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.
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!
It’s time again to look at wedding colors and decor trends to inspire your wedding dreams for the new year. In Fort Myers, Florida the forecast is: warm, sunny, with a touch of spring pastel! Check out some of our staff favorites for affordable beach wedding set ups that are perfect for a Gulf beach wedding. Whether it’s a Spring beach elopement or you’re ready to get ideas for a destination wedding later this year, these inspirations will have your beach wedding heart in full bloom!
Plan Your Fort Myers Beach Wedding
Our favorite thing about a beach wedding in Fort Myers is the warm sea breeze, sugar sand and sunny skies. The natural, outdoor environment and white sand coordinates with any wedding color scheme! Our beach wedding packages allow you to choose your dream color design or touches like Starfish. So here you go, get inspired…
Colors and Trends
NEUTRALS: White, blush, and ivory are such classic colors that really they can go with any season. This allows you to really be creative with your focal points of design such as flowers, textured greenery or accessories like lanterns or buckets. For example, the Nautical Knot Beach Chic design pictured below has such a clean, subtle design it blends seamlessly with the sand and water. This allows you to include pops of color through your floral bridal bouquet or bridesmaid dresses and groom attire. All-white flowers look natural and organic and give your wedding an elegant look.
PASTELS: It’s hard to say the word Spring and not think of baby pinks and blues, soft greens and cream. In the beach wedding world, we love soft colors that compliment the natural beauty of the sand, sea and Florida sky. In Fort Myers, the Gulf water is a beautiful turquoise so just about anything goes. For 2021, we are seeing groom attire trend towards bolder colors while the bride and her bridesmaids stay with pastel tones.
FLORALS IN FOCUS: For brides flowers never go out of style, and that goes for beach weddings too! We love the simple, organic beauty of our Natural Distinctive Design Wedding Package which features bamboo and champagne tones: timeless and elegant in its rustic wedding simplicity.
Incredible Weather
Another great thing about a Fort Myers Beach Wedding is the lovely weather. There are usually a few lingering “cold days” before Spring and we use the Florida definition of cold. Florida Cold: Any temperature below 70 degrees Fahrenheit! Spring Florida temperatures can range anywhere from upper 50s to low 80s, which by most standards is pretty pleasant weather and the oceanfront is usually milder.
Affordable Wedding Package Prices
No matter what location you choose, our complete wedding packages allow couples to have the wedding of their dreams without breaking the bank. It can be planned from the comfort of your home because we show you online exactly what you are going to get with each package. We provide you with a detailed timeline, an aerial view of your beach ceremony location, photos of all of our decor and wedding ideas from you to choose from, sample ceremonies to read and choose and more. The classic distinctive design below includes everything you need
And if we had an image to match the stress level for couples planning a beach wedding with our Florida Beach Weddings company, it would probably be something like lying in a hammock on the beach or a happy just married toast! Affordable, stress free, gorgeous: the triple play!
Don’t miss out on your perfect date or location. Ready to plan your Florida Beach Wedding? Click to contact us and start planning!
Do shades of blue make you sigh with joy? Blue is a very popular color for weddings all over the world, but especially beloved when used by brides at the beach. The wonderful thing about blue themed wedding decorations is that they not only compliment the ocean, but the sky and the sand, no matter how light or dark it is. You can’t go wrong using blue in your beach wedding theme, and we can’t think of any other color that really goes with everything. The couple kissing in the photo above chose bright blue and white draping on their wedding arch from the Destiny Package. It really is stunning with the bride’s bouquet and white wedding dress.
Blue and teal together? We say, “I do” to this wedding color palette. After all, the ocean behind this stunning black bamboo wedding arch is blue and teal also. The black accents in this Anchors Away Distinctive Design package complete this nautical theme on Daytona Beach. Sometimes called “Tiffany Blue”, shades of teal will always be popular with beach brides, and paired with another color it simply makes a seaside ceremony come alive.
This Nautical Knot wedding package is stunning again with white and royal blue, some call it sapphire blue, with a lily topper. The bride and groom chose yellow flowers as an accent color and the effect of the entire wedding setup is whimsical yet beautiful against this cloudless Florida sky and seaside.
Navy, natural thick bamboo and a gold flower accents could not be more beautiful…that’s why we call it the Beach Bliss Distinctive Design! Starfish and nautical rope complete the aisle where the bride walked down to meet her beloved. This barefoot wedding is the perfect coastal wedding design. The addition of navy bridesmaid dresses is an elegant touch. Even the sky cooperated as a soft blue grey background for this couple’s photographs!
Dusty blue and white are again the top choice at this Siesta Key beach wedding. This Dusty Blue Distinctive Design package sure looks high priced with it’s upscale greenery and muted florals. The aisle and white chairs are waiting eagerly for an engaged couple to celebrate their marriage vows with white sand and sea oats gently waving in the background. How breathtaking!
