Given their reasonable cost and ease of planning, a beach ceremony is definitely an option worth considering. In some cultures, all marriage ceremonies take place on the beach. Whatever leads you to the decision, once you have chosen to have a beach celebration, you will want your ceremony to match the elegance of the natural setting. This includes your choice of beach cakes. Wedding bakery shops now offer exciting possibilities in shape, size, color and design that are far beyond the standard multi-tiered cake served at more traditional ceremonies.

Here are some tips to help you choose the perfect confections for your celebration.

If you use a theme, you can complement it with the shape of the cake you choose. Seaside events are ideal for cakes in the shape of seashells, flowers, boats, lighthouses or palm trees.

Color schemes are another important consideration when planning oceanfront celebrations. Many brides choose white or more muted colors for their cake. For an outdoor venue, you may want to add a generous amount of bright, playful colors as well. If you have a tropical themed ceremony for example, use tropical flowers on and around your cake to blend with your theme. If you choose a musical theme, a skillful cake decorator can use icing to replicate musical notes or your favorite musical instrument on your cake.

Depending on the size of your budget, you may opt for more exotic flavors in both the cake and frosting. Examples of cake flavors that are just the ticket for serving on your wedding beach include coconut, passion fruit, kiwi, and mango butter cream or coconut cream frosting. If you can’t afford an unusual shape for your cake, choose a simple shape and have it made with one of these unique flavors. Your guests will love it.

With so many styles of wedding pastries available, you may have trouble visualizing the perfect design until you see an example. To stimulate your imagination, search for pictures of wedding pastries in magazines and on the Internet. Your final design may be a blend of the best examples you find.

Here are some unusual options to help get you started:

Bem-casados: A staple at Brazilian marriage celebrations, bem-casados are two small sponge cakes with egg custard, jelly, caramel sauce or other sweet delicacies sandwiched between them. They come in a variety of shapes such as doves, hearts and rings. These cake sandwiches are presented at the reception in the place of a traditional wedding cake. Bem-casados symbolize the bride and groom’s sweet life together. For beach cakes, wedding bem-casados can be made in the shape of flowers, boats, starfish or sand dollars.

Wanda Italian Bowtie Pastries: The wanda is a traditional Italian wedding pastry. These small, individual sized pastries are typically shaped as bowties. Wandas can be stacked on a plate to resemble a cake. In Italian ceremonies, the bride and groom often begin a dance with the guests joining in. The wedding party then dances toward the wanda plate where everyone chooses a pastry. The wanda is a fun and delicious wedding cake substitute.

Cupcakes: Cupcakes are becoming a popular alternative to traditional wedding cakes. They can be arranged on a multi-tiered cake plate to create an impressive display. Unlike a single cake, you can offer cupcakes in a variety of flavors. Each guest can then choose the flavor they like best. Cupcakes are also easier to transport and set up than a traditional wedding cake. To serve cupcakes on your wedding beach, decorate them with tropical fish, turtles, palm trees or other items that match your wedding theme.

Stretch your imagination when choosing beach cakes. Wedding confections for your ceremony should reflect your own personality, style and taste.