Delicious Tropical Cocktails For Your Beach Wedding

Beach weddings aren't complete without an array of cool, refreshing and delectable tropical cocktails but the list of what you can serve at your beach wedding reception is miles long! At our wedding, I didn't even know the hotel was going to serve cocktails, thought it was only canapes and cold drinks. I had PIÑA COLADA before we had our photo shoots!

Considering that my family doesn't drink alcohol, they didn't realize there was an alcohol on any choice of drinks, they enjoyed it though! Without knowing that it would give them a kick after having a glass or two, by 10pm I saw my mother and sister were dancing already with the singers, oh dear. While they didn't manage to stay until midnight with us - "MIDNIGHT BY THE BEACH", staring at the moon and the stars while finishing all the cocktails.

How do you know what would be good and what would make guests cringe? Not to worry - here's a simple and easy list of delicious cocktails that your guests will love sipping next to the shoreline as they celebrate your special day with you.

BLUE HAWAIIAN COCKTAIL This delicious cocktail is a bright blue and puts even the brightest Caribbean waters to shame. 1 ounce pineapple juice 1 ounce white rum 1 ounce cream of coconut 1 tsp sugar (or more if you like it sweet) 1/2 ounce blue Curaco Shake ingredients together and pour over crushed ice. Garnish as desired with pineapple slices, cherries or umbrellas. PIÑA COLADAThis classic beach style cocktail is a must at any beach wedding reception. 6 ounces white rum 8 ounces coconut cream 8 ounces pineapple juice 3 cups of ice Pineapple slices Blend all ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth. Garnish with pineapple slices and anything else you like! GREEN DRAGONThis unique drink is simple to make but absolutely delicious - and puts an untraditional spin on classic champagne! 1 ounce Midori melon liquor 4-5 ounces champagne of your choice Serve in a champagne glass or martini glass and garnish with orchids or other types of tropical flowers. "SEX ON THE BEACH" COCKTAILThis enormously fun tropical cocktail is perfect for beach weddings - it will give your guests an idea of what you and your new husband will be doing afterwards! 2 ounces orange juice 1/2 ounce peach schnapps 2 ounces cranberry juice 1 1/2 ounces vodka 1/2 cup crushed ice Mix ingredients slowly over a highball glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with cherries, pineapple slices, orange wedges or any other garnish of your choice. TROPICAL ITCH COCKTAILMix it up with this hilarious and delicious cocktail. 1 ounce white rum 1 ounce vodka 1/2 ounce Grand Marnier (Orange curaco will also do) 4 ounces passion fruit juice Serve this cocktail with a backscratcher in the glass!

There are a great number of delicious tropical cocktails that you can serve at your beach wedding reception - a great way to find out new and exciting cocktail recipes is to ask your bartender. Even better, ask your bartender if he or she can whip up a fun, new cocktail with you and your husband in mind. Name it after your new marriage and let your guests have this drink on the house! Incorporate your personalities into it by choosing fun, whimsical liquors and garnishes that blend well together.

No matter what types of cocktails you choose to serve at your beach wedding reception, your guests will enjoy each and every one of them.

Unique Beach Wedding Cakes

First thing that comes to our mind when talking about BEACH WEDDING CAKES - should be unique, interesting, different from the normal cake, and putting something that shows anything you could find on the beach, is the main thing here. Mostly, SHELLS in addition to this traditional ribbons to accentuate your motif. When it comes to wedding cakes, long gone are the days of following tradition. Since you are considering a beach wedding cake, you are obviously not a slave to those traditions. so... let's stray from the 'norm' and be adventurous then! One thing to remember....there are no rules! If there are, well, rules are made to be broken.

Photo below was my wedding cake. We didn't ask for a big one though, since we were only a total of at least 30 people! I'm sure next you would have in mind is, are they real shells Madz? NO! They were all hardened icing, molded and shaped with different shell types. Clever huh!

Beach wedding cakes can be anything you want them to be! At the end of the day, it's your day. You can have whatever you want to have, make the most of every resources you've got in terms of ideas. Be creative and adventurous, make yours as distinctive than the rest.
What Size?

How many guests are you planning to have? If you have your beach wedding cakes made professionally it can range in price anywhere from $2.00 to $15.00 per slice. A "slice" is normally considered to be 2 ounces or, approximately 4" x 2". The range in price will depend on how much intricate detail you want on it. If the cake you choose is very labor intensive, you can expect higher prices. If you are on a tight budget, keep it simple!

What Shape?

