Now that you’re engaged it’s time to start the wedding planning (you might already have given it a lot of thought). After looking at all the online articles and advice, you may be feeling overwhelmed. It’s not hard to feel like that with Pinterest, The Knot, Wedding Wire and more. However, there is an easier way to begin your journey to wedded bliss…especially if you’ve decided on a destination wedding in Florida.
So you want to plan a wedding by the ocean, but perhaps you don’t know where to start. How do you get all your beach wedding ideas to work? One of the toughest things to choose is your Florida weddings destination: Clearwater Beach, St. Pete Beach, Destin? Or is your heart beating faster at the though of a Miami wedding? There are many great locations and details, but planning a destination wedding is actually not as difficult as you may think – if you have the right help!
According to Travelmarket Report, 88.6 percent of destination wedding respondents said yes, they enjoyed their wedding day, compared with 82.6 percent of those who held non-destination weddings. So it seems that couples who choose to get married away from their hometown have a happier day. Why?Less stress. When these brides choose a competent beach wedding planner, all the little details are being taken care of for them…and the planning can be done without leaving your sofa! When they choose all inclusive beach wedding packages in Florida…there is truly nothing left to do but show up on the beach and say your vows. Some packages even include wedding photos.
We’re here to take you through a few simple steps of how to plan a Florida beach wedding, so there’s no need to spend hours on the internet making yourself crazy.
Step 1: Determine your budget
The first step in setting your wedding budget is to sit down together with your fiancé and decide what amount you feel is right, and then figure out how far that budget will take you. There might also be other family members who want to contribute, so include them in the discussion also. Work on your guest count since that will be part of the costs i.e. chairs, reception food, gifts, any liquor you might have. List your non-negotiables as a couple. Remember, with destination weddings, the couple does not have to pay guest travel arrangements or hotel stay. You might, however, want to see if you can get a discount on a block of hotel rooms so everyone can benefit.
Other factors that impact a destination wedding budget include the luxury level of your beach wedding package decorations, time of year and day of week of your celebration, package add-ons, wedding dress and more. Whatever choices you decide upon, you can be sure you will be paying much less than a traditional wedding at home!
Step 2: Decide if want to work with a Destination Wedding Specialist
It’s always smart to have an expert assist in coordinating the details of a wedding ceremony: even a small beach wedding. The benefits of using a beach wedding planner are too many to list, but the most important is that they know the locations like the back of their hand. They can help you choose the right beach venue, the right time of day for sunsets, the tides, take care of permits and more. They set-up and break-down the decorations, wedding arch and chairs. Plus, they can officiate and send off your Florida marriage license at the end of the day. As an established leader in weddings on the beach for over 13 years, the Florida Beach Weddings company is the easiest, smartest and most affordable choice you can make.
On top of an expert Beach Wedding Specialist by your side, you’ll have an onsite wedding coordinator who also officiates your ceremony. Won’t it be nice to have this coordinator handling all the day-of details? You will know when to walk down the aisle, perform your Unity sand ceremony, say your vows and more. You can be sure you have a stress-free planning process from start to finish and enjoy more time with your family and friends. Same-sex wedding or elopement? No problem! Florida is the perfect place for same-sex marriage ceremonies. All the same details
Step 3: Choose a location
With so many amazing destination wedding locations to choose from in Florida, it can be overwhelming to decide which one is right for you and your beloved. Think about the type of sand or sea you want when saying “I do.” Ocean waves or calm Gulf water? Dunes or walkways? Sunsets or brilliant blue skies? Will you be driving or taking advantage of direct flights? Again, speaking with our Beach Wedding Specialist will help you make your choices. So, what are you waiting for? Contact us today and get started from the comfort of your own home.
There are many wonderful new things newlyweds receive following their wedding. Presents, wedding rings, a new last name, just to name a few. One thing newlyweds don’t want to acquire is a load of wedding debt. Traditional wedding expenses can leave couples drowning in debt before even walking the aisle, and that’s not even counting your honeymoon. Is a destination wedding any cheaper? The answer is yes, it can be if you choose wisely and stay in the USA. Two of the most popular destinations are Clearwater Beach and St. Pete Beach. In fact, Tripadvisor has named St. Pete Beach the top beach in America for 2021! So let’s talk these beautiful Tampa Bay beaches and how to have a Florida Beach Wedding on a budget. Do the words affordable budget and wedding planning even belong in the same sentence? Yes!
