Lighten The Invitation Load
When considering how to plan a beach wedding on a small budget, skip the standard printed wedding invitations, reception cards and envelopes. Since youre having a non-traditional beach wedding, try sending your wedding invitations by email and invite your guests to RSVP online or via email. There are many websites handling RSVP online at low costs, and you save a considerable amount of money, unlike the traditional way and lessen the burden of sending out invitation cards.
Use Food As A Decoration
You can use your drink and wedding food menu as an outdoor wedding decoration if youre feeling creative. If your wedding is going to be contemporary and minimalistic, hang a simple white sheet or piece of construction paper with the menu items along with some hand-drawn art.
If your wedding is in a church or indoors, you can use large vases and antique tables to set up unique drink stations that spark conversation between guests.
Use A Minimal Wedding Dcor
The main purposes of a destination wedding are to go to a place that has a different culture, climate and locales. You want a place where your spouse and guests will have an opportunity to step away from usual things and enjoy new surroundings.
Therefore, in such a scenario, there is no need to splurge money on décor. When you choose a wedding venue that has spectacular views and stunning sceneries, you can minimize your costs on decorations.
Organizing a destination wedding may make you a little bit warn out. But, it is a once in a lifetime opportunity to create memories that will last for a long time to come. So, make it enjoyable for you and your guests.
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How To Pay For A Beach Wedding
Finding the money to pay for your dream wedding is one of the biggest challenges many couples face as they start planning.
But if youre savvy and thrifty, theres no reason to go into debt to celebrate your big day.
There are a few simple things you can do that will help you plan an amazing wedding without overspending.
Use Technology For Meetings
One of the unexpected expenses of a destination wedding on a budget is meeting with vendors across time zones. Though some may ask you to fly in to iron out your requests, Dennis says you can be just as productive via the interwebs. There are a number of low-cost apps and programs to help you every step of the way. When communicating with your creative partners, see if they are open to Zoom or Skype conferencing. Skype also allows you to make international calls for very little out of pocket, he explains. And when the big day comes along? Use WhatsApp and connect to WiFi to communicate out of the country.
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Try A Different Wedding Cake
Wedding cakes are essential for many weddings, but can be quite expensive too! So why not try a different kind of cake and save yourself from paying a hefty sum? With a cupcake wedding, you can very well keep your beach wedding ideas on a budget, and avoid splurging on something that your guests might just nibble on. These days, you have an array of beautiful and creative cupcakes, which your guests can even carry on their way out and savour it later.
Dont Go Over Your Budget
Everyone wants to make their wedding experience the best, but dont do it at the expense of your budget.
Going over your budget for your wedding day can cause unnecessary stress and potentially ruin your wedding experience. Instead, set a comfortable budget for your wedding day and do your best to stay within it.
A wedding is a wonderful experience, but it can also be stressful for both the bride and groom. With that said, take advantage of the dos and dont of a beach wedding to help make your wedding planning and wedding day go a lot more smoothly.
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The Cheaters Guide To A Beach Wedding
Looking back, if I had to do it all again, Id still have a beach wedding, but Id do one of two things:
Hire a coordinator who does beach weddings: Getting married on the beach is just like a regular wedding, but with a ton of unexpected things you probably never considered. So if its within your budget, I recommend working with someone who has planned at least one beach wedding. Theyll know their way around the local ordinances, theyll remind you to bring sunscreen, and they can act as your wedding bouncer if friendly passersby try to walk through your ceremony photos.
Get married at a beach resort: You know who does those private picturesque beach weddings really well? Destination beach resorts. And there are often a bunch of perks that come with it when you book one. Understandably leaving the country may be out of budget for you and your guests, but there are plenty of beach resorts here in the United States that offer a similar level of inclusion, with cheaper airfare costs .
