With beach weddings becoming increasingly popular within recent years, they certainly have many advantages over more traditional weddings. However, despite their clear benefits and recent soar in popularity, there is one major factor that differentiates beach weddings from any other: dress code.
Generally speaking, beach weddings come hand-in-hand with hot temperatures unless you’re unlucky with weather, or specifically choose a time in which the climate is cooler. If you know you’re likely to experience typical hot beach weather naturally accompanied by sand, wind and waves, what you choose to wear is crucial to ensure you’re as comfortable as possible on the big day.
So, if you have a beach wedding to attend, or even planning to become a beach bride yourself, and have no idea how to stay cool whilst still looking elegant and wedding-appropriate, keep reading to discover some great beach-attire tips guaranteed to keep you looking your best against those pesky beach elements!
Wear light and Airy Fabrics
Weddings, including both the ceremony and reception, tend to be all-day events. Therefore, if you’re on a beach for the entire time in a hot climate, the last thing you want is to be wearing heavy materials unable to keep you cool. Certain fabrics such as cotton and linen have been tried and tested to be some of the most breathable materials in hot weather, making them an excellent choice for beach weddings. Linen dresses in pastel colors are ideal for women, and cotton loose-fitting shirts with light colored suits make a great option for male guests.
However, as a bride, choosing a beach-appropriate wedding dress can be slightly more difficult, especially if you have a specific style of dream dress in mind. However, fabrics made up of specific silk-blends can be just as breathable as cotton whilst still providing that air of elegance every bride wants on her wedding day. For a great selection of beach wedding dresses that won’t break the bank, check out PreOwned Wedding Dresses to discover a variety of options.
Wear Sand-Appropriate Footwear
When it comes to weddings, the majority of attention falls upon the outfit with footwear often being left to the last minute or completely neglected altogether. But, with regard to beach weddings, footwear must be considered simply due to the abundance of sand you’ll be experiencing on the big day!
For the ladies, stilettos are a huge risk to take as they’ll just sink into the sand and make walking very difficult. Instead, opting for flat shoes would be the safest option and the most sand-appropriate guaranteed to provide comfort all day despite the terrain. However, if you’re worried about looking too casual in flat shoes, opting for a pair of wedges is a great alternative to stiletto heels as they’re far more robust and less likely to sink.
For men, footwear is a slightly easier factor to tackle as flat shoes are likely to be the shoe of choice anyway for a wedding. But, when sand is involved, ensure to wear well-fitted shoes that won’t allow grains of sand to slip in and irritate your feet.
Sunscreen
This may seem very obvious, but research has shown that only 29% of women and an even lower 14% of men regularly use sunscreen when outside in the sun. During a beach wedding, it’s likely you’re going to be exposed to the sun’s harmful UV rays for hours at a time, so it’s essential you protect your skin.
If you’re hosting or attending a wedding in a tropical destination, the sun can be very strong and often relentless against those exposed to it for long periods of time. So, if in these conditions, it’s essential you reapply sunscreen throughout the day to ensure maximum protection. Just applying it once before the ceremony begins isn’t going to be enough and, especially if you’re the bride wanting to look your best in photos, you don’t want to be tainted with bright red sunburn!
Beach weddings have certainly increased in popularity throughout recent years, and it’s essential to take into account all aspects that may differ from a wedding in a more traditional, indoor setting. Beaches naturally possess many more characteristics than indoor locations so, to ensure you can enjoy the entire day without feeling too worried, hot, or uncomfortable, tailor your outfit, footwear and actions on the day to fit your surroundings. Beach weddings certainly don’t come around every day, and it would be a shame to ruin your experience by not following the above tips!
Rachel Lamb is a sales assistant at a bridal boutique. She enjoys sharing her wedding dress buying tips online. Her articles appear on bridal and lifestyle blogs.