Essentials for a Beach Wedding
Beach weddings have a special charm and imagination to them. They can be so simple, yet elegant. Having the ocean just steps away while saying your vows can be magical. Your feet are in the sand and the beautiful tropical weather makes for an especially memorable day. Here are some things to keep in mind when planning your beach wedding!
Sunglasses
With all the planning going on, sunglasses may slip your mind. If your beach wedding is happening during a perfectly, sunny day then these are a must for your guests. It’s a great idea to remind your guests in the invitation so they don’t forget. The sun can reflect off the ocean and create a glare so it’s good to be prepared. Your guests don’t want to be uncomfortable even if the ceremony is only 20 minutes. When taking photographs, remember to take off the sunglasses for some of them. You don’t want your memories of this day to be ruined by not being able to see anyone’s faces!
Wedding Ring
Again this may seem like common sense, but there is a lot to plan. The wedding ring is an important part to the ceremony because it embodies your relationship with one another and your lifelong commitment. You can go for a ring, inspired by the beach that has intricate swirls like the waves. This little reminder will always make you think of your beautiful wedding day. Jewelers, like Blue Nile, have many unique wedding bands to signify your special day forever. Also on a beach, don’t have the ring bearer use a pillow! Find an elegant ring box so your wedding ring can’t get lost in the sand.
Two Dresses for the Bride
The sand at the beach can ruin the wedding dress so it might be a good idea to have two! One for the beach and one is for the reception. You won’t have to worry about the dress during the ceremony or photo so you can enjoy your wedding. For the beach, find a dress that is light and breezy so compliment your beachy wedding. A train will get dragged down by sand and get caught up in the ocean waves. For the reception dress, think about how much mobility you’ll need while dancing and greeting all your guests.
Paper Fans
These will be essential for those day time weddings because it can get hot even with the ocean breeze. Keeping your guests and yourself comfortable is important for your special day. Paper fans can double as an itinerary for the ceremony or the whole day. Plus your guests can use them at the outdoor reception! This is a great little wedding favor idea that is useful to your guests. A personalized fan with the itinerary on one side and couple information on the other makes for great photos!
Beach Toys… for the Kids!
If kids are coming to the ceremony, this is a great way to keep them occupied. Create a playing area that is separate from the ceremony with beach toys for them to play! They can make sand castles and draw in the sand. This is a great way to make them feel included while also eliminating distractions at the wedding. And if the reception is right on the beach then they can continue playing!
Jenny & Chris {April Wedding at Carillon Beach}
Jenny & Chris are high school sweethearts, and in every picture it’s beyond evident that they both just adore each other. Jenny, a wedding planner from It Takes Two Events in Atlanta, knew exactly what she wanted from working in this crazy industry! As we sat through long vendor appointments planning their special day, Chris was such a trooper! He was the perfect groom to work with, making Jenny giggle to keep her calm through all these decisions! Jenny loved the simplicity of the Meeting House and had to have her ceremony there. She didn’t need any decor to add to it, but our amazing event designer from Myrtie Blue had a few surprises up his sleeve just for the happy couple!
Dear Wesleyann captured this couple’s classy style perfectly. After shooting their engagement session in the winter, Jenny and Chris felt right at ease with Wesleyann on their wedding day! I just adore Jenny’s happy smile in this picture!
The weather couldn’t have been more perfect for these two! After having an iffy winter here in Florida, it was a nice break to have the sun shine brightly for this sweethearts!
Brian Watson from Mytrie Blue did a fabulous job on her bouquet as well! We love the pops of the light pink anemones with the dark violet centers! Did we mention how stunning she look on the right?! Our favorite walkover #7 is the perfect bright white backdrop for her flowing dress!
Of course the brilliant Wesleyann came up with this creative setting for their “almost” first look! Jenny and Chris wrote letters to each other and read them in the Carillon Post Office right before the ceremony. This picture describes both of their personalities perfectly, with Chris’ note for Jenny ripped out of a spiral notebook and Jenny’s a petite, clean piece of paper.