But planning your beach wedding is not just about the logistics, its also about inspiration. And not every beach wedding needs to be teal with seashells glued on anything that will sit still. They can cover nearly any style imaginable. And to get your wheels turning, we dug up some of our favorite beach weddings to inspire you. Click through for more on each wedding.
Beach Weddings To Inspire You
Have more beach wedding tips? Leave them in the comments!
A version of THIS article ORIGINALLY RAN ON APW IN 2016.
Maddie Eisenhart
Chief Revenue Officer
Before joining the team at A Practical Wedding, Maddie was a sought after wedding photographer and an entertainment industry dropout with stints at the Academy Award-winning independent film house Focus Features, The Montel Williams Show, and Rosie ODonnells documentary production company. Shes been with the APW team going on eight years, and now spends a significant amount of time thinking about internet trends and the future of feminist television. A Maine native, she lives on a pony farm in the Bay Area with her husband and their toddler.
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If You Do Have Attendants Go Minimal With Attendant Gifts And Make Them Personal
According to The Knot, the average wedding expense includes $400 in gifts, including party favors. However, most of that $400 goes toward gifts for the attendants. By keeping the wedding party small, you can cut out most of the cost, and with the smaller number, you can be more thoughtful and selective when it comes to a gift.
Strategy: Minimize attendant gifts and make them personal Savings: $200
Pros & Cons Of Beach Weddings
Beach weddings are popular but they do present special issues. Failing to consider these ahead of time could leave you unpleasantly surprised on your wedding day!
There is certainly nothing that should dissuade you from your vision of a beautiful seaside ceremony. As a matter of fact, there are many benefits.
Just know the issues and plan for them. Your wedding day will be a wonderful and joyous event!
The Pros
* A beach wedding can be much cheaper than a traditional wedding. Who in this day and age cant afford to save money? It is said that the average budget for a wedding these days is between $20,000 to $30,000! That is an enormous and unnecessary financial burden to be faced with!
* Dont start off married life enslaved by your wedding day debts. If you have that kind of money to spend, fine, but if not, dont go there! Be practical and remember, the day is what you, your loved ones and your friends make of itnot how much you spent on it!
* A beach wedding can be a casual affair. It allows everyone to relax. Your guests can dress comfortably and affordably. Often brides-to-be are unaware of the financial strain they place on their wedding attendants and guests. Not everyone can afford to buy that wedding outfit.
* The wedding ceremony and reception can all be held right there on the beach. No need to travel to different locations. This is very convenient for everyone. Hey, even the kids can have fun at a beach wedding!
The Cons
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Let The Wedding Concierge Agent Help You Find The Best Options
One of your first points of contact will be a Beaches wedding concierge agent, whose job it is to collect all the necessary information from you, so your wedding experience can begin. The agent will speak to you about your beach wedding ideas and help you choose a resort and a venue within the resort to have your wedding. Dont worry, theres nothing rushed about the process, youll be able to take your time to make the best decision for you and your family, over multiple sessions. Based on availability, the concierge agent will make booking arrangements on your behalf for your dream Caribbean wedding.
See all Sandals all-inclusive resorts
Good to know: All Beaches and Sandals resorts are located on a beautiful white sand beach with turquoise waters. Some couples choose to get married with the family at one of the Beaches resorts and spend their honeymoon in a Sandals resort afterwards.
Close to Beaches Ocho Rios, youll find adults-only resorts Sandals Ochi and Sandals Royal Plantation. Nearby Beaches Negril, youll find Sandals Negril – both located on the beautiful Seven Mile Beach in Jamaica. Beaches Turks & Caicos is the biggest Beaches Resort featuring one of the largest water parks in the Caribbean and the worlds most beautiful beach – but doesnt have a Sandals Resort nearby.
Ready To Start Planning Your Celebration
Sticking to your destination wedding budget may seem like a challenge, but it doesnt have to be. There are plenty of ways to plan a destination wedding on a budget to alleviate stress and prevent overspending. Between careful planning and utilizing the services of a Certified Destination Wedding Specialist, you can bring your dream wedding to life.
