Getting married costs the average US couple $20,000. The typical cost of decorations is $1600, including the reception and wedding. Beach decorations can cost much less if you plan well. Read on to learn how.

Finding decorations for your beach ceremony is a no-brainer, right? Maybe if you’re a creative genius. For the rest of us things can be a bit more complicated.

No worries. Just follow these simple tips for creating chic, hassle-free decorations for your beach celebration:

Flooring

If you are planning a casual, barefoot wedding, forget about flooring. If however, you are planning a more formal ceremony, you’ll want flooring. Why? Without it, shoes will fill with sand, pants and dresses will become soiled, wet or torn and guests will have difficulty walking. Also, if any of your guests are elderly or infirm, you’ll want to provide chairs for them. Without flooring, chairs can easily sink into the sand and tip over.

Many rental supply companies offer flooring for rent. The average cost is $3.50 – 4.00 per square foot including set up.

Arches

There are as many styles of arches as are there are beach brides. You can easily rent a wedding arch but it’s often cheaper to build your own. Just go to a hobby shop or building supply store and pick up a metal or wood arch. That’s all you need to start with. Then decorate it to taste.

Here are two stylish and sophisticated styles of arches that are perfect for beach weddings:

Tropical: To create a tropical arch, simply take the classic metal or wood arch and wrap it with palm or banana leaves. Add tropical flowers such as antherium, heliconia and birds-of-paradise for a splash of color. Suspend a starfish, large shell or other indigenous item from the apex, and you’re all set.

Chuppah: A chuppah consists of a cloth or sheet, supported by four poles to create a canopy that covers the couple and person officiating the wedding. Beach decorations that incorporate a chuppah have a special splendor and intimacy. The chuppah symbolizes the home the couple will build together. It also provides welcome shade for the bride and groom during the celebration. For added lavishness, use shorter poles and ask four members of your wedding party to support the canopy by each holding one pole during the ceremony.

Accessories

Whether you have set aside a small or large budget for your wedding, beach decorations can add luxuriousness to your ceremony. Here are some outside the box ideas for decorating your wedding without blowing your budget:

1. Line the aisle with local flowers. If you will have chairs on both sides of the aisle, simply suspend flowers from their backs or arms. No chairs? Create an aisle by placing palm or banana leaves on the ground. Add color by layering hibiscus, orchids, protea or other local flowers on top.
2. Enhance your decorations with torches. Tiki torches are just what the doctor ordered to balance and harmonize your decorations. Two rows of torches placed four feet apart can be used to create a natural aisle. If you already have an aisle, plant the torches randomly and light them to create a textbook tropical atmosphere. If your wedding takes place at dusk, all the better.
3. Ribbons are another spot-on accompaniment for beach weddings. Ribbons, fluttering and waving in the ocean breeze, are just the thing for setting off your celebration. Use pastel colors in pink, blue and coral. Make sure ribbons are well-secured so they don’t blow away.
4. Harmonize with the beach vibe by scattering starfish, shells, coconuts and palm fronds abundantly. Just be careful not to place any sharp items where guests may accidently hurt themselves by stepping on them.
5. Boat oars, anchors and fishing net are also perfect elements for unifying your Beach Wedding Theme. Borrow these from friends or nearby residents along the beach.

Additional Money Saving Tips

Rent expensive items instead of buying them. Flooring, chairs, tables and other large items are pricey. It makes sense more sense to rent them. If you do buy, shop at warehouse clubs and hobby stores. Buy only what’s on sale and pass on full-price items.

Instead of buying or renting smaller decorations, borrow from family and friends. Someone you know probably has an arch, extra ribbon or sea shells they would be happy for you to use in your ceremony. Make a list of what you need and ask around.

Make your own decorations…or at least some of them. Bows, ribbons, signs and similar items are easy to make and subtract from your decorating cost.

Use flowers that are grown locally when possible. Local flowers are usually less expensive than ones that are grown elsewhere and shipped in. Also, flowers have a limited shelf life. If they aren’t sold within several days, they must be thrown out. Ask local florists for deals on flowers they need to sell quickly.

Keep it simple. When you get married on a beach, the surroundings are the decorations. You don’t need much else. Include a few tasteful accessories and you’re home free.