$ Crunch the Numbers $
Before beginning any planning, do your homework. What is your budget? Planning Clearwater Beach Weddings on a budgetcan mean different things for different couples. However, even if you have the slimmest of funds, a little creativity and a small beach wedding package can work together for the beach ceremony of your dreams. Once you’ve established your bottom line budget, it’s time to get to planning the best Florida beach wedding!
Consider Your Costs
Think of all the non-negotiable items involved in your Florida Beach Wedding Budget. It’s a common mistake to skip right to the wedding planning and neglect travel and lodging costs. So avoid any sneaky, costly, surprises with your wedding budget by considering the following expenses. There’s a great tool to get an estimated cost calculator for traveling. And with Clearwater Beach near Tampa Bay, you can get even more accurate budget costs by city.
Travel Expenses
Flying? Driving? Check out travel costs, bearing in mind calendar dates may cause variations in price. Websites, like Trip Advisor, allow you to search for by date, airport, and travel preferences. Driving? Google Maps allows you to type in your location and destination for mileage estimates and food, hotel, etc. along the way. Right now, air travel is more affordable than ever and passengers named Tampa as one of North America’s most hygienic airports!
Lodging
The average cost for a hotel in Florida is around $100-$200/night. Of course, you can find more budget friendly places or live the luxurious life and go all out. So that’s a starting point. Again, check out the cost calculator by city to get a better idea. The Tampa Bay area offers so many choices that it’s easy to find your preferred type of accommodations. Check out the Holiday Inn Harbourside an ideal location for couples that want to enjoy an all-inclusive Clearwater Beach wedding venue since you can book a wedding reception there too. Want beachfront? The 3 Palms Retreat is an ideal location for an entire bridal party. This rental property has beautiful views of the ocean. What makes this house even more extraordinary is the separation of the main house and the duplex: it provides separate areas to get ready before the wedding. It can be less expensive than you think for family and friends when sharing.
Food
This is a budget point that will sneak up on you before you know it. The average cost for food is $44/day! However, finding a hotel with a kitchen/kitchenette can cut down on that price substantially. So if you’re on a tight budget, add a hotel room kitchen to your must have list and you can save hundreds on food. If you are planning a beach wedding reception you will have to add that to your budget as well.
Entertainment
The great thing about Florida Beach Weddings on a budget is you have built in free entertainment- the Gulf beach! So a bathing suit and sunscreen could be your only expense here. The sun and sea are priceless especially on the white sand of Clearwater Beach! But if you’re looking to hit up a concert, visit a theme park, book a fishing charter, or other fun Florida activity, consider those costs as you plan.
Wedding Dress & Accessories
Bridal gowns and suits vary greatly in price. Some of the pricier gowns can be in the thousands, but the great thing about a Florida Beach Wedding is the laid back atmosphere. That means lots of options for the bridal dress code. Love Boho or a short wedding dress? You can find a casual beach wedding dress for less than $100. Or check your local swip swap and resale stores if you are set on that traditional wedding dress without breaking the bank. Same goes for the groom. A nice pair of khakis and white button down fits right in on the beach and your budget.
Invitations
In an age where technology is king, the e-vite is a perfectly suitable and cost efficient means of inviting guests for your Clearwater Beach wedding on a budget. That should cover just about all the non-negotiable wedding costs. So now, let’s move onto your big day.. choosing your budget friendly wedding package.
The next step is to visit our complete Wedding Packages page and find your perfect wedding day set up. Our Beach Wedding Specialists are waiting to help you. Complete package prices start at $699 and go up to around $2,500. You show up to the beach with your marriage license and Florida Beach Weddings does the rest. Best of all our family and friends operated beach wedding company handles the setup and breakdown. You don’t have to lift a “ring finger”.
“I Do!”
Now that you have a clear budget outline, it’s time to make the “free” decisions. Wedding date, specific location, vow choices, color schemes…Contact us today to start planning the Florida Beach Wedding of your dreams.
So you have your heart set on a destination wedding in Florida, but not sure if it’s affordable? Well, we can say with certainty that it is cheaper than a traditional wedding at home. However, doing the research yourself will convince you so we’ve provided a great resource to help you plan. Also, a little creativity will go a long way in making your beach wedding dreams come true all within your wedding budget. Check out the guide below for everything you need to know about planning an affordable destination wedding.
