We attended a semi-formal beach wedding last weekend at a private home on the Jersey Shore. The sun shone just long enough for their wedding, then blessed them as the heavens opened up and then rained, but for only one hour during the cocktail hour.
Rain on your wedding day means you will be easily blessed with children. The rain didn’t dampen the reception at all. Large tents were positioned on the private beach to keep the sun off, and in this case, also the rain.
The beautiful bride wore an equally beautiful beaded ankle length wedding dress (hem longer in the back) with matching sandals. In place of a headpiece, the bride wore her hair up with a tropical flower which she also held in her bouquet.
But, what I briefly want to tell you about is the groom’s wedding attire. He was so handsome. I wish I had pictures to show you, but I left my camera at home.
The groom was dressed in a white shirt, unbuttoned at the collar with no tie, white dinner jacket, black tux pants, and black sandals. A handkerchief in the jacket’s pocket matched the aqual bridesmaids dresses. His look was very sexy.
A white dinner jacket is appropriate for weddings between Memorial Day and Labor Day and perfect for a beach or destination wedding. Remember, it’s your wedding and you can wear the style you feel the most comfortable in, be creative…enjoy your day.
How to decorate a beach wedding is a fine line between creating a stunning location and losing the natural beauty of the beach. Here is how to create a beautiful beach ceremony whatever the weather.
When you are planning your beach wedding it is a good idea to think about the weather as this will effect all your plans on how you decorate. It doesn’t matter that it is raining or windy as long as you are ready!
You will want to have a designated area for your guests and yourselves as you may find that the sand will be too soft to have lots of chairs. For older guests you may want to provide deck chairs and for very young guests blankets for them to sit on. If you have guests in wheelchairs or with buggies then have matting down so that they can join in the celebrations.
You could use shells to mark an aisle in the sand and brighten them up with flowers - make sure you push the stems in so that they don’t blow away. If your ceremony is at dusk then you could mark the aisle with tiki torches or provide guests with lanterns to hold.
If you think that it might rain or it will be very hot you could provide your guests with your wedding color umbrellas and these could be used as your wedding favor as well. Check out ebay and overstock, plus your local dollar stores to find a bargain on the umbrellas. You could then have those little drinks umbrellas in the reception drink to add to the theme!
Covering the area with a wedding tent is a good idea but check with the beach authorities as to whether you would be allowed to have a wedding tent on the beach, some don’t.
If you know a local sand sculptor or local art student why not ask if they are able to design something for the ceremony - this may cost more than you want to spend but a definite wow factor and they last for ages. If you haven’t seen one before you will be amazed. You could recreate a fairy castle, a speed boat and even a vintage car - there really is no limit. If you have lots of children attending the ceremony you could provide them with a bucket and spade so that they can have a go themselves, this is a real help to the parents so that they don’t get bored.
Remember to add your beach theme to your wedding invites so that your guests dress appropriately!
Suzanne has spent the last 12 years working in the Hospitality Industry as a wedding planner and event manager. Organising thousands of functions from small personal parties to large corporate product launches in the UK and Europe. Currently a work at home mum, Suzanne set up her own event company in 2006 and now looks to help future brides and grooms save money when they are planning their wedding.
New Jersey beach wedding brides have some of nature’s most exquisite summer colors to choose from for their NJ beach wedding.
Beach wedding colors taken from nature are green, cornflower, aqua, and marine blue, orange, fuchsia, plus black and white accented with summery colors such as yellow or pink, Aqua Blue, and the lighter purples, like orchid and lavender.
For more daring brides, contrasting color combinations may include orange and fuchsia, green and hot pink, navy or black against any kind of eye-popping-color, and chocolate brown and pink or aqua.
For the more subdued, conservative bride, use of a monochromatic color palate may be more to your liking. Monochromatic appears to be the 2008 color trend for weddings. Monochromatic is using all the hues, (more…)
We visited The Breakers in Spring Lake yesterday. Spring Lake, NJ is known for its beautiful large homes with manicured lawns. Spring Lake is a NJ residential summer location more than a tourist attraction. The beaches are clean and well taken care of. No coolers, food, or beverages are allowed on the beach. We witnessed a Spring Lake police officer require sunbathers to remove their cooler from the beach and empty out the cans. That was certainly better than getting a ticket for they had beer in their cooler.
