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advice dress and hair during ceremony Legal music Photography pre-wedding reception rentals

Planning Checklist Guide for Do-It-Yourself

planning for wedding checklist pencil & book

Planning Checklist & Advice Guide

contacts fee fees planning checklist
Need Help?
EASY Advice for How To
Plan Your Beach Wedding ~

Worried you might miss or forget something important as you plan? We understand! Below in RED BOX or BLUE BOX, choose 1 simple Wedding Planning How-To Checklist Guide for do-it-yourself (D.I.Y.) planning of your wonderful Beach Wedding or destination wedding–or to have a cool Vows Renewal! 

** READ ALL STEPS before starting **

• SMALL or  SIMPLE Wedding D.I.Y Checklist for 2-25 people, see Red Box:
• FOR BIG WEDDING:  having 26+ people–scroll down to the BLUE Box:
Small Wedding D.I.Y. Checklist: 
  1. CHOOSE CEREMONY  LOCATION/TOWN:  also consider parking spaces and limits of elderly or handicapped guests.
  2. Elopers: consider hiring a low-price, no-fuss, skilled videographer–Bob Collins on our Suggested Vendors.
  3. CHOOSE DATE or DATE RANGE:  or a week or window, or at least a weekend or weekday. OR, see #4 …
  4. Got FAVORITE VENDORS / SERVICES?  Such as a certain super-nice Officiant or talented, fun Photographer, etc?   Contact your must-haves to check availability on dates/location that you want. THEN SET A DATE! Go back to each one, ask for a Temporary Hold on that date with each of them:  TELL those vendors that you love them, you are booking them soon, and you need to find accommodations first, but you are coming right back.
  5. CAREFULLY RESEARCH and FIRST BOOK ANY HOTEL/CONDO or HOUSE RENTALS! We post good Hotel/Rentals on our Suggested Vendors webpage.  BUT:
    • WARNING: most public travel websites include useless Rental listings that are very FAR away from your beach/ceremony!  Can be located 1 hour away! So…
    • CAREFULLY! BEFORE you book rooms/rentals, DO NOT SKIP THIS–double-check the actual physical address of that rental location to be sure it’s very near, or in, your ceremony city/beach! IF you aren’t sure how far it is, you may check the distance between the 2 street names on Google Maps.
  6. THEN once you are sure, BOOK YOUR ACCOMMODATIONS FIRST!
  7. Next, Read all your favorite Vendors’ contracts before signing, and ask them all questions. Avoid being shy… surprises are not good.
  8. BOOK ANY OTHER SERVICES:  we recommend other good companies on our Suggested Vendors page.
  9. FYI: an experienced hairdresser is a lifesaver for windy, humid beach weddings…worth it even for casual hairdos! (All short-hair people NEED to use hairspray or gel to avoid ‘Medusa’ crazy hair in the wind. DO NOT IGNORE THIS--it’s a big deal in photos to AVOID LOOKING RIDICULOUS at your wedding!).
  10. GET MARRIAGE LICENSE (Renewals don’t need it): All 50 states require a marriage license from the ceremony state, NOT your home state.  See how to get your NC or SC license nearby the beaches, CLICK HERE.
  11. A license from any NC county can be used inside any other NC county! Same goes for within SC. Call ahead to your license office to find out what to bring!  NOTE: SC ONLY requires a wait-period plus 2 visits in-person, so plan that roadtrip well ahead.
  12. Get your rings & clothes: be bold–neutral colors on a neutral beach is ‘meh’ photos – you will disappear and camouflage! We recommend you choose contrasting or bright clothing colors–read more HERE….
  13. Answer your Vendors’ questions quickly.
  14. For an overnight stay, email us for lists good local restaurants and hotels.
  15. Before you leave home:
    • Contact and confirm with all your vendors.
    • Pack your IDs, your marriage license, and the rings.
    • Pay off balances due (or whatever those contracts tell you).
  16. If ceremony is outdoors, prepare to be FLEXIBLE for weather with this GREAT weather advice, LINKED HERE.
  17. Hit the road and come have fun getting married!
BIG Wedding D.I.Y. Checklist: 
  1. CHOOSE LOCATION: Consider parking spaces and limits of elderly or handicapped guests.
  2. GUESTS:  decide how many and who–HERE IS HOW.  Honest advice: for a destination wedding, fewer people is better for your outcome.
    • Consider the health and mobility of elderly and handicapped on long boardwalks, shifting sand, staircases, standing for 30 mins, maybe hot weather.
    • Consider whether you help them find hotels/houses. Do some guests need pet-friendly hotels? do some need chairs?
    • Consider guests’ cars parking space at wedding site, or renting transportation vans, or check if your hotel offers a shuttle.
    • consider school days for guests with kids.
    • Consider hiring a videographer to record for those not attending.
  3. CHOOSE DATE or DATE RANGE:  or at least a specific week or few days window, or at least the month and whether you want a weekend or weekday. OR, see #4…
  4. Got FAVORITE VENDORS / SERVICES?  Such as a certain super-nice Officiant or fun talented Photographer, etc?   Contact your must-haves to check availability on dates/location that you want. SET A DATE among those they name. TELL those vendors that you love them, and you need to find accommodations first, and you are coming right back.  Most offer a Courtesy Hold IF YOU ASK FOR IT.
  5. CAREFULLY RESEARCH and FIRST BOOK ANY HOTEL/CONDO or HOUSE RENTALS! We post good Hotel/Rentals on our Suggested Vendors webpage.  BUT:
    • WARNING: most public travel websites include useless Rental listings that are very FAR away from your beach/ceremony!  Can be located 1 hour away! So…
    • CAREFULLY! BEFORE you book rooms/rentals, DO NOT SKIP THIS–double-check the actual physical address of that rental location to be sure it’s very near, or in, your ceremony city/beach! IF you aren’t sure how far it is, you may check the distance between the 2 street names on Google Maps.
  6. THEN once you are sure, BOOK YOUR ACCOMMODATIONS FIRST!
  7. Next, BOOK YOUR FAVORITE VENDORS second! Go back and do the paperwork for them. Read all contracts before signing.
  8. BOOK YOUR FOOD: we have a list of good local ones, just email us. 
  9. BOOK a Wedding Coordinator if you have 30 or more guests. Seriously, you shouldn’t be working & stressing on wedding day…ruins it for you and others.
  10. SET your bright/contrasting color choices, your theme, tell your vendors. Be bold–neutral colors on a neutral beach is ‘meh’ photos – you will camouflage!
  11. BOOK OTHER SERVICES:  we also offer rental bouquets or boutonnieres, live or recorded music, custom-made honeymoon basket, etc, but we recommend other good companies only on our Suggested Vendors page.
  12. FYI: an experienced hairdresser is a lifesaver for windy, humid beach weddings…worth it even for casual hairdos-CLICK HERE!
    • Plus all short-haired people NEED to use LOTS hairspray / gel to avoid looking like cockatoo bird heads, in the strong beach wind.
  13. Book an Engagement Photo Shoot…use those pics on your invites, Save-the-Date cards, table decor at reception!
  14. Send out invitations. Require guests to RSVP by at least one month ahead.
  15. GET MARRIAGE LICENSE (Renewals don’t need it): All 50 states require a marriage license from the ceremony state, NOT your home state. See how to get your NC or SC license near these beaches HERE.
  16. A license from any NC county can be used in any other NC county! Same is true within SC.  NOTE: SC requires a wait-period, specific ID cards, plus 2 visits in-person, so plan that trip well ahead. Call ahead to your license office to find out what to bring!
  17. Get your rings and get your colorful wedding clothes see WHY here!
  18. Collect RSVPs, answer vendors’ emails questions quickly.
  19. Email us for lists of good local restaurants and hotels.
  20. Last 2 weeks before ceremony: contact and confirm with all your vendors, Coordinator, pay off balances (or whatever the contracts say).
  21. IF ceremony is outdoors, prepare to be FLEXIBLE for weather with this advice HERE. Tell your guests that too.
  22. Pack your suitcases, remember to pack your IDs, marriage license, rings, then come have fun getting married!
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advice after wedding dress and hair during ceremony Photography pre-wedding reception