Beach wedding cakes can be any size, shape or description. Be creative. If you have an idea for your cake, sketch it out on paper and take it to that talented friend, relative or your chosen bakery. If you can imagine it, someone can make it!Do not limit your thinking to a two or three tier cake. It can be round, square, a sheet cake, a sculpted cake, individual mini cakes, cupcakes or even cookies! Some brides even choose a one or two layer, individual wedding cake on each guest table rather than the traditional large cake at the head table. This is a nice idea because it also serves as the table centerpiece. This eliminates the added expense associated with having a wedding centerpiece at each table! A couple of things to keep in mind though...

Beach Wedding Makeup Tips

One of the worries "brides-to-be" can sometimes have is "the looks" she may have on her big day! While every bride wants to look beautiful on her wedding day and fears the wrong choice will spoil the look of the whole wedding attire. This is why MAKEUP and HAIR DRY RUN is becoming an A-list the brides-to-be must do. Like myself, I had my make-up and hair dry run in the Philippines when I took a two weeks interruption from work to get everything done, my gown measurement, buy all the accessories needed, etc.

Your wedding is one of the most important days of your life and the makeup you choose for that special day will be reflected for years to come in your precious wedding photographs, so naturally, you want it to be nothing less than perfect. Beach brides face a little bit more of a challenge when choosing their wedding day makeup look than brides with other wedding venues, because essentially you're competing against the elements. You don't want makeup foundation and concealer to melt or smear in the sun and you don't want your skin to appear thick and cakey. Here's some tips to help you create the perfect beach wedding look.

Get A Sexy, Natural Glow

Whether it's a gradual tan from a lotion that provides a subtle glow, a glamorous spray tan or even a traditional UV tan, a natural looking glow will be your best asset on your wedding day. Having skin that looks sun kissed before you step into the sun will make you look and feel even more like a beach bride. Having a great tan not only looks spectacular but will help hide flaws that would be seen on paler skin.

Tip: Go for something subtle and natural looking and be careful not to get too dark. If you plan on using self tanners or getting a spray tan, test it out well before the big day so you won't be surprised by the results.

Use Tinted Moisturizer

For beach brides, tinted moisturizer is an absolute must have. Traditional foundation can look heavy and inappropriate when you're on the beach and you'll feel like you have a mask on. Tinted moisturizer will even out your skin tone and hide flaws without going on too thick.

Bronzer, Bronzer, Bronzer

Bronzer will give you great highlights, catching the sun and drawing the eye to all the right places. Use bronzer on your cheeks, nose, forehead and collarbones for a gorgeous sheen.

Tip: Use a light bronzer. A dark one will look patchy and uneven.

Lip Gloss, Not Lipstick

Many brides opt for a nice, subtle lip color that matches or accents their blush for their wedding look. Even light lip color tends to be too heavy for beach brides. Go with a gorgeous, wet looking gloss with very minimal tint - if any - for a subtly sexy pout. Great lip glosses are thick instead of thin and have a very slight metallic sheen to them

Black Is Out, Brown Is In

Black eyeliner and mascara also tend to be very heavy on the face if you're planning a ceremony on the beach. Instead of going with black, try using an espresso or latte colored pencil and mascara for a more natural look. If you plan on using false eyelashes, try using the individual lashes instead of a full set. They can be put on in small sections to help add depth and mystery to your eyes without going overboard.

When you're planning out your beach wedding makeup look, less truly is more. Go with neutral tones instead of bold colors and don't overdo it. The end result will be subtly sexy and beautiful - perfect for the big day.

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Helpful Articles for your Beach Wedding Planning:
10 Unique Ideas For Beach Wedding
Beach Wedding Ceremony Ideas
Beach Wedding Brides
Flower Guide For Your Beach Wedding
Part III: My Wedding Day Photo Shoots

Beach Wedding Bouquets

This was my BEACH WEDDING BOUQUET. This is one of the weddings "must have" that you don't stress about, most flower shops or all bouquet experts know much on what sort of style, flowers, or colors that would match your theme! It doesn't have to be complicated, just know what's available on the spot and work from there. As for myself, it was our very first to visit Mauritius (our wedding venue), apparently, we didn't know exactly what sort of flowers I was going to have for my wedding! Since we've got to be there at least 3 days before our big day (minimum days arrival requirements for destination weddings), we had time to see the flower shop and chose ourselves, showed us their photographs of samples and to choose from there.

A beach theme wedding is, by nature - SIMPLE... There aren't a lot of decorations or sparkling lights - in essence, you're using the beautiful beach and the magnificence and simplicity of the ocean as your wedding backdrop. There are a few things that stand out at a beach wedding though, the bride's bouquet being one of them. It is one of the largest floral arrangements at a beach theme wedding ceremony and during your walk down the sandy aisle, everyone's going to be eyeing it. Here's how to select excellent flowers for your beach bridal bouquet that will "wow."

