Wedding Self-care

We’re all so harried these days and when you are planning a wedding things can spiral a bit more than usual and seem overwhelming. Subsequently, it is absolutely imperative that you practice self-care before, during and after your wedding so that you are healthy throughout your nuptials and you can thoroughly enjoy what may just be the most special day of your life!

Here are some tips to help you through it all. First (and this cannot be emphasized enough), plan, plan, plan! What I’m saying is that the further in advance you start planning and the more planning that takes place prior to your wedding, the smoother the entire process will go. Now, of course we are biased, but it truly is a great idea to employ the services of a quality wedding planner to ensure that all the days leading up to your wedding as well as the ceremony itself and your reception are all effortless and joyful for you.

Next, don’t forget that the days leading up to your wedding can become a whirlwind of events and responsibilities. However, this is one of the most important times of your life, one which should be savored. So, take the time with you, your spouse to be and your besties to relax and enjoy it. Make your cake tasting a fun date, dance until you can’t dance any more when you are checking out bands for your bash, and schedule a spa day with your bridesmaids to buff and bubble it up and rejuvenate your soul.

Then, when your wedding day arrives, take a breath and revel in the moment. This day is yours and should be relished with your whole heart and soul. Afterwards, kick off those shoes, dig your toes in the sand and take pleasure in knowing your wedded future is only just beginning.

Health & Safety Tips for a Beach Wedding

The first thing that comes to mind when we think of a beautiful beach wedding may not be health and safety, but in a venue which can be affected by Florida sun and heat, we have to take it into consideration. So, here are some tips to keep you and your wedding guests safe and healthy throughout your nuptials!

Sunscreen

First-off, for skin that may be exposed to the UV rays a little longer than usual, sunscreen is vital. Some couples even provide gift bags containing tiny tubes of it at the sign-in table for their guests.

Hydration

For any day at the beach, wedding or not, proper hydration is certainly key. Having bottles of cold water on hand for you and your guests is definitely a good idea.

Dress for Success

Wearing breathable fabrics, such as cotton, to a beach event is also a great step to take if you want to keep cool. Don’t forget that appropriate shoes, such as flats, can also help you navigate the sand and keep you more comfortable for the duration.

Shade

A shady respite, especially for elderly guests is also a welcome addition to any beach wedding. Consider a strategically placed canopy to keep your guests cool and comfortable.

Weathering the Day

Of course you will want to watch the weather and respond accordingly to keep you and everyone you love safe on your special day.

Cute RSVP Ideas

You can set the tone for your wedding celebration with so many things, like whether it is formal or casual, with your décor and the colors you choose. Oh but wait, you can also set the stage for your special day with your RSVP!

While you can certainly use photos, seasonal graphics or beautiful scripty fonts to convey your wedding theme, you can also make your potential guests laugh or give them an enormous case of FOMO!

For instance, you could give funny reasons for accepting or declining your wedding invitation such as:

Of course I will attend because there is cake; because someone always does something ridiculous at a wedding and I want to see; or because (fill in the blank) is making me go. Your decline to come options could be something like, I cannot attend because I am a lame or I cannot attend because I am not lame.

Or how about, I can’t wait to attend, I can wait, but will attend or I regretfully decline or I am marginally bothered that I will not be able to attend.”

I personally like this one, I will be there with my party pants on; I will attend, but will not be wearing party (or quite possibly any) pants, I am not coming because of this whole party pants thing and what are party pants?

You can even have fun with your meal choices by having your potential wedding guests check off a picture of a cow or a chicken. Of course, it is always a good thing to be nice, so you could opt to say something like, “We can’t do it without you,” or “Nothing would make us happier…” You can also choose an elegant tact and ask them to simply please accept or regretfully decline your wedding invitation.

For more RSVP ideas or any wedding ideas, feel free to set up a consultation with the Daytona area’s premier wedding planners – Affordable Beach Wedding.

Budget-Friendly Wedding Ideas That Don’t Sacrifice Style

There are so many ways to save money when you are planning a wedding, from opting for a brunch instead of dinner, to using your own playlist instead of booking a band.

Reception venues can get pricey. So, getting creative with your wedding venue can be much easier on your pocketbook too. For instance, what about a fancy, outdoors afternoon tea? Or…

There’s gorgeous foliage in Florida. So, why not take advantage with a garden party? From a casual affair to a formal evening event, a garden party can be whatever you make it. Imagine an expansive, wooden, farm-style table topped with colorful, fruit filled pitchers of sangria and strewn with wildflowers. Showstopping! 