Midday & Harsh Sunlight Advice

weather heat harsh overhead lighting issues

Avoid harsh, burning, overhead sunlight in midday hours ruining your once-only beach wedding photos! See examples above. Sunrise or sunset times (with exception during winter) have cooler, cleaner, nicer, more private & beautiful results. See our 1-minute video on this:

SOLUTIONS!

Sunrise or sunset hours get you clean, soft, deserted beaches, more private, quieter, much cooler temps, and amazing sky colors with fantastic wedding photos! See explanations below.

The exception is wintertime & early spring in late November to March – midday warmth is needed then.

BUT DURING May, June, July, August, September dates: 

  •  Avoid 9am – 6pm between mid-April to mid-October.  It is SUPER HOT (& heat index around 100+ degrees May-Sept!) 
  • Overhead, harsh sunlight makes everyone squint nonstop with shadowy ‘black-eyes’ and black cheekbones/noses make everyone look super haggard, old, tired (see pics above & below & the video in this article).
  • Heavy humidity, sweaty, running makeup and hairdo wilting …
  • Burning sand on bare feet …
  • Crowded & very noisy (running & screaming kids, loud music boxes, half naked, sandy/dirty, sweaty strangers in your photos)
  • Trashed beach cluttered with towels, chairs, shoes, coolers, cups, wrappers.
  • THE hottest hours YEAR ROUND are 2-5pm. 
  • THE Best time for summertime beach weddings is first hour at sunrise time. Second Best is the last hour before sundown time, sunset time.
  • FYI: a breeze will not help at 100+ degrees in direct burning sunlight! It’s just a ‘hot breath’ with humidity. 
  • Reminder: weddings are nothing like visiting the beach in your swimsuit and shorts, friend. Cool off by jumping in water or walk away into shade during your ceremony, are not options. So control the timing instead.
  • Seriously! sunrise or sunset times are best choices to avoid harsh sunlight issues.  
weather heat harsh overhead lighting issues
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advice after wedding dress and hair during ceremony Photography pre-wedding reception

