Wedding Ceremony Ideas?

[raysnkaysmom]

Hey guys...
I don't get by here much anymore.. but wanted some advice, and I know DISers are good at that

My fiance' and I got engaged on Xmas Eve, and have had our heart set on a beach wedding long before he popped the question. Last night, we got to talking, and have pretty much talked ourselves out of it for the reason of the little ones. Sage will be 2.5 and Ella will be 18 months at our wedding. We were going to rent a beach house for the whole family and get married in the sand. Now, we had the terrifying thought of something happenign to the babies, such as with all the commmotion and amount of people in the house, our full attention would be split many places, and we'd never forgive ourselves if they got out, attracted to the water.
Overprotective probably, but I dont think we'll be talked back into a ceremony in the sand...
So... we want other ideas!! We still love a beach 'theme' and have thought about one of those chartered boats (he's scared of that too with the babies, I say it's not easily acccessible to just fall in the water!!) or some place that is indoors but with ocean view??
We're looking at any place in Florida.. prefer Orlando and north (east/west) (can't afford the Disney wedding...lol)

ANy boat wedding experiences or other ideas???

Thanks!!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I took my dd to a beach wedding when she was 23 months that required walking down the steep side of a cliff (in Hawaii). We also live near a beach, so it wasn't her first time seeing the water. I can understand the fear of little ones near water, but it is entirely doable. I'd take an ocean shore over a boat any day of the week. It is completely different than the river or even a pool.

As for ideas--Since you are getting married, you are going to have to need someone fully in charge of those little ones. Just keep that in mind and figure out who you can trust to delegate that responsiblity. They will not be able to be fully attentive to the wedding as a result, but you really will need that so that you can enjoy your day (assuming these are your children that is!)

If you wish for a beach themed wedding and depending on your budget--you can create that theme indoors easily. Shells can be collected or purchased, you can get some sand and bring it indoors at a cooperative venue.

If you search along the Florida Coast line, you can find some hotels and bed and breakfasts to accomodate a coastal themed wedding. And much cheaper than Disney.

I'm assuming this is a destination wedding. Have you considered a cruise ship?

I would take the beach over a charter boat--but a cruise ship would be okay.

 

[raysnkaysmom]

I took my dd to a beach wedding when she was 23 months that required walking down the steep side of a cliff (in Hawaii). We also live near a beach, so it wasn't her first time seeing the water. I can understand the fear of little ones near water, but it is entirely doable. I'd take an ocean shore over a boat any day of the week. It is completely different than the river or even a pool.

As for ideas--Since you are getting married, you are going to have to need someone fully in charge of those little ones. Just keep that in mind and figure out who you can trust to delegate that responsiblity. They will not be able to be fully attentive to the wedding as a result, but you really will need that so that you can enjoy your day (assuming these are your children that is!)

If you wish for a beach themed wedding and depending on your budget--you can create that theme indoors easily. Shells can be collected or purchased, you can get some sand and bring it indoors at a cooperative venue.

If you search along the Florida Coast line, you can find some hotels and bed and breakfasts to accomodate a coastal themed wedding. And much cheaper than Disney.

I'm assuming this is a destination wedding. Have you considered a cruise ship?

I would take the beach over a charter boat--but a cruise ship would be okay.

We are doing a cruise for our honeymoon, and we are paying to have all the family fly in and their accomodations and such, so we want to avoid the cost of a cruise for each as well (paying for 20). Aside from the fact, my stepmom is afraid of ships.... she said she might can tolerate a small one if she can still see land for the 3-4 hrs of a ceremony/reception...lol
And, yes, we have people (grandparents) who will be with the babies, but the stress of worrying is something we dont want for the wedding.. lol. Our son was at the beach this past summer, has NO fear.
Then, we are also contemplating maybe going ahead and doing the sand ceremony but NOT renting the beach house.... We can probably handle it for that short time frame

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

We are doing a cruise for our honeymoon, and we are paying to have all the family fly in and their accomodations and such, so we want to avoid the cost of a cruise for each as well (paying for 20). Aside from the fact, my stepmom is afraid of ships.... she said she might can tolerate a small one if she can still see land for the 3-4 hrs of a ceremony/reception...lol
And, yes, we have people (grandparents) who will be with the babies, but the stress of worrying is something we dont want for the wedding.. lol. Our son was at the beach this past summer, has NO fear.
Then, we are also contemplating maybe going ahead and doing the sand ceremony but NOT renting the beach house.... We can probably handle it for that short time frame

I would definitely avoid a boat at all costs then and try to incorporate a coastal theme or perhaps an "Old Florida" theme or something at a venue that is not near the water.


