Hosting A Beach-Themed Wedding At An Indoor Wedding Venue
If you always dreamed of holding a beach-themed wedding, but you live in an area nowhere near the shoreline, hosting the event at an indoor reception venue is an option to consider. There are several beach-inspired ideas you can incorporate into your reception without setting foot on the perimeter of the country. Rather than give up on your dream wedding if you do not wish to travel, bring the sights and sounds of the beach closer to home using some of the following tips.
Ask The Venue If You Can Bring Sand Inside
A beach-themed wedding will require sand to be present for guests to enjoy. Ask the wedding venue if you can bring some of the shoreline into their establishment with precautionary steps taken to ensure it does not get tracked around the interior. Small blowup kiddie pools can be set up in a few locations within the reception hall and sand can be purchased from a local home goods store to use to fill them. Before you inflate the pools, place a few tan-colored tarps on the floor to help keep the sand in one area. Add some sand toys or shells and surround the pools with festive blow-up palm trees. Use the pool area for a picture-taking area to create memories of your wedding reception. Festive straw hats and sunglasses can be given to guests to put on before they sink their toes in the sand for their photo shoot.
Hire The Right Entertainment To Set The Tone
It is important to have some light yet festive music played during your wedding reception to help get guests feel as if they are really spending time at the beach. If you hire a disc jockey, ask them to play fun summer tunes throughout your reception to help keep the vacation feeling going. If you intend on hiring a live band, find one with a member that plays the ukulele, bongo or steel drums, or chimes within some of their song selections. It is a good idea to give your entertainment a list of songs you would like played before your event.
Consider Adding Some Festive Boardwalk Fun
Adding an area to appear as a boardwalk will help in making the reception theme complete. Hire servers to give out food selections from trade show booths decorated to look like Tiki huts or clapboard structures. Keep your meal choices simple with barbecue fare such as burgers, dogs, fries, ice cream and funnel cakes, or go all out and serve guests a seafood feast complete with shellfish, clams, mussels, and other beach delicacies. Adding a few games of chance in the reception hall will inspire those present even further. Boardwalk-style games will give those attending a bit of fun when passing the time between meal courses and song selections, making your wedding sure to be remembered by all.