Hair & Wind Advice

hair in face of bride looks sloppy

Hair & Wind Advice

hair in face of bride looks sloppy
Avoid Windy Hair Covering your Face & in Mouth! 
GREAT ADVICE FROM 2,000+ beach weddings’ experience:   
THIS cannot be emphasized enough: Nothing ruins your lovely wedding photos (SEE PICS BELOW!)  like wind-whipped hairdos flapping in your eyes and mouth because:
  • LOOSE HAIR absolutely DOES flop in your eyes and mouth, always!  Secure your hair with the following advice, how-to videos, & tips:
  • DO NOT WEAR LONG HAIR LOOSE and down–speaking from over 2,000 weddings — DOZENS of our brides & guests regret ignoring this!  This is a PROFESSIONAL advising you here – secure your hair away from your eyes with the hundreds of styles & tools available for it (look on YouTube)!  
  • Loose hairdos are not romantic and flowy-looking at all. It whips around and appears as a large, tangled, crazy, hairy “squid” covering your face in pics OR a curtain over your face that no one can see through.
  • Frowning, clawing, spitting, frowning more, SCOWLing faces in your wedding photos are bad news.
  • And with flyaway guests’ hairdos: ALL your group shots HAVE to face in the same direction, same background, no creativity, no variations and some GREAT poses are impossible… cuz loose ‘dos must face the wind only. Seriously… Margo’s photos totally rock… don’t cut yourself off from that! Secure the hair!
  • ADVICE: secure hair OUT OF EYES AND MOUTH. NO tendrils at all!  You two, all guests, men, kids, women, AND short hair too! Secure hairstyles with TONS and  LOTS stiff gel or hairspray (a little ‘spritz’ is useless), AND use braids, clips, head bands, ponytail, pins, flowers, crowns, hats, barrettes or combs… secure it OUT OF EYES AND MOUTH.
  • Short hairdos will get bald spots and angry bird tufts / cowlicks in beach wind…use stiff sprays! 
  • NO TENDRILS! that is the worst thing for this… they swing straight into your eyes and mouth nonstop, by design. It’s not cute or soft or romantic squinting and spitting for 45 minutes IN THE WIND OUTSIDE (not the same as indoors looking in your mirror).  See pics below!
  • Here are 3 easy, pretty, HOW-TO videos on controlling your hair around the face. See 3 MORE fast, cool, how-to videos on our Facebook linked here: facebook.com/Beachpeopleweddings
MORE TIPS TO HELP YOU:

REMEMBER, it is WHIPPING WINDY at the beach by the water 95% of the time!  See pics below! If the forecast says wind speed is above 9 mph, then fix your ‘do tightly which means:

  • BASIC: at least wear a nice headband with TONS and TONS of hairspray. NO tendrils at all – not even a little bit.
  • BETTER: use bobby pins, combs, flowers, braids at your temples AND hairspray a lot. NO tendrils! Eating hair is not cute nor pretty.
  • BEST for DIY:  HEAVY layers of STIFF strong hairspray, plus pins, plus combs or barrettes, a tiara, flowers, plus gel and lots MORE HAIRSPRAY! NO TENDRILS at all!  Think:  they are meant to swing into your eyes and mouth by design. No good on windy beach–see proof pics below!
  • BEST OF ALL:  hire a pro stylist who has experience with beach weddings (not all of them do!), PLUS insist on tons of hairspray.
  • This is true for men’s hair and short-haired ladies too!  Wind means a silly-looking ‘bird’ tufts stick up, or a large bald spot or chunk missing on his head. Looks clownish, childish. 
  • USE LOTS OF HAIRSPRAY! TONS and TONS! Your hair should feel VERY crunchy and uber stiff (shampoo will remove it later).
And Another Hot Tip — Jewelry: 
WEAR your biggest and SHINY JEWELRY! This is a wedding…its one time only and Special…and these are your once-in-a-lifetime wedding photo Portraits. So, borrow some pearls, or a “big” necklace, wear shinier, nicer earrings, AND that a nice bracelet.  Strapless dresses look VERY “empty” or bland without some bling at neckline. So wear your showy bling!  REALLY! Even a simple string of costume pearls is great.
 
Men too, wear all your bling, earrings, bracelets, etc. Empty earring lobe holes aren’t pretty.
 