The Destiny Beach Wedding Package strikes again! For larger weddings it is the perfect choice for brides because it has over 20 colors to choose from…including this Azure blue! Daytona Beach Shores is the perfect backdrop for this wedding setup accented by grassy greenery and Tiki torches. In the photo below we see it combined with coral which is so perfect for a Gulf beach wedding in Clearwater.
Blue and teal again intertwine on this beach wedding arch pictured below from our Teal Distinctive Design package. Look at that large, gorgeous topper with white and teal flowers plus greenery! This country-style couple got married at Anastasia State Park in St. Augustine on this beautiful beach that offers white and cinnamon colored sand. Even a vintage wedding could use this blue wedding decor…it never goes out of style.
So, after seeing these blue wedding designs, you may be wondering, “How much does a destination wedding cost in Florida?” With our beach company, you will be delighted by how affordable our all inclusive wedding packages are. Depending on which beach location you choose, packages start at $699 and at the high end average about $2,500. Permits and parking may be extra as well as our affordable professional wedding photography option, however your total wedding day bill will be much cheaper than a traditional wedding in your home town. Contact us today to secure your date. You can browse our complete wedding packages here.
In case you missed the news…St. Augustine Beach and the old city are open! However, because of the challenges engaged couples have experienced during the 2020 pandemic and uncertainty when making wedding plans, it has been hard to keep up on the status of popular destinations. In Florida, though, many of your favorite beach cities and other attractions are open. So, if you are planning to get married on a Florida beach in 2021, we would like to share some of the up and coming trends for weddings and how you can use them in your ceremony theme and decor.
Romantic St. Augustine: perfect beach venue
Our favorite thing about a beach wedding in St. Augustine are those first warm sea breeze winds and sunny skies that you experience when you arrive in Florida. Also, sunshine, the sea and warm air coordinates with any wedding color scheme! Our beach wedding packages allow you to choose your dream color design no matter what time of year. So here you go, get inspired:
Colors and Trends for 2021
GREENERY: Green will be everywhere in 2021, especially in natural leaves and greenery. Since many couples will be getting married outdoors, green makes sense and we can take full advantage of its natural beauty on the beach. Our Tropical Distinctive Design wedding package is full of greenery: palms and bird of paradise leaves will line your sandy aisle-way. The large palm fronds that adorn the four post bamboo canopy are especially stunning in this design. It makes your first kiss as a married couple so special and you will never forget how you felt on your beach wedding day. If you choose to add the option of our professional outdoor wedding photographer, you will not be disappointed in the extra pictures and poses you get to download and keep forever…and it only costs $350 for that additional time.
ORANGE: We are hearing that bright colors will be trending in 2021, with the spotlight on orange. As you can see again, our Tropical Distinctive Design package in orange is as stunning as the original design. Look at the color against the sand and emerald ocean water! This unforgettable color scheme will delight your guests and family with its beach themed splendor!
LILAC and LAVENDER: Walking down the aisle with this beautiful color in a bridal bouquet is so elegant. The bride below loved it so much she used it in most of her ceremony decorations and even in her wedding dress! What an eye-popping and stunning color! With 20 color choices available, choosing a bold blue as an accent color for her wedding arch draping as well as her bridesmaids really made this Destiny wedding design stand out. We were delighted to put this together for our beach bride and everyone was so happy with how it turned out!
LIGHT BLUE: Blue is always a popular color for weddings, and in 2021 it is reported that brides are using light blues such as powder blue and cornflower blue in their decorations. Darker blues are only used as accents. Quite often blue is combined with white for a simple beach wedding and some brides even use black bamboo to make it pop. Take a look at this stunning Destiny bamboo wedding arch for this beautiful couple below, which starts at $1550 in St. Augustine (without permits or parking).
BRIGHT and BOLD: According to theknot.com, red, teal, pink and yellow are going to be popular as not only accent colors, but even as the main color of 2021 weddings. Unexpected and fun will be the theme for these couples and guess what…bright colors work great on a beach! Many of our beach brides love teal and it is one of our most requested colors. The couple below used in this bright and gorgeous Coral Distinctive Design, which starts at $1895 in St. Augustine.
This yellow decor with orchids looks incredible against the cloudless, blue Florida sky as this couple recites their vows on their special day.
Of course, teal never goes out of style at a beachfront wedding venue. This Teal Distinctive Design is the perfect choice. It just pops against the slightly darker sand on the St. Augustine beaches!
EARTH TONES & NEUTRALS: Always in style, the soft and elegant themes of ivory, white and dusty rose is so calming and perfect on a St. Augustine beach. Textured accessories such as shells, starfish, driftwood or in this case branches can add depth to a neutral wedding and enhance the beachfront setting for your guests. Many brides choose this Natural Distinctive Design complete package for a Boho wedding.
Now that you are aware of the 2021 color trends, it’s time to choose your beach wedding venue in St. Augustine. We recommend Anastasia State Park which is very close to downtown St. Augustine. This beach park can accommodate wedding parties of any size and has no buildings on the beach: just natural sea oats, dunes and of course the Atlantic Ocean. Contact us today to book your all inclusive beach wedding.
