Ahhh,
the beach. Images of children frolicking in the sand,
beach ball games abound, scantily clad men and women
of all ages basking in the warmth of the sun or swimming
in the nearby water. There's more to this picture with
sand castles, the sound of the waves, a couple exchanging
wedding vows, and shells on the beach side.
Wait.
A couple exchanging wedding vows?
Now
that brings visions of sand-peppered cake, overturned
table settings blown by the sea wind, barely audible
voices of the couple and the priest. Generally, it depicts
a ceremony that would have majority of the attendees
wishing the couple just chose the safe and run-of-the-mill
church wedding with customary hotel reception.
But
Kim and his wife Leslie would not have had it any other
way. Read on and find out why their beach wedding was
an occasion that remains to be memorable to them and
to all who were there.
Why
a beach wedding?
Leslie
in her beach wedding dress
"We
wanted our wedding to be memorable, not only for us but also
for our guests. We've been to lots of weddings held within
the metropolis, and quite honestly, we don't remember whose
was held where."
"The
beach offered the perfect backdrop that, in our opinion, couldn't
be replicated. Nothing beats the feel of cool sand beneath
your feet, the sweet smelling sea breeze, the sound of lapping
waves and the surf fizzling on the beach."
"The beach doesn't have the 'stiffness' unavoidably felt with
the 'usual' wedding setups. In line with our Hawaiian luau
theme, guests had the option to come in casual attire, contributing
to the relaxed feel of the entire event."
"We wanted the ceremony to be held on the beach itself, near
the water, so our guests would have the luxury of enjoying
the scenery and not have to 'endure' the entire ceremony.
More importantly, we wanted our guests to remember our wedding
as a pleasantly different experience for years to come."
Kim
and Leslie
What
were your initial concerns?
Location.
We wanted the location to be semi-exclusive. So that
we could do what we wanted with the place and not have
to think of 'unwanted' guests."
"We
ended up renting the entire BALAI sa LAIYA resort; a
semi secluded resort with this rustic / Mediterranean-ish
2-story structure w/ its own deck."
"Directions.
We needed to make a detailed MAP."
"Transportation. We knew we had to provide transportation
for the band, Hula dancers, photographer/ videographer,
etc."
"Accommodations.
We assumed that most of the guests would opt to stay overnight."
"Activities
before the wedding. We initially planned on having activities
for those who would be coming early."
What
were your problems and the solutions to these problems?
"The
biggest issue was contacting our guests a month before
the wedding to find out if they needed or wanted accommodations,
and whether they were planning to stay the night, etc.
Then, having to book each and every one of them. We
ended up reserving a lot of the rooms from two nearby
resorts."
"Transportation
was also a big issue. We had to provide transportation
for the band, Hula dancers, make-up artists, florist,
photographer, videographer, etc. We had to procure a
bus and several other vehicles. Thankfully, most of
these were supplied by friends, free of charge."
Did
you know?
The
lei is the Hawaiian symbol of love and aloha.
The custom of giving and receiving leis
at weddings began in the days of old Hawaii.
During
the ceremony the kahuna pule (religious
man) bound the hands of the bride and groom
with maile leis as a symbol of the couple's
commitment to each other.
Would you recommend couples planning to get married to
have a beach wedding?
"If
a couple really wanted a beach wedding then yes, we'd say
go for it. It will be a rewarding and memorable experience.
Just make sure that both of you agree on it. Setting the whole
thing up will obviously take more effort compared to planning
a conventional wedding. More effort doesn't necessarily mean
it's more expensive."
"More
importantly, don't dwell too much on what others may think,
or what you think others will expect from YOUR wedding. Remember
that it's YOUR wedding, not theirs."
"An
added plus to the whole setup is that most of your guests
will be coming early, to enjoy the beach. Once they arrive
they can do their thing. No hurrying, no tense moments, cramming
to get dressed and apply make-up. The whole informal/ festive
mood dissipates the hustle and bustle we experience when preparing
to attend weddings."
Kim
and Leslie
with the green and yellow motif entourage
What
were the wedding highlights?
"We
tried to personalize some parts of the wedding rites.
For example, instead of using candles for the unity
ceremony, we used torches, ala 'Survivor'."
"The
banquet/reception was well received. The roasted calf,
the fruits, and the grilled food, together with the
music from the Makiling Ensemble completed the luau
theme."
"We
scheduled the Hula presentation towards the end as our finale.
They did different Hawaiian dances complete with costumes
and a fire breather."
What
are your pointers and suggestions?
"The
key is to visualize the overall effect of what you want the
wedding to FEEL like. Then, deciding from there which
details are a MUST to deliver that effect. Sourcing
WHO to hire and WHAT materials to use is easier
once a PLAN is laid out. Just keep in mind that there
are a lot of sources out there that are not in the 'wedding'
business, but can be utilized nonetheless. Example: bands
don't have to be wedding bands. The photographer or videographer
doesn't necessarily have to come from a 'wedding' outfit.
Same goes for the wedding gown, the caterer, the menu, etc."
The
couple and their sponsors
What
are the problem areas to be expected?
"TRANSPORTATION,
confirm and re-confirm your bookings. Supply the drivers with
a 'DETAILED' MAP, walk them through it even. ACCOMMODATIONS,
since your guests would be traveling a considerable distance,
make sure they have a place to lounge before the wedding.
Again,
confirm and reconfirm bookings. For the SOUND SYSTEM,
make sure they are ready to compensate for slight wind issues
since it is an open-air event."
"Also,
expect a turnout that is more than your guest list. Yup, better
believe it. Our guest list had 200 names listed; we assumed
that since it was a far off place, the turnout would be a
little less than 200. Lo and behold, 270 people showed up.
Some guests that we thought wouldn't or couldn't show up did.
It was a good thing that the resort was prepared to accommodate
the extra guests. Some even brought along their family and
friends. Ha-ha, we were actually pleasantly surprised that
more people got to experience the whole thing with us."
The
Hawaiian luau theme - lei, hula dance, fire dance, torches
Kim
and Leslie learned by doing what they wanted with their wedding
that it need not be what everyone expects, instead they had
a wedding that was truly memorable for them and their guests.
They did this on a sunny day with the sea breeze gently rustling
the bride's gown, with the natives giving a part of their
culture through dance, while a succulent feast was laid. And
as the couple said their vows, the sand served as the ground
and the sky the roof of what was truly a wonderful wedding.
And one could only sum up the experience with a smile and
with the phrase, "Ahhh, the beach."
