Is there anything important then bridesmaids? These girls are your closest friends or your relatives, they were the first ones to scream, ask to see the ring and suggest a drink to celebrate. They organized a bridal shower for you and they certainly deserve some nice gifts as they were there for you throughout all that planning and helped in making your beach wedding come true. So, what should you get for your girls? You need gifts that are girly, practical, go with the beach wedding theme and can express your gratefulness in the best way. Giving your bridesmaids some cute gifts is the perfect way to remind them how much you appreciate their friendship.

Beach wedding gift baskets– A set that contains a beach tote, pair of flip-flops and a beach towel is a fun gift that goes perfectly with your beach wedding theme and is something your bridesmaid could use while staying in the tropical resort.

Jewelry – Choose only the best for your loved ones, either nice fashion jewelry to wear everyday or something nice to wear in the wedding like a shell necklace. Investing in some silver necklaces or earrings to give to your bridesmaids a nice, lasting gift they will love is a great idea. Plus you have a chance to chose different styles to make sure each of your bridesmaids gets a jewelry piece that goes with her style.

Activities - Maybe your girls have everything they could ever want? A good option is to plan an outing for the two of you that will happen after the wedding. Maybe a concert or getting pedicures together would be fun. Spending one-on one time will be harder once you are married so this is something they all will love.

These are just some of the basic gift ideas for your bridal party. Beach weddings really leave a lot of space for experimenting so you don’t have to follow any guidelines or choose identical gifts. A bridal party usually includes the ladies close to the bride (bridesmaids and sometimes even flower girls), so you can choose a different gift for every member of your party based on her individual style and preferences. Dresses, lipsticks, purses, mirrors or even handmade gifts– Anything is allowed as long as it goes well with your beach wedding theme and has a personal feel to it.

*photo by Dave & Charlotte Lifestyle Photographers

Finding the perfect beach wedding dress – How hard could it be? Well, very hard, most of the brides-to-be would agree. With so many styles available out there, searching for THE one could be like searching for a needle in a haystack. There is always the problem of those “critical areas” you don’t feel particularly happy uncovering for your most important day. For some women it’s the legs, for others it may be large/small breasts or a few extra pounds but, whatever the problem may be – there is a solution, a wedding dress style perfect for you and your beach wedding!

A perfect beach wedding dress is the one that hides all those small imperfections and makes you look and feel beautiful and confident. That dress is perfectly fit for a beach wedding, it makes you look like a princess and… it’s out there! You just have to know where to start. So, let’s start solving the big mystery.

Small frame – Petite brides-to-be can really consider themselves lucky because the whole concept of the beach wedding dress fits their figure perfectly. These women should avoid too complicated dresses, which won’t be a problem because a good beach wedding dress shouldn’t be too elaborate anyway. Long, form-fitting dresses are ideal for those with good proportions just looking to add a couple of inches to their height, while empire cut adds volume too, so skinny ladies would look gorgeous in a long, empire cut dress.

Pear shape – Women with fuller hips should look for the wedding dress style that balances out the figure. The good thing about beach wedding dresses is that they should be made out of feather-light, flowing fabrics, which is perfect for disguising those wide hips. Choosing an A line, strapless dress, for example, would be a great idea because it will draw attention to the upper part and visually create a more balanced shape. An ideal length would be just above or below the knee – choose a spot where your legs are thinner to make the bottom part look longer and slimmer.

Plus size – Dear brides-to-be, do not go for a long, tunic-like dress, or anything that has no shape whatsoever. Do accent your curves! Do you know how many women out there would kill to have curves like yours? An A line dress or a more formal corset top beach wedding gown will point out those good curves and give you that feminine hour-glass silhouette you’ll be happy to show off at your beach wedding.

Most likely you will have to get your wedding dress altered so a good way to go is to order a custom beach wedding dress that is made to your exact proportions. It is best to start looking for that perfect dress right away so there is sufficient time to order or get it made. Good luck and happy hunting ladies!

Having a money dance, also known as the honeymoon dance, at your beach wedding could be a great way to have fun with your guests, do something unusual and raise some extra cash for the actual honeymoon. However, if you’ve never been to a wedding celebration that included the money dance, you probably have a lot of questions about it – what is it, how it’s done and most importantly, would it be appropriate to incorporate it in your beach wedding celebration?

Well, a money dance, also known as dollar dance, originates from Poland and it started being the part of the polish wedding traditions in 1920’s. This dance usually takes place during the wedding reception and sometime after the bride and groom’s first dance. Male guests line up to dance with the bride and each guest a bride had a short dance with would pin some money to her dress. Immigrants introduced this dance to the Western society and although some consider it a bit crude and inappropriate, it sure did become very popular.

