There’s nothing like a Florida beach wedding! We love talking about this topic because there’s nothing prettier than a couple standing hand in hand and saying “I do” with their toes in the sand while the beautiful ocean waves roll behind them
Just keep the veil from blowing in the groom’s face the entire ceremony – that’s all!
As an Orlando resident, I have always been excited by the numerous beautiful beaches throughout the state that can be easily reached for a weekend or day trip. From the pristine white sand of the Gulf Coast to the turquoise waters of South Florida, there are so many gorgeous locations to choose from for a beach wedding.
That’s the best part of Florida beach weddings. The beauty of the location and the romance that you can bring to your wedding can all come together in a celebration of your marriage for a price that fit’s within your budget.
So you are looking for inspiration for a beach wedding in Florida? These are five ideas for a romantic beach wedding that could be the basis for your perfect wedding.
1. A Romantic Sunset Beach Wedding With Soft Pink Flowers
Okay, sunset weddings have my whole heart.
Picture this. You’re standing barefoot on the soft sand of a beach, watching as the sky turns pink and shades of peach, your loved one waiting at the end of the path to you, ready to marry you beside a simple yet elegant floral arch.
Ugh, I just got something in my eye.
The Gulf Coast is blessed with wonderful beaches where you can have a beautiful sunset wedding, such as Clearwater Beach, Anna Maria Island, and Naples.
For a simple beach wedding flowers such as soft pink roses, white hydrangeas and lots of greenery can be used to decorate a simple wooden arch. There are often already chairs on the beach, but if not then simple wooden or straw chairs would look best.
And please don’t feel like you need decorations everywhere.
The beach already looks beautiful!
For decorations for a beach wedding all you need are a few pretty chairs for guests, beautiful wedding bouquets and a few arrangements of flowers placed throughout the area where the ceremony will take place.
It’s also really important to make sure your ceremony will have enough light for you to see what you’re doing to get great photos after the ceremony. Most sunlight will be gone by the time the sun has dipped below the horizon. Be sure to confirm the time of sunset for your wedding day and discuss with your photographer how to best plan for after the ceremony for great newlywed photos.
Trust me, no one wants to be exchanging vows in darkness and then wondering if the photographer can even see them!
2. A Barefoot Boho Beach Wedding With Natural Decorations
Calling all my relaxed, beach-loving brides!
Relaxed Florida beach weddings are the perfect setting for a boho beach wedding.
Pampas grass, woven wicker baskets, dried flowers, soft, ivory-colored fabrics and wooden, natural ceremony decorations are perfect for this type of Florida beach wedding and will complement flowing dresses with natural textures.
You can use a bamboo structure to hang a waterfall of flowing white fabric for your beach wedding instead of using a traditional floral arch.
Add some dried palm leaves and some cream colored flowers and you will have a beautiful ceremony setup.
I have seen many Florida beach weddings at locations like New Smyrna Beach, Cocoa Beach and some of the Treasure Coast beaches.
And can we talk about barefoot weddings?
You may love the idea of a barefoot wedding. Of course, you will need to think about how the sand will get everywhere. Your dress, your bouquet ribbon, your wedding emergency kit……sand is a very determined little wedding guest.
(Just to warn you – sand gets into places you wouldn’t even know were there!)
Your dress. Your bouquet ribbon. Somehow your wedding emergency bag.
Sand is a very determined little wedding guest.
A bride can opt for pretty flat sandals or for barefoot bridal jewelry if she prefers not to go barefoot for her wedding.
Just remember to check with the local beach for rules and regulations regarding your ceremony setup (ie: public beaches may have restrictions on the use of arches, chairs, decorations and amplification of sound).
3. An Intimate Beach Wedding With Just Your Favorite People
Here’s a wedding idea I absolutely adore.
A small beach wedding with twenty to thirty of your closest, dearest family and friends.
No big seating chart to accommodate. No wondering whether to allow your third cousin’s boyfriend to bring someone.
That is your intimate beach wedding with only your favorite people attending.
Small weddings can be so romantic especially on a quiet Florida coast such as Amelia Island, Sanibel Island or even a small Gulf Coast town.
Consider having an intimate wedding on a quieter beach in a smaller Gulf Coast beach community such as Sanibel Island or Amelia Island.
This would be a simple aisle of flowers down to a few chairs in the back and then the vast expanse of the ocean.
Your small wedding can transition nicely into a dinner at a nearby restaurant, preferably one with an outside seating area.
I love this idea of one long table, full of candles, and flowers. Each place setting could be hand written with the guest’s name.
It would be wonderful to serve fresh Florida seafood as well as many desserts of your choice. You could even create a special wedding signature cocktail!
And here’s something wonderful about having fewer guests.