We absolutely adore this picture! The smallest of gestures are always the sweetest.
I just love the way the sunshine hits Jenny’s veil and sparkly studs in this picture! Getting to know this couple has been such a joy, and we almost didn’t want their last wrap up meeting to come! We wish Jenny and Chris only the best for their many years to come!
Caitlin & Ryan {March Wedding at Seacrest Beach}
This Canadian couple will hold a special place in our heart after their Seacrest wedding! We certainly felt like part of the family after making a couple quick hospital visits to Caitlin’s mother. After everything this family had been through, while vacationing here mind you, their wedding went off without a snag! Held at the Reunion House, their unique reception location was the perfect fit for these two. Their families were able to stay in the 9 bedroom house (yes, nine!), which was quite convenient for the little ones!
With Jamie Gummere as her makeup artist and Vivo Hair Salon as her stylist, Caitlin looked absolutely stunning!
We may have had a slight obsession with her dress and Badgley Mischka shoes!
The decor from Events by Nouveau was the perfect setting for this Seacrest wedding! Rustic pots with bunches of baby’s breath complemented the canopy altar! This couple also had a little audience of on-lookers that cheered for them during their first kiss!
We think Ryan did a *fantastic* job with Caitlin’s ring! How could you not say “yes” to that?!
They are just absolutely precious!
Princess Leia and Darth Vader were the “cake” toppers! Instead of a traditional wedding cake, the two picked out donuts! Townsend catering also made chocolate dipped fruit as a little snack. The chocolate grapes were to die for!
The seafood bar was a hit complete with crab legs, shrimp, and raw oysters! Grab some food, grab a beer, and don’t forget to grab one of their customized koozies!
They HAD to end the night their “Canadian Anthem,” a song by Spirit of the West, and they all went… bananas. Of course they had to clue us into what was going on and tried to drag us onto the dance floor! We stuck by the heater on this chilly night, but couldn’t have asked for a more fun group to coordinate a wedding for!
Journey & Brian March Wedding at Carillon Beach
With this sweet as pie Texas bride, we were able to plan her wedding from afar in just ONE month! We finally met her the week of the wedding and wish we could have met her sooner! She was such a fun and happy person to be around that it showed in every detail in her wedding! Both of their families were extremely important to them, and that’s all they needed to celebrate their big day! With precious handmade details planned out for both the ceremony and reception in the Meeting House, it really showed how much this couple was loved, and Paul Johnson Photography was able to capture every moment of it!
Journey was all about keeping things simple! Her natural looking makeup done by Jamie Gummere was the perfect touch to her stud earrings. {She chose the gold ones! }
We absolutely adored every little detail Journey was able to pull together with Events by Nouveau! Her colorful bouquet below complimented her gorgeous smile!
The weather couldn’t have been more cooperative! Clear blue skies and sunshine are all any couple wishes for their day!
Journey’s mother made paper flowers for the ceremony complete with intricate lace petals.
The Promenade directly across from the Meeting House is the best place to capture the couples second kiss!
Mindy Norris did a phenomenal job on Journey’s hair that lasted through the night!
After the ceremony, Townsend Catering helped us flip the Meeting House during the cocktail hour. The seated dinner tablescapes were complete with handmade place cards and matching blue mason jars. The burlap wrapped around the napkin was the perfect accent against the crisp white tablecloths.
Let’s just take a moment to check out their pooch’s adorable wedding attire. Just precious!
Jessica Sirten from Sweet for Sirten designed this cream and white colored cake, sticking with the clean and simple feel she was going for. And of course it had to be red velvet!
Yes that is a Kate Spade cake cutter! This girl loved her Kate Spade (and we do, too!)
Sunset pictures are a must for weddings near the beach! I swear Carillon Beach has the most stunning sunsets on the Gulf of Mexico.
The toasts to the bride and groom are always unexpected! Tears of joy and laughter really brought these two families together.