I wish I could be of more assistance. My area lacks proper "waterfront" venues that are indoors. Our venue was at an officers club b/c it was teh only place where the reception room had a full view of the ocean. (other ocean front hotels had their ballroom space towards teh front of the building.) The club burned down several years later.

Our colors were a royal blue and platinum and we utilized disney themed decor. The room was called the Space and Missile Room and had pics of rockets and stuff. Had I been a space nut, I could have done that theme. But they weren't a distraction at all.

My SIL is having her wedding at the aquarium in Tampa March. So she'll get the full ocean theme without setting foot near an ocean. She has 120+ guests and it is not exactly cheap. But something similar may be an option at other places in Florida.

 

[tinker&belle]

http://www.mouseweddings.com/wdwwedding.html

Here is a link about having a wedding not through DFTW but suggests hotels in DTD area to have a Disney wedding for an affordable price. It says you can even still have characters at the wedding but for a much more affordable price. I don't know how much these are but stumbled upon them once.

 

[tzolkin]

My best friend was married at a hotel (the Hilton maybe?) in the Melbourne Beach area. There was a covered deck that overlooked the ocean. (It was on flat ground with sand around three sides and the sidewalk along the back, so no railings or anything that a child could fall off.) The bride and groom stood in the sand and the guests were all seated under the roof. The reception was inside the hotel with windows overlooking the ocean.

There were several small children at the wedding and no one even went down onto the beach so there was no way they could get near the water. You could see the beach, but the guests never went onto the sand.

Maybe something like this would work for you. You will have the beach feel, but won't be so close to the water that the little ones are tempted to run off.

 

[raysnkaysmom]

http://www.mouseweddings.com/wdwwedding.html

Here is a link about having a wedding not through DFTW but suggests hotels in DTD area to have a Disney wedding for an affordable price. It says you can even still have characters at the wedding but for a much more affordable price. I don't know how much these are but stumbled upon them once.

I couldnt get that link to work..
I am waiting on some info on Swan and Dolphin though

 

[raysnkaysmom]

I couldnt get that link to work..
I am waiting on some info on Swan and Dolphin though

I got the link to work..my computer is screwy!

Thanks...I'm going to inquire at the other options as well.
If I can't be at the beach... Disney is next best

 

[antmaril]

My brother-in-law and his wife were married on the "Marco Island Princess". It was lovely.

 

[golfgal]

What about bringing along a nanny for the kids and keeping your beach wedding? You could still get married on a beach but just not stay in a beachfront cottage? A friend got married in Charleston on a beach but they stayed in downtown Charleston. I would be less nervous about a beach wedding then having kids climbing on boat railings personally.

What about getting married at a golf resort? Generally the grounds are very lovely, you could all stay there and keep it simple and not have to worry about transportation, etc.

 

[raysnkaysmom]

What about bringing along a nanny for the kids and keeping your beach wedding? You could still get married on a beach but just not stay in a beachfront cottage? A friend got married in Charleston on a beach but they stayed in downtown Charleston. I would be less nervous about a beach wedding then having kids climbing on boat railings personally.

What about getting married at a golf resort? Generally the grounds are very lovely, you could all stay there and keep it simple and not have to worry about transportation, etc.

My stepmom is the one who keeps the babies during the day, and we trust her over anyone else.... but, we know it would still make us nervous. But, yeah, we might can do the beach wedding, but stay elsewhere....

And, yeah...my fiance is worried about the boat too...lol

 

[sandyewillson]

A wedding is usually considered as a ceremony or ritual to bring two hearts in a perpetual bond of love and affection. It is really a unforgettable moment in everyone's life.


Be outstanding and think outside of the box, if you want to create a memorable wedding.

Here is the great idea....

When the heart shape is drawn in rose petals at your ceremony site, even your grumpy old uncle will be asking for an extra hankie.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

A boat would be worse with little ones than getting married on the beach. I know, we own a boat.

I would stick with the beach instead of a beach theme. I think your original idea is cool.