Wedding - Beach Bride

5 Key Details That Make or Break a Wedding

By Rachael

When we think of our wedding we imagine everything running beautifully from start to finish. But so often we are imagining the big picture: the dress, the friends, some food and drink, and a romantic departure. However, as we all know, the devil is in the details!

So here are five key details to watch out for that can make or break a wedding.

1 – Picking the right band for a party

The evening party is one of the highlights of any wedding. It’s a time when everyone can truly let their hair down and enjoy themselves – so it’s crucial that there’s an accomplished party band to keep everyone dancing! As well choosing the right band and genre of music, you’ll need to ensure that your band has all the practicalities taken care of – such as power supplies, sound, lighting, and enough time to do a soundcheck before performing.

2 – The weather

While we can imagine the sun or snow at our wedding, we often forget that weather can be changeable, extreme, or just not quite as we imagined it. If you are traveling for a beach wedding, be sure to check that you aren’t booking in hurricane season. If you know that your location has changeable weather patterns, then be sure to plan for shelter as well as open air spaces. Finally, think about whether your decor is windproof. Nobody wants beautiful drapes that blow across the bridal party during their vows!

3 – Gifts

It can be a thoughtful touch to give gifts to key family members and friends who have helped you on your wedding journey. The worst thing would be to forget someone. Make sure you make a list and review it every couple of months in case someone needs to be added to it at the last moment.

4 – Different diets

It’s so important to remember that your guests may have different dietary needs, from food intolerances to vegetarianism and veganism. You should also consider soft drink options for those who may not want to (or may not be able to) drink alcohol. When thinking about the menu, remember to ask the venue if they can cater to different needs, and be sure to reach out to your guests as part of the invitation or acceptance to be sure you are aware of all allergies and issues before you make your final decision on food. It might be that the venue can meet your requests or even bring in outside caterers to ensure that everyone has a wonderful celebration.

5 – You!

Remember to factor your presence into the numbers. It sounds so simple, but when you have many things to plan it’s easy to forget that you and your partner need to be taken into account for food, drink, seating plans, hotel bookings, and transport.

Keep these simple details in mind and you will be sure to have a wedding that goes off without a hitch!

Leap Day Beach Wedding in Fort Lauderdale

By Jenn

L stands for a lot of things. In this feature, it stands for two: a radiant bride named Liz and her Leap Day beach wedding. Amazing, right? As amazing as her wedding photos captured and submitted to us by Flashy Mama Photography. I admittedly had a hard time choosing their photos as all are beautiful and filled with emotion. Liz and Casey tied the knot in Fort Lauderdale. With the gorgeous ballroom reception and ocean backdrop, a romantic celebration with the most important people, the clever sunglasses basket, add the beautiful white and pink florals adorning the arbor, you can’t help but sit back and enjoy this one!

From The Photographer

Casey and Liz met on Halloween night in 2012. They were at a bar with their friends and Liz’s beauty immediately caught the attention of Casey. They immediately hit it off, talking about cars, movies and all their interests. Casey just had to keep her talking because he wanted to know everything about her! Liz was intrigued with Casey’s story and his sense of humor, and it helped he was easy on the eyes! They made plans for the very next night! From then on their love blossomed. After 6 years of courtship, Casey popped the question, taking her on a trip to the mountains of Colorado for her birthday in 2018. Overlooking the great continental divide at 12000 feet, and with Liz dancing on the edge of a wall, Casey got down on one knee with tears in his eyes and asked Liz if she would be her wife. Liz thought it was a joke, but when she saw the ring she began to cry while saying “YES”! They are so happy to start the journey of the rest of their lives together!

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San Diego Boho Beach Elopement

By Jenn

Did you know boho and beach could go so well together? Cory and Josh’s boho beach elopement in San Diego is proof of this! By simply choosing keen details, their special day turned out modish and refined. Neutral colors were featured all throughout. White and beige details were consistent, from the dried pampas and macrame backdrop to the bride’s classic white bouquet. Family and friends celebrated with them on this very special day. However, the happiness in the couple’s faces was paramount. These two were so in love!

From The Photographer

The way the waves crashed into the rocks where Cory and Josh stood for their ceremony felt so powerful! These two are a force. Cory is a Certified Health Coach (RN/MPH) and just by being around her in preparation for her and Josh’s elopement day–she sincerely inspired me in my own self-care routine. She is so passionate about what she does and even gifted me a self-love goodie bag from her brand Salt and Lane. This boho beachside elopement was held with their parents and a couple of close family members. — Joni Bilderback

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Rock & Roll Destination Wedding in Dominican Republic

By Jenn

Featuring today Jo and Brandon’s rock and roll destination wedding in the Dominican Republic with black and gold elements! I just love the fine details: the rings, the three-tiered black wedding cake, which stood out with a single flower in each layer, and the ceremony set up. Another detail that I know fellow brides will love is Jo’s wedding shoes with thorns. Isn’t that gorgeous? Overall, I adore how this couple brought rock and roll to their beach wedding through edgy details. They also had a Trash the Dress session at Macao Beach and it was equally beautiful. Scroll through these photos by Milan Photo Cine Art for ideas!

