With weddings being reduced back to a maximum 15 people ( probably for the next 6 months...)it's heartening to know that many couples were actually looking for smaller weddings before COVID 19 restrictions took hold.
The latest Pinterest Wedding Trends Report states that searches for “small beach weddings” has increased by 511%. They conclude,
“Trends show that there’s an increasing desire to keep things simpler and more personal, rather than spending a fortune to tie the knot. After all, marriage is about the couple - and Pinners around the world are focusing more and more on what actually makes them happy.”
Under current wedding laws in England and Wales, a legally binding beach wedding in the is not actually possible, but there are changes afoot that we hope will make this a reality in the future. The Law Commission published their consultation paper earlier this month focusing on the future of the law surrounding wedding ceremonies in the England and Wales. Encouragingly they are proposing more flexibility in terms of exactly where a wedding ceremony can take place, giving notice of your wedding online and relaxing the rules around the content of a wedding ceremony to make it a more personal, relevant and meaningful experience for couples getting married in the 21st Century. With most of the current laws dating back to 1863 and 1949 it’s about time for change.
In the meantime, couples in England and Wales seeking that special intimate wedding day incorporating the beach or other natural surroundings don’t need to wait until the law perhaps changes at some point on the future to enjoy a simple, personal and meaningful wedding day incorporating exactly what they want, where they want and with who they want.
Petite Weddings www.petiteweddings.co.uk have been successfully creating bespoke, intimate weddings for over 5 years and have a passion for empowering couples to get married exactly how they want to.
We love helping couples to think differently about weddings. Think intimate, relaxed, hassle-free, affordable luxury, yet without compromising the very special feel of your wedding day. We are passionate about meeting the needs of todays’ free-thinking couples.
The important thing to remember is that the current legislation and the ongoing review of this only covers your wedding ceremony. Just 30 minutes from a whole day. This means that many of our couples are already able to incorporate beaches and other outside spaces in their day both before and after their legal ceremony. The reality is that most beaches are public spaces and the lack of privacy is not ideal for a heartfelt exchange of wedding vows.
We work within the existing wedding laws to help couples create wedding days that incorporate the great outdoors as much as they wish. A lovely example is Danny and Ellie’s elopement wedding at Antonia’s Pearls https://www.petiteweddings.co.uk/antonia-s-pearls set on the historic harbour in Charlestown earlier this month. The couple enjoyed a luxurious stay in Marine Villa overlooking the harbour and got married in the privacy of the garden to the sound of the sea, venturing out after toast drinks for photography around the picturesque harbour and on the beach below.
Many of the venues we work with are within easy shooting distance of the beach, iconic coastlines, wood and forests or craggy moors. Whether it’s a picnic in the woods, beach games with your guests, a blessing overlooking the ocean or a post-wedding ceremony walk captured by your photographer in beautiful natural surroundings far from the madding crowds or even an evening round a campfire toasting marshmallows and sipping hot cocoa we can help make the simple pleasures your happy memories of your wedding day.
It must be the rebel living in our hearts, we just love actively encouraging and supporting couples to do things