Beach Wedding Dresses

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.

Accessories

Since beach wedding dresses are so casual, in most cases, a 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

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!

Convenience

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.

Romance

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.

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!