The sparkler send off was an appropriate end to the night with all the Carillon trees glowing in the background.
Jenna & Joseph {October Wedding at Carillon Beach}
This darling couple certainly had their fair share of “wedding obstacles” to overcome, but the end result was just perfect! Jenna and Joseph married at our famous beach walkover (# 7 of course!) and entertained their guests for the reception on the Village Green. Originally, we were hired as their planners in Seagrove, but their venue fell through and Carillon Beach was the perfect replacement. The weather couldn’t have been more ideal, with the clouds making a gorgeous background for photos.
Nouveau, the event designer, captured Jenna and Joseph’s personality to the T! We loved the fabric draping attached to the twigs for their ceremony, and the subtle pattern added that extra “oomph” and texture!
Jenna was absolutely stunning! Her layered pearl necklaces were the ideal accessory for her destination J.Crew wedding dress!
Paul Johnson Photography was able to capture this incredible moment just as she ascends the aisle with her dad. Needless to say, it took a little more effort and climbing in the brush to get this beautiful picture!
There’s nothing like a little quality time with your best friends on the happiest day of your life!
Their fun personalities were definitely shown in these pictures! Those pearly white smiles are all you need to see how much these two love each other!
And on to the reception! Spending valuable time with their family and friends was something that was very special to this couple. You can truly see how much these two are loved.
The cafe lights lining the wooden dance floor were subtly glowing throughout the night. The lounges made the perfect spot for a quick dancing break!
Confections on the Coast made her a fun, topsy-turvy bridal cake! And of course you can’t have a grooms cake without it being decked out in sports! Their family is the exact definition of a house divided, with one of the oldest rivalries in the South!
Lilac tablecloths complimented the driftwood and candle tablescapes, giving the decor a coastal feel. For a personalized touch, her “something blue” was an embroidered patch sewn into her J. Crew wedding dress.
Around cake cutting time, the best man and maid of honor take on the spotlight for their toasts!
A sparkler send off is always so much fun for the special couple and their guests!
As the night ended, Jenna and Joseph rode off in a vintage 1930 Model A Ford from A Bride’s Ride!
Updates and Getting Connected with Carillon Weddings!
As we quickly approach the end of our Spring-Summer 2012 wedding season, it’s just about that time to get these updated weddings on our blog! In the meantime, please check out our Facebook page for some of our beautiful, recent events! We also have a pretty fabulous Pinterest board here! You can follow us at Twitter as well!
You can also stay tuned as we start to integrate some of our weddings OUTSIDE of Carillon Beach. Our hearts will always be in Carillon, but we’ve sure had a fun time planning at other nearby locations! Our Coastal Weddings planning simply takes the same wonderful Carillon Weddings reputation and vendors, on the road! As seen in Alys Beach, Rosemary Beach, Inlet Beach & Santa Rosa Beach. Here’s a little eye-candy of our last wedding on July 7th in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. Thank you to Rae Leytham Photography, Myrtie Blue flowers and event design and Townsend Catering for making this such a perfect wedding day for Jodie!
We’re so honored to be featured on the fabulous, Elizabeth Anne Designs , Summer 2012 VIE Magazine, Fall 2012 The Knot Florida Magazine, Style Me Pretty and so many more!
We hope everyone is having a wonderful Summer of wedding planning, new arrivals and engagements! It’s always such a JOY to keep in touch with our past brides as they welcome new little ones into the world! That sounds like a great blog post to me! 😉
xo
Avis & Victoria
Gina & John {September Wedding at Carillon Beach}
This memorable Italian wedding was destined for greatness! After choosing Carillon Beach for their destination wedding, everyone was able to come together from all over the Southeast {from Boca Raton to Tennessee} to plan this beautiful event. It was so much fun bringing the feel of Tuscany to the Emerald Coast! Gina & John were such a fun couple with fun quirks and details {wait until you see the Yoohoo cake!}.
There’s nothing better than having your mom by your side as you get ready for your big day, and an added bonus of a perfect view of the Gulf!
