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How do I make our beach reception CLASSY & ELEGANT???

ooohdiamonds

Rough_Rock
Joined
May 8, 2009
Messages
62
My man wants to have our wedding reception on a beach.. so I'm planning to hire a marquee, tables, chairs etc... What decor would you use to make it look classy, elegant, sophisticated??

I want the decor to somehow mesh well with our location, but I don't want the wedding to look 'cheap' or too causal. :sick: :sick: HELP!!
 

mayerling

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Mar 4, 2010
Messages
2,357
How about nice linens? And upscale place settings? I think that nice floral or votive centerpieces might do the trick as well.
 

kenny

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 30, 2005
Messages
33,225
The beach has sun and sand.
That's great for for a beer-bust volleyball party but perhaps not for an event you that want to keep formal classy and elegant.

Honestly if I had to sit in the sun I wouldn't go, and I'd think you were nuts to expect it.
Some of your guests may go but be miserable as they sit there thinking about how they're inviting sunburn and skin cancer.

I'd provide a canopy for shade.
When positioning the canopy pay attention to where the sun and shade will be during the hours of the reception.

The next big question is sand and the chance of rain.
Do you want your guests trudging around in sand with their fancy shoes?
Do you want to make it barefeet-requred? - if so please no glass glasses OUCH!
Some people drink like fish at wedding receptions and broken glass will be a hazard for barefoot guests . . . are you marring a lawyer?

Better yet I'd rent a solid flooring material - especially for the dance floor.
 

Autumnovember

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Apr 28, 2010
Messages
4,384
kenny|1309646920|2960817 said:
The beach has sun and sand.
That's great for for a beer-bust volleyball party but perhaps not for an event you that want to keep formal classy and elegant.

Honestly if I had to sit in the sun I wouldn't go, and I'd think you were nuts to expect it.
Some of your guests may go but be miserable as they sit there thinking about how they're inviting sunburn and skin cancer.

I'd provide a canopy for shade.
When positioning the canopy pay attention to where the sun and shade will be during the hours of the reception.

The next big question is sand and the chance of rain.
Do you want your guests trudging around in sand with their fancy shoes?
Do you want to make it barefeet-requred? - if so please no glass glasses OUCH!
Some people drink like fish at wedding receptions and broken glass will be a hazard for barefoot guests . . . are you marring a lawyer?

Better yet I'd rent a solid flooring material - especially for the dance floor.

Kenny, honestly...I agree with a lot of what you said but did you really have to say it all the way that you did? :rolleyes:
 

sillyberry

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jul 28, 2009
Messages
1,792
I think an elegant upscale beach wedding can be done, but I think doing so would be fairly costly. If that isn't a concern, then - awesome! A big open-sided tent with a floor would be ideal. A lot of beachy colors - a range of blues, perhaps a bit of bright coral accents - would be lovely. Twinkly lights. A wedding planner would be a huge help in the matter, particularly when putting together the logistics.

If you are on a budget, but don't want a classic casual beach wedding (I think of a simple dress, guys in khakis and flip-flops, a lot of bright colors), it might behoove you to discuss how you can have the feel he wants in a location that doesn't require quite so much work. Perhaps a good compromise is a beachy location, somewhere like a Marina Club on the ocean?

Good luck!
 

MissStepcut

Brilliant_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jun 29, 2011
Messages
1,723
Could you find a restaurant on the beach so you could hold the reception partially or entirely indoors? Possibly with nice indoor-outdoor spaces or openable big windows or a roofed open air dining room? I know there are restaurants like that in my area.
 

hawaiianorangetree

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jan 17, 2009
Messages
2,692
I think the idea of a classy restaurant on the beach would be a great compromise for what you are both after. You get elegant and upscale and he gets the beach location without any of the problems that Kenny listed above.

Personally, I would be worried about the wind. Sand and wind don't really gel with elegance in my mind!
 

violet3

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Dec 18, 2007
Messages
3,793
kenny|1309646920|2960817 said:
The beach has sun and sand.
That's great for for a beer-bust volleyball party but perhaps not for an event you that want to keep formal classy and elegant.

Honestly if I had to sit in the sun I wouldn't go, and I'd think you were nuts to expect it.
Some of your guests may go but be miserable as they sit there thinking about how they're inviting sunburn and skin cancer.

I'd provide a canopy for shade.
When positioning the canopy pay attention to where the sun and shade will be during the hours of the reception.

The next big question is sand and the chance of rain.
Do you want your guests trudging around in sand with their fancy shoes?
Do you want to make it barefeet-requred? - if so please no glass glasses OUCH!
Some people drink like fish at wedding receptions and broken glass will be a hazard for barefoot guests . . . are you marring a lawyer?