Tropical Colors

Many beach brides simply use white as their overall color, incorporating that into the bridal dress, the groom's tuxedo and even into the flowers. This usually gives a light, sophisticated aura to a beach theme wedding. Some brides, however, crave a little bit more than what white alone can give them. A perfect place to incorporate colors into your beach theme wedding ceremony is in the bridal bouquet itself. Select tropical flowers such as birds of paradise, or simply use flowers that are brightly colored. Orange and pink tiger lilies are excellent in beach bridal bouquets, while vibrantly tipped roses can really be eye catching. Talk to your florist or use your imagination to come up with a colorful, tropical bridal bouquet that brings out the best of the beach.

"Beachy" Additions

There's nothing that says that a beach bouquet has to consist only of flowers - don't limit yourself! Incorporate large, tropical leaves, pearls or even seashells. Pearls are a great addition to a white bouquet, but tropical leaves edging brightly colored flowers are a great touch. You can use a combination of leaves, pearls, seashells or other types of beach items in your bouquet, just remember to let them be accents and not let them take over the entire bouquet. Alternatively, a bouquet made entirely out of seashells and pearls can be an extremely unique and one of a kind beach wedding bouquet.

Shape and Size

The shape and size of your beach bouquet can vary, depending on how bold you want to be. A smaller, simple wedding calls for a smaller bouquet, but if you want your bouquet to be the focal point of the ceremony, feel free to make it larger and more noticeable. A cascading bouquet is a beautiful addition to any beach wedding ceremony, mimicking the cascade of the ocean waves themselves, but a handheld beach bridal bouquet is just as classy.

Talk to your florist and use your creativity to come up with different styles of beach bride bouquets that you like! Thumb through a few bridal magazines and pick out a few different bouquet elements that you like and discuss with your florist how to bring those elements together for a truly unique and one of a kind bouquet. A silk bouquet is a good option if you want a keepsake, but fresh flowers truly embrace the spirit of beauty and simplicity of the beach!

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Helpful Articles for your Beach Wedding Planning:
Choosing Your Bridal Buoquet
Wedding Theme Color Collections
Peach-Orange-Cream Theme of My Beach Wedding
7 Ways of Using Flowers At Your Beach Wedding
10 Unique Ideas For Beach Wedding
Beach Wedding Ceremony Ideas
Beach Wedding Brides
Flower Guide For Your Beach Wedding
The Wedding Flower Guide For Every Bride

7 Ways Of Using Flowers At Your Beach Wedding

Based on my own experience of my own wedding by the beach, FLOWERS rather play a huge part of my beach theme wedding, and for normal beach weddings anywhere. I didn't concentrate much on working on the flowers to put on the aisle or at the venue, my only worry was my BOUQUET and for BRIDESMAIDS too.

During my early 20's, I used to see beach weddings which were very simple. Not many brides opt to have a beach theme wedding so they can save money, but because they wanted to have a very unique wedding to treasure for a lifetime, or because they’d rather not have a huge chapel ceremony. Fortunately, with beach theme weddings, the ocean serves as a backdrop, minimizing the need for decorations. With a few simple arrangements, you can make your beach wedding ceremony and reception stand out from the crowd.

Photo below was an example of how we decorated our beach wedding, we exchanged our vows surrounded with fresh flowers....

1. Living Plants
So many brides use cut flowers for beach wedding reception centerpieces that it has become the tradition. You can actually use living plants, however, as your reception centerpieces and even allow the guests to take them home after the festivities. This is a greener and cheaper way to create the look you want for your beach theme wedding!

2. Table Arrangements

Centerpieces on the beach wedding reception tables are very traditional, but depending on your table set up, you might be able to attach table arrangements to the edge of your table. This is a great way to display floral sprays! If you can’t use them for every table, you can really make an impression by using floral sprays on the edge of the cake table and the bride and groom’s table.

3. Incorporate Flower Balls

Flower balls are a unique way to use flowers at your wedding, whether you choose to use silk flowers or fresh ones. They’re easy to make – you can even make them yourself – and they look great at your wedding. You can use them as bridesmaid bouquets or hanging arrangements and they’re versatile enough to go anywhere.

4. Hanging Arrangements

Hanging arrangements add vertical depth to your wedding ceremony and reception, drawing the eye upwards and making your décor appear fuller, even if the décor is quite simple. This is a great way to fill out a simple beach wedding. Use plant hanging stands or other types of hanging stands to line the aisles with floral arrangements that sway above the guests, or do something similar at the altar for a more unique look.

5. Flank Arrangements

You can use pedestals or other types of stands to create floral flank arrangements that normally stand where bridesmaids and groomsmen stand. This is a great way to add depth to your ceremony if you don’t have bridesmaids or groomsmen or if your wedding is small.

