A beach wedding, whether home or away, can be a truly magical setting. You don’t have to fly to exotic locations to celebrate by the sea, you could have a stylish beach-themed wedding at a beautiful British beach near your home. Here are some ideas for how to make it extra special with inspiration from beach venues, real weddings and some seaside-inspired food and accessories.
Beach wedding venues
- A beach wedding-theme can be created anywhere, you don’t even need to be by the sea – although it helps. If you have your heart set on a beach wedding but you can’t marry near a beach then set the scene with your accessories – from real seashells on the tables to framed pictures of seascapes on the walls and even a projector showing a film of the sea on a loop complete with surf and seagull sounds.
- If you can marry near the sea then seek out a coastal or beachside venue for your reception and then invite your guests to take a walk by the sea for some stunning wedding photos.
Image from the breathtaking Polurrian Bay Hotel, Cornwall
Symbolic sand ceremony
- Hold a sand ceremony at your beach wedding by each pouring coloured sand into a glass so they mix to become one. This is a beautiful symbolic addition to a beach wedding that is a treat for all to witness. Your sand vase will be a lovely keepsake for years to come.
Sand ceremony kits available now in the Confetti Shop. Read more about the symbolic sand ceremony here.
Beach wedding fashion
- Lighter, looser and cooler bridal gowns and linen suits are ideal for a hot summer beach wedding. Just in case, have a warmer wrap to pull around your shoulders for the cooler evenings.
- For a real beach wedding, ‘Just Married’ flip-flops are lovely. Leave a pretty box of plain flip-flops in all sizes with a note for your guests to stroll along the beach in.
- If the flip-flops are not for you then the ‘his-and-hers Just Married’ sunglasses could be.
- In this country it’s always prudent to check the five-day weather forecast and have several pretty ivory umbrellas to hand. Use them to shade you from the sun if it doesn’t rain.
Beach-themed table decorations
- Tiny shell place card holders look great with seaside themed place cards as do coral shaped holders with coral place cards. Or why not mix and match?
- Seahorse bottle stoppers are an ideal favour for each guest and the seahorse theme can be picked up again with the wine glass markers.
- Leave favours of home-made cookies cut into the shape of starfish or shells for each guest or fill pretty favour bags or boxes with chocolate shells from the high street.
All available now in the Confetti Shop. Simply search under ‘beach’ or specific search terms.
Beach wedding breakfast
- Serve your guests fresh seafood salads in hot weather or a warming fish stew for a cooler British beach wedding breakfast. Either way add plenty of prawns and offer vegetarian guests a delicious alternative and not just the usual mushroom or goat’s cheese option.
- Serve a stylish version of the traditional British fish and chips with spicy, battered fish, spiced potato wedges, fresh garden peas, sautéed courgettes or roasted cherry tomatoes on the vine and home-made tartar sauce with wedges of fresh lemon.
- Alternatively, serve crispy pan-fried salmon with potatoes dauphinoise alongside a beetroot salad, buttered dwarf green beans and a creamy herb sauce.
Real beach weddings
Lisa and Ben got married on the gorgeous rugged Devon coastline and it didn’t matter that the weather wasn’t hot or sunny; their photos below are beautiful. If you’re planning a wedding abroad then be inspired by these Real Destination Weddings.
