Beach weddings range from formal to casual, so most anything is a possible choice for a beach wedding dress. However, as a beach wedding photographer that has witnessed hundreds of coastal weddings, I have a few tips for choosing the perfect dress for your beach wedding.
Top Wedding Outfit Tips for Beach Brides
- The beach is typically windy. Keep that in mind when choosing a dress. Stiffer, form-fitting dresses will not blow in the wind as much. Veils and light-weight fabric will blow with the wind. While this can be beautiful, it can also be a nightmare. If you are wearing a loose dress to hide problem areas, the wind can press the fabric up against your body. If it’s a thin, light-weight fabric, it will show every bump and bulge you may be trying to hide. Therefore, if you have a sheer dress, consider how much will show in a strong wind and whether or not you’d be comfortable with that.
- A veil blowing in the wind can be stunning, but if the wind is over 15 mph, it is going to out-of-control. Your veil will be twisting and turning and pulling on your hair like a sail. It’s likely to fly off. As you can imagine, all of this can be distracting during your ceremony. Therefore, if you want to wear it anyway, have a plan B where you can remove it and have someone nearby hold it if it gets to annoying.
- On a windy day when you are facing the wind, bend your front knee when you’re standing so that your dress doesn’t get caught between your legs and look unflattering.
- Luckily, in the Emerald Isle area, the predominant winds blow towards the bride in most weddings, but if the wind is blowing your dress or veil into the groom during the ceremony, consider trading sides. It’s better than fighting the wind the whole time. If you see that it’s windy outside, talk about this before hand and feel free to trade places even in the middle of the ceremony. It’s not a big deal, and you need to be able to focus on your vows, not your outfit.
- Shoes with heels don’t play well with the sand, no matter how cute they are. While on the beach, either go barefooted if the sand is cool, or wear sandals if the sand is hot.
Gallery of Beach Wedding Dress Ideas
Are you planning a beach wedding? We specialize in beach wedding photography, and if you are planning something smaller, check out our all-inclusive packages for beach elopements and intimate weddings.
