The Beach Wedding Blog

When Colin Van Dervort proposed to his high school sweetheart, Elizabeth Wilks, he was sure it would go down in history. He popped the question at New Orleans’ Celebration in the Oaks at City Park, with Santa as his witness.
The couple couldn’t have been more surprised when they received a phone call in February, telling them they’d won a Martha Stewart Bahama’s wedding at a luxury resort on Great Exuma Island. Their wedding broadcasted on cable’s Style Network on October 23, under the title “A Martha Stewart Wedding: Bayou to Bahamas.”

The couple had planned to be married twelve months after their engagement, but their wedding plans were far from firm. Ms. Wilks told the press, “We were in a very confused state when we got the call that we were finalists. We were completely going nowhere with the wedding planning. It’s hard for any couple in their 20s to think about spending $20,000, $30,000 or $40,000 on a wedding when you’re just starting off your careers and your life together.”

Who knows, maybe Santa had something to do with the couple’s unexpected prize.

The one-hour wedding special followed the couple throughout their wedding preparations, from Ms. Wilk’s trip to Kleinfelds in New York for the perfect designer wedding gown to last-minute wedding makeup.

According to Ms. Wilks, the challenge was complicated by her unusually relaxed attitude to the beach wedding ceremony. “I wasn’t one of those brides who had a picture in her head of what she clearly wanted,” Ms. Wilks said. “I knew my happy ending. I knew I wanted to be Colin’s wife. I just didn’t know how to make it happen. I could’ve married him in a trash bag underneath a street light and it would’ve been awesome. I’m just that type of person.”

Everyone knows a bride-to-be’s most important piece of jewelry is her engagement ring. But if you’re getting married soon, you’ll want to wear a few more special pieces to go with your wedding gown. Remember that for years to come, your beach wedding jewelry will remind you of the day you said, “I do!” to your partner. So how do you go about buying beach wedding jewelry?

If you don’t want to worry about a thing after you arrive at your beach wedding destination, it’s best to buy your beach wedding jewelry before you leave. Jewelry stores offer anything from conventional gold and silver items to pearls, diamonds and pretty much anything else you could wish for. Antique stores are also a good place to look for special beach wedding jewelry. Though it might take you longer to find your beach wedding jewelry, you can be sure to find unique pieces that were cherished by somebody else before you. Of course, the Internet is the most convenient way to shop for anything nowadays, including beach wedding jewelry. You can choose the ideal set of jewelry from the comfort of your own home and have it delivered without ever having to leave your house!

If you’re traveling to an exotic location for your beach wedding, it’s a great idea to shop around the local jewelry stores for a memorable set of beach wedding jewelry Often, local artists create true works of decorative art using traditional materials and techniques. You can find anything from semiprecious stones set in silver to hand-beaded necklaces in every color of the rainbow. You’ll find modern designs too, with clean lines, tiny gems and combinations of metals like gold and platinum. And if you want a really exclusive set of beach wedding jewelry, why not have a goldsmith or artist design it for you? Be sure to communicate your wishes clearly, and order your jewelry well in advance so it will be finished on time for your beach wedding. No matter where you buy your beach wedding jewelry or how much it costs, always make sure it’s not made out of any materials that could cause you to have an allergic reaction. Remember to check the price, guarantee and return policy in case your beach wedding jewelry is damaged or breaks. Last, but not least, let your own personal taste determine your choice of beach wedding jewelry.

When you’re planning a beach wedding, it’s always a great idea to give your wedding guests beach wedding favors as a thank-you and as a small gift by which to remember your special day. Depending on your taste and budget, there are thousands of items you can buy to give your guests as wedding favors, ranging from caramelized corn and miniature photo albums to wine glasses and bottles of champagne. As with the rest of your wedding, choosing your beach wedding favors depends mainly on your personal taste, the theme of your wedding and your budget. If you’re inviting a large number of guests, you might want to kept the costs of your beach wedding favors to a minimum. In this case, it’s wise to buy your beach wedding favors from one of the many online stores that offer a wide variety of wedding favors. An advantage of online wedding favor stores is that you can browse through their products by theme, topic or any other characteristic that sets the favor apart. For example, if your wedding has an ocean theme, you can browse favors with a blue or turquoise element to find the perfect beach wedding favors for your wedding.

Or, to celebrate your love, why not give your guests heart-shaped pendants as beach wedding favors? You can even buy organic and eco-friendly favors; so if you want your guests to share in your celebration without leaving a mark on the planet, this is a great way to go. If money isn’t an issue at all, you can choose practically anything you like as beach wedding favors. A selection of the most beautiful photos of the happy couple in leather photo albums, crystal champagne flutes with bottles of the finest champagne, or hand-made chocolates in ornamental boxes are all excellent ideas for beach wedding favors. On the other hand, if you really want to give your guests something, but you don’t have the money for it, why not make your own beach wedding favors? It can be as simple as printing off a special photo with a poem you both love as a thank-you, or cutting little bags of light cloth, filling them with a selection of pretty shells you’ve found on the beach and tying them with a ribbon. No matter what you choose as your beach wedding favors, always make sure you like it yourself.

