A beach theme wedding is a great way to break the norm at a wedding reception. Tiki/totem poles… Cakes with goldfish bowls, featuring live fish… The possibilities are endless!

Below is a comprehensive list of music options, decorations and other ideas to make your beach theme wedding a splash with your guests!

BEACH THEME MUSIC IDEAS
Planning a wedding or party next year with a beach theme? If you are then you already know you will have the Beach Boys, Jimmy Buffet and reggae master Bob Marley requested to your DJ. Below are some more ideas…
1. “Rock Lobster” (The B-52s)
2. “Under the Sea” (from The Little Mermaid)
3. “Come Sail Away” (Styx)
4. “Tequila” (The Champs)
5. “I Love Beach Music” (The Embers)
6. “In the Navy” (Village People)
7. “Love Is the Seventh Wave” (Sting)
8. “Orinoco Flow (Sail Away)” (Enya)
9. “Private Beach Party” (Gregory Isaacs)
10. “Beyond The Sea” (Bobby Darin)
11. “Rockaway Beach” (The Ramones)
12. “Sailing” (Christopher Cross)
13. “Sea of Love” (The Honeydrippers)
14. “Sittin’ on The Dock of the Bay” (Otis Redding)
15. “The Beach” (New Order)
16. “The Ocean” (U2)
17. “The Tide Is High” (Blondie)
18. “Too Many Fish In The Sea” (The Marvelettes)
19. “Under the Boardwalk” (The Drifters)
20. “Ebb Tide” (Al Hibler)
21. “Underwater Love” (Faith No More)
22. “California Girls” (David Lee Roth or The Beach Boys)
23. “Wipeout” (The Surfaris, The Beach Boys or The Fat Boys)
24. “Sea Cruise” (Huey Smith)
25. “Beach Baby” (Regents)
26. “Caribbean Queen” (Billy Ocean)
27. “Coconut” (Harry Nilsson)
28. “Escape (The Pina Colada Song)” (Rupert Holmes)
29. “La Isla Bonita” (Madonna)
30. “Walk on the Ocean” (Toad the Wet Sprocket)
31. “Margaritaville” (Jimmy Buffet)
32. “From The Edge Of The Deep Green Sea” (The Cure)
33. “Vacation” (The Go-Gos)
34. “California Dreamin’” (The Mamas and the Papas)
35. “Going Back To Cali” (L.L. Cool J)
36. “Heatwave, (Love Is Like A)” (Martha Reeves & The Vandellas)
37. “Hot Fun in the Summertime” (Sly & the Family Stone)
38. “Hot Hot Hot” (Buster Poindexter)
39. “I Can See Clearly Now” (Johnny Nash or Jimmy Cliff)
40. “Miami” (Will Smith)
41. “The Future’s So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades” (Timbuk 3)
42. “Walkin’ on Sunshine” (Katrina and the Waves)

INVITATION IDEAS
How about wedding invitations sent as Sting would like… as, “A message in a bottles.” Get some cheap bottles with nasty corks. Get them anywhere you can find them. You can find them online, in an antique store, or in the grass down route 87. (If you do start looking out on the road, remember you need glass ones! Look out for the gator aid bottles that the truckers have disposed of.) If you still have no luck, just stop by the local dollar store. Fill the bottles up with invitations you print yourself on weathered-looking paper. Tear the edges, roll them up and put them in the bottles with a sprinkling of sand, tiny shells, or confetti.

You could also include a treasure map, with location information.

LOCATION
You don’t need to travel to bring the fun in the sun to your party. You can have your beach theme party at an actual beach, or capture the atmosphere without being seaside. Some other options are on a boat, at a marina, any venue with a view of the water – lake, river or sea, any venue with prominent fish tanks, especially tropical, a hotel’s swimming pool area, in a backyard by a pool.

DECORATION
A row boat, treasure chest or a kiddie pool filled with beverages would be awesome! Also, if you have the money and connections an ice sculpture of a mermaid or some kind of fish/dolphin/ or whale would be pretty cool too. Get some seashells and sand to put out in or around your centerpieces.

Inflatable or fake palm trees for an indoor location would also be cool, as would sculptures of sand castles, fishing boat decorations, miniature boats in bottles, and fishing nets. For tables, place sand chairs around covered with bold beach towels. If the party is outdoors, use tiki lights for that ultra groovy Gilligan’s Island feel, and maybe you will attract a Ginger or two! Wooo!

BEACH THEME WEDDING ATTIRE IDEAS
If your wedding going to be on an actual beach, and you are non-traditional and not afraid to break the norm, you might want to think about costumes. Because of the heat, you’ll want to go a little more on the casual side, anyhow so have fun with it!

Let your groom be your captain in a sharp blue blazer, white pants and a captain’s hats. Your grooms men could dress as sailors, pirates, Hawaiian hula gear, or Gilligan’s Castaways. Or go with Hawaiian print shirts, muumuus and sarongs.. The bride could also consider a sexy mermaid-style wedding dress.

WEDDING FAVOR IDEAS
Present your favors in plastic children’s beach pails. Some items you might want to put in the pails include: Beach ball (deflated) – Sun screen – Ocean print hand towel or washcloth – Sand dollars – Lifesavers candy – Cheap sunglasses – Seashell soaps – Natural sponge – Starfish – Shell encrusted candles -Beach Boys CD – “Beach Blanket Bingo” DVD – Plastic leis

ENTERTAINMENT
Don’t forget to bring lots of Beach Balls, Hula Hoops, Surfboards, Limbo Sticks and maybe even “Twister!” with you!