16 Elegant Beach Wedding Ideas
Is anything as romantic as a walk on the beach, especially when that walk is to the altar to start your life with your soulmate?
Obviously, we are beach-lovers here at Grit & Grace Studio. We believe few things are as sweet and dreamy as saying your vows with your toes in the sand and the kiss of salt spray on your skin. Whether you're saying "I do" on Charleston's charming Folly Beach or some exotic shore, you'll surely want your beach wedding to be an elegant, unforgettable affair.
We've put our heads together and compiled the ultimate list of sophisticated, breathtaking beach wedding ideas for your big day, from our Moxie Sea Glass Bridesmaid Necklaces to hand-painted ocean-inspired wedding cakes.
Pop some champagne and fire up your Pinterest board, ladies, and let the wedding planning begin!
16 Unique Ideas for Your Elegant Beach Wedding
Hand-painted Beach Wedding Cake
Let them eat cake… a gorgeous, hand-painted wedding cake! We love the sophisticated, refined coloration of this masterpiece by The Cedar Room, which is reminiscent of the ocean’s waves meeting the shore, for an elegant beach wedding. The fine gold lines add a touch of romance and whimsy that any couple is sure to love.
photo credit: Jenna Marie Weddings
planning: Pure Luxe Bride
Welcome the pearls in your life with their own personalized Oyster Place Cards. Each lovingly hand-painted shell is a gift that gives back: Grit & Grace Studio is proud to recycle 10 oyster shells from area restaurants to local oyster reef restoration projects. Let our in-house calligraphers adorn your Oyster Place Cards with your loved ones’ names, your wedding date, or the location of your beach wedding.
Modern Wedding Arbor
Set the stage for a heart-melting surfside ceremony with a chic, contemporary wedding arbor. The refined lines will frame you and your beloved against a breathtaking backdrop of waves and sand as you say your vows. Embellish your ceremony site with a colorful rug and a cluster of vibrant blooms or sophisticated greenery for a bohemian vibe.
photo credit: Melissa Miley
Live Wedding Painting
Celebrate your love for the masterpiece it is by commissioning a live painting of your gorgeous beach wedding. Professionally trained artists, such as Ben Keys of Wed on Canvas, immortalize your big day and capture the emotion and energy in a way that will captivate you and call up your most tender memories for years to come.
While having a painter working on-site in real-time is delightful and an entertaining conversation-starter for your guests, you can also commission a wedding painting from your favorite photograph.
photo credit: The Happy Bloom
The world is your oyster on your wedding day! Keep track of your wedding rings or that special something borrowed with our classic, romantic Something Blue Oyster Jewelry Dish. These handcrafted gilded oyster dishes are available in 6 timeless prints, ranging from bold florals to playful sparrows, so you can choose the bridal style that best suits your beach wedding decor.
Boat Departure
Sail off into the sunset (literally) after your elegant beach wedding. A boat departure from your reception is unforgettable and romantic, giving you and your new spouse a sweet, private moment to savor the memories of your big day. Consider renting a private sailboat for the occasion, and don’t forget to stash some champagne aboard!
Tropical Signature Cocktails
Life’s a beach with these adorable signature cocktails, complete with festive flamingo umbrellas and colorful glassware. Set up a vibrant, Instagram-worthy drink display to welcome loved ones to your beach wedding ceremony or pass out these playful libations with savory snacks to kick off an evening of revelry.
photo credit: Kelly Dillon Photography
Vintage Van Photo Booth
It’ll be good vibes only when you surprise your guests with a photo booth housed in a vintage VW van! This set up from Little White Box melds the nostalgia of a 1970s surf trip with elegant, black-tie worthy event entertainment. Y’all will have a blast, and you just might find some real gems (or blackmail fodder) among those late-night photos at your farewell brunch.
photo credit: Aaron & Jillian Photography
Always a beach babe, and today a bride! Incorporate the beauty of the sea into your wedding day look with a pair of ocean-inspired bridal earrings, such as our Kiawah Island Earrings. The delicate, elegant design of these handcrafted earrings emulates the iconic beauty of our native sea grasses against the ocean’s shimmering waves, and the aqua hydro quartz pendants are a dainty “something blue” for good luck.