Bride Guide: Planning an Affordable Destination Wedding
Know Your Budget:
Before we dive into HOW to save money, let’s decide exactly how much money we’re starting with here. This number doesn’t have to be down to the penny, but we need a starting place for the wedding fund. It’s your big day, but you don’t need a big debt to start your new life with when it’s all said and done. Choosing a wedding ceremony package is the way to go to save money…almost everything you need is included. Our Florida wedding packages start at $699 and at the top end average $2,500, depending on the beach location. Gulf beaches like Clearwater, St. Pete, Siesta Key and Destin Beach are typically more expensive, and Miami weddings, but that doesn’t mean you should rule them out if that’s your dream. Our Beach Wedding Specialists can help you discover which location will work for you.
Prioritize:
Make a list of non-negotiable items and see where everything stands. Is a Clearwater Beach Wedding the only one for you? Or can you go for a more budget-friendly Atlantic ocean ceremony such as a Cocoa Beach wedding, St. Augustine or the Daytona Beach area? Can you cut back on your wedding dress budget to make room for an upgraded hotel suite? Do fresh flowers make your wedded heart swoon? Or can you go for a faux bouquet of flowers to allow for professional hair and make up? So its a good idea to write it all down. Some ideas are:
Wedding party size (permits may be more expensive for a larger number of guests)
As mentioned above, your best bet to save money and stress is going with an all inclusive wedding package. This is especially true for destination wedding where you have to deal with vendors in an unfamiliar location. With Florida Beach Weddings, almost everything you need for your wedding day is included in the affordable, upfront price! You can choose your theme, colors and decorations, which makes all your wedding ideas come to life. With our Florida wedding planners, even your beach wedding officiant is included. The only option we recommend adding is our professional outdoor wedding photographer so that all your memories can be captured forever. And, just as important, is that having it all in a package means less stress: just show up and tie the knot!
Money Saving Ideas:
With a little creativity, you can save money left and right! Here are some ideas for trimming the fat from your sand, sun and sea beach wedding budget:
Wedding Dress- Second hand (try a local Facebook resale group or high end consignment shop)
Hair and Make Up- If hiring a pro is out, there are no shortage of Youtube hair/make up tutorials. Just practice, practice, practice.
Travel- Subscribe to a travel search engine and check back frequently for cheap air fare. These prices can fluctuate day to day so look for a price drop and pick up your tickets!
Evites over mailed invitations can end up saving you hundreds. Between the actual stationary and the cost to mail them, go paperless and save more.
Flowers- Have a creative and RELIABLE friend attending the wedding? Could he/she put together a some simple bouquets and boutonnieres? You may have to settle with whatever flowers are in stock that day/week at the local grocery store in Florida, but if that’s not a priority to you, then that’s an easy, fresh option\\
Now you realize your dreams can come true without going into wedded-debt! Let Florida Beach Weddings help you plan your complete, affordable destination wedding today. Click here!
Ways to Make Your St. Augustine Beach Wedding (Even More) Romantic
Horse & Carriage Ride
After your St. Augustine Beach wedding celebration, you and your guests will be looking for relaxing and fun activities during the rest of your vacation stay. Day or night, a leisurely horse and carriage tour through the nation’s oldest city is a cozy way to see the sights. Find a carriage along the bay front in St. Augustine. Country Carriages (pictured below) take guests on horse-drawn carriage tours of historic downtown city of St. Augustine. Country Carriages has experienced tour guides who narrate St. Augustine’s rich history, covering 450 years with fun, light, eventful stories. This is one of the best experiences you can experience in St. Augustine. Guides will often highlight hot spots around town that may have been overlooked otherwise. Tours take about 45 minutes and cover a little over 2 miles of the downtown historic district.
Top of the St. Augustine Lighthouse
The breathtaking view from the top the St. Augustine Lighthouse, one of the most stunning and popular spots in the area, is even more spectacular at night by the light of the moon. Sip champagne and snuggle beneath the stars on the Sunset/Moonrise tour. Or choose to visit it as part of your honeymoon experience: your wedding guests will enjoy it too.
St. Augustine Bed & Breakfast Inns
What could be more romantic than staying at a bed and breakfast inn? Well-appointed rooms, rare antiques, in room spas, freshly made gourmet breakfasts and a warm welcoming Innkeeper are always ready to accommodate any request at one of St. Augustine’s Historic Inns. One of the most popular and highly rated is the Carriage Way Bed & Breakfast (below) which focuses on details that will ensure guests have an enjoyable experience.
Laid Back Beachfront Hotel
Enjoy the laid back retreat of beachfront hotels like the Castillo Real, Ascend Hotel Collection. Sip coffee from your private balcony overlooking the ocean, relax in the spa or pool, enjoy a gourmet meal with a spectacular view at the restaurant. Close by are the Salt Life and Sunset Grille restaurants. Staff at this hotel go the extra mile to help you feel welcome. With generous room sizes and steps away from the beach, this hotel is an excellent choice. There is also plenty of parking for guests.