Curtain covers face
Curtain covers face
Squid hair attack
Loose hair flying
Squid hair attack
No tendrils
No tendrils
No tendrils
Men need hairspray/gel
Angry bird tufts!
Men's Tufts of Messy hair
Angry bird tuft /cowlicked hair
Squid hair attack
No tendrils
No tendrils, use braids
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advice after wedding dress and hair during ceremony Photography pre-wedding reception

Wear Bright Colors

wear colorful clothes for wedding

Wear Bright Colors Advice

Gray Side or Yellow Side?

Look at this picture in an overall way–notice how it “feels”.

In wedding photos, the FEEL is
THE. MOST. IMPORTANT. THING! 
for your great, sentimental photos from your wedding.

No one wants ‘blah’ pics, right?  We want exciting or at least pretty ones of happy times!  So, in that same picture above– notice the camouflage of neutral gray clothing vs. the neutral background, and notice the left/right balance of whole picture…

Which side looks AND feels better – yellows or grays?  maybe it feels ‘lopsided’ or off-balance?

For YOUR best results, WEAR COLORFUL CLOTHES to your beach wedding and any beach photo session, too!
Traditionally, your wedding party & guests can wear any bright colors, But its now popular for WEDMATES TO WEAR ANYTHING! Especially on a casual, outdoor, beach setting. AND, all-white makes anyone look bigger and fatter.  Not a popular look if you aren’t a small person.

If you want THE BEST photos possible:

  • AVOID matching the beach:  no white, ivory, cream, gray, silver, tan, beige, khaki, light blue, NO pastels.
  • This is true for your flowers too… white and pastel flowers disappear on a white/pale dress and the pale beach background!
  • **Choose strong  colors or jewel tones for Flowers AND CLOTHING!** Can’t emphasize that strongly enough–you need CONTRAST!
More Honest & Blunt Advice for ALL Bridal Dresses:

The traditional American strapless, sleeveless, long skirt, white dress does NOT look good on most body types (80% of us are not tall and slender with athletic arms). So, get a colorful dress that FITS well, and covers what you don’t like.  Seriously… read on…

  • Women (and Men) of Color:  you got a natural advantage–you can wear the white/ivory/blue colors okay, but bright colors still look MUCH better on you too.
  • SHOPPING ADVICE: shop in non-wedding dress departments & bring honest friends who have good taste (do not rely on salesperson–they work for the store, NOT you. They are hired to sell the most expensive dress possible to you. It’s just business.). Try on different colors and pick YOUR best color & STYLE instead–be YOU! Be a stunning bride in color that compliments YOU. 
  • IF you just GOTTA do a white dress, there are helpers. Put your partner and attendants in bright colors, you carry bright/contrasting flowers (avoid white/ ivory/ pale color), put colorful decor in your hair (like flowers, small hat, or crown wreath), consider a color sash or color accents.
  • Beach bride Veils: consider that likely-to-be-windy shores will whip it in your face, or pull it off your head, and yank the hairdo … so have a Plan B for it. (Margo has cool ideas for veils)

FOR ALL DRESSES: pick a style which has shoulders that flatter YOUR awesome shape. FYI:  the photos will show EVERYTHING! Photoshop does NOT fix all the bulges and wrinkles and scars you dislike. So for example:

    • You don’t like your upper arms or back bulges–AVOID all sleeveless, backless, or strapless styles. 
    • Feel self-conscious of your legs or ankles–choose a floor-length skirt only.
    • Buy the right size for your bust and waist sizes–do NOT compromise on size.
    • FYI: white and pale colors make your body appear much MUCH, MUCH bigger. Patterns and darker colors flatter any shape.  
    • Get the dress tailored or fitted to YOU! AND get men’s shirts IRONED (fold wrinkles give a sloppy, childish look). Don’t skimp here!
      Too small or too loose will make you wince or frown or fake-smile in all your photos… you’ll look angry, annoyed, goofy, stinkface … as you pluck, poke, yank, bend, re-pin, tuck, and swear unhappily (looking awkward, sad and ungraceful in photos) … NOT a happy day! And iron the new shirts… wrinkles and fold creases from the package looks cheap, sloppy, childish, lazy and indifferent. Put some effort into your wedding day clothes – LOOK GREAT for the next 700 years in these photos!
    • AGAIN:  BIG EMPHASIS:  Get a colorful dress that FITS well, and covers what you don’t like on your body.  Seriously. ~from a photographer of over 2,000 weddings  

Hover on Each Picture Here:

They disappear all together!
Bride's dress is camouflage. His shirt defines her a little.
Escort shows; white clothes & flowers just 'disappear'
White clothing disappears; minister's coat saves photo
Ivory, white and gray all disappear on beach. The bright flowers save this pic.
Khakis make a "legless" boy!
Gray & white camouflage on the sand.
Teal dress helps this photo.
Coral shirt saves this photo.
Groom's shirt saves this picture.
Color lets you show up
Color on everyone is great!
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advice dress and hair during ceremony Photography pre-wedding reception

