Beach Wedding Dresses
From LoveToKnow Weddings
If you’re considering a wedding with an ocean view, you’ll also have to consider beach wedding dresses. Destination weddings are becoming more popular. It’s not unusual for a couple to fly out to a tropical island paradise and recite their vows among the sand and surf with a stunning beach sunset as a backdrop.
If a romantic destination ceremony is your idea of the perfect wedding backdrop, consider a casual but elegant wedding on the beach. With the perfect dress and the perfect man, the only thing left to order is the perfect sunset.
About Beach Wedding Dresses
Beach weddings are considered more informal than their church counterparts. Full formal skirts and poufy headpieces aren’t required. Instead, a sleek, casual style is called for. That isn’t to say your day will be any less special or glamorous than that of a church wedding, it only means you’ll want to go with a different type of dress or gown.
An informal wedding dress looks classy and elegant for your beach wedding, without being too over the top. It has many different styles, a halter or strapless top or sleeves for those who prefer to cover up a little more. All are slim but flowing with various lengths.
Accessorizing Wedding Dresses for the Beach
Since beach wedding dresses are so casual, in most cases, a wedding veil is not required. If you do want to go this route, you’ll need one with a style to match the dress. Something informal will do fine. You can also wear flowers or rhinestone studded barrettes or a hair band. Your hair style need not be elaborate, wear it long and flowing or pulled back in a stylish ponytail encircled by pearls or flowers.
Of course, if you’re wearing a simple beach wedding dress, you’ll want simple footwear as well. The last thing you want is sand in your $350 white satin pumps. Some beach brides go barefoot, while others don an elegant pair of flip flops or even some strappy sandals. Read LoveToKnow's resource on bridal flip flops for more on casual wedding footwear.
Consider the Weather
You’ll also want to take the weather into consideration. It might be a beautiful day, but for some reason, the ocean inspires wind. If you feel your dress or veil will blow around, you’ll probably want to consider other options. If you’re wearing a hat, make sure it’s pinned securely. It may also be a little chilly depending on the time of day and the month of the year. A strapless number during sundown in late September may not ward off the chill.
Flowers and Your Beach Dress
If you’re afraid you couldn’t carry a floral bouquet with a more casual frock, you can rest assured this isn’t the case at all. Flowers are most definitely welcome, though a simpler bouquet might be in order. Try a few long stemmed white roses or lilies tied with a blue satin ribbon (for your “something blue”) or carry a small round bouquet or basket filled with daisies, lilies or roses. Flowers are the perfect complement to a beach wedding dress!
Affordable Dresses for Beach Weddings
One of the selling points of beach wedding dresses is that they don’t take as long as a more formal gown to order. This is good news for a couple who plan a short engagement. In many cases, they can be purchased "off the rack." Alterations are usually minimal and in most cases, not even required.
Casual, simple dress styles are perfectly suited to a beach wedding, and brides can save hundreds of dollars on their dress budget when the choose a less formal gown options. A stylish dress doesn't have to cost a forune; looks for details like colored accents, light materials, and fun floral details for a look that fits your wedding. Casual dress options can look just as stunning as their formal counterparts for nuptials taking place at the beach, at a much lower cost.
Finding the Perfect Dress for your Beach Nuptials
While you will find some informal wedding gowns in traditional wedding dress specialty shops, you may do better to look for your gown in other places. If it is spring or summer, you can probably find an array of appropriate dresses in clothing boutiques and department stores. However, if you are shopping for a beach dress during cooler weather, you may do better to go online. Try these sources for your beach wedding gown:
- Hawaiian wedding gowns: Find traditional and contemporary Hawaiian designs on this web site.
- Dessy Group has a full line of wedding dresses, including less formal styles, several of which are perfect for beach or destination weddings.
- Tropical Tantrums has Hawaiian wear for your whole wedding party!
Beach Wedding Dress Idea Gallery
Get ideas and inspiration for the perfect beach gown with these slideshows and picture galleries!
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Comments
Jennefer - The dress pictures we use, unless otherwise indicated, are all stock photography images that just give you an idea of the different dress designs that are possible. You can print out the picture and take it to a bridal shop for help in finding similar styles, or you can take the picture to a seamstress to create a custom gown in the same sort of design.
-- Contributed by: Melissa MayntzI love the a wedding dress I found on this website and I cant find out how much it is. Its the beach wedding bohiminan dress
-- Contributed by: Jennefer MayStacy - I'm afraid those photos are stock images and we don't have any further information about manufacturers or designers. You could print out the picture you like, however, and take it to a bridal boutique to show them the style you're interested in so you can view similar gowns in person. Best wishes!
-- Contributed by: Melissa Mayntz
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