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Bride's Attire:
Something simple, light and airy. If you're not too worried about being
conventional, go with a long flowing white sun dress and wide brimmed sun hat or
large tropical flower in your hair.
Groom and His Attendant's
Attire:
Again, casual is probably better. A nice white sports jacket and white or beige
pants. Add some fun to it by donning a colorful tropical fish tie.
Mothers and Bridesmaids:
Either long or mid-calf sun dresses with chiffon scarves to tie back long hair
or wide brimmed sun hats. The dresses could be in a colorful pattern or in
colors to match your color scheme.
Invitations:
1) Instead of your typical invitation, why not create your own with a color
printer. There's fairly cheap software available to help you print out greeting
cards. Find a nice picture of a tropical beach or colorful fish and scan it for
your cover.
2) Find invitations that have sea shells on the front and deep blue lettering.
3) Print out your invitations on parchment-like paper. Tear along the edges
carefully to create ragged edges. Roll up the invitations and place them in
small, clear plastic bottles (so they don't break). You can either have them
hand-delivered or mail them with special mailing tubes you can purchase at your
local post office.
Decorations:
1) Buy plenty of beach balls in a variety of colors. Blow them up and hang them
from the ceiling.
2) Create or rent wooden arches. Cover the arches with fake palm leaves and
branches. Place the arches in front of doorways (if you're having an indoor
wedding). Some areas would be the entrance to the reception, in front of the
washrooms, a large one over the D.J., etc.
3) Cover your tables with a deep blue table cloth. Sprinkle some sand in the
center of the table (try not to scatter it too much). Place a centerpiece in the
middle of the table and scatter some sea shells throughout the sand.
4) Rent some fake palm trees if you can. Place them throughout the room.
5) Hang fish net from the ceiling or the walls.
6) Hang a hammock in one corner of the reception hall (you can also get the ones
that come with their own stand). Place a couple of palm trees on either side.
A note about "palm trees":
If you can't find any to rent, why
not make them. Go back to your childhood and "create" palm trees from
paper. Take about 3 to 4 sheets of stiff green wrapping paper and lay them out
on the floor, each one about halfway up the length of the one beneath it. (You
can buy the rolls of brown/green paper from craft stores. Cut each sheet to
about the size and width of a sheet of newspaper).
Then take about 3 to 4 sheets of stiff brown wrapping paper (same sizes) and lay
them on the green paper, also laying each top piece about half way down from the
one below it.
Now, begin rolling up the paper fairly tightly, staring at the green side of the
sheets. Once rolled, secure with transparent tape along the edge. Cut slits into
the roll all along, making them about 4 to 5 inches wide each. (You may have to
do this in layers).
Grab the very center sheet (green) and begin to slowly ease it upwards. You're
"palm leaves" will begin to unfurl. Don't pull to hard or pull out the
sheets too high (about 1/3 of the way should be good) or everything will come
apart. And there you have it...a "palm tree".
Favors:
1) Buy small bottles and hand write thank you tags on torn parchment paper with
your names and wedding date on them. Roll them up and stuff them in the bottle.
2) Purchase small glass bottles with a small sea shell inside each.
3) Get some nice large sea shells, careful drill a hole in the top of each. Tie
a ribbon loop through the hole for hanging. Glue some sprigs of dried flowers
into the hollow of the shell and finish off with a small ribbon bow glued to the
dried flowers.
4) Buy small plain cardboard treat boxes. Fill with chocolate pieces in the
shape of sea shells. Wrap the boxes in a tropical looking wrapping paper. Tie a
small ribbon around the box and attach a sea shell thank you tag.
5) Give each guess a small pail and shovel filled with potting soil and flower
seeds.
6) Another idea is individual candles with sea shells embedded in the wax.
7) How about giving guests a blow up beach ball.
8) Purchase miniature palm trees from the local nursery.
Centerpieces:
1) Buy some children's pail and shovel sets. Use these as your centerpieces. You
can fill them with fresh fruit.
2) Large, pillar candles with sea shells embedded in the wax. Set the candles in
a low, flat dish that contains a bed of sand.
3) Fill clear glass bowls with colored water. Layer the bottom with sea shells
and "starfish" (fake of course). Float a candle on the top.
4) Another bowl idea. Fill with water and tint it blue with food coloring. Buy
some of those fake tropical fish you see in novelty stores. Float them in the
water.
5) Last idea with the bowls :) Place colored sand in the bottom of the bowl
(available at craft stores). Fill with water. Tint it a light blue if desired.
Place a "castle" on the bottom of the bowl. Add a bit of fake seaweed
for affect.
6) See if you can track down some lighthouses to use as centerpieces. Check out
your local hobby store.
Pew Markers:
1) Use small lei's as pew markers.
2) A few pieces of fake fruit tied together with sand colored ribbon.
3) Miniature surf boards painted in unique patterns with the bride and groom's
names written across them. Attach a small cord loop to the back to hang.
Wedding Cake:
1) Single tiered rectangular cake colored blue. Have the sides iced in white
frosting to look like waves. Place a few dolphins and whales "jumping"
from the water on the cake top. Put a bride and groom figurine in a small boat
in the middle of the cake.
2) Have the cake made to look like a "sand castle" (it would use the
same cake mold like that of a "Cinderella" type castle).
3) Create a
beach scene on top of the cake. One part colored blue and iced to look like
"waves", the other half made to look like a beach. Place a couple
small paper umbrellas "in the sand" (the type that come with tropical
drinks). Place figurines representing the bride and groom "laying on the
beach" soaking up the sun.
Bouquet Ideas:
1) Carry a single large tropical flower.
2) Carry a small wicker basket full of shells and flower petals.
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