The best thing about beach weddings is that your ideas are not confined within a church - giving you endless possibilities! A beach wedding ceremony also helps you save money on formal wear, decoration, and limousine expenses, and your guests will appreciate the comfort of dressing casually for a luau, picnic, or bonfire reception.
For your beach wedding ceremony, you may want to opt for an ordained minister or a layman who can legally officiate at wedding ceremonies rather than a traditional priest.
If it is a short ceremony, you can do without the chairs and have your guests standing on elegant, beach-themed linen on the ground. The transportable arch is a standard fixture at beach wedding rites, with some beach resorts offering wonderful gazebos as a pleasant alternative. Though flowers are customary at weddings, you can break off convention by decorating the pews or rows with framed images of the couple fixed with themed ribbons.
This is your beach wedding ceremony, so make it exclusive. Design your ceremony program in the form of a shell or flip-flop, or attach your handwritten poem to a plank of drift wood to match your beach theme. Personalize your aisle runner with a monogram or emblem of your choosing. Instead of walking with only your dad, you may be accompanied by mom or a sibling or a best friend. You can even ride on a horse or march with your favorite pet. Replace the conventional processional music with your fave tune. Up front, you may have a man of honor or best woman waiting enthusiastically. Most importantly, write your own wedding vows.
When choosing your wedding music, note the five segments of a beach wedding ceremony: prelude, processional, sand ceremony, recessional, and postlude. For the prelude, entertain your visitors as they come in with songs that they are acquainted with. Instead of the clichéd Here Comes the Bride, play a contemporary wedding song for your processional.
Sand on the beach takes the place of church candles, adding a bit of ritual and reflection to the beach wedding ceremony. Songs that brought you together and other couple favourites come into action during sand ceremonies.
Recessional and postlude music should be lively as you celebrate your love and the start of your life together. Work with your band or string quartet for recommended selections.