Better yet I'd rent a solid flooring material - especially for the dance floor.

seriously kenny - someone would be nuts to expect you to sit outside if they wanted to get married at an outdoor venue? your post was rude, offensive, and unsolicited.

i'm pretty sure the OP didn't say "should i have a beach wedding? what are the pros and cons?" she asked how she could best make her beach wedding classy and beautiful. I live at the beach - i have my entire life. as a result, I've been to MANY wedding ceremonies and/or receptions that take place on the beach. It's a beautiful place to get married, and had i not gotten married in December, I would have been married on the beach too. Have you really never been to an outdoor wedding of any kind? You'll always sit in the sun at an outdoor wedding, and if you don't want skin cancer and a sunburn, wear sunscreen and/or a hat. Outdoor weddings are pretty common in the warmer months.

to the OP, where will your wedding be? is it a destination wedding? many places have tenting and flooring, and I think beach weddings can be very classy and beautiful. dress up the linens - I loved the pictures linked by someone above - everything will be great!!!
 

Gypsy

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Aug 8, 2005
Messages
40,225
Smart use of color and flowers. I love bright colors-- fushia, orange, lime green, blues (aquas), whites for contrast, purples (bright purples).

http://www.projectwedding.com/photo/browse?photo_to_show=32413&tag=beach and http://www.projectwedding.com/photo/browse?photo_to_show=32406&tag=beach and http://www.projectwedding.com/photo/browse?photo_to_show=52563&tag=beach

Any bright fun color would work with the above ideas. I love the orchids and the centerpieces... love candles. But the use of color is key. You are outdoors and you should celebrate it.

Beach grass and wood accents are great too. (Think elegant tiki bar) tiki torches at night are lovely as well. http://paulretherford.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Zama-Beach-and-Lounge-Club-Photo-0001.jpg lovely when done well. http://www.foreverwedstore.com/Merchant5/graphics/00000001/34_622.jpg

Rocks and sand used well are great. I love these and can totally see them on a bright colorful tablecloth http://media.onsugar.com/files/2011/04/17/4/1587/15875911/5d/reception_table3.jpg this is lovely and works even without the tent http://magicalfloridawedding.com/files/images/ad%20for%20kents_0.jpg


Here are some pics... I think most of them use too much white and not enough color. I think colored table cloths REALLY work well. http://blog.destinationweddings.com/blog/bid/11047/Aruba-weddings-take-the-party-to-the-beach And I don't like chairs that all wrapped up in chair covers are very festive. I prefer these white folding chairs... they are lovely and comfortable but still beachy http://a1partyrental.reachlocal.net/images/15.jpg
 

Gypsy

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Aug 8, 2005
Messages
40,225
I would provide either a canopy or, alternately white paper parasols (I had them at my wedding and they look AMAZING in the professional pictures). I have no objection to an outdoor reception without a canopy. Been to a few, and loved being out in the night air and watching the sun set.

http://aileentran.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/white-wedding-parasol-hotel-del-coronado-vista-walk.jpg Not from my wedding (actually they looked even better in my wedding pics) but parasols and bottled water at the outdoor ceremony were HUGE hits are our wedding. We also provided lovely paper fans as it was in the upper nineties. [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/gypsys-wedding-non-pro-photos-highlights.95762/page-2']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/gypsys-wedding-non-pro-photos-highlights.95762/page-2[/URL] You can see the parasols and the fans on the chairs (I only did every other chair for the parasols). I don't have the professional pics of the parasols when open on PS, but trust me, stunning.

Some amazing pictures of outdoor weddings. I ADORE the orange tall flower arrangements. http://aileentran.com/blog/2011/01/03/parasols/ perfect.

Also, I would provide cheap flip flops (two baskets, one for men, other for men) for your guests if the reception is on the sand.
 

Gypsy

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Aug 8, 2005
Messages
40,225
This one uses everything I talked about. It's more toward the formal side. But it has different shades of the same bright color with white as a contrast in the plates and the decorative vase. Solid colored table cloth The chairs are wood bringing in nature materials. The candles are just breathtaking. Lovely use of flowers all in low vases bunched by type all in the purple color.

http://www.vibrantbride.com/images/photoalbum/6/Beach_Reception_Table.jpg Just wow. I love the use of vases and candles to create vertical interest. The height of the centerpieces is key.

Here too: Lovely table setting. I love the glass vases. http://bridalcookie.com/weddingtobe/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/beachwedding.jpg Again, vertical interest... this time with the beach glass vases.

http://www.niswan.net/online/images/articles/2011/06/13-06-11/2/imgee.jpg Lots of vertical interest here too. You can do this with just bare grass in tall vases. All green. You don't need the fancy orchids everywhere-- just a few sprigs of your chosen color in the orchids would be enough. This one is over the top.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_1GMF5M-OJKc/TOLcU5W8RVI/AAAAAAAACQY/8mLkBunm8B8/s1600/Ashlie%2B%2526%2BOfer%2BWeb-170.jpg Beautiful as well. Two different shades of blue. White as contrast. White wood folding chairs. Great centerpieces (more affordable than some of the other, though I prefer a little more height personally). Great look. Everything is very crisp. The linens are well ironed and the lines are sharp.


