Wedding Photography in South Carolina
So
you’re thinking about having a Florida beach wedding?! That’s exciting! A nice,
romantic, and intimate ceremony with beautiful sunset photos to follow? LOVE
it! Sounds simple enough right? Hahahha WRONG.
Having
a beach wedding in Florida is a very popular idea among couples planning their
wedding and can be just perfect. We have shot a lot of Florida beach weddings
and have some of the most beautiful photos and videos from these weddings. But
I can for certainty that planning and
pulling off a beach wedding is never as easy and straightforward as most
couples expect it to be.
v Wedding
Photography in South Carolina
v Wedding
Photography in Georgia
So
let me share my years of experience and wisdom (a big LOL at the wisdom part)
with you, and give you some tips and things to consider if you are planning a
beach wedding or trying to decide if a Florida beach wedding is the right idea
for your big day! But first, a pretty pic to keep your attention!
There
are lots of things to consider before setting your sights on the ocean, from
permits to personal beliefs about sand (yes, that’s a real thing). There are a
number of things to check on, plan for, and time correctly. To help with all of
the details and logistics that are behind a beach wedding, I would consider one
or both of the following if your budget and/or vision permits:
Hire
a coordinator who does beach weddings. There are coordinators who actually
specialize in beach weddings and they offer specific packages just for 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 it’s within your budget, I recommend working
with someone who is experienced in planning a beach wedding in Florida. They’ll
know their way around the local ordinances and get any permits you may need,
take care of organizing all your vendors and their unique needs that may arise
because of the beach venue, 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 (think: Florida). Beach resorts that offer beach weddings
will most likely provide a wedding coordinator that will assist in the planning
and execution or your wedding. It will be included in the package you purchase
at the resort to have your wedding on their beach.
Now
if either of the above suggestions will not work for you, here is a list of
things to consider when you ae planning your own Florida beach wedding.
1. Public
or private beach wedding
Most
beaches in FL are open to the public. There are some though that belong to
private residents or even some resorts have their own private beaches. So if
getting married on a private beach to avoid bystanders and regular beach
traffic, then you will need to get started early looking for a private beach
with availability for your wedding. Having your wedding ceremony on a public
beach is just going to be a lot more practical for most couples. Yeah, you may
have some beach-goers who walk by during
your ceremony or some kids yelling in the background. You can’t control that,
so if that is something that might irk you then you should start your search
for a private beach. But really, we have photographed so many beach wedding on
public beaches and we rarely saw moments that the other people on the beach
really interfered with the ceremony. And the small amount of times that it did
happen, it was actually kinda funny and gave everybody a good laugh.
v Combined
photography and videography packages
v Affordable
wedding photography
2. Ceremony on the Beach? Maybe the Reception
too?
A
wedding ceremony in the beach is usually what you think about when hearing the
phrase “beach wedding”. Not often do you
see a reception being held on the beach, but it definitely has been done and is
possible. Permits and county/city
ordinances vary depending on what kind event you’ll be having, whether food and
drink, specifically alcohol, are involved, and if you’re requesting to block
off a particular part of the beach. I will be honest and say I think a
reception on the beach s just too hard. Even if you have the best case scenario
and have a private beach to work with. You still will have the issue of sand,
cause sand a food just do not mix, bringing enough electricity to the beach,
having to lug all the rentals and food somehow down to the sand, etc. It’s just
not the easiest reception venue So I
would defintely recommend having the ceremony and portraits to follow on the
beach, and then move the party somewhere that is better equipped to handle a
large party. And you don’t have to travel far! There are so many waterfront
restaurants, beach resort ballrooms, and even beach houses that are beautiful
spots for nearby receptions. And the great thing about a beach house is that
you can get ready for the wedding there beforehand and then pass out tipsy
there when it’s all over! Win-win!