How They Met

They met 8 years ago at the Spartan Race and they instantly “clicked”. Brandon is a veteran of the US Army, now working as a firefighter (hence the axes for the groomsman gifts) and they both volunteer for the veteran support groups. Jo is a computer engineer enjoying running competitions with obstacles and marathons. They have daughter Bayley aaaand you guessed it …. they are all into the hard rock music! You should see Bayley singing songs from Tool, knowing the words by heart of course! — Milan, photographer

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Succulent Themed Oceanside Wedding

By Jenn

We’re completely loving the lightness and airiness of Kala and Joseph’s succulent themed oceanside wedding! With soft tones of lavender and the surrounding greenery, this set is refreshing to the eyes. See the bride’s dainty off-the-shoulder dress – it’s making me droll with delight. Another cute element is the naked cake with succulents on it. The driftwood centerpieces as well as the arch were simply beautiful, keeping the whimsical wood theme. The bride also paid tribute to her mom who passed away years ago by setting up a remembrance table. The couple, finally, said their vows with 50 of their closest family and friends. Enjoy these photos below from John Malloy Photography!

From The Bride

Tell us about your wedding! What was the inspiration behind your day? Did you have a specific theme, style, or color palette? Did you incorporate any cultural or religious traditions in any part of your day?
My special day was inspired by my love for the beach. I love that the beach is so simple but so beautiful. I was inspired by the natural beauty of the beach and my love for succulents. I went with 3 colors. A beautiful rustic brass color along with a dusty purple and pale green.

Let’s talk wedding decor. How did you decorate your space for the ceremony and the reception? Was any part of the decor DIY?
Because I was getting married at the beach I wanted to incorporate some beach-inspired props. My ceremony was on the beach. I kept it really simple and had a beautiful driftwood arch. For the reception, I also incorporated driftwood as my centerpieces along with candles and succulents. I made all the signage for the wedding including the save the dates and the wedding invites.

What were the florals like at your wedding? Did you use flowers in any of your design elements like the bridal bouquets, centerpieces, or ceremony backdrop? Did they play an important part in the overall style of your wedding?
Since succulents were the main theme of my wedding I wanted to incorporate them in my bouquet, boutonnieres, corsages, and centerpieces. Most of my stationery also included succulents design elements. Succulents played an important role in my wedding theme.

Did you personalize the day in any way (food trucks, guest entertainment, etc.)? What were some of your favorite parts of your wedding?
My husband and I kept our wedding very simple since we were planning all of it ourselves. We chose not to do all the traditional elements that you see at most weddings. We had our own fun dances that our families were familiar with. Our favorite dance involves putting some country music on and dancing around a bottle trying not to knock it over. One of my favorites parts of the wedding was dancing with my friends and family. Our families love to dance.

Let’s talk fashion. How did you both choose your wedding day look? Describe the looks in detail.
I wanted not only me and my husband to be comfortable since we were on the beach, but I also wanted the bridal party to be comfortable too. I wanted to wear something that was light in weight and not to hot. I wore a strapless dress with beautiful lace flowers that felt like a nightgown. It was so light a flowy. It was perfect for the beach. My husband and the groomsman wore beige linen suits. The material was very breathable for a day that was a little warm. Since we were in the sand we decided to go shoeless.

How did you meet? Tell us about the proposal.
My husband and I first met in high school through mutual friends. We didn’t end up dating until a few years after high school. My husband proposed to me at the same beach we got married at. Every year we go to the Outer Banks and stay in the same little beach house right on the beach. One year was more special than the others. After a jog on the beach during sunrise, my husband got down on one knee and proposed. After that, I knew that’s where I wanted to get married.

What was the most anticipated or special moment of your wedding day?
There is one moment in particular that I will also remember. My mother passed away when I was a teenager and I wanted to do something special for her on my big day to remember how special she was. We marked her chair with some beautiful white roses at the ceremony and the officiant said a few words about my mother. We also had a special poem and photo on display at the reception. She will always be an important part of my wedding day even though she wasn’t physically there.

Do you have any wedding planning or marriage advice that you’d like to share with other couples planning their day?
I’m really happy I had a smaller wedding and kept it very simple. I was able to enjoy every moment without feeling rushed around. It’s not about the decorations, the fancy vendors, or the amount of money you paid for flowers. It’s about the love you and your husband share for each other. It’s so important to enjoy every moment of your special day.

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