A modern version of this dance involves both the bride and the groom and, if you really want something unusual for your beach wedding, you can definitely find a way to do it in a way that won’t offend anybody. You can have a DJ announce this dance and give a short explanation of what the guests should do or have a family member start it and invite others to follow. Since the dance is supposed to go on until all of the male guests take their turn in dancing with the bride and all of the female guests spend their few seconds dancing with the groom, it sure makes it a great way to spend some quality, one-on-one time with each and everyone of your guests and make your beach wedding a memorable, one of a kind experience. You can do it the traditional way and have guests pin the money to your clothes or tuck it in the grooms pockets or you can have someone fold it into crowns or leis to go with your beach theme. Another option is to have your maid of honor and best man collect the money in a beach pail or cute purse (like the one pictured above) and direct the flow and timing of the dance.

If organizing a tropical beach wedding really drained your budget, a money dance could help you get back on your feet and have a honeymoon you’ve always wished for. Or, if finances are not a problem, you can just do it for fun and have your beach wedding guests pin pieces of paper with some nice lyrics or good wishes.

When shopping for bridesmaids dresses, use the same guidelines you used when choosing your own wedding dress. Your bridesmaids play a big role in the wedding ceremony so enabling them to look great, feel comfortable and walk gracefully is extremely important.

Bridesmaids and the bride should be dresses in the same style so if you chose a linen dress to wear at your beach wedding, choose a similar style for your bridesmaids. If you will be wearing an elegant, chiffon or organza dress make sure your bridesmaids have coordinating dresses too. That doesn’t necessarily mean identical, just don’t mix casual and elegant. Bride, groom and their entourage (bridesmaids and groomsmen) should look like a perfectly matched puzzle – the colors can vary but all the pieces must fit.

And speaking about the color, a beach wedding is great for being creative with them, you have the whole palette of gorgeous pastel tones and tropical colors, why not play with them and maybe even choose a different one for each one of your bridesmaids? Be stylish and daring and do what Carrie Bradshaw did in her Sex And the City movie wedding – adjust the dress colors to your bridesmaids personalities and physical appearance. We all know that not every woman has the same body type so getting custom beach bridesmaid dresses is a good option so they all will look and feel great in their dresses.

Bridesmaids dresses can be long, tea-length or short. Their length doesn’t have to be the same as the length of your wedding dress but try not be drastic, just in case. Some say long dresses ought to be avoided for a beach wedding as the dragging over the sand tends to make them look dirty very fast. That is correct, but it applies only on those dresses with long trains. You can dress your bridesmaids (as well as yourself) in long dresses, just make sure the dress is short enough to not drag too much in the sand.

If you are worried about it getting chilly or windy you can pick out wraps or shawls for your bridesmaids too. If the strong wind suddenly starts blowing and the bridesmaids are wearing strapless or open-back dresses, wraps will keep them warm and comfortable. If the weather remains good, wraps can be a stylish accessory that completes their dresses and accents yours. For example – you are wearing an organza dress and your bridesmaids have organza wraps. Now, that’s a well matched style! You may think this doesn’t have anything to do with the dresses, but it does. Combining the whole look for your bridesmaids is just as important as finding the perfect bridal attire – a gorgeous bride and the beautiful bridesmaids are a must for a  perfect beach wedding.

After a beach wedding ceremony, your guests will probably expect to attend a casual reception with the same theme. Some couples prefer to have the reception done on the same beach, right after the ceremony, while others choose the comfort of an air-conditioned hall and compensate the lack of nature’s elements with beach themed decorations and favors. Organizing a beach themed reception inside does have its good sides: your wedding cake won’t melt, you are safe from unwanted rain or wind and you can have your first wedding dance with your shoes/heels on. But, maybe you’re having a winter wedding back home? No problem! Organizing a beach themed wedding reception can make you and your guests forget it’s a cold November day outside.

You can get everybody in the tropical mood by giving them a silk lei the moment they come through the door. Palm trees and centerpieces made with exotic flowers and sand will heat up the atmosphere even more, but those are not the only things you can do to. Replace the usual champagne toast with some colorful, tropical cocktails and you can consider your beach themed reception a complete success! Tropical fruits or even chocolate covered fruits like pineapples, papaya or mango are perfect. A beach themed wedding cake decorated with some boats, anchors or shells is a nice touch too.

Don’t forget to give your guests some beach themed wedding favors. This is, actually, one of the most popular themes so finding great and yet relatively inexpensive beach wedding favors will be easy. Sand candles or ornaments are a very popular choice for favors. There are so many great choices!

