(Closed) Pros and Cons for Beach, Garden or Church Wedding

• beachbride1216
• 5 years ago

• Wedding: November 2013 - St. Augustine Beach, FL

I had a beach wedding in November in Florida.  The weather was almost perfect.  Upper 70s/lower 80s all day.  It was cloudy and rainy in the morning but it cleared up just in time for our vows.  Since it was early November and the low season for tourists, there was nobody on the beach so no photobmbs from beachgoers.  If you get married on the beach during the summer there will likely be beachgoers in the background of your photos.  Also, the further South you go (i.e. Miami and the Keys), the more beachgoers you will have even during the winter months.

Beach Wedding Pros:  Pictures were beautiful and exactly the wedding I dreamed of

Beach Wedding Cons:  Very hot and crowded during summer months

• Emjai101
• 5 years ago

• Wedding: October 2014

@beachbride1216:  The biggest concern for me will be the rain, I am going to plan a garden wedding and the places I am looking at I am making sure they have a wet weather option in case it rains.

• beachbride1216
• 5 years ago

• Wedding: November 2013 - St. Augustine Beach, FL

@Emjai101:  Good point about having a backup plan in case of rain.  We had a backup plan to hold the wedding inside overlooking the beach if it continued to rain.  Not as great as our first option but at least everyone would be dry.

• Emjai101
• 5 years ago

• Wedding: October 2014

@beachbride1216:  Well at least if it does rain you will still be overlooking the beach, that sounds lovely. I have been looking online at golf clubs in the area, the dry weather areas are absolutely stunning, big lovely rotunda under a nice shady tree backing onto a lake but unfortunately if it rains the wet weather option we wont get that lovely view but we will be dry so that’s the main thing 🙂

• Firemansgirl
• 5 years ago

• Wedding: August 2013

I had a garden wedding and it was beautiful 🙂 honestly can’t think of any cons because the flowers were all in bloom making for a beautiful setting 🙂

• Firemansgirl
• 5 years ago

• Wedding: August 2013

• aliavenue
• 5 years ago

• Wedding: August 2012

If could do it over again, I would have an indoor wedding. While my outdoor wedding was pretty, it would have been easier/more comfortable if we had chosen an indoor venue.

• otto2008
• 5 years ago

@Firemansgirl:  please tell me you were in Southern California. that venue is nice!!

• sunflower22
• 5 years ago

• Wedding: February 2015

I ruled out “garden wedding” when I was about 10 years old because of bees! Almost 20 years later, my opinion has not changed.

• Firemansgirl
• 5 years ago

• Wedding: August 2013

@otto2008:  thank you so much! The venue is in california but it’s central California 🙂

• Scorpio88
• 5 years ago

• Wedding: May 2015

The only cons I can think of for a beach or garden wedding would be the uncontrollable weather. Rain and storms in particular worry me. Pros would obviously be the gorgeous backdrops and photo ops.

That said, we are having a beach wedding at a local winery. I’m so determined to have a beach wedding that I actually chose our wedding date based on historic rain figures haha.  In the past 10 years, it’s only rained once on the date we chose (last year) and that was less than a mm of rain.

I think having a back up plan if you go with an outdoor wedding is the best idea.

• JenGirl
• 5 years ago

• Wedding: August 2013

I had a backyard wedding, which is most like a garden wedding.

Pros were amazing scenary that didn’t need much decoration. I was also going for a more casual feel, and I think it’s easier to do that (and not look trashy) outside. Personall, I also feel closer to my version of God outside. And I just plan like being outside. And I’m always too cold in air conditioning.

Cons were that you can’t have a cry room in the middle of a field. But we had about 15 kids under the age of 12 and I never heard them during he ceremony. Also, it was kind of hot. But we had seating in the shade, provided cold water/lemonade/tea before the ceremony, and made our programs into hand fans so it wasn’t a problem.

After it’s all said and done, I’m completely thrilled with our venue choice.

• Ruby-Redshoes
• 5 years ago

• Wedding: October 2014

@weddingspy27:  

I think you can mostly figure out the pros by yourself (since you know more about the packages, individual venues, and climate available to you) so I’m going to be super negative and point out all of the cons I can think of.  

Beach wedding: 

If it’s at all cold that day it will probably be freezing by the ocean 

There is no cry room outdoors

This or this could happen 

People can easily walk by and they will probably stop to gawk at your wedding 

Sea birds. That is all. 

If you get married near a resort then there is a chance of noise 

If you can’t get married on a private beach then there is a chance of noise, or accidental interruptions of some kind

If it rains there is no indoor option 

You will have to schedule your wedding around the tide, which may not be convenient

It’s potentially dangerous for children in attendance who can’t swim 

The children in attendance could easily get wet 

Garden wedding: 

There may not be an indoor option 

If you’re getting married in December there won’t be a ton of things blooming, which takes away a major pro

There is no cry room outdoors

There may be a lot of insects 

It may be too hot or cold outside depending on where you are and the time of year

IMO garden weddings can sometimes be a little lacklustre 

The children in attendance will have to be supervised carefully so they don’t destroy any of the flowers

The children could easily get dirty 

Church wedding: 

Generally speaking, there’s nothing particularly breathtaking about the inside of your average church  

The decor of the church may be less than ideal and there may not be a lot you can do to change that

A church is less of a blank canvas to decorate and it will be harder to construct your vision 

There may be a lot of restrictions on photographers

You will not be able to choose your officiant 

IMO church weddings can sometimes be a little lacklustre 

If you have a wedding during mass, anyone can attend

If things are thrown off schedule you might be more rushed in a church because there may be other weddings taking place

The children in attendance may get bored and fidgety