Are you planning a fabulous beach wedding? Deciding on a style for your beach wedding dress doesn’t need to be time-consuming or overwhelming. More and more designers are recognizing the exotic draw of destination weddings and producing bridal gowns that accommodate the hot climate.
How to Choose a Bridal Dress for a Beach Wedding
There are many recommendations on what type of bridal dress for a beach wedding is suitable. The ultimate guide is the design, style, cut, colour, fabric, and fit that pleases the bride. A destination or beach wedding allows a bit more freedom in choice than a traditional church or garden ceremony.
Choose a Fabric Suitable for a Warmer Climate
Remember where the ceremony will be taking place when choosing the fabric of the wedding dress. Warmer climates can cause overheating and sweating, neither of which is a good look for the bride. Consider a style with cotton, taffeta, organza, crepe, and tulle to stay cool along the seaside.
Avoid Long Sleeve Bridal Dresses
It may be obvious, but it must be stated that a wedding dress for a beach wedding should have short or no sleeves. Destination and beach ceremonies are planned for the glorious warm weather provided by the environment. Embrace the heat with bare arms.
Using a Long Veil Is a Bad Idea
One of the less talked about features of a beach wedding is the potential for a breeze off the ocean. A windy day can wreak havoc with a long veil that is intended to create a certain look to the attire. Add in flying sand particles and the veil could become more of a deterrent than a beautiful accessory.
Avoid Buying a Bridal Gown with Long Train
When shopping for a wedding dress, consider the environment of a beach ceremony, namely the land of sand. Having a long train attached to a gown can gather sand, sticks, and other beach debris even with a carpet laid on the ground. If a train is part of your dream dress, choose a shorter one that doesn’t distract from the day.
Buy an Extra Wedding Dress for the Reception
As a beach wedding can involve long gowns collecting sand or fun pictures jumping in the waves, a second outfit for after the ceremony is recommended. Keep to the theme of sand and sun with a light airy dress that is comfortable and easy to dance the night away in.
Avoid Heavy Accessories
One advantage of a beach ceremony is the fact that there is no need for heavy accessories. Regardless of the type or style of wedding dress chosen, a beach bride only needs the minimum to glamourize a dress. Small pieces of jewellery, a clutch, a headscarf, or a hair clip will complement the beach theme.
Beach Wedding Dress Ideas for Brides
A beach wedding is a unique and fun ceremony offering the couple and guests the opportunity to enjoy sophistication with a touch of casual dress. The bride has a wide selection of choices such as mermaid, slip dresses, A-line, and empire-waist gowns.
Wedding Gowns with High Leg Slits
Don’t run from the idea of a high leg slit in a wedding gown. Whether the wedding dress style is a slim, curvy fitting cut or an elaborate ankle-length gown, a slit offers a mysterious but sexy look. The length of the opening is a matter of preference for the bride.
Off-the-Shoulder Bridal Gowns
Bridal gowns with an off-the-shoulder design often elicits romance and flirtatious feelings. Seen on various styles and designs of wedding dresses and gowns, this type of neckline flatters any silhouette. It brings the focus to the bodice and decolletage for a stunning transformation.
Casual Beach Wedding Dresses
Casual beach bridal attire depends on the personal choice and level of expression by the bride. Beach weddings can include dresses, pantsuits, and even bridal short sets. The clothing does not express the love between the couple and that’s why every wedding dress from ball gowns to jumpsuits are acceptable at a beach wedding.
Mermaid Style Bridal Dress
What better way to enhance the theme of a beach wedding than to wear a mermaid-styled bridal dress down the aisle. The bodice, hips, and waist of the gown is fitted before flaring out below the knees. Sleek and sexy are terms that are used to describe the silhouette that is on show at all times.
A-Line Wedding Dress
Beach weddings call for gowns that can be easily moved in, such as the natural shape of the A-line wedding dress. Available with various necklines, the A-line gown is snug around the hip area before flaring out as it falls down below the knees. Whether it has a simple look or is covered in embellishments, this style is known as the most flattering silhouette.
Empire Waist Wedding Dress
An empire waist wedding dress has a waistline higher than one’s natural waistline to provide a flattering appeal to brides of all shapes and sizes. The style fits the bodice and then drops to a slimmer skirt line in a tasteful way. It is a non-restrictive fit for comfort and beauty.
Sheath Style Wedding Dress
Modern brides can glow brightly in a sheath-style gown that falls straight down while showing off all the right curves. As a sheath dress is designed in an unassuming but flattering style, any bride can take advantage of the elegance for their beach wedding.
Boho Style Bridal Dress
Bohemian bridal gowns provide a whimsical feel for brides of free spirit. The Boho-style wedding dress offers adventure with a romantic minimalist design for beach weddings. Expressing the love between two people with luxury fabric or lace is the goal of these dreamy dresses.
Open Back Bridal Dress
Choose from an array of open-back bridal dresses for that perfect statement as you walk down the aisle and take your vows! A backless dress outlined with lace and/or intricate beading screams elegance and glamour.
Visit a Wedding Dress Sales Event Near You to Get Your Dream Bridal Dress
Opportunity Bridal has a large selection of regular and plus size beach wedding dresses at each one of our travelling pop-up shops. As we travel across the country, we offer massive discounts of 50% to 80% off MSRP on all of our national and international designer gowns at our wedding dress sales events. Check when we will be in your neighbourhood here!
Ricarda is the National Sales Manager for Opportunity Bridal. Ricarda comes from a creative background but has been working in the Bridal industry for over 5 years and has done over 300 sales events, coast to coast. Her mission is to create welcoming and warm experiences for everyone she meets and loves the chance to learn and share her knowledge of the Bridal industry with others.
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