The details were all in place as we anxiously awaited the arrival of their 70 guests.
With a larger bridal party in the Meeting House, it’s often best to split the groomsmen and the bridesmaids on each side. This makes it less of a tight squeeze in the Meeting House. Of course, good ol’ Rev. Harry Houseman always puts everyone at ease!
Ahh… the lighting was just perfect on these newlyweds! John & Gina had a little time to kill before entering the cocktail hour, so Rae & Wesley {Rae Leytham Photography} found these perfect spots for a photo op!
A little wind makes for a cute, silly walkover picture! I love moments like these!
It’s hard to beat our beautiful beaches at sunset!
Gina’s head table was completely breath-taking. Nothing says “Tuscany” more than grape leaf vines and romantic, candlelit lanterns. The vintage French pottery added a perfect, European touch!
Wine bottle chandeliers were impressively hung inside the tent. The dark wooden pergolas were custom-built to house her head table, and all the little surprises in between. Naturally, yummy olive oil and spices were placed at each table for dipping the French baguettes into. It certainly created the cozy mealtime that Gina was going for!
After that killer dinner, it was cake cutting time! This beautiful work of art by Rhonda {Confections on the Coast} came with another fun treat for the groom! Although not an alcohol drinker, his friends know him for his love of Yoohoo consumption. It was such a great addition to the wedding smiles!
I think everyone got a kick of how realistic the Yoohoo cans really looked!
As the couple snuck away for a few alone-moments by the fountain, the guests continued their heavy dancing and fun with DJ Paul! This is just beautiful!
It was a sparkling ending to John & Gina’s wedding day! Congrats Mr. & Mrs. Bell! {cue the jingles!}
{CREDITS}
Venues & Planning: Carillon Beach, Ceremony: Meeting House & Reception: Village Green {Exclusive to Carillon Weddings}
Makeup & Hair: Solace Salon in Rosemary
Photography: Rae & Wesley Leytham {Rae Leytham Photography}; See Gina’s full blog HERE!
Floral/Event Design: Events by Nouveau Flowers
Catering: Townsend Catering
Cake: Confections on the Coast
Reception Music: DJ Paul of {GTS}
Minister: Rev. Harry Houseman
Quite Pinteresting!!
As most of you ladies out there know, Pinterest, is one of the best ways for brides to gather all of her wedding ideas into one place! It’s our favorite way to really connect with what our brides love and what inspires them! One of THE coolest Facebook posts I received, was from a dear friend who was sucked in by Pinterest (which is SO easy to do), stalked this phenomenal dress, then stumbled upon a picture of me from Paul Johnson’s blog!? I felt a little honored to be linked to this world-wide-web of Pinterest. I even know exactly which phenomenal dress she was referring to {See Kim & Chris – how could you NOT remember that dress?!}!
With all of this being said, we have had an influx of brides who have seen The Knot’s Pick from Angela & Brian’s wedding favors:
Thank you, Vue Photography, for the original image!
After the traffic and the questions, we decided to post exactly how to make these little beauties. Thanks, Angela for all of your help and details!
1. Search for 3x3x3 clear, plastic boxes. Angela found hers here!
2. We recommend printing out cute, personalized 3×3 ‘thank you’ notes to place inside each box. Getting coordinating ribbon also adds a great touch to the boxes!
3. Purchase enough graham crackers (2 whole crackers – halved), chocolate (2 Hershey bar halves) and 4 large marshmallows for each box.
4. Call in your girlfriends to help you assemble these over a bottle (or 2) of wine! Angela’s boxes housed enough goodies for 2 s’mores in each box!
5. Put the boxes together first.
6. Stack 2 Graham cracker halves on the bottom, two Hershey bar halves, 4 marshmallows, then 2 more Graham cracker halves.
7. Place the note inside, or tie them to the ribbons.
8. Embelish the box with your pretty ribbon…
9. and… Voilà! Yummy DIY creations!