Last April, we inquired about holding a NJ beach wedding ceremony and reception at The Breakers. The following is the reply we received from Shannon Costanzo, Director of Sales:
The Breakers on the Ocean has the distinction of being the only full service hotel located on the ocean in Spring Lake. For the most special day of your life, The Breakers offers the ideal setting for a NJ oceanfront wedding. From the cocktail hour on the Front Porch overlooking the Atlantic Ocean to the reception in the elegant Crystal Ballroom, guests will enjoy magnificent NJ ocean views, attentive service and exceptional cuisine.
Our wedding packages, including prices, are available on our website - www.breakershotel.com. Our package includes four or five hours of premium open bar, cocktail hour with hors d’oeuvres, Champagne Toast, Five-Course Sit-down Dinner or Wedding Buffet, Custom-designed Wedding Cake, Private Bridal Suite for the Wedding Party during the Cocktail Hour, Complimentary Standard Guest Room for the Wedding Night, Complimentary Place Cards, Direction Cards and elegant Silk Centerpieces.
Our prices start at $112.00 per person, inclusive of tax and gratuity. We offer a 10% discount on Friday evening and Saturday afternoon and 15% all day Sunday along with seasonal discounts. (more…)
Are you thinking of having a 4th of July wedding in New Jersey? Next year’s 4th of July is on a Saturday and since this year’s 4th of July just passed, now is a great time to shop for decorations and favors for your NJ 4th of July themed wedding. And where should you hold your 4th of July wedding? On a New Jersey beach, of course!
4th of July NJ Beach Wedding Fireworks
Almost anywhere along the Jersey shore or other waterview locations, you and your wedding guests can enjoy exciting fireworks and you won’t have to pay for them. You can check with the local towns to see when they schedule their fireworks displays. Red Bank’s, on the Navesink River, are always on July 3. NYC’s are always on July 4th. This year, Red Bank had the 3rd best fireworks display, with Macy’s in NYC having the best. We were in Red Bank this year for the 4th of July celebration and must agree that they were great! Red Bank really out did their past displays.
4th of July NJ Beach Wedding Save the Date and Invitations
Once you decide where and when, design your “save the date” announcements with your 4th of July theme, but decide first how casual or classy you want your wedding to be. Your announcement and invitation should give your guests an idea on how to dress for the occasion. For a NJ beach 4th of July wedding, you could include a picture of the two of you on the beach sitting at a table with your theme decorations dressed as you wish your guests would dress for you NJ beach wedding. (more…)
How should your groom dress for your NJ beach wedding so he won’t literally overheat and be able to look stylish standing next to you, his beautiful, sexy bride? First of all, you must decide on your beach wedding dress. The level of formality, or informality, you choose for your wedding dress will greatly influence your groom’s attire. (And guys, you know your bride will have something to say about what you will wear!) Since a New Jersey beach wedding is an informal setting, it is most likely that your groom will not be wearing a tux…so what is he to wear?
NewJerseyWeddingVendors.com has put together suggestions for your groom to help you decide the style you want for his New Jersey beach wedding attire:
white Guayabera* shirt, black embroidery optional, with black Bermuda shorts or slacks
black Guayabera shirt, white embroidery optional, and white linen pants
linen white or off-white shirt with tan, black, or matching color pants
tan linen suit, tropical color shirt, coordinating tie optional
light weight wool suit, white shirt, coordinating tie
seersucker suit with light blue stripes, white shirt, tie optional
While shopping for your New Jersey beach wedding, NewJerseyWeddingVendors.com recommends you think carefully about the setting where you will be holding your NJ wedding ceremony and your NJ wedding reception. New Jersey wedding dress vendors recommend that you stay away from the formal style. A beach wedding just isn’t a formal setting…a formal, heavily adorned wedding gown just doesn’t match. Keep in mind, you want to be comfortable, gorgeous, and gracefully feminine all at the same time - not tripping or sinking in the sand.
1. The Don’ts
Don’t choose a fabric that will:
catch the sand, such as an organza
cling to your body, preventing air to circulate and hold in the heat
wilt with the humidity and salt air
raise up in the air if a strong breeze comes along (more…)
Planning a NJ beach wedding? The short video below is of a beautiful, summer day wedding on a New Jersey beach in Bay Head. The wedding party arrives in style on an old fashioned beach Trolley. The bridesmaids’ dresses match the groomsmen’s shirts in a pastel blue tropical floral print. The bride and groom are both dressed in white.
