I Do Venues ~ Natural Beach Elements

Photography from: theknot.com

Style Guide - A Beach Wedding

 

Planning a seaside or beached theme wedding can go so many different directions. This inspiration board was put together from several different events found on theknot.com. The pictures evoke a feeling of natural beach elements - fun yet sophisticated. If you are looking for a similar feel to your celebration, here are a few tips for the DIY bride.

The tone of your celebration is set by the 'save the date' cards and invitations. Choose a simple and classic graphic design that gives you a hint of what's in store, but does not go over the top or is too thematic. The foundation of a great simple DIY beach-themed event lies in the choice of your color. If you are looking for a soft, wistful event - more Pottery Barn and less Yacht Club - keep your color palette neutral. Tones such as sand, white, ivory, neutral browns, and soft greens can be found in nature. To find the perfect colors, sit on a hill overlooking the beach. See the water washing up onto the sand creating sea foam; note the light colored drift wood and sea grasses; take in the variety of soft colors found on seashells. Also, take into account the textures. A beach-themed wedding will have lots of natural textures.

Your tables take up the most space and will dominate the area. Deciding on the perfect linen is a key component. The color, texture, and feel of the linen will set the tone for the entire room and ultimately the design. To get a similar feel to the inspiration board above, choose a neutral-colored fabric with a great texture. Burlap with a crisp white runner or a duck fabric in a taupe or stone color would work well.

Chairs are the next item to consider. The bamboo chairs currently available from most rental companies go great with round tables. If you are doing a collection of long tables with runners, then consider natural wood benches. Once you have the backdrop for the table design set, you can work on the place settings and centerpieces. A collection of lanterns filled with sand, driftwood, moss, and either orchids or succulents is a perfect way to get lots of character and will help you keep your floral budget down.

Place settings are also important. If you can afford to do chargers, the rattan chargers are a great casual element that adds character to your table. Take your crisp white napkin and lay it across the charger, then use a starfish, sand dollar, or river rock to make the final statement. Your escort cards needs to be displayed with style. Consider using sand as a base, then attach each card to a sand dollar or mini starfish. Another idea is to simply use glue dots to adhere a small seashell to each card. Don't go all white - use white sand and either a taupe, light green, or muted brown shade with a contrasting color for the script.