We recommend doing these only a few days before the wedding, because if it’s anything like Florida, the humidity could turn the crackers into mush! Have these cuties on a dessert table, on your sign-in table or next to your fire pit at your wedding! If you haven’t seen Angela & Brian’s full wedding, please check out our blog {here}, and VUE Photography’s blog {here}. The magazines LOVED their wedding! You can see her beautiful cake {Confections on the Coast} featured ALL OVER The Knot, and featured in Weddings Unveiled! I hope you liked this little info, and hopefully I will see this blog flying around Pinterest!?
FOLLOW MY PINTEREST PAGE!: http://pinterest.com/avisglenister/
Allie & Mark {June Wedding at Carillon Beach}
Over the years, it has been so much fun watching brides come from all over the world to celebrate their destination weddings with us in Florida. This year we were honored to coordinate 4 of our own Carillon Beach homeowner’s weddings! We got to hear stories of them growing up and visiting their Carillon homes for family vacations. We also got to hear them mention how they would bring friends along, and would sneak through our wedding events, hoping one day they would also get married in Carillon Beach. One of our gorgeous brides, Allie, was able to do just that…
Allie now lives in Charleston, SC, but was happy to be back in Florida for her wedding. Another plus side to getting ready in her family home, was being calm and collected throughout the entire day! It was nice to get ready in a familiar home with well known surroundings. When we walked into the house, Allie was getting pampered by Two Fishes Artistry, and should couldn’t have looked more relaxed. Her beautiful bouquet of pink peonies, tulips, garden roses and freesia was to-die for!
You can tell Mark fell in love with that infectious laugh! You could tell her excitement as she finished up some of her last minute details. Allie and Mark chose to have a small bridal party with only a matron of honor and a best man. It was decided that it would be the least stressful and simple choice for their intimate celebration.
When we first met Allie & her mother Nancy to sit and plan her dream wedding, we joked that having retired General as a father, Allie would never marry a military guy… She seemed to prove herself wrong as her handsome ‘Major Oberson’ waited for her at the end of the aisle. You could tell just how proud her father was as he walked down his only daughter.
With Ret. military chaplain, Rev. Harry Houseman as the officiant, the Meeting House was filled with proud members of the US military that evening.
As soon as the ceremony was over, we took the newlyweds into the Promenade for a few quick photos. I just love this shot of Allie and Mark! Plus, who doesn’t love those ‘something blue’ Badgley Mischka’s?!
A timeless organically elegant look was captured throughout their reception.
Nouveau’s pergolas and mahogany chiavari chairs brought such a perfect sense of romance to Allie’s tented reception.
The cake was perfectly paired with the decor of the wedding. It complimented every aspect of her event. The lounge area was illuminated by Nouveau’s bottle chandelier and accented by a bold, damask print.
For the reception, Allie removed her veil and replaced it with a whimsical, white flower. The guests also enjoyed passed champagne with chambord and a fresh raspberry garnish. Now that’s what I call a HAPPY BRIDE! 🙂
Delicious details from Townsend Catering. Mark & Allie chose to go with a station menu to encourage their guests to stroll around and enjoy the great company.
Allie’s proud parents toasted the new couple to kick off the evening. Everyone danced the night away as Meet the Press band wow’d the crowd! Congratulations to Allie & Mark! We can’t wait to see you on your visits to Carillon!
{CREDITS}
Venues & Coordination: Carillon Beach Meeting House & The Village Green (exclusive to Carillon Weddings)
Photography: Paul & Mecheal Johnson of Paul Johnson Photography; Allie’s full BLOG
Floral/Event Design: Christina Springfield of Events by Nouveau Flowers
Officiant: Rev. Harry Houseman
Catering: Townsend Catering
Cake: Confections on the Coast
Ceremony Music: Bay Arts Trio + Trumpet (WMP)
Reception Music: Meet the Press band (Gulf Talent Services)
Hair & Makeup: Renee Armour of Two Fishes Artistry