Rain, Heat, Weather Advice

weather map of prevailing winds

Rain, Heat, Midday Weather Advice

weather map of prevailing winds
Rain, Heat and Weather Advice~

Good news:  in 13 years, LESS THAN 1% of our 2,000+ beach weddings were moved due to rain!
Besides us being very “charmed” here’s why:

For beach weddings along the coastline areas between Wilmington NC and Myrtle Beach SC, the weather is relatively stable and dry. Rain is very brief, real storms are few, and sunshine is plentiful. Why?  The geography affects this weather:  

  • the Carolinas coastline curves inward as it becomes South Carolina. See our little sunny “map” image here?
  • Look again at that blue coastline on that map… the inward coastline curve creates a weak eddy or whirlpool (shown in RED), 
  • that swirling atmosphere overhead (BLACK arrows), so it all sweeps most rainstorms inland or out to sea! 
  • As a result, often when it storms in Wilmington or Myrtle Beach, the weather remains clear and sunny INSIDE that red circle! Stays dry. 
  • Thus, national forecasts for “the beach” here are 99% wrong.  Better resource below, read on.

So FOR YOUR DAY: 

**WORRYING OVER THE WEATHER and REPEATEDLY CHECKING FORECASTS works against you! ** Instead, read on for advice… 
First, we recommend that you avoid the “R” word, disallow joking, talking, and worrying about it!  Instead, tell people to think only “clear, calm weather.”  Avoid manifesting the “R” word, give it no power.  ONLY think about clear, calm, light breezes, overcast & dry weather! Overcast clouds are PERFECT!

Second, it sprinkles or gusts here SOMETIMES … for 5-15 minutes. Or, it may sprinkle or blow hard only on the next block, but not where you are! So if it does that on you, just wait a few minutes, it passes fast.

Third, you want to accurately track those scattered showers in real time?  Download these free cellphone apps “AccuWeather” and “My Radar” that we also use. Use the “map” or “radar” icon on it.

  • If THESE real-time forecasters say 30% chance or less, then no worries here.
  • If its 50% or less, you MIGHT wait a few minutes if it comes to your neighborhood, if it does so at all.
HEAT & MIDDAY HARSH SUNLIGHT:

For May, June, July, August, September dates~ 

  •  Avoid midday hours between 9am – 6pm between mid-April – mid-October! They are terrible times for a wedding… SUPER HOT (heat index around 100 degrees May-Sept) & humid,  sweaty,
  • burning sand on bare feet,
  • crowded & very noisy (running screaming kids, others’ music boxes, etc)
  • trashed beach (i.e. cluttered with towels, chairs, shoes, coolers, litter),
  • overhead, harsh sunlight makes everyone squint nonstop with shadowy ‘black-eyes’ and black cheekbones/noses make everyone look super haggard, old, tired (see pics below)
  • THE hottest hours YEAR ROUND are 2-5pm. 
  • THE Best time for beach weddings is first hour at sunrise time. 
  • Second Best is the last hour before sundown time, sunset time.
  • FYI: a breeze will not help at 100+ degrees in direct burning sunlight! Remember, you cannot jump in water or walk away under a shade-canopy during your ceremony in wedding clothes.  It is nothing like being on beach in your swimsuit and shorts, friend. 
  • PHOTO INSIGHTS:  overcast skies are BEST! Harsh overhead sunlight casts hard black shadows on faces, making everyone look haggard, tired, old, bleary. See these examples:
weather heat harsh overhead lighting issues
  • Also, sunburns happen within 5-10 minutes between 9am-4pm for fair skinned.  Use sunblock especially on fair kids. Bring umbrellas for shade and water bottles too.
  • You can hope for overcast skies, but the sweaty high humidity, squinting, frowning faces, and noisy crowds will be there anyway.
  • ***NOTICE*** We speak from 2,000 weddings’ experience–we saw many midday weddings suffer from burning heat, wilted expensive hairdos, sweat-blotched clothes, crying burned kids, burned feet, thick noisy crowds, and blinding sun ruining nice  photos.  
  • PLEASE heed this advice! 🙂  You won’t regret it, ever. Use sunrise or sunset times. ing
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advice after wedding during ceremony Photography pre-wedding reception rentals Uncategorized

Chairs and Arbors Advice

Chairs and Arbors Advice

chairs and arbor
Useful Chairs/Benches and Arbor Advice ~

Decor:  we offer our unique, signature beach sand and seashell Heart Art as decoration, but NO seating or arbors / arches BECAUSE among our 2,000+ past couples decide against it as follows: 

  1. 90% don’t get chairs (ceremony is 10 minutes) and
  2. 95% don’t use an arbor/arch after they read why in this article, BUT…
  3. If you REALLY want or need them, we recommend these reliable rental companies (click here) but first read on… 
  4. We DO decorate the wedding site around your feet in our gorgeous, handmade, unique Sand Groomed Heart & Shells (click here to see more pics) or see some pic below.
  5. MORE INSIGHTS:
    • ceremony & arbors last only 5-15 minutes for this event.
    • Lightweight, thin arbors are a risky wind hazard of falling or striking someone especially with drapes on it, and 
    • Renting heavy bulky, fancy ones are pretty but cost $200-$800 or more!
    • HOWEVER, the lovely oceanscape / soft beach backdrop alone are very unique and profoundly pretty! 
    • Also, most Guests do not sit down even with chairs available … over 2,000 weddings’ experience–its the truth.  

