Second thoughts about Beach Ceremony

Re: Second thoughts about Beach Ceremony

• Tanq&Tonic

  

  November 2011 edited December 2011

  We got married on grass right on the water and it really worked out for us.  We had a mix of older and younger guests, and having seats, tents, etc was very nice.  I had always pictured a beach wedding, but the logistics didn't work for us.
  
  Why we ultimately ruled out sand:
  - Seats - I always prefer that guests are able to sit
  - Formality - seats are more formal, I didn't want an organic crowd
  - Volume - you can't have speakers on the sand
  - Mobility - harder to walk on the sand (but grass is also tricky)
  - Attire - DH wanted to be in his dress shoes, not flippies, and we didn't want our guests dragging their suit pants through the sand.
  
  The alternative is a really intimate, organic, laid back toes-in-the-sand kind of ceremony.  Honestly it's hard to go wrong with either approach so you just have to decide what works for you and your guests.
  
  If you really think you have to give up the sand options, you could do a portrait session on the beach or a TTD session on the beach!

  

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• breaness member

  

  November 2011 edited December 2011

  Like Tanq said "The alternative is a really intimate, organic, laid back toes-in-the-sand kind of ceremony.  Honestly it's hard to go wrong with either approach so you just have to decide what works for you and your guests."

  
  

  That's exactly what we had. We were barefoot when we got married. The breeze off the ocean kept us cool, it was beautiful and it was perfect, for us. We also had a small enough group and a short enough ceremony that having people gathered around was not at all weird.

  
  

  I think you just need to consider your vision and make a pro con list and see what sacrifices you're willing to make. Like Tanq said, you can always get beach photos after the ceremony or through a TTD session. So if it's for the photos, I wouldn't make the decision based on that. If you want to get married, toes in the sand, the waves lapping at your feet, then maybe a beach wedding is the way to go.

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  Life and Love at #16 | our married life blog
  
  

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• AKWinterBride member

  

  November 2011 edited December 2011

  I also got married on the lawn right along the beach and I don't regret it one bit.  For the same reasons as Tanq, I wouldn't change a thing.  I personally was glad not to have to deal with the sand, but to still get the feeling that we were really in Hawaii being right next to waves crashing in behind us. 
  
  Either way though, you can't go wrong as you have already made the best choice of all - a Hawaiian wedding!  Good luck with your decision! 

  

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• destiny1108 member

  

  November 2011 edited December 2011

  we ended up on lawn overlooking water, after trying to walk with shoes on beach and taking sand out, I'm happy we changed our mind

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• carrieoz_76 member

  

  November 2011 edited December 2011

  I say go with your gut, and don't second-guess yourself.  We were married on a beach, and I could not have been happier.  Our dream was to be married on a beach, plus seeing a couple about to be married on a beach actually inspired my then boyfriend (now husband!) to think about what a wedding could be like for us.  It wouldn't have been the same to do otherwise.  

  
  

  You do have to plan for the realities of being on the beach.   We were married on a beach with a nice sidewalk approach down to a small beach, so it was really easy to get there.  I wore flat strappy sandals, and they worked out just fine.  We didn't have anyone who needed a seat, so that was fine.  Also our ceremony was pretty short so people weren't standing for too long anyways.

  
  

  After everything, we were right - a beach wedding was TOTALLY us, and I wouldn't have done it any other way.  Pics and info are in my bio.

  
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• FSForever member

  

  November 2011 edited December 2011

  Thank you for all of your input.  My aunt was recently here and if she and my uncle attend I was just thinking how hard it may be for them to walk in the sand.  they both have bad knees and he is fighting cancer for the 3rd time.  She has already told me to plan and they will figure it out for themselves.  I just don't want it to be hard on our older guests.  

  At this point I think we will leave it at the beach because that is where our hearts are telling us is right.  We will be in Maui for 4 days before so I know there will be some time to visit Po'olenalena and scout out the area.  A plus is that we are marrying first thing in the morning so we may not have as many other weddings around as a sunset wedding would. Again thank you for the advice. 

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• madstaylor member

  

  November 2011 edited December 2011

  We had our ceremony at Po'olenelena, in June of this year, right on the beach in the sand. It worked well for us, and our guests arrived before us so they could take their time getting down by the water. Here are our photos so you can see the area, it might help you a little!
  
  http://pattyholbrookphotography.zenfolio.com/p1068485969
  

  Wedding Bio

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