A wedding on the beach can be a completely laid-back ceremony or a regal and elegant affair. The sandy beach and white-capped surf is a template for a beautiful reception, regardless of the ceremony style or theme.
Luau
A luau is perfect for a beach reception. Half of your decorating is already done, as the white sand, swaying palm trees and sunset are all key items for a luau. Spice it up a bit with tiki torches lining the border of the reception location and hang Japanese lanterns inside the open-air tent to give some ambiance during the dark, evening hours. Task a wedding party member to give each arriving guest a flower or shell lei and serve tropical fruits like pineapples or mangoes. Have hula skirts available for anyone wishing to brave their skills on the dance floor.
Decorate each guest table with a white, linen table cloth along with bright, colorful flowers as the centerpiece. Set a seashell at each place setting and encourage guests to relax with a "shoes optional" sign hanging from the entrance of the tent. Your luau will have guests feeling like they have been transported to a place and time where worries melt away and only carefree attitude exists.
Day at the Beach
If you prefer a very casual reception, set up tables low to the ground on the beach with canvas chairs. Allow guests to sit wherever they please, even if it's on the sand. At each table, place a bag of beach supplies like sand buckets and shovels, large beach towels, sunscreen and snorkel masks for guests to use at their leisure.
Add an edible centerpiece to each table with peel-able fruits like oranges or candy like salt water taffy. Also, set up an area with space to play paddle ball, fly kites or play volleyball. For those guests who enjoy relaxing on the beach, have a few cabanas available with books or magazines to read.
The food can be as simple as you want, with fried chicken or specialty sandwiches, along with miniature bags of gourmet chips, potato salad, tea or lemonade and trays of cookies or brownies. Your guests will truly enjoy celebrating with you during an afternoon of relaxing and playing on the beach.
Black and White
An elegant ceremony begs for a high-class reception. If you are planning such an event, bring the black and white theme to the beach. A white, enclosed tent with the option for air conditioning is a must. Bring in a string quartet to play classical music throughout the evening and hire servers dressed in tuxedos to work the tent, offering platters of delicious appetizers from tiny puff pastries to chilled martini glasses with shrimp.
Set each guest table with a white linens and black cloth napkins. Add a small splash of color with the flowers at the center, using brilliant calla lilies or delicate orchids. Place tiny votive candles around the floral centerpiece to create subtle ambiance throughout the tent.
At the end of the evening, send guests home with elegant, small white boxes, tied with a black silk ribbon. Inside the box, add anything from hand-crafted chocolates to seashells.
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