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Beach wedding

6.6

BEACH WEDDING

A beach wedding, whether held at an exotic destination or your summer getaway home, can be a great experience both for the couple and their guests. After all, it’s like a mini-vacation for everyone involved! However, pulling off a flawless event at the shore isn’t without its unique challenges. We tapped destination wedding designer Michelle Rago for her expert advice on the most important things to know when planning your nautical nuptials.

Have a Daytime Ceremony

“The ocean presents one of the most beautiful settings so I always encourage couples to consider having their wedding during daylight hours,” says Rago. “Once the sun drops below the horizon, the water goes black — and unless you have a full moon, the sea is lost.” But having a daytime wedding means you need to consider a few things. “SPF 50 is sexy,” laughs Rago. “You don’t want to get a crazy sunburn on your wedding day.” Flowers also don’t like the hot sun and can be tricky to work with. “Choose a ceremony design and flowers that can hold up in the heat,” advises Rago. “A few options that work well are freesias, calla lilies, orchids, and succulents. Steer away from hydrangeas and roses, which have a tendency to wilt quickly.”

Have a Sound System

“Between the wind and the waves, there’s a lot of background noise at a beach wedding,” Rago explains. “I always suggest using a microphone for the ceremony. Also, make sure you use a windscreen cover for the microphone so that your guests are not frustrated by the fact that all they hear is the wind and not your vows!”

Dress Appropriately

Not all dresses, fabrics, and veil styles work for a beach wedding. An airy sheath is most sand-friendly, but if you want to wear a gown with a fuller skirt, make sure you choose a dress constructed of a lighter fabric that allows for more movement. Also, don’t be afraid of trying a colored option, encourages Rago, who is partial to pale pink and pale blue dresses for the beach. “Lastly, keep in mind a veil is a bit like a sail in the wind,” she says. “The less fussy your veil, the prettier your photos will look.”

But if You Have to Wear Louboutins...

A barefoot beach wedding is gorgeous, but it’s not realistic to expect every bride to ditch her shoes. “One solution to get you down the aisle in heels is to bury a wooden walkway that leads to the ceremony under the sand,” says Rago. “It still looks like a sandy beach, but makes it possible to walk in heels.”