Or your wedding, wedding reception or both could be held in a local park that is not only brimming with nature’s majesty, but may hold special meaning for you.

Instead of spending a fortune on a designer gown, there are also some stunning secondhand vintage dress options available. Plus, you might want to scale back your guest list to just close friends and family. 

Don’t forget that the Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach and Ponce Inlet areas offer some of the world’s most beautiful beaches…and fortunately, Affordable Beach Wedding, Central Florida’s premier wedding planning company, provides a wide array of cost-effective beach wedding packages from intimate occasion to an elaborate celebration.

In fact, the experienced professionals at Affordable Beach Wedding can manage your event from start to finish – no matter what the venue or details! Call 386-428-0777 to learn more.

 

Wedding Decorations From Aisle to Arch

As my mother used to say, “It’s all in the presentation.” To be honest, I’m pretty sure she was talking about how you present yourself to the world, but a beautiful wedding celebration is also definitely hard to beat!

With Affordable Beach Wedding premiere wedding planning services, you can be certain your special event will be a memorable one and all types of wedding decorations, such as aisle markers from lanterns to driftwood, flowing ribbons made of high quality material on guest chairs, your wedding canopy, welcome flags, seashells and petals on the sand may be included. 

…and, with 28 color options from Victorian gold to the colors of the sea, we do a great job at matching your wedding color choices. At Affordable Beach Wedding, we can help you reflect your personal style and set the tone for your entire wedding day. 

Maybe you live out of state and are wondering how you might coordinate all your wedding details from your officiant, to flowers, your cake, music, invitations, table linens, centerpieces, place cards, the perfect wedding and more. With an extensive network of reliable vendors and years of experience, we can help you with all of it and bring your vision to life.

We work hard for you here while you enjoy peace of mind there. So, whether your wedding is an elaborate celebration or an intimate one using the natural beauty of the majestic ocean as your backdrop, the professional wedding planners at Affordable Beach Wedding can take care of every detail so that you may focus on enjoying one of the most important days of your life.

Weddings: What’s Trending

Weddings…everyone wants theirs to be unique, reflecting their own style; and there are a bunch of things that are currently trending which achieve exactly that!

Let’s start with first things first. Many brides are opting for gemstones or lab grown diamonds (which are engineered to match the visual quality and physical properties of mined diamonds, but can be half the cost to up to 70% less expensive) to replace the traditional diamond engagement ring.

Some very cool offerings, which may surprise and delight your guests, are chef assisted fire stations where you can grill your own fruit, zero-proof beverage bars where you can order your favorite mocktail or dial it up for any of your personal favorites with options like a cannoli cart, a shrimp tower or a wall of donuts!

Channel the celebrities with a wild, late night after party for those who dare to attend. Drone photography for candid aerial shots is big now too.

Environmentally conscious? Have an eco-friendly affair where you local source things like food to lower your carbon footprint and then donate leftover food to charities after the event.

Find the next day brunch ho-hum? Offer an alternative such as a wine tasting or pickleball tournament!

And how about off-beat bridal party gifts that they can all appreciate – like maybe custom sneakers or courtside tickets?

Shoes Can Make the Dress: 2024 Wedding Shoe Trends

If you’d like to add just a touch of rebellious flair to your bridal attire, consider making a bold statement with your choice of wedding shoes. Plus, imagine how much more fun the removal of the garter will be when your guests get an eyeful of your pretty kicks. Here are some of the wedding shoe styles that are trending in 2024…

You may have heard that wedding décor with an abundance of flowers is all the rage. Well, the flower-packed wedding theme has – you guessed it – reached bridal shoes. So you may want to opt for a wedding shoe in a floral design or adorned with floral ornaments such as pretty rosettes or 3-D petals.

Brides are also choosing comfort over pain this year, with everything from adorable ballet flats, to stretchable mesh, extra soft cushioning and even bridal sneakers with sequins, beads and bows are big! For high heels, everything from sexy stilettos, to edgy platforms will do.

As far as color, metallics including rich gold and shiny silver are trending in wedding shoes too, as well as romantic blush tones and – believe it or not – bold, cherry red. If you’re looking for something blue, how about a blue insole?

