The Beach Bride Guide
If you are reading this, I want to first congratulate you on your engagement! After a few beach weddings, to include my own wedding, I decided to share some tips I picked up along the way. While most beach weddings I've been a part of have gone pretty smoothly, there is always something, however small, that gets overlooked. So, let's dive right in with the single most important thing you need to consider if your heart is set on a beach wedding.
#1 Weather
Have you thought about what you will do if it suddenly starts to downpour in the middle of your ceremony? Anytime you plan an outdoor event, the weather needs to be taken into consideration, and having a backup venue could potentially save your wedding day! Although Florida is the Sunshine state, we are in a tropical climate, so we do get our fair share of tropical storms, not to mention hurricane season which runs from June 1st to November 30th.. Find a place in advance where the ceremony can be relocated and make sure there will be enough space for your guests inside. You can ask your coordinator or wedding officiant for alternate venue recommendations.
#2: High Tide
If your heart is set on having your toes in the sand on your wedding day, you may also want to have a look at the local tide chart. What could be worse than an otherwise beautiful day only to find out that the spot you picked to have your ceremony is under water? Google "local tide chart" for the name of the beach where the wedding is being held. Look at what time low tide will be and make sure to schedule your wedding during that time. Low tide happens twice a day, but the time is different each day. If you don't have a special date picked, then make sure that low tide is also in sync with golden hour. What is golden hour? I'm glad you asked...
#3: Golden Hour
Golden hour is that magical hour that happens just after sunrise and just before sunset. Photographers love this time of day because not only does it tend to make pretty colors in the sky, it is very flattering light! During mid day when the sun is high in the sky and very bright, it creates unflattering shadows all over the place and causes lots of squinting. It is harsh on the eyes for both the photographer and everyone else at the wedding, including the two most important people, the bride and groom!
#4: Hair & Makeup
First of all, if it is in the budget, do yourself a favor by hiring a professional to do your hair and makeup. Not only do makeup artists know how to make you look photo ready, but you won't have the added stress of trying to do it all yourself! You can relax and trust that you're going to look amazing. However, if hiring a pro is not in the budget, then I would suggest using natural colors for your eyes and lips and just applying it a little heavier than normal. The beach is not the most forgiving environment for wearing your hair natural. There tends to be more of a breeze on the beach than other outdoor locations and you don't want to be preoccupied with constantly pushing your hair out of your face during your vows. Have your hair stylist at least pull the front of your hair away from your face so that you can be in the moment with your groom and your photographer can capture those special moments without your hair blocking your face the entire time!
And that's it guys! These are only things that I have had personal experience with and by no means is it all inclusive. I hope these tips help you in preparing for your big day. If you're looking for more ways to make sure your wedding photos can be captured in the best way possible, here is an article featured on The Knot that I like to share with all of my brides a couple of weeks before wedding day. As always, thank you stopping by and taking the time to read our blog!!