Out of town weddings mean that most or all of your guests will be traveling to the selected destination.  A great way to thank your bridal party or even all of your guests for travelling so far for your wedding is to prepare an out of town bag for them, also known as an OOT bag. An out of town gift bag can look however you want it to and contains whatever you think your guests might find useful while staying in the destination you chose for your beach wedding. A beach wedding theme gives you a chance to be creative and make nice, personalized and practical out of town gift bags that will most definitely let your guest know how much you appreciate their efforts to attend your wedding.

So, what can an out of town gift bag contain? First of all, a gorgeous bag that you’ll use to put all the goodies in. It can be a re-usable beach themed tote bag, that they can use at the beach or to carry their groceries when they get home. Paper bags or gift bags can be just as pretty so if totes are out of your price range, you can opt for those. Sand buckets or baskets decorated with shells are also a great, creative way to start forming your own out of town gift bag.

Once you’ve found the bags, you can start filling them up with goodies. What you’ll decide to put inside depends only on you and your budget but here are some ideas to get you started:

Flip-flops – These will come handy at the beach wedding ceremony or on the dance floor in case some of your guests forget to bring their own.

A map – Include a map and mark the places to see as well the spots where your wedding celebration and reception will be taking place. That way you’ll make sure your dear guests find their way around the city/resort, see everything there is to see and  don’t get lost while doing so.

A “thank you” note – Take your time to write a short personal note and let each and every guest know how much you are happy to have them attending your beach wedding.

Beach themed items– Real seashells, mini sunscreens, little scented candles, picture frames are cute and yet inexpensive way to add a tropical note to the whole bag and put everybody in the festive mood.

Edible goodies- Include a water bottle, some beach snacks or cookies for your guests to enjoy during the weekend or take on the plane.

Some companies offer ready made out of town bags so if you’re in a hurry you can get those. However, an out of town bag is supposed to be a personalized gift so taking some time to put it together will give much better results and is a great way to fit in a tight budget. When it comes to out of town bags, you can never start too early, so go ahead and use your creativity to the maximum and enlist your bridal party to help you assemble them.

Not knowing what you should and shouldn’t do is completely normal since there are so many ways to do a wedding and so much to think about. Planning a wedding is stepping into an unknown territory since the options are endless, but planning a beach wedding far away from your city or even country can be downright frightening. No need to worry though, beach weddings have their own set of rules and traditions and are a bit more casual. Below are a few tips for your beach wedding planning process:

DO think about your guests. If you are planning to have a beach wedding in a distant, tropical resort, inform your guests as soon as you book the venue. Guests will need to arrange days off, save money for the trip, and book their flights. DON’T take them by surprise – some of them may even commit to come only to realize they don’t have enough time/money. Sending your guests a note approximately six months before the wedding will give them enough time to decide if they can come, prepare and attend your special day without problems or delays.

DO choose a beach appropriate wedding attire. Beaches are pretty windy in the morning and afternoon and can be hot and humid during the day, depending on where you are, so you’ll have to adjust your clothes to the weather conditions. Try linen shirts or suits for the guys and a light, flowing bridesmaids dress and a comfortable beach wedding dress for yourself. DON’T wear heels in the sand or overly complicated wedding dresses with tons of layers since you don’t want to be sweating and stick to your dress as you walk down the aisle. The same goes for the grooms too – traditional tuxedos and shiny shoes do look good but, for a beach wedding, a nice linen suit and a pair of flip-flops, boat shoes or even bare feet are all great options for a beach wedding.

DO invest in some good, professional photos for the ceremony – as the years pass, you will still be enjoying your album. Wedding photos are there to refresh the memory after those tiny details start fading away. DON’T try to save by asking some of your friends to take pictures with a regular camera. A  beach setting can be very tricky when it comes to taking pictures – a lot of natural light and the sun reflecting in the water make finding the right angle a very difficult job only a professional could manage to do correctly. You can save by finding a good offer or even by reducing the hours by having a professional only for the ceremony.

DO start  planning your beach wedding several months in advance. That will give you enough time to put together a guest list, find a good location( and for a good price), collect all the needed paperwork, arrange the arrival a few days before and do all needed preparations. DON’T put yourself in the position where you have to work with what you have at the moment. It will cost you a lot of money and a lot of nerves, plus you won’t get what you bargained for. A beach wedding is casual but it has to be well-planned in order for it to be perfect and you deserve to have a gorgeous beach wedding.