You actually get to spend time with everybody!
They can be alot of fun instead of stress. You can actually talk to your guests instead of spending your time rushing around to talk to all of them.
That sounds pretty wonderful to me.
4. A Tropical Florida Beach Wedding With Bright, Happy Colors
Now, my colorful wedding girls, this one’s for you!
Can beach weddings be colorful?
You could have a really pretty colorful beach wedding too in Florida. They can be just as pretty as a typical wedding.
Coral flowers, bright pink orchids and orange accents on lush green tropical plants make for a beautiful and cheerful beach wedding.
Palm leaves and colorful flowers create a beautiful and cheerful tropical beach wedding. In addition to a ceremony arch, Florida tropical flowers can adorn the ends of the aisle and even the wedding altar.
The Florida Keys would be a beautiful place for this style.
The Key Largo / Islamorada area is always a favorite for waterfront settings with tropical plants and a relaxed island style of celebrations.
For the bridesmaids choose flowing dresses in the colors of sunset: coral, peach and soft pink.
For the flowers on the aisle instead of traditional flower petals, use tropical arrangements of flowers and greenery to line the aisle.
I love this detail: Offer your guests a cool drink before the ceremony.
Cold lemonade, fruit infused water, or even a tropical mocktail could be an extra nice touch to refresh your guests prior to the ceremony.
Florida sunshine is lovely, but goodness gracious, it can get HOT.
Neither you nor your Grandma will pass out from heat before you can see the bride walk down the aisle.
Make sure your guests have some shade, plenty of water and a place to sit before Grandma starts to feel faint and you have to make her sit down before the ceremony so she can cool off before you can take her inside to cool off before the reception.
The important part of your wedding is for you to have it beautiful, and it can be done without baking your guests.
5. An Elegant White Beach Wedding With a Touch of Coastal Romance
This wedding style is just gorgeous!
This wedding style is also gorgeous for an Elegant White Beach Wedding With A Touch Of Coastal Romance.
Simple wooden chairs, white roses and orchids create a stunning backdrop for this elegant beach wedding.
Instead of lots of decorations choose to have a clean and romantic wedding.
The beautiful ocean becomes the main attraction.
For an elegant white beach wedding, consider venues that are beachfront resorts located in Palm Beach, Naples or Miami Beach. Many of these properties offer private ceremony locations, full wedding planning and services and/or an indoor venue for a reception.
Many resort venues have private ceremony locations, can coordinate your wedding, and even have an indoor reception space.
And a nearby indoor reception at the same venue can provide protection from pests and weather.
You can have your ceremony outside and then move to the indoor location of your resort for dinner and dancing. This way you can enjoy the outdoors for your ceremony and have your indoor location for dinner and dancing without having to worry about the little creatures that may join you for your outdoor ceremony.
For hair I would recommend simple soft romantic styles, paired with an elegant simple wedding dress and classic wedding bouquets.
Nothing too complicated.
Just beautiful details that look lovely in pictures.
And I will suggest to the photographer to take a few formal pictures of us near the water after the ceremony for beautiful photos with soft ocean colors and perfect natural light.
These photos are gorgeous because of the soft, beachy colors and natural light! I would especially ask your photographer to take some of these type of photos of you, after the ceremony, near the water.
A Few Things Every Florida Beach Bride Should Know
Don’t forget to look into the following details before you begin ordering seashell centerpieces and searching for the perfect beach wedding dress.
Just like your other beach location choices for your Florida wedding, the beaches in Florida have their own little surprises for you to deal with also.
Wind. Heat. Rain. And of course there are the Seagulls. Will they try to steal your wedding snacks?
Are there any beach wedding permits needed for where you plan to hold your beach wedding? Are there any restrictions for beach wedding decorations and beach wedding ceremony equipment?
Think about guest comfort, too.
An accessibility path such as a beach access mat, a long boardwalk or a paved ceremony location near the beach can accommodate the needs of senior family members and people with disabilities.
Have a back-up plan in case of bad weather – especially in Florida where thunderstorms can pop up in a heartbeat!
Florida thunderstorms don’t care that you’ve been planning your wedding for eighteen months. See more.
If you are having an outdoor ceremony, ask your venue or your wedding planner what their back-up plan is in case of bad weather.
So your wedding day could include happy tears rather than tears from a fallen wedding cake.
The sea air, the setting sun, holding the hands of your love in front of all your closest friends and family, promising to spend the rest of your days on earth together. A little bit of wind in your hair, a single flip-flop in the sand somewhere, and perhaps your tearful Aunt Linda will need a box of tissues at the reception years later. But the pictures from your special day will capture so much more than that. You’ll look and feel amazing with the huge expanse of Florida sky behind you.