Sunset Sail
Toast the end of another spectacular day aboard the Schooner Freedom. Sail aboard the tall ship for a completely different view of St. Augustine’s historic district – from the sea. Although currently at reduced capacity, this is St. Augustine’s premier tall ship. 76 feet of steel, Freedom was built in Norfolk, VA, she has 76 feet of steel. Freedom is the only schooner charter vessel between Charleston and the Florida Keys. With nearly 2400 square feet of sail, she is a testament to naval history and to the blockade runners of the early 1800s. They offer relaxing Day, Romantic Sunset, and Enchanting Moonlight Sails, as well as a variety of special events throughout the year.
Plan Your St. Augustine Beach Wedding
Being lucky Using our simple Florida Beach Wedding packages, you can design the perfect beach wedding, including vow renewals or an elopement that fits your style and your budget. The staff of Florida Beach Weddings is ready to assist you in designing the ideal wedding of your dreams (see the Floral Distinctive Design package below). From officiant to decorations like wedding lanterns, and professional wedding photography, our services save you time and stress by working with one professional and reliable vendor. Our expert wedding planners, with years of retail bridal and beach wedding experience make organizing your special day not only easy but fun!
Our beach wedding company and dedicated specialists have lots of resources to help you tie the knot in style. From local salons, to florists and even reception venues, we can make recommendations that make your entire plan go smoothly in St. Augustine. You can add options and extra touches to make your ceremony exactly as you dreamed. It doesn’t matter if you are having a small wedding or larger event, classic decor or rustic romance style (wedding arch pictured below and includes 32 chairs) – we have wedding ideas for you! See some of our top staff picks for ceremony packages by clicking here.
Say your vows on stunning St. Augustine Beach with the sand, sun, ocean and rocks. Come celebrate your happy ever after with a personalized wedding ceremony you’ll remember forever with Florida Beach Weddings.
There are family members, the bridal party, the guests, so who pays for what when it comes to Destination Weddings?
Bride & Groom
The bride and groom cover the usual wedding expenses (ceremony costs such as cheap beach wedding packages, beach wedding dresses, groom attire, rentals, photographer, etc.). These are obvious and standard expenses for any type of wedding. However, it gets a little grey after that when it comes to destination weddings in Florida. Some couples still opt for a full reception, while others simply choose to dine with guests (or just the two of you) at a local restaurant. If a wedding reception is not in your plans, it’s still nice to treat your guests to a post-wedding meal. You can find affordable restaurants near your wedding city to celebrate and eat without breaking the bank. Consider the money you’ll be saving with a bigger guest list in your hometown (think feeding 100 people at home vs. 25 in your destination wedding city). Depending on the size of your guest list (and budget), a morning after breakfast or brunch is also a nice treat.
Rococo Steak St. Pete
Bridal Party
Your bridal party follows same procedure as the guest list with respect to paying for flight and hotel accommodations for your Florida wedding. In addition, they are expected to pay for attire and accessories. So brides, a nice thing you can choose to pay for is hair and make up for your bridesmaids. If you aren’t covering the bill, it’s good etiquette to make it optional. It’s also a nice idea to make or purchase earrings, necklace, or get cute footless sandals that double as an accessory and bridal party gift from you!
Guests
So your traveling guests are highly likely to look back on your fantastic destination wedding with fond memories. And, let’s face it, who doesn’t love a relaxing tropical vacation? All that said, they should be expected to pay for flight and hotel accommodation out of their own pocket. It’s common courtesy for the bride and groom to provide hotel options and block rooms that might provide cheaper prices. And you could provide a Welcome Bag for an added touch! Some brides and grooms have a welcome dinner AHEAD of the wedding day so that they can mingle beforehand. However, guests are basically footing the bills for themselves with the exception of these events, and the reception/post-wedding dinner.
Of course it will be different if you have a vow renewal or simply eloped which is normally just the two of you or up to 6 people. A nice dinner will be the perfect end to your small wedding day.
Bottom line: your guests will be excited to share your special day in the sun and sea. The financial goal for your destination wedding should be for everyone to walk away with an affordable vacation, no unexpected expenses and unforgettable memories of your beach wedding day. This is totally achievable with a Florida Beach Weddings package that includes just about everything you need to get married in Florida. Click HERE to book your Beach Wedding today!