packages sand art heart with shells

 

CHAIRS & BENCHES ADVICE:

Wedding ceremony lasts about 10 mins + guests assembling (5-15 mins) + photos session afterward (up to 60 mins):

  • BUT if any guests are elderly, handicapped, pregnant, then seats/chairs are a GOOD IDEA!
  • If you have fewer than 30 guests and no elderly or handicapped, then consider no chairs.  Let them stand, and move comfortably, in a half-round formation around the couple instead (click here to see that in our Facebook album photos).
  • Or consider bringing out a few patio or folding chairs for the “first row” of special guests (parents, g-parents, elders, handicapped), and invite fit guests to stand around them.
  • If you rent chairs/seats or an arbor, we recommend renting from vendors we trust (avoid rusty, greasy, dirty, broken chairs, seriously) – click this link to see a list of Rental websites here: Suggested Vendors webpage. 
  • When asking Rentals for quotes, be sure to ask for delivery fee and setup/breakdown fee…those are 2 additional, and often separate, fees besides the chairs or arbor.

ARBOR ADVICE:

  • With officiating, we include an artful marking on the sand for your ceremony site with our unique sand grooming and seashells heart at your feet, (see pics below) and our cast iron hook-and-shell horn.
  • But, some people like the extra color and framing of an arbor in their photos… so it’s personal taste.
  • FYI: arbors can be white PVC (shiny plastic), painted metal, bamboo or other woods. They can be 4 or 2 posts, in various shapes. People sometimes add flowers or drapes or similar things. 
  • Arbors with 4 posts, chunkier and professionally well-anchored with metal stakes 2 feet deep, are safer and more lovely.  
  • The thin, light, department store arbors are cheaper AND VERY LIKELY to fall over in the beach wind with soft sand beach (especially with fabric draped on them–acts like a boat sail!). 
  • FYI:  about 60% of the “homemade” arbors we’ve seen don’t work…hard to transport, delicate, breakable, not anchorable, not wind resistant, and fall right over during setup! Pretty much high-maintenance and stressful for the couple. 
  • Honestly, if you really WANT an arbor, shop around and rent a sturdy one from trusted pros on our other page:  beachpeopleweddings.com/suggested-vendors.

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advice after wedding dress and hair during ceremony Photography reception

Enhancements and Artwork to Photos

Enhancements of Photos

family enhancements
~ Enhancements, Touch-Ups and Artwork

Packages with “enhanced” or “enhancements” wording get the edits, touch-ups and visual enhancements needed for outdoor photography (which inherently has big challenges with unpredictable light changes, oblivious strangers in background, and no control of objects in the environment). See list of the possible changes, below.

FYI: Margo chooses which images to alter, but she prefers to keep your faces natural looking as possible. Some artsy creativity is also very valuable too! Learn about Margo’s background. If your 

Enhancements May Include (and sample pics below):
  1. Remove distracting strangers, chairs, poles, trash cans, bags, shoes, etc.
  2. Boost sky colors & streaks to appear more sunrise or sunset-y colorful
  3. Add lens flare – overlay a pale colorful ray of sun spots, looks romantic, soft, mystical
  4. Teeth whitening and/or replace missing teeth (my specialty, so you can genuinely SMILE!)
  5. Remove bruises, cuts, scars, pimples, some age spots and sometimes bra straps
  6. Make 1-3 select-color images: combine black-n-white and color into 1 image (i.e. flowers in color, all else is grayscale)
  7. Soften wrinkles or reduce a double chin 
  8. Lighten harsh shadows on important faces
  9. Remove some flyaway hair strands, when possible
  10. Level the horizon line on ocean
  11. Make 2-4 dramatic Sepia (brownish) or Black-n-White copies
  12. Make 1-2 dramatic, colorful “oil painting” copies of abstract photos (ones without faces) 
  13. Overlay vignettes (very subtle “haze” around image borders–creates focus)
  14. Add subtle face ‘makeup’ to fix faded lipstick, sweated-off eyebrows, uneven outdoors light/shadows

Below, click gray dots under the pics to see next ones…

Color-Isolation: Both Black-n-White + Color.

Courie PRINT-141
Allen PRINT-294
Sand art heart packages
Ogle POST2-138
After 2
Moore III PRINT-314
Luciano PRINT-265
Ogle PRINT2-171

Lens Flare spots, Oil Painting, Crystal Ball.