A bit of advice for brides choosing their veil for a beach wedding, remember there is usually a good chance that there will be a soft breeze or perhaps stronger. What may look lovely in the dressing room, may turnout to be a disaster once you walk onto the beach. Lovely, exotic flowers placed attractively in a wind resistant hairstyle will work with your NJ beach theme and continue to look attractive during your New Jersey beach wedding day.
Before your New Jersey beach wedding, hold your rehearsal dinner at this Bay Head seashore Victorian inn:
The Bentley Inn
After your New Jersey beach wedding, hold your reception at this Bay Head Victorian landmark:
Planning a Jersey Shore honeymoon instead of traveling to other destinations in the US is a good plan these days. Here’s two pieces of information that came to NewJerseyWeddingVendors.com’s way today for you to take into consideration:
1. American Airlines will charge passengers traveling on domestic flights $15 for the first piece of checked luggage, $25 for 2nd, $100 for 3rd, 4th, 5th, and $200 for the 6th. The charges are applied to your skis, golf clubs, etc. as a 2nd bag if you have one bag to check. All baggage charges are for one way, so double it even if you have round trip tickets. If all you are planning on packing are a bathing suit anda few essentials, then you’re okay with just a carry on. There’s no charge for that piece. If you pack like most of us, you’ll have at least two pieces and that’s not including the groom’s luggage! Maybe he can get away with just a carry on, but can the bride? Hmm…don’t think so…
It’s probably just a matter of time before other airlines follow AA. Do you think international flights are next?
2. A recently married couple honeymooned in Australia. The bride became ill and needed to be transported to the nearest hospital by ambulance. The ride was 5 hours; the cost was $30,000! If your insurance isn’t accepted, then you are expected to pay the cost at time of service rendered…
Before you book your honeymoon, it’s advisable to check with your health insurance carrier and don’t forget to read the fine print on your trip insurance policy…there are many exceptions to think about.
Honeymooning on the Jersey Shore can eliminate the stress that accompanies long distance travel…including the flight delays, last minute flight changes which land you in a different airport…resulting in the need to find alternative transportation in the middle of the night…or missing your flight all together…and later connections…oh the nightmare and aggravation!
NewJerseyWeddingVendors.com has compiled a list of New Jersey Bed and Breakfast Inns for your honeymoon haven:
Think about it…a little traffic on the GSP…a little inconvenience compared to playing plane tag…don’t start your marriage that way…not good for a honeymoon…save it for your anniversary when you’re less tired and can cope with the hassle better.
Have you noticed the weather this Spring? Almost every weekend has been a rainy one. It’s been very frustrating trying to plan outdoor events. We recently had a Nor’easter that flooded the streets of Sea Bright and Monmouth Beach. More evidence of the storm could be seen as we traveled on South along the Jersey Shore. A spokesperson for the town said they didn’t think all the beaches would be ready for Memorial Day weekend.
Well, as it turned out, Saturday was fantastic…sunny, warm in the 70’s…not a trace of rain in the forecast…until the next day, that is. After a hibachi dinner at the Kanji Steakhouse and Sushi in Tinton Falls (offers a private 4-hibachi grill dining room that seats 36 ideal for a rehearsal dinner), we drove over to Pier Village in Long Branch to see what events were happening. It was relatively quiet, but that will soon change with the Jersey Shore summer season starting soon.
The romantic moonlight glowed as it stretched from the horizon to the breaking waves. As we strolled along the promenade beginning at the south end of Pier Village, we passed people dressed for a wedding reception - they were probably on their way to one of the upscale restaurants that are available for private parties. A short way down the walk, there were two celebrations happening on the beach in front of the Ocean Place Resort Hotel. One looked like a Sweet Sixteen with teens dancing to the DJ’s music and the other a wedding reception “after party” with a beach bar and bonfire blazing on the beach. The weather was clear and a bit chilly but a light jacket, sweater, shawl, or sweatshirt seemed to be enough for the guests. The teens didn’t seem to notice, though. (more…)
NJ Shore Weddings