3. Permits
and Ordinances
This
is my least favorite topic ever. Ugh, so boring. But it is a must thing to
consider and research when planning your own Florida beach wedding. Beach rules
vary by state, county, and city. The best way to check to see if you need a
permit and what are the rdinances to consider is a good old fashioned phone
call. Call the local city office. Just by picking up the phone and speaking
with somebody at the local government office can save you so much time and
stress, and will ensure you are getting the right information. The internet on
this topic is not always the most reliable source. There will be people telling
you what they did, think, believe, suggest, etc. and unfortuntely none of those
people are experts. Save some time and go straight to the source. Check with the local government to see what
regulations they have regarding events and gatherings. Some things they may ask
you are:
How
many guests are you going to have? Some beaches have regulations about the
number of people at one gatherings. Don’t be shocked if the beach you want to
get married on has this restriction, it is somewhat common.
Do
you want a more private ? While there here be options for roping off a section
of the beach for the ceremony, this is not guaranteed and is something the
local government office should be able to assist you on.
Will
there be alcohol outside? If they ask you this, I would immediately say no.
Many beaches prohibit alcohol on the beach, and even f they don’t, they may
restrict your permit if they know a large number of people will be drinking
together at the event.
4. Is Your
Beach Wedding Accessible?
One
of the reasons a beach wedding is so intriguing is because it can be so
beautiful while being so simple? You don’t need a fancy aisle because the sand
is beautiful enough! You don’t need to rent a bunch of chairs because the
ceremony will be quick and simple so everybody an just stand and enjoy their
toes in the sand. But what is Aunt Martha can’t stand very long? Are you going
to have an option for her so she can sit? What if Grandpa is in a wheelchair
these days, is he going to be able to get down to the ceremony site in the
sand? The beach can add an element of
challenges that other venues don’t, so just make sure to consider your guest
list and figure out if any additional accommodations will need to be made.
5. Weather
So
what’s your Plan B if it rains? Just with all other outdoor venues, you need to
consider where you will have the wedding if it ends up raining. But at a beach,
you can’t just put up a tent or run inside if the skies were to open up. So
plan for the worst, hope for the best, and you will save yourself so much
stress and running around the last minute if the weather forecast doesn’t look
great. Also, consider when rainy season is. The best way to try to avoid rain
is to book your wedding when it is not typically rainy. So in Florida, try to
avoid the summer months for your Florida beach wedding because that is when we
get the most rain. Which is actually a good thing because the summer months are
so hot, who wants to get married in 100 degree weather?!Also, if you can, try
to avoid hurricane season! I know that’s hard because hurricane season is
pretty long, but if you have the option to avoid it then you should avoid it!
6. High Tide
You
have got to check those tide charts! In Florida and every other beach on the
world, the exact time for high tide is different every day so you must find out
what that time will be on your wedding day and plan around it! You have got to make sure your ceremony start
time won’t coincide with high tide or you very well may not have a beach to
stand on.
5. Sound
The
beach s noisy. Waves, wind, birds, people…it’s loud. Beaches aren’t usually equipped with power
outlets so you may need to get creative so your guests can hear you. An
experienced DJ should be able to assist with this, but make sure you discuss
with them how it will be done and if they are experienced with beach weddings
themselves.
6. The Sun
Oh
the sun. A wedding photographer’s arch nemesis. In all seriousness, when
planning your beach wedding you really need to consider what time the ceremony
is going to start and where that darn sun will be during that time. Unless you
are getting married near a pier, the beach rarely offers any type of shade for
a ceremony. So you have to know where that sun will be and possibly adjust the
ceremony time to account for it. You don’t want the sun to be too high. That is
the most unflattering and harsh light. Sunset offers beautiful light but if
it’s down too far it may be in your guests’ eyes or in yours. Also, you want to
make sure you leave enough time to take all your family portraits, bridal party
photos, and those beautiful bride groom
portraits and following the ceremony!
Your photographer should be able to assist is this so use their
expertise to set the time of your ceremony and you should be in good shape. Access the
web
Comments
Post a Comment