Beach Wedding Destinations

When most couples get engaged, they already have a good idea about the kind of wedding they are going to have. Having already attended a few weddings for family and friends, the future bride and groom have already decided what they like and don’t like about different wedding celebrations. As their wedding plans begin to unfold, brides and grooms begin dreaming about their special day. For a growing number of couples, those dreams involve exchanging their vows with their toes in the sand and the gentle roar of the surf providing the wedding march.rnOnce couples have decided to get married on the beach, they then need to decide where they are going to go for their wedding-honeymoon combination. The choices can seem endless and the list of possible destinations daunting, but there are a few things you can do to narrow your choices. The first thing you need to do is to ask around. You can be pretty much guaranteed that just about everyone you know, friends, family and colleagues, knows of at least one person who has gotten married on the beach. Listen to what they have to say; they’ll usually be quite honest about what went right and what went wrong. rnYou will also want to trust your travel agent, they will have arranged a number of other beach wedding trips before, they will know the most accommodating resorts, as well as those to stay away from. With all of this input, when you begin thinking of a beach wedding, there are a few different possibilities to consider: • Caribbean • Mediterranean • Cottage CountrrnThe Caribbean beach wedding is the traditional beach wedding. The islands provide a romantic fantasy, exchanging vows with the one you love with palm trees swaying in the tropical breeze and the crystal blue waters serving as a back drop to the horizon. Adding a sunset and the gentle rhythm of a steel drum band and the image is complete. Caribbean beach weddings are also attractive because the islands are relatively close to most major North American cities, and the all inclusive nature of the resorts make for an ideal vacation destination for the couple as well as their guests.rnFor couples with bigger dreams, as well as budgets to match, why not jet off across the Atlantic to exchange vows on the shores of the Mediterranean. Nothing says fairytale wedding more than kissing your Prince Charming on the steps of a castle overlooking the azure sea. Staying at a Mediterranean resort and having them cater your private wedding reception is also the height of class and elegance. If Europe is your choice for your beach wedding destination, find out the marriage laws of the country where you want to tie the knot, as some will require you to have a civil ceremony at city hall before you can go to the beach for your dream wedding.rnThere are also some couples who dream of a wedding closer to home. In the summer cottage country can provide as stunning a beach backdrop for you wedding as any Caribbean island or Mediterranean castle. Perhaps the cottage beach is where you first kissed or got engaged, so vowing eternal love to one another on that same spot will have much more meaning than the hotel’s wedding corner under the palms. Having a cottage country beach wedding will also allow you to expand your guest list to include more friends and family who would not normally be able to make the trip to your wedding on the beach.rnEach wedding is as unique as the couple getting married. As you try to make up your mind, listen to what others have learned from their experiences, helping you to make a wise decision. Whether it’s on a tropical beach, on the shores of the Mediterranean or at the cottage where you grew up, the choice is yours. Remember, wherever you choose to get married will be the perfect beach wedding destination for you.