The flower girl may be tiny but she sure is an important part of the wedding ceremony.  In old times, a flower girl’s duty was to entertain the guests, after all, is there a person who could restrain from smiling when a cute, little child, all dressed up like a porcelain doll shows up? Today, a flower girl represents a sign of bride’s arrival, she lays down flowers or confetti to mark the bride’s path and she still looks unbelievably cute and makes all the guests say “awww” when she appears.

Having a flower girl at your beach wedding is not necessary but, if you have a child, a niece or cousin aged 3-8, why not give her a treat having this special role at the wedding? She will especially love getting a cute flower girl dress.  For a beach wedding, anything goes as far as colors for a flower girl. If it’s a casual beach wedding, you can get her a cute, linen flower girl dress she can wear even after the wedding or a tropical color to match the wedding or beach landscape. Dress her up with a shell necklace or lei for a beach wedding to top it off.

Sprinkling tropical flowers or roses and looking adorable will be all her duties as a beach wedding flower girl but do make sure your little girl feels comfortable too. If it’s a very young girl pick a shorter dress- walking on the sand is hard enough even without the dress getting in her way. If the weather forecast says your up for a windy day,  make sure you get her a wrap, too. You can pick the same one you’ve chosen for your bridesmaids and make her feel like one of the big girls.

Kids are not really good at being quiet or staying still for a long time so weddings are usually not the best event to leave them unattended. However, if you do your beach wedding preparations right, it could turn out to be an event they will enjoy. You see, your little guests don’t enjoy the same things grown-ups do, so you’ll need some fun things to keep them busy and occupied. Most people tend to get a bit scared when thinking about organizing a child-friendly wedding but the truth is that you can have it all- a perfect beach wedding both you, the kids and their parents would enjoy.

The best way to make sure that both kids and their parents are having is to hire a sitter. If you are having a destination wedding many resorts have childcare services you can use. If you’re looking to cut down on your expenses or you’re expecting a small number of kids, you can always ask one of the older teenage kids to be the babysitter. Make sure you keep them entertained with coloring books and toys so they are not disturbing the atmosphere.

If you are also having your wedding reception on the beach, making a play-area and supplying enough sand buckets and other toys kids could use to play on  the sand, would be very easy. That is what’s so great about beach weddings- there are plenty of things for kids to do- collect seashells, build castles or, if the day turns out to be windy, fly kites. You could organize a beach-like play-area even if you’re planning to have your beach wedding reception elsewhere. Simply have the sand brought from the nearby beach and let the little ones enjoy themselves.

Another thing that will definitely make them happy is special food. You don’t need to serve the kids a fancy four course meal, save some money and get some cheap kid-friendly foods. Colorful cupcakes, candies, french-fries and smiley-face sandwiches are what kids like so try those instead of giving them a regular menu. Setting up a table with these goodies will most certainly draw their attention and make playing around the buffet seem uninteresting.

So, as you can see, there is no need to freak out or change your beach wedding plans. In fact, having kids on the wedding could turn out to be much better than you’ve ever imagined!

A wedding cake has been and always will be an inevitable wedding dessert. After all, a cake cutting ceremony is one of those special wedding moments that are just picture perfect. However, if you’re planning to do a complete beach wedding, with the ceremony and the reception right there, next to the sea, you might find standard wedding cakes a bit unpractical. Even if you schedule the wedding ceremony before noon a reception will definitely last long after that and your gorgeous, three layered wedding cake will start melting. So, a mid-day beach wedding reception may call for some changes in the dessert section of your wedding menu.

Why not treat your guests with some ice-cream sandwiches? They will sure appreciate this icy delight on a hot summer day. Keep them in the freezer until dessert time and have your servers pass them to the guests on platters. Chocolate covered strawberries and tropical fruits are another option. These easy and refreshing desserts fit perfectly into the beach wedding theme and your guests will love them. Other options like cupcakes or cookies are also a great way to give your wedding dessert menu some color and variety. In fact, more and more couples are deciding to go with these – tasty, great for personalizing options and they are usually a lot less expensive than a fancy wedding cake.

There are many ways to sweeten up your beach wedding even without a standard wedding cake. But, if you still somehow feel a wedding just wouldn’t be complete without it, there are ways to have a wedding cake even for a beach wedding. You will just have to find a good balance between what you wish for and what can be done. If  a butter cream frosted cake is what you want, simply move the wedding reception indoors. Or, if you want to have a complete beach wedding, pick a different wedding cake. An ideal one would be something that’s resistant to high temperatures and not too big and hard to transport. Like a delicious, one-layer, marzipan frosted wedding cake – decorating this yummy dessert with flowers, edible shells, starfish or other beach wedding motives will make it just as good as the traditional cake or maybe even better!