your beach theme. Have chairs set up for your guests, or ask them to bring their own lawn chair or towel. If you set up chairs, consider how you will get less mobile guests to the seating area.

Decorate your reception and ceremony sites with sea shells and colored sand sculptures. Tiny sea shells sprinkled on tables or placed in colorful bowls will attract attention.

Add shells, pearls, and anchors to your flower arrangements.

Have a clam bake or lobster reception - or go all out with Hawaiian shirts and surf shorts. If you relax, your guests will, too!

Visit tourist shops near beaches for special items that will help set the mood. Bright plastic fish, beach towels with summery designs, and plastic buckets with shovels may seem silly, but all of them evoke memories of lazy days on the beach. Place these items casually at your reception to inspire the beach mood!

Add chocolate sea shells to your wedding cake. Use a lighthouse as a cake topper. Ask the baker to make a beach scene on the cake rather than layers of white froth.

For favors, pass out small bottles of sunscreen tied with a ribbon. Fill a plastic pail with a shell, program, and shovel so guests can enjoy the beach after the reception!

Weddings by Lisa Akers, Author of "The Wedding Theme Workbook" and "The Wedding Consultant in a Box