Couples planning to tie the knot in Hong Kong can do so in an all-American setting. McDonald’s Corp., the world’s largest fast food giant, is carving out a new niche for itself in Hong Kong as a full-service wedding planner.

According to the Chinese-language newspaper Oriental Daily, McDonald’s, whose Golden Arches symbol is recognized as an American cultural symbol across the globe, plans to begin offering its McWedding service to couples in Hong Kong in early 2011. The McWeddings will be available at three restaurants in the city. In addition to McWeddings, McDonald’s will also offer anniversary events.

In the English-language newspaper South China Morning Post, Helen Cheung, McDonald’s director of corporate communications and relations in Hong Kong, was quoted as saying, “Traditional weddings use cherries for the newlyweds to eat together and kiss. We will have French fries for them to kiss.”

Cheung explained that so many people told McDonald’s they’d dated or met in their restaurants and wanted to get married there, the company saw it as a good community relations move as well as a business opportunity. With traditional Chinese weddings costing well over $5000, McDonald’s is sure to fill everyone up with their favorite food for a fraction of that price.

The Oriental Daily reported that McDonald’s started accepting reservations in the second week of October, and at least one Hong Kong couple had already reserved their wedding date. Apparently, they had often dated at McDonald’s before getting engaged. For their special day, they wanted a setting and a meal that reminded them of time they spent together enjoying themselves and getting to know each other.

The local media doesn’t mention a price tag for the new McWedding service. However, since many young Hong Kong couples cannot afford a traditional big Chinese wedding, McDonald’s new wedding service is expected to cater to those with limited budgets.

If you’re like most brides, you’ll want your wedding dress to be as memorable as your wedding. Even though you’ll only wear your wedding gown once, you want to look absolutely amazing in it. And if you’re planning a beach wedding, you’ll want your wedding dress to not only be stunning, but also comfortable enough to wear during the ceremony on the sand as well as at your wedding dinner and party. Because beach wedding dresses are not something you’ll find in every store, the Internet provides a convenient way of shopping for beach wedding dresses from the comfort of your home.

Before you start your search for the perfect dress, it helps to decide what type of dress you are looking for, and what your budget is. There are numerous online stores dedicated to beach wedding dresses, where you can find a wide variety of styles, colors and sizes, much like the assortment you’d find in a large bridal store. These beach wedding dresses can cost as little as a few hundred or as much as many thousands of dollars, depending on what you choose. Oftentimes, you can easily find veils, gloves, shoes and bridesmaid’s dresses in the same style or line to go with the dress of your choice.

If your taste is more exclusive and your budget allows, a number of haute couture designers like Christian Lacroix, Vivienne Westwood and Vera Wang, offer wedding dresses that can be worn as beach wedding dresses as part of their confection lines. However, exclusive beach wedding dresses don’t have to be expensive. At online auction sites like eBay you can often get great deals on designer dresses or vintage dresses, as well as all the accessories you want. When looking at beach wedding dresses, it’s important to know exactly which size you need so you can get the perfect fit. Remember that European and UK sizes are different than American sizes, so use an online conversion tool if necessary. For those with allergies, make sure that the dress isn’t made out of any materials that could cause you discomfort or make you sick. Any online store that sells beach wedding dresses should offer you insurance on the shipping, as well as a good return policy in case something isn’t to your satisfaction. It’s always wise to order your dress well before your wedding, to allow for any delays in delivery.

If you’re planning to tie the knot on a beach and you’re overwhelmed by the choice of wedding beaches out there, the following list of our top 5 beach wedding locations might give you some ideas:

1. Bondi Beach, Australia. If you’d like something laid back, yet still close to a city’s nightlife and amenities, Sydney’s Bondi Beach is a great choice. One of the favorite beach wedding locations in Australia, tourists and locals alike choose Bondi Beach over other wedding beaches because of its natural beauty and fun, sporty atmosphere. “Bondi” means “waves breaking over rocks,” but that’s not all you’ll see when you’re there. The weekend home to Sydney’s hip crowd, Bondi offers sun, sand and a wide variety of restaurants and hotels to celebrate your wedding.

2. The Cerf Island Resort, Seychelles. Ranking among the top few of secluded and luxurious beach wedding locations, the Cerf Island Resort sits at the entrance to the Seychelles Sainte Anne National Marine Park. Though the Seychelles offers numerous beautiful wedding beaches, the Cerf Island Resort is truly idyllic, with white sandy beaches, clear blue waters and the luxury of a boutique hotel resort. Stay for your honeymoon to relax on the beach, explore the tropical sea-life and wander around the island.

3. Ironwood Beach, Maui. Maui is home to many favorite beach wedding locations, yet Ironwood Beach stands out amongst all Hawaii’s other wedding beaches. Known amongst locals for its brilliant sunsets and views of Molokai, Ironwood Beach is the perfect backdrop for a romantic beach wedding.

