How to Keep Your Guests from Frying in the Sun
Florida Weddings

Getting married on the beach means that there are some very important things to consider that will be very different from considerations for an indoor wedding. Some of these include what you and the wedding party will be wearing, what seating arrangements will be like, and how you plan on bringing in any special equipment (such as a PA system) that might be needed. The most important consideration though is sun protection. While it’s easy to protect yourself from the sun, it may be a little harder to protect your guests and so, this needs to be given a good deal of thought. No one will have happy memories of your wedding if they spent the next three weeks with a severe burn.

All of your guests that are coming are sure to know that they will be sitting on a beach for a couple of hours so hopefully, they would have taken steps to protect themselves. Make sure you remind them on the invitation though that they will want to slather on some sunscreen before settling down in their seats. Just in case they have forgotten some items to keep them comfortable during the ceremony and after, a nice idea is to place baskets in the sand at their feet. One basket per row of seats should be enough. In the basket, place a couple of travel-size sunscreen bottles, some sunglasses (these you can just pick up from the dollar store), and bottles of water. It’s also a nice idea to keep the basket within the beach theme by using a sand pail.

It’s also a good idea to find a shady area on the beach if you can. While this won’t completely protect your guests from the sun’s harmful rays, it will make them feel more comfortable and they won’t be in a huge rush to leave because they’re baking. If the beach you’re getting married on doesn’t really have any shady spots that are ideal for a wedding ceremony, place a tarp or light-colored cloth over tent stakes. These can often be rented from companies that provide wedding and event equipment. Have your guests sit underneath the cloth. It will act as a gigantic sun umbrella and can also be decorated with flowers or lights for added decoration.

Also consider the time of day that you want ot hold your ceremony. Early morning, or at dusk are the best times. Early morning would be a nice time because the day is still very cool and there is plenty of light to see by. Dusk is another good choice because it is just cooling off for the day but there might be some of that romantic heat lingering around. If you choose to get married at dusk but find there’s not as much light as you would like, simply place some white lights around any decorations, such as an arch, that you may be using. Dusk is another wonderful time to get married if you choose to get married at sunset.

Keeping your guests protected from the sun is a huge consideration when planning a beach wedding. Get creative and think of what you would need if you were sweltering on a beach for hours at a time. Which you will be, by the way so maybe just modify how you’re protecting yourself and pass it on to your guests.