Planning your wedding is such an exciting time. You get to personalize everything, so even down to the last detail, your wedding day is full of memories and meaning. It helps to plan all these details if you have a theme to go by. Choosing a wedding theme is a big job, since there are so many themes brides can choose from. If you’re the kind of person who feels at home on a boat and loves the open water, having a nautical themed wedding might be the idea that’s calling you.
Prepare yourself for your nautical wedding by doing some quick research into what a nautical theme can mean when the decorating is put into action. Read on to find everything you need to pull off a nautical themed wedding. You’ll find that it can help you narrow down things like what you want your color scheme to be and how you’ll set up the reception tables. Checking everything off your list now will make the time you have to wait for your wedding to arrive feel like it’s flying by.
Seashell Table Decorations
Typical reception tables feature things like flower vases and place settings, but what does that look like when it’s crossed with a nautical theme? You can maximize the nautical feel for your guests by sprinkling some seashells around the centerpiece of each reception table. Guests might even take one or two home as a keepsake to help remember your big night. Seashells can be found at most craft stores, so they’ll be easy on any brides’ budget.
Beachy Venue Options
You can’t have a nautical wedding without some kind of water access. Why not make it a beach wedding? You can have your ceremony on the beach and the reception inside a nearby venue. Kids will love being able to run around in the sand afterward, and your photographer will probably get cute photos with boats in the background. Try to find some beachy venue options near you to see what’s available when your wedding is going to take place. If you don’t like the idea of a beach, think of having your wedding at a marina or lake venue.
Seafood-Themed Buffet
Lots of wedding receptions have buffet dinners because it’s much easier to let guests get up and serve themselves. People with allergies can easily personalize their dishes and no one has to wait for a server to come by with a second or third plate. To keep your buffet in line with your theme, offer seafood with the best sides. Pair crab with mashed potatoes or steamed broccoli, and have plenty of different types of fish for guests to choose from. To be extra cautious, have a few non-seafood options for those who have allergies.
Motorboat Entrance Procession>
Instead of walking up to and down the aisle, brides are not looking for creative ways to make an entrance. You could ride up to the ceremony on a boat and proceed to walk down the aisle from there. Likewise, you could go out on a boat after your ceremony is over for some cute photos out on the water. Guests can take a moment to go to the restroom before everyone gets back together for the reception.
Fishnet for Hanging Decor
Anytime you’re around boats, you’re probably going to find fishnet nearby. This can be used to your advantage when it comes to your decor. Anything you’d like to hang can be easily done with fishnet. Outside the entrance to your ceremony, hang up cute signs leading guests to where they should sit. You can do the same outside the reception area, or wrap gift bags into the fishnet for everyone to grab before they go home. It brings the nautical feel home, even if guests are inside a regular reception or ceremony area.
Monogrammed Koozie Favors
When people picture a boat, what they’ll think of is all along the same line. People use boats to go fishing, swimming or spend time with family and friends out on the water. All of it means that they want to relax, and they’ll probably have some kind of drink in hand while they do it. The next time your friends go out on a boat, they can use a monogrammed koozie favor that you can easily make for a quick wedding gift. It’s a way to say thank you to everyone who came to celebrate your wedding, and because it’s a practical gift, people will appreciate that they can use it long after your wedding is over.
Thick Rope Decor
Another nautical item that’s around any boat is rope. Rope is used to make boats run smoothly, to help people fish or to keep a marina organized. It’ll fit right in with a nautical wedding. The key is to get rope that’s thick, instead of any old thin rope. Use the kind of rope that looks like it could tie down a boat and then wrap it in decorative knots around your ceremony and reception areas. It can be used to tie up your bouquet or other flower arrangements, or even as napkin holders before guests sit down for the reception meal.
Having a nautical wedding is something that inspires many brides. There is so much joy that goes along with being out on a boat and seeing nothing but endless water, and those feeling can easily be felt in your wedding vibes. Nail down key details like fishnet, rope and the right seafood options so the nautical theme is felt from the moment guests walk onto the venue to the moment they leave. Pick tiny mementos like koozies in blues and greens so everything feels like it’s fresh off the water.
The most important thing to do for your nautical wedding is to make it feel right for you. You may not have many memories of using fishnets, but maybe you loved the lifeguard throw rings or just a strong breeze in your hair. You should feel at home at your wedding, so decorate and plan with what feels right to you. At the end of the day, whatever feels nautical will be perfect for the wedding of your dreams.