6. Aisle Flowers

Consider using more than just rose petals to sprinkle down the sandy aisle. You can create your aisle with rows of small bouquets, or you can simply use a lush carpet of flower petals. This will draw attention to you as you walk down the aisle.

7. Pedestal Flowers

Skip the traditional wedding arch and instead use a pedestal with a lovely flower arrangement on top. The height of a pedestal should come up to your knees or thighs, but no higher than your waist. This puts the focus on you and your groom rather than your ceremony flowers, yet still gives you that special touch that ties everything together.

Make yours as distinctive as possible. This may be one of the major expenses you have to consider, but it is worth paying much money after looking at your photographs.

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Helpful Articles for your Beach Wedding Planning:
10 Unique Ideas For Beach Wedding
Beach Wedding Ceremony Ideas
Beach Wedding Brides
Flower Guide For Your Beach Wedding
The Wedding Flower Guide For Every Bride
My Wedding Day - Part IV: Reception By The Beach
My Tips To Have A Very Unique Beach Wedding
Choosing Your Beach Wedding Gown
My Wedding Day - Part II: Ceremony By the Beach
My Wedding Day - Part I: Procession Going To The Beach

10 Unique Ideas For Beach Wedding Reception

When I was still planning my own wedding, after we have had decided to have a beach wedding, I WAS EXTREMELY EXCITED EVERY MOMENT IN MY PLANNING PERIOD! I remember I used to imagine what was gonna be like when we get to Mauritius. In fact, I even fantasized and envisioned for tens of sleeping nights, it was like my eyes were closed but my mind and spirit were flying. Thanks God it was finally over, this was my very first feelings the moment everybody had flown back to their respective countries!

My BEACH WEDDING RECEPTION was the finale of all of my hard work and the celebration of the union between my husband and myself. Of course, we wanted or you want it to be perfect in every way possible! Here are 10 unique ways to decorate your beach theme wedding, without overstretching your wedding budget. These are all based on my own experience, though our reception area was all organized by the resort personnel, which really turned out to be ABSOLUTELY STUNNING!!

Please click here to read the story of my Wedding Reception by the Beach of Le Canonnier in Mauritius....Enjoy reading...


1. Remember to have fun at your beach theme wedding reception! Your wedding is about you - plan ahead so there are people around to take care of the details and you can relax and enjoy your new husband and your celebration.


2. Consider having your beach wedding reception much later in the evening, when the sun is well on its way to setting. It's important to keep your guests cool and comfortable and outdoor temperatures are at their highest in the afternoon and early evening.

3. Serve a variety of fresh fruits and light fare, such as salads. Beach wedding receptions tend to be warmer and most guests won't want to dine on heavy foods like steaks and chicken.

4. You should also skip the confetti. Like balloons, confetti is dangerous to the local environment and wildlife and is more difficult to clean up. Unless you're having an indoor beach wedding reception, you're better off without confetti altogether.

5. Unless you're going with a whimsical theme, for a beach theme wedding reception you're better off going without balloons. Not only are these dangerous for the environment and wildlife should they get loose and pop, they don't do an elegant beach wedding justice.

6. For an elegant look, keep your beach wedding reception décor to a minimum. Overwhelming the area with dozens of trinkets and lots of colors will only serve to make your décor look to busy or thrown together.

7. Use real, natural sea finds for your beach wedding reception table decoration instead of purchasing bags of seashells, dried starfish or even sand dollars. Go out on the beach in the early morning and see what you can find - spend some time cleaning them and letting them dry. They'll make incredibly inexpensive yet beautiful decorations!

8. Try incorporating lanterns instead of candles. Candles can be blown out easily, even by just a simple gust of wind. Lanterns offer protection for the flame and many of them even last longer than candles, so your reception will be elegantly lit well into the night.

9. Consider a pool side beach reception. Bear in mind that a reception right on the sand can be quite messy - sand is going to go everywhere. Many resorts and destinations offer pools and areas that are right next to the beach - offering you incredible beach views while keeping your reception perfect.

10. Use white! White is the most traditional and popular wedding colors, and it works beautifully for beach theme wedding receptions. Use white table linens, napkins, china and even flowers. To jazz up an all white beach theme reception, try employing a number of different textures, such as lace and satin.

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Related articles:
My Wedding Day Part IV: Reception By The Beach
Part I: Procession (Marching Going to the Beach)
Part II: My Wedding Ceremony (By the Beach)
Part III: My Wedding Day Photo Shoots
Tips To Have A Unique Beach Wedding Reception
Making The Best of Your Hot Summer Wedding
Tips For A Perfect Beach Wedding
Planning A Destination Wedding