*This is based on DestinationWeddings.com customer base only and is inclusive of airfare, accommodations and the wedding package.
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A Bike With A Floral Arrangement In The Basket
Ask around to see if any friends have old bikes lying around the garage, or check out thrift stores too. The bike may already have a pleasantly rusted, vintage vibe. If not, you can paint the bike white, off-white, or to match your wedding colors. Then arrange an overflowing bouquet inside the bikes basket, or a wicker basket you attach to the front yourself.
Affordable Beach Wedding Venues For Ceremonies And/or Receptions
Here are some of the most cost-effective beachfront venues Wedding Spot has to offer.
Price: Starting at $4,115 for 50 guests
Location: Zephyr Cove, Nevada
Situated right on Marla Bay, The Pinecone Resort offers the rustic appeal of nearby Sierra Nevada Mountains mixed with the breezy feel of a waterfront wedding.
Price: Starting at $1,900 for 50 guests
Location: Half Moon Bay, California
One of this beach wedding venues standout features is its gorgeous woods area and year-round blooming landscapes.
Price: Starting at $3,823 for 50 guests
Location: Tiburon, California
A national historic landmark, the Lyford House boasts acres of manicured grounds as well as a wide variety of bird species.
Price: Starting at $7,250 for 50 guests
Location: Kailui-Kona, Hawaii
The Royal Kona Resort has multiple locations for your ceremony, including its Private Lagoon, which is surrounded by a landscape of lava rock and waves from the Pacific Ocean. You may even encounter a few sea turtles!
Price: Starting at $1,133 for 50 guests
Location: Rindge, New Hampshire
Located along the shores of Lake Contoocook and overlooking Mount Monadnock, The Woodbound Inn offers the ideal setting for your beach wedding.
Price: Starting at $4,158 for 50 guests
Location: Avila Beach, California
The Old Custom House also has a wine cellar, so wine enthusiasts will have plenty of top-quality options to choose from for their reception.
Price: Starting at $4,290 for 50 guests
Location: Avila Beach, California
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If Youre Getting Married In A Church Ask The Auxiliary For Help
If youre getting married in a church or in the hall of a civic organization, ask if the auxiliary club associated with that venue has suggestions or ideas. While they might not be able to directly provide a lot of savings, they may be able to offer ideas and small services that can save a little, and they sometimes can point you to something unexpected that can be a huge savings.
Strategy: Ask the auxiliary club associated with the church or other organization where your wedding is being held for help Savings: Small, but potentially big
Everyday Savings Help Towards The Big Day
Small sacrifices can boost your wedding coffers. If your big day is a year away, cut out something today that you buy every day. If you cut out £2 on crisps and Coke each day, you’d have 365 x £2 to spend, making £730.
Try our Demotivator tool, which reveals your annual spend on coffees, snacks, cigs, mags and other discretionary purchases to help you cut back.
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Set Up A Free Website For Your Wedding
You can create a free personalised website for your wedding, using GettingMarried.co.uk, a wedding website provider. This will help you update guests about your big day, let you keep track of RSVPs, set up a gift list and guest book, and share photos after your wedding.
There are free templates to customise your website’s design, and tools to help you share your timetable, seating plan, travel tips and even add an FAQ section. These make Getting Married popular with forumites, and former MSE Sally used it to set up a website for her wedding.
We saved money on invites by creating a website with all the details of our wedding it meant we could keep the paper invites short and sweet.– Former MSE Sally
It’s worth noting, however, that Getting Married is owned by a wedding gift list company . So although you can create a website for free, it does encourage you to set up a Prezola gift list. This is completely optional, and you can add a link to another site instead, if you already have a gift list elsewhere.
You’ll usually need to pay for a premium subscription if you want to set up a honeymoon fund or create an option for cash gifts although this is currently free if you sign up for Prezola.
