Beach Weddings: Should You Consider One?
Many a bride dreams about having her wedding on the sandy beaches of Florida or at an exotic destination such as Aruba, Bermuda, or Cancun. While each locale offers a unique wedding environment they aren't without some pitfalls. Let's explore just what is involved in pulling off a beach wedding. The beautiful beaches and scenery of a tropical wedding location are part of many people's wedding dreams. Still, there are precautions one must take before committing to marry on the beach including:
The Weather - A good idea to avoid the sun's heat is to have the wedding later in the day. Gnats and humidity can put the edge on your day: who needs to be uncomfortable while you are planning to marry? If you are marrying during hurricane season, Florida, Bermuda, and Cancun can be a bad idea while Aruba can be a wise choice. Aruba generally suffers a hurricane about once a century. If you are still set on the other locations, consider a winter wedding instead. The Cost -Deciding to have your wedding in a remote location such as Aruba or Cancun may cause your friends to be weary of the costs. Marry in Florida and the airfare and hotel rates should be very reasonable even during the busy winter months. Some bed and breakfast locations encourage you to have your wedding on their premises. If so, guests could see you marry on the premises, have the reception there, and stay for a few nights at a reduced cost to all. The License - Florida law states that you must attain the marriage license prior having the wedding ceremony. In other locales, local restrictions apply. Make certain that you understand what those restrictions are or you could find the ceremony held up until you comply! The Logistics -If you hold the marriage on the beach, where will you hold the reception? You probably will not have the reception at the beach, so if this is the case will the guests have to travel to get to the reception? If they do, will you provide transportation in the form of chartered buses or will you expect your guests to shell out money for a car rental or car service? Better to marry as close to the reception location as possible! Planning on having your wedding at the same location as your honeymoon can be beneficial for both you and your guests. You will not have to worry about catching another flight to get to your honeymoon destination and your guests will enjoy a few days in the warm sun. Then again, your privacy could be limited at least for the first few days. Better to book that honeymoon suite in secret! |