Posts Tagged ‘beach wedding’

The last beach wedding that I attended was a real nightmare. It didn’t start out that way.

It began in the early evening down in South Florida. The bride had timed things so that she and her husband-to-be were framed by the setting sun as they each said “I do.”

It was about then that my left calf started to itch. Then my right. I scratched discreetly, and noticed grandma doing the same thing. She looked at me and we both looked at the bride, who was standing barefoot in the sand. Holding her new husband’s hands, she balanced on one foot while ever so slowly and delicately, her right foot started to stroke her left ankle and calf.

We had all been attacked by something that we couldn’t see. Or hear. Or even feel, until it was too late.

We now know that the culprit was sand fleas (sometimes called no-see-ums or sand flies). Although none of us had thought to take precautions beforehand, my cousin Sue who considers herself something of a bug expert, sent somebody to the nearest drugstore to get some liquid Benadryl that quickly soothed everybody’s skin.

After that wedding was over, I decided that I wouldn’t want to face that nightmare ever again. The best way to prevent that, it seemed, was to educate myself on preventative measures.

I learned that sand fleas are found up and down the Atlantic Coast, from Greenland through the United States and to the southern tip of South America. You can find them on Caribbean beaches and even on many beaches on the west coast. One notable place that has – so far – been spared the presence of the critters is Hawaii.

These tiny insects have no wings but, they have powerful hind legs that enable them to jump 12 to 13 inches and then give their fierce bites. And because they are so small and quiet, we got bitten before we were even aware that sand fleas were in the area.

Covering up would have helped enormously, but who wants to wear knee-high sox to a beach wedding, no matter how informal it is? It would have been a no-brainer to spread a beach towel on the ground beneath the chair I sat in during the ceremony, but that would have protected me only during the time that I was sitting. The sand fleas are most active around sunset, but that time can stretch to maybe an hour.

The bride, if she had only known, could have placed the wedding site a little better. Because the sand fleas tend to breed and live in organic material (such as seaweed on the beach), everyone would have been safer if the festivities were held well above the high tide mark. Sand fleas don’t wander more than about 350 feet from their breeding area.

The advice we’ve received from insect experts is that our best sand flea protection would have been a good spray of DEET to our feet and legs. The product, which is available at garden supply shops and even many beach area drugstores and supermarkets, comes in various strengths. The very diluted forms are not going to give enough protection to last more than 30 minutes or so. So I’ll be looking for a strength recommended for deep forests, even though I won’t be near many trees the next time I attend a beach wedding. But as a free bonus, I’ll have protection against mosquitoes, too!

Great news! You can still save big bucks on many aspects of your wedding without sacrificing your style.

Because it’s a beach wedding, forget about the full wedding entourage. The laid back quality of a beach wedding immediately changes the wardrobe requirements. Think about mini-dresses, flip flops, chinos, and the like for your beach wedding. They’re cheaper than gowns and tuxedoes for a traditional church ceremony. Another great tip would be to scour outside of the bridal stores in searching for your wedding dress and that of the wedding entourage. If the store has the word “bridal” in its name, it’s likely to be more expensive than if it doesn’t.

Recycle family jewelry. You don’t have to have designer wedding bands. Moms and grandmothers are often delighted that the next generations will be wearing jewelry that has meant so much to them.

Plan your menu so that it’s appropriate for a beach wedding venue. You don’t have to choose a five course menu for your flip flop clad guests. Embrace casual and laid back by opting for a barbecue or a sit down buffet. This would not only be less labor for the caterers, but would also prove more beneficial to your budget.

Have some of your guests role-play dj. Not only will save on dj’s fees but your guests will have fun getting into the act.

It’s safe to downplay one aspect of your beach wedding so you can splurge on some other.

Forget about the gourmet cake so that you can hire that top photographer. Simply, think about what is more important to you and enjoy the luxury of spending more on that. Even if that means ditching the traditional, it’s your beach wedding and it’s always your call.

Be well read when it comes to wedding ideas and feel free to innovate. Do your homework on supplies, suppliers and most importantly: bargains.

Think about seasons, availability of materials, weather and the like to minimize extra expenditure. If you think about how fabulous your bouquet would look with some particular exotic flower, you might want to think about the extra buck you would shell out for a special order. It would also be sensible to get to know your beach wedding venue as well as you can. This way you could take advantage of what is abundant and inexpensive in the locality.

In the end, it is always wiser to have a budget, stick to it and live debt-free after getting married. Now that makes for the perfect beach wedding.