Allison PRINT-205
Kampfer PRINT-198
Kampfer PRINT-120
Allison PRINT-169
Allison PRINT-101
Martin PRINT-210
Ogle PRINT1-307

Face, Add Make-up lightly, Remove Blemishes, Whiten Teeth (some pics are “Before & Afters”)

Before 4
After 4
Before 1
After 1
Before 3
After 3
Before 5
After 5
After 6
After 7
Margo

Vignette Around Edges: Soft, white or gray edges.

Harmon PRINT-399
Grube-PRINT-297-Copy-e1552692350553
Ogle POST2-310
Ogle PRINT1-208
Ogle PRINT1-307
Bollmer PRINT-139
Ogle PRINT2-171
Ogle POST2-296
Vows

Sepia copies (Brown-n-White)

Henson PRINT-373
Edwards PRINT-271
Ogle POST2-310
Weierbach PRINT-321
Wisnasky PRINT-291
Courie POST-266 - Copy

Black-n-White copies.

Weierbach PRINT-329
Vows
McFarland PRINT-223
Allison PRINT-204
Reeves PRINT-132
Bentley Robinson PRINT-114 - Copy
Bollmer PRINT-139
Categories
advice after wedding during ceremony Photography pre-wedding reception

Friend or Pro Photographer?

friend couple on beach at sunrise

Friend or Pro Shooter?

CONSIDER THIS:  The event itself lasts just 1 day (or less), but GREAT photos will bring back your Happy Memories all your life, and for 7 more generations of loved ones, AND be a record for another 700+ years too!
Need to fit a budget? Put your hard-earned money where YOU get the most from it -- compromise elsewhere.

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For gorgeous once-in-your-lifetime photos, you will choose either a friend / loved one, or a recommended professional photographer?  There are pros and cons to each one:

PROs for FRIEND (the upside):

  • Free or cheap
  • Might offer unlimited time shooting
  • Familiar face and energy
  • May get insider pics from knowing the group’s politics
  • If you like to do it, you probably can micro-manage a friend shooting
  • Friend may party or drink with you.

CONs – FRIEND (the downside):

  • Friend may party or drink while working – drunk people with only 1 hand free, don’t get good photos
  • May expect compensation elsewhere (i.e. big tip, free drinks, favors, borrow your car or condo)
  • Friend may not handle real challenges to your liking
  • May NEED micro-managing (if inexperienced)
  • May resist micro-managing, argue, sulk or feel insulted and stop shooting
  • Expectations are casual, so he may miss good shots which are important to you
  • Chatting, distracted by other guests, and miss important shots
  • If you speak up about it, you risk hurt feelings, arguing, embarrassment
  • Friend can just refuse your suggestions
  • Friend can take embarrassing pics or gossip about private things seen / heard
  • If friend gets sick, too drunk/high, injured, has travel problems–then a good replacement is hard to find at last minute.
  • Friend might not handle challenges (bad weather, rain, poor lighting, rude guests, dead batteries, hairdo and make-up failures, emotional meltdowns)
  • Friend may not know how to help people relax—gets awkward, adds to your stress, wastes time
  • Friend may not know how to pose people to look their best
  • You risk your photos  being poor quality.
  • If you don’t like the photos, you risk hurt feelings & no solutions
  • Thus, you risk having no great wedding photos
  • Friend may not have truly high-tech equipment or authentic editing skills
  • If someone breaks his camera or lights, or gets injured (tripping/falling), or he damages property (drops your wedding rings, breaks a chair he stood upon), YOU pay for the camera, the doctor, and the lost property!
  • Because this was a free/cheap project for a pal (you), your wedding pics may get low priority to finish editing & deliver.

CON – PROFESSIONAL (the downside):

  • You pay a set, pre-determined fee 
  • She may not feel like a familiar face at first
  • Shooter may not accept being micro-managed
  • Professional will not party/drink with you
  • Pro may not handle challenges to your liking (good recommendations fix this one)

PRO – PROFESSIONAL (the upside):

  • Professional shooter will not party on the job; stays sober and focused
  • If you don’t like something, you can ask for a change without argument or hurt feelings
  • Professional knows how to pose people to look their best
  • Professional always helps people to relax, be comfortable and genuine for photos
  • No embarrassing shots or gossiping; all stays confidential
  • You choose when the shooting starts and stops
  • Photographer is your employee to direct
  • If you don’t want to micro-manage on your wedding day, you don’t have to
  • Pro always takes your posing suggestions
  • If she is sick, injured or unable to work, she sends a good, professional, reliable replacement shooter
  • Professional can get clever shots from being unrestricted by your group’s politics
  • Uses professional high-tech equipment and editing tools and experienced skills
  • A recommended and experienced Professional handles challenges well (i.e. drunk or rude guests or meltdowns, weather, dead batteries, hairdo and make-up failures, etc.)
  • Professional will definitely get you great photos
  • If you don’t like the results, a professional can re-edit differently, or offer compensation or partial refund–without hurt feelings (good recommendations & experience avoid this)
  • Professional has insurance coverage if someone damages her equipment, or any property, or a guest gets injured (grandpa falls and breaks a hip trying to help move a prop, or sister trips over a camera bag), you don’t pay for those expensive, surprise bills!
  • Professional shooter delivers your photos on time because you’re a paying customer.
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Categories
advice after wedding pre-wedding reception

Guest List Managing Advice

family portrait

Guest List Making Advice

Guest list shown on notebook paper and pen
Struggling with managing a list of guests? 
Got relatives scattered? 
Been travelling a lot and lost touch with friends?
Or parents have guests they want included?
Not sure who to invite?
Try this simple, logical, useful flowchart to help decide which guest to invite to your beach wedding when you just are not sure.
You’re welcome! 
Guest
Archives

Still Overwhelmed?! Ideas...

