No matter the time and place, planning a wedding takes dedication and work. And while planning a beach wedding isn’t necessarily harder, it does involve a few unique considerations and adjustments that differ from weddings at traditional venues. But don’t let that deter you from having your dream beach wedding, because in the end, it will all be worth it when you’re exchanging your vows in front of a beautiful ocean backdrop. We consulted with a few pro planners who specialize in beach weddings to get their best beach wedding tips and advice, whether you’re just starting out or need some last-minute guidance. When you’ve got all the logistics worked out, you can move onto the next step—browsing inspiration and saving your favorite beach wedding ideas.
Set a budget
Setting the budget is the first step when planning any wedding, even if you already know you want to get married at the beach. A buttoned-up budget will give you a realistic look at the types of venues and vendors that are available in your price range, and how much flexibility you have for other expenses, like furniture rentals, permit costs (more on this in just a minute) and attire. Your wedding budget will also help you determine whether you want to prioritize venues that offer beach wedding packages, which can sometimes help you save money depending on the situation, or if you’d rather hire all of your vendors à la carte.
Choose your destination and venue.
Pay close attention to seasonality and weather patterns when making your final decision. For example, if you’re set on getting married during the summer, planning a destination wedding in the Caribbean at the height of hurricane season comes with some possible risk. Escaping the cold winter months to get married in Hawaii sounds perfect, but keep in mind that the state’s highest rainfall usually happens between October and April. On the other hand, a wedding during the off-season in a small beach town could make it more difficult to find vendors and accommodations. Once you’ve zeroed in on a location, head to The Knot Vendor Marketplace to start browsing beach wedding venues by destination, price and guest capacity.
Finalize your theme, decor and more.
Most beach wedding venues are a blank slate, especially if you’re actually getting married on the beach, which leaves a lot of room for creativity. “It allows couples to truly customize the look of their wedding ceremony,” explain Samantha DeFeo and Taylor Williams, co-owners and event planners at Coastyle Weddings & Events in the Outer Banks. “Couples can choose to be minimalistic or extravagant because they already have a beautiful backdrop. Not to mention it makes for spectacular photos!”
Reserve accommodations and travel.
Unless you’re lucky enough to live close to your beach venue, you’ll probably need to make travel arrangements and book accommodations for the days surrounding the wedding. Plan to do this as far in advance as possible, especially if you’re getting married in a popular tourist destination or vacation spot. You’ll also need to let your guests know far enough in advance for them to make the same arrangements. Plan to send your save-the-dates at least six months before your wedding, or closer to eight months or a year in advance for a faraway beach destination. If you want to host any prewedding events, like a rehearsal dinner or welcome drinks, be sure to make arrangements for those, too
Coordinate postwedding cleanup.
Most venues have in-house staff who can help with cleanup at the end of the night, but if you’re getting married on a public beach, that won’t be the case. Unless you’re heading indoors to a nearby beach resort or banquet space for the reception, you’ll need to decide who’s responsible for things like trash removal, decor breakdown and making sure that nothing’s left behind on the beach. Some vendors, like your caterer and band or DJ, will handle their own equipment, but a wedding planner can coordinate all of the other details.