Retro 60s and 70s beads and tulle are in, as well as the 90s-inspired wedding mule with a cone heel. Today’s brides are maximizing with sparkling crystals, rhinestones, pearls, French lace, bows and even feathers and ruffles, and minimizing with elegant silks.

Don’t forget that all those beautiful beachside wedding venues here in Florida scream for bedazzled flip flops and strappy sandals!

Wedding Attire for Men

Wedding attire for men can depend on time of day – with evening being more formal than daytime. Appropriate wedding attire can also differ depending upon the wedding venue. For instance, a beach resort wedding will usually only require a jacket and trousers, with lighter colors being acceptable; while is it better to be overdressed for a ballroom venue or a religious environment, where you should always be respectful. More unique venues, such as an art gallery or a winery, are perfect for cocktail attire. 

While we are on the subject, wedding cocktail attire for men allows for optional neckwear, but a jacket should still be worn.

The most formal wedding attire option is white tie, requiring a black tailcoat, white shirt, white vest, white bowtie and back trousers. Can’t you just imagine a precious little ring bearer walking down the aisle in that? Oh my.

Formal wedding attire, requiring a black tuxedo, white shirt, black bowtie and black dress shoes, is referred to as black tie. Semi-formal is black tie optional, allowing for a dark suit, white shirt, tie and dress shoes.

Since we are located in the land of beautiful beach weddings, beach formal would be light colors such as tan or gray, light materials, such as linen and with or without neckwear.

A suit or jacket is best for vineyard or garden wedding attire, while dark colors are also usually avoided.

Casual wedding men’s attire would typically be trousers and a button-up shirt, but this is the one wedding attire option where – if you feel comfortable and think your hosts would be comfortable, that Hawaiian shirt might fly.

 

Tiara Styles

Heavy is the head that wears the crown? Not always! From minimalist, barely-there tiara styles, to traditional tiara styles and to those modern tiara styles that really make a statement, there are numerous sizes and shapes with or without gemstones arranged in many different ways to meet every bride’s particular tastes and meld perfectly with your wedding style and theme.

Of course, you have the regal tiara, that tiara everyone pictures in their mind’s eye…the tall tiara resembling a royal crown and descended from kingdoms past.

Possibly more reminiscent of fairy tales, the delicate wreath tiara is one which forms a circle of flowers or vines around the crown of the bride’s head.

There is a wishbone tiara which meets at the back and frames the head, extending around the sides in a V-shape to frame; and a double band tiara, which is an overlapping of two crisscrossing metal or gemstone laced bands.

The headband tiara, resembling its namesake is simple and elegant, while a Russian headdress tiara is a massive wall of gemstones that is nothing short of show-stopping.

A circlet tiara encircles the head. An example is the famous Oriental circlet of opals and diamonds set in high arches, which was upgraded by future royalty to include rubies as well.

A gorgeous wedding attire accessory, tiaras can range from very inexpensive (yet still lovely) rhinestone and plastic tiaras to the real deal made from precious metals and gemstones.

Honeymoon Destinations

Well, it pretty much goes without even saying that a Florida beach wedding has its own amazing honeymoon built right in. In fact, you can find several remarkable beach wedding spots right here along Central Florida’s glorious coastline. 

For instance, say you say, “I do” on Daytona Beach, “The World’s Most Famous Beach,” along charming New Smyrna Beach or within the tranquil serenity of Ponce Inlet, you will be surrounded by the best of all worlds. Aside from remarkable dining and shopping venues, numerous challenging golf courses and miles and miles of pristine beaches, you have all the world’s best theme parks to your west, the historic cobblestone streets of St. Augustine to your north and Cape Canaveral and Cocoa Beach just to the south.

Some of the best honeymoon destinations are beach vacations and aside from Florida, which offers so many levels of entertainment and enjoyment, there are a multitude of exotic options from which to choose – such as Italy’s Amalfi Coast, offering Moorish architecture and a short boat ride to the Island of Capri; the rich culture and beauty of Hawaii; the South Pacific paradise of Fiji. There’s Costa Rica, Bali, Greece, Turks and Caicos; Madagascar, the Maldives and Morocco. Or cool things off on the lush highlands of the Scottish coastline or Cape Cod for quaint Nantucket or impressive and lovely Martha’s Vineyard.

Like things French? Visit the romantic city of Paris, the French Riviera or French Polynesian Bora Bora. Go for the glitz of Las Vegas; experience the big easy allure of New Orleans or sip your way through California’s Napa Valley. The choices are endless!