  • Try hiring a Wedding Planner or Coordinator we recommend on our Suggested Vendors page. There are also Invitation services online on The Knot and Wedding Wire websites.
  • Ask your friends, coworkers or colleagues who married to recommend an Invitation Service.  Sometimes those companies can offer solutions to invitation dilemmas and awkward decisions. 
  • Another popular solution is to ELOPE alone for a happy, warm, EASY private beach wedding. Hire a videographer (we recommend Bob Collins at www.bobvox.com). Later on, you throw a big reception party dinner & cake back home complete with a large viewing screen for the video! 
  • Invite everyone who wants to view your wedding video and celebrate!  For extra party time fun, you can:
    • ‘Re-enact’ the ceremony with a fun-natured loved one Officiating
    • Get friends/family to stand up as Best Man, Best Dog, best Woman, Flower Boy, etc. 
    • Wear your wedding dress and suit again for that party! 
    • Carry a small bouquet and THROW IT.  Or throw a bridal scarf or hat!
    • Have toasts and songs from Guests, a cake Cutting and Feeding, have your First Dance, Daddy/Daughter or Mommy/Son dances, do the Shoe Game, Dollars Dance, Broom Jump, a Photo Booth, sign a Quilt or Ketubbah, do karaoke, etc.   
    • Have fun with getting  people involved in the FUN! 
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Categories
advice after wedding dress and hair during ceremony Legal Photography pre-wedding reception

9 More Cool Tips

Weddings Photos tips

9 Tips for a Happy Wedding!

Beach and outdoor weddings can be among the most beautiful and magical, but good planning is essential! Here is our EXTRA advice from years of experience:
  1. No email reply from us in 12 hours?
    Check your junkmail or spam filter for our reply message… its usually in there. Put our address in your address book or Safe List to avoid future issue: kiss@beachpeopleweddings.com
  2. Flower petals on the beach
    Fake petals are unlawful to drop on sand (it is littering). Please-Please-Please, only use REAL flower petals. Protect innocent wildlife…silk and artificial petals are plastic pollution on the beach. They kill sea turtles and birds that eat them (they actually do – a lot). Real flower petals are fine.
  3. Elderly and handicapped guests
    Some elderly or mobility issues guests struggle with the high heat, long boardwalks, stairs, and unstable shifting sand. Consider videotaping the ceremony for them, or ask us for advice on easier locations nearby. Want affordable video? bobvox.com.
  4. Dress to be yourself
    Consider colorful, beachy dresses and shirts and light pants/shorts. You may even wish to have bare feet in the soft sand (maybe toe and ankle bling instead!). But ladies, if you are heart-set on that gorgeous wedding gown and special shoes, please go for it! Be yourself! The more color you bring to a bleached white & beige beach photograph, the better. Color celebrates! Think colorful ribbons, flowers, clothes, etc.
  5. Rings Safety on Sand
    Consider putting rings in a single ring box or small drawstring bag so they are protected and can be found if they are dropped. There is potential for this, especially if a nervous or very young ringbearer is carrying them.
  6. Traffic & Travel Time
    Please know exactly where your ceremony is with a trial run beforehand. On the day of the ceremony, make plenty of time to get there. Seriously, vacation traffic jams easily delay you for more than an hour! No kidding! So please leave extra time to drive to your wedding. Tell your guests too.
  7. Child Care Tips
    Designate a childcare person instead of you. You should enjoy your own ceremony with your new spouse. Appoint a trusted adult for potty, snacks, hugs, kisses, distraction, safety, etc. Be sure kids are not hungry, get LOTS of nurturing attention FROM YOU beforehand, and get good sleep!
  8. Difficult Guests?
    Don’t try to own the issues of difficult family and guests during this special time. You don’t need to mediate fights, or compromise for them, or do anything but ENJOY YOUR wedding and YOUR day! Guests need to politely show respect for you and your wedding and be accommodating.
  9. When you leave home or hotel for your ceremony–bring a tote bag with your marriage license, money owed vendors, beach permit (if applies), flowers, mirror, lipstick, comb, hairspray, tissues, sunglasses, sunscreen, touchup makeup, decor, gifts, and photo props.
contact us

336-314-0503 (call or text)

kiss@beachpeopleweddings.com

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