Glorious South African Beach Weddings

I think the extreme cold has brought on a longing for summer and lazy days on a gorgeous South African beach somewhere.  It is for this reason that I have been inspired to give a few tips on having a beach wedding in South Africa.

1. Go to the beach that you want to get married at and make sure that it won’t be crowded with people, if you live overseas, use a wedding planner to help you find one. 
2. Get hold of tide charts if you are planning your wedding yourself.  The last thing you need is the tide coming in and guests clambering to grab their goods while you say your vows.
3. You will also need a permit to use the beach.  This can be arranged at the local municipality.
4. Send a message in a bottle invitation.
5. Make sure that the location isn’t so remote that your guests will have to walk for miles to get there.  Also make sure that there are restrooms close by.  These will more often than not be public and probably not look wedding ready.  Think about dressing them up with flowers, nice smelling soaps and hand towels. Rolled up face cloths in a basket are great for this purpose.  The real biggie here is to make sure there is toilet paper.  You can purchase recycled paper toilet rolls online from South African manufacturers. (EarthnLove make great hand soaps and creams.)
6. South Africa has fabulous beach front bed and breakfast hotels and lodges. They would help arrange your wedding ceremony and the the reception would be at their premises with views of the sea.
7. Renting a tent or making a make shift cover from the sun for your guests is imperative.  The South African sun can be very strong. 
8. Rent chairs from a local rental company.  Hang buckets with flowers from chairs down the aisle.
9. You can also use cushions for your guests to sit on.  This is comfortable but not a great option if you have elderly people attending your wedding.
10. At the entrance to the beach, put flip flops in bags for your guests.  Place another basket and recommend that your guests place their own shoes in the bags and then the basket to collect when they leave.  There is nothing worse than getting sand in your shoes.
11. A beach wedding generally means a picnic reception but this does not always have to be the case.  There are fabulous caterers that can assist you with a menu and set up. 
12. Never try and compete with your surroundings.  Use the colour of the beach and the ocean in your décor.

Thanks for stopping by.

Faye