Apologies to whoever's wedding this is, but the flowers don't work for me on the beach. http://us.123rf.com/400wm/400/400/ginaellen/ginaellen0902/ginaellen090200447/4408497-elegant-table-setting-at-a-wedding-reception-on-the-beach.jpg The colors, red and yellow and the types of flowers don't say 'beach' to me. I think keeping things in tropical colors and with flowers that are more tropical is key. All yellow would have been lovely though. I like the rest of it though and since they did use red, I think the choice of a lot of white is a good one.
 

Gypsy

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Aug 8, 2005
Messages
40,225
ETA: I just saw Kenny's comment. KENNY: The OP SAID she is getting a marquee. That is a canopy. So you need to read much more carefully before you shoot your mouth off about sunburn and cancer. Your tone was harsh and inappropriate.

http://www.elizabethannedesigns.com/blog/2010/06/17/jamaica-destination-wedding/ Beautiful pics in this one. Everything is very white but it works with all the beige of their site.

http://beach-theme-wedding-ideas.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/5.jpg It's like you are part of the sea.

http://beach-theme-wedding-ideas.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/reception_centerpieces_two.jpg Amazing centerpieces. These would look fabulous in a lovely bright color. Or on a colored table cloth if you like them in white.

http://beach-theme-wedding-ideas.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/summer05_planning2a.jpg I love the wood and the white chairs. The high center piece, and the lower ones as well.

http://beach-theme-wedding-ideas.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Vicki-Mike-Wedding-Flower-Centerpiece-Jennifer-Dery-DCNearlyweds-707578.jpg Candles are a must for an evening outdoors. So beautiful.

Elegant, not casual, and outdoors:

Beach_Reception_Table.jpg
 

Gypsy

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Aug 8, 2005
Messages
40,225
http://www.whiteaisle.com/ Invitations set the tone. Here is my favorite invite site. Second favorite is www.weddingpaperdivas.com

Focus on more formal invites. Make sure your BMs are wearing lovely and more formal gowns.

http://www.whiteaisle.com/capri_invitation_2011.html Lovely invite.

Lighting also sets a tone. Lots of candles and you get a nice elegant intimate feel. The inside of the marquee can be wired with fairy lights. These lanterns are amazing and would look incredible suspended down from the marquee http://www.lunabazaar.com/pizelle-paper-lanterns.aspx and these http://www.paperlanternstore.com/mupostla.html

http://www.weddingpaperdivas.com/product/7507/signature_white_textured_wedding_invitations_vivid_blooms.html gorgeous. WOW where were these when I was getting married.



Don't try to turn the beach into a ballroom (that's why I hate those chair covers for the beach and prefer the white wood folding chairs). You are at the beach, celebrate it. The beach can be just as, if not more, elegant as a fancy ballroom. The devil is in the details. Have fun with colors and textures... maybe you want to bring the sea in with lots of blues or maybe you want to add some color with violet hues. Don't overdue with too many colors. Just pick one and do different shades in that color if you like that look (I do). Or combine a color with green (which works as a neutral in some cases) or with white or ivory. Use the white as a contrast to bold colors with star fish, sand dollars, and coral in white or silver.

Use outdoor elements like sand and rocks but incorporate them into centerpieces with lush orchids and bold branches or natural grasses to dress them up. Make sure you offer your guest lots of visual interest at different heights (both on the table and in the marquee). You don't have to do a high centerpiece at every table if that gets too pricey. You can do every other table with a high centerpiece and then the alternate with a low centerpiece. Have fun with lighting and candles. And make sure to add lots of thoughtful touches for your guests comfort (slippers, fans, parasols, lots of water available). They will appreciate it.

 

nkarma

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jul 13, 2009
Messages
644
kenny|1309646920|2960817 said:
The beach has sun and sand.
That's great for for a beer-bust volleyball party but perhaps not for an event you that want to keep formal classy and elegant.

Honestly if I had to sit in the sun I wouldn't go, and I'd think you were nuts to expect it.
Some of your guests may go but be miserable as they sit there thinking about how they're inviting sunburn and skin cancer.

I'd provide a canopy for shade.
When positioning the canopy pay attention to where the sun and shade will be during the hours of the reception.

The next big question is sand and the chance of rain.
Do you want your guests trudging around in sand with their fancy shoes?
Do you want to make it barefeet-requred? - if so please no glass glasses OUCH!
Some people drink like fish at wedding receptions and broken glass will be a hazard for barefoot guests . . . are you marring a lawyer?

Better yet I'd rent a solid flooring material - especially for the dance floor.

Have you ever sat outside in the sun for 15 minutes in your life (picnics, beach, boats/sailing, your lawn, outdoor cafes, etc...)
 

JacquiT

Rough_Rock
Trade
Joined
Jun 27, 2011
Messages
29
Maybe take a look at some of the stuff Molly and Jason (from the bachelor) did for their wedding. It was an outdoor ceremony. Of course it was sponsored by ABC so it was pretty high-end, but you may get some great ideas. They did a lot with dried wood and earthy materials.

I saw a bunch of beach weddings in Aruba last year and they were amazing. Good luck!
 
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