4. Ponta dos Ganchos, Brazil. Ganchos Bay is one of the most exotic among wedding beaches, and the Ponta dos Ganchos Resort is one of Brazi’s most exclusive beach wedding locations. Enjoy a full-service beach wedding in this tropical setting, where the resort takes care of all your wedding plans, so you can relax and enjoy every moment of your special day.

5. Velarassu, Maldives. A little known gem among wedding beaches, Velarassu, situated on a private coral island in the Maldives, absolutely deserves to be on anybody’s top 5 beach wedding locations. The Velarassu resort features modern design, excellent service and every amenity imaginable, while the pristine white beaches fade into the brilliant turquoise water. With its relaxed atmosphere and total commitment to service, the resort is a wonderful place to exchange vows as well as enjoy a truly romantic honeymoon.

Laguna Beach is one of the most popular destinations in the United States to get married besides a beautiful beach. With numerous restaurants, hotels and resorts to host your beach wedding, and the beautiful backdrop of the Californian coast line, it has a great place to exchange vows. However, the prospect of organizing a Laguna Beach wedding can be quite intimidating and time consuming, especially if both of you are working or looking after a family. Hiring a beach wedding planner can be a great way to ensure your wedding day is well organized and all your wishes are taken care of. Read on for some tips on how to find a good beach wedding planner for your wedding in Laguna Beach.

“If you’re planning to tie the knot on a beach and you’re overwhelmed by the choice of wedding beaches out there, the following list of our top 5 beach wedding locations might give you some ideas:

1. Bondi Beach, Australia. If you’d like something laid back, yet still close to a city’s nightlife and amenities, Sydney’s Bondi Beach is a great choice. One of the favorite beach wedding locations in Australia, tourists and locals alike choose Bondi Beach over other wedding beaches because of its natural beauty and fun, sporty atmosphere. “Bondi” means “waves breaking over rocks,” but that’s not all you’ll see when you’re there. The weekend home to Sydney’s hip crowd, Bondi offers sun, sand and a wide variety of restaurants and hotels to celebrate your wedding.

2. The Cerf Island Resort, Seychelles. Ranking among the top few of secluded and luxurious beach wedding locations, the Cerf Island Resort sits at the entrance to the Seychelles Sainte Anne National Marine Park. Though the Seychelles offers numerous beautiful wedding beaches, the Cerf Island Resort is truly idyllic, with white sandy beaches, clear blue waters and the luxury of a boutique hotel resort. Stay for your honeymoon to relax on the beach, explore the tropical sea-life and wander around the island.

3. Ironwood Beach, Maui. Maui is home to many favorite beach wedding locations, yet Ironwood Beach stands out amongst all Hawaii’s other wedding beaches. Known amongst locals for its brilliant sunsets and views of Molokai, Ironwood Beach is the perfect backdrop for a romantic beach wedding.

4. Ponta dos Ganchos, Brazil. Ganchos Bay is one of the most exotic among wedding beaches, and the Ponta dos Ganchos Resort is one of Brazi’s most exclusive beach wedding locations. Enjoy a full-service beach weddings in this tropical setting, where the resort takes care of all your wedding plans, so you can relax and enjoy every moment of your special day.

5. Velarassu, Maldives. A little known gem among wedding beaches, Velarassu, situated on a private coral island in the Maldives, absolutely deserves to be on anybody’s top 5 beach wedding locations. The Velarassu resort features modern design, excellent service and every amenity imaginable, while the pristine white beaches fade into the brilliant turquoise water. With its relaxed atmosphere and total commitment to service, the resort is a wonderful place to exchange vows as well as enjoy a truly romantic honeymoon.”

In front of sixty friends and family, Rossi Morreale, the popular host of ABC’s Dating in the Dark, tied the knot with Kacey Coppola, half of the duo Kate and Kacey, identical twin country singers. The barefoot beach wedding took place on August 7 at the Grande Antigua Resort and Spa, voted the World’s Most Romantic Resort.

The couple was married by an Antiguan marriage officiate as well as Morreale’s childhood minister, while Kate, Kacey’s twin sister, served as their maid of honor. Last year, Kacey served as Kate’s maid of honor at her Colorado wedding last year.

Morreale and Coppola originally met two years ago, in 2008, on the set of CMT’s Can You Duet, where Kate and Kasey were two of the contestants and Morreale was the host. A Playa del Carmen engagement was quick to follow. Morreale was quoted as saying, “Even though I’ve now seen the most beautiful bride in the world, if I only knew her in the dark, I definitely would’ve still married her.” The couple plans to split its time between Los Angeles and Nashville – after the honeymoon, of course.

True to its reputation as the “Romance Capital of the Caribbean,” Antigua remains one of the favorite destinations for celebrity beach weddings. In 2009, Antigua and its sister island Barbuda officially celebrated a “Month of Romance,” culminating in a weekend of romantic activities and the 2009 Celebrity Destination Wedding, a contest that offered winners a celebrity style wedding on the idyllic island. The “Month of Romance“ was intended to promote how easy it is for American couples to get married on Antigua and Barbuda, because no residency permit is required for a wedding license. In fact, according to Antigua’s Ministry of Legal Affairs, couples can tie the knot in less than 24 hours.