Shellebrate the natural beauty of the sea by incorporating our Gilded Oyster Garland into your tablescapes. These hand-painted oyster shells are available in creamy natural or our delicate Tea Revelry Decoupage pattern, and the purchase of either option benefits the Grit & Grace Studio oyster shell recycling program, which has returned more than 5,000 gallons of shells to local reef restoration projects.
photo credit: @treehouseverobeach
Customized Beach Wedding Invitations
Make waves by inviting your loved ones to your beach wedding with a customized watercolor of your seashore or landscape of choice. We adore these by Studio R in Charleston, and your unique artwork can be printed on your invitation suite or the inside of your envelopes as a darling surprise.
photo credit: Anne Rhett Photography
Romantic Boho Beach Hairstyle
Channel elegant, bohemian beach vibes with a romantic, half-up hairstyle like this beauty from Lashes & Lace. We’re smitten with the soft, touchable look and sophisticated braid work; it’s the perfect beach meets bridal look for an intimate oceanside ceremony or luxurious destination wedding.
photo credit: Demi Mabry LaFratta
Celebrate finding your other half with our perfectly paired, adorable “I do” and “Me too” Gilded Oyster Ring Dishes. These sweet, handcrafted dishes will bring a smile to your face for years to come as you reflect on your gorgeous beach wedding.
These elegant, playful oyster jewelry dishes are also gifts that give back. Grit & Grace Studio is proud to recycle 10 oyster shells back from Charleston restaurants back to our Lowcountry oyster reef restoration projects for each handcrafted jewelry dish purchased.
Mobile Oyster Shucker for Cocktail Hour
It’s going to be a shell of a good time with a team of personalized oyster shuckers at your cocktail hour! Oysters XO specializes in mobile oyster catering, straight from local oyster farms to your reception. Your oyster expert will pluck a chilled oyster from a bin at their waist, shuck the shell, and serve up your delicious fresh oyster for you to enjoy. We can’t think of anything more unique or elegant for a beach wedding! Just remember, nothing says “love” like recycling those precious oyster shells to the sea via your local oyster reef restoration projects.
Give your bridesmaid a gift that’s as beautiful and thoughtful as she is. We designed our Moxie Necklace as a token of the wearer’s strength and fortitude. Just as rough waters turned this broken shard of sea glass into a polished, luminous treasure, so stormy waters give rise to strong mermaids.
The lovely gold-rimmed pendant rests on a delicate pearl-wrapped chain. Choose from 3 vibrant hues and 21” or 31” inch chains to tailor these bridesmaid necklaces to your beach wedding aesthetic.
Elegant Custom Couture Beach Wedding Gown
For your “something new,” why not opt for a dress that’s uniquely YOU. Custom couture wedding gowns set our hearts aflutter; we love the idea of a dress that’s as special as the woman who wears it. Charleston-based designer Emily Kotarski handcrafted this ethereal beach wedding dress, and we adore the graceful silhouette and movement. Emily works with each bride to cultivate a distinctive, one-of-a-kind gown for the event of a lifetime.
photo credit: Julie Livingston Photography
We wish you an ocean of love to withstand the sands of time for your wedding day, and Grit & Grace Studio is here for all your needs.
Let us inscribe your guests’ names on our Oyster Place Cards or Oyster Napkin Rings for beach wedding decor that also serves as an heirloom party favor they’ll treasure for years to come.
Shop our collection of bridal earrings for timeless ocean-inspired looks. Let the Seabrook Earrings channel the hope and joy of a sunrise over the waves, or celebrate the power of the sea meeting the land with the Kiawah Island Earrings.
Finally, don’t forget to spoil your bride tribe with a carefully curated Bridesmaid Gift Basket or Bridesman Gift! It would be our pleasure to add a handwritten, personalized calligraphy note as you thank them for their love and friendship through life’s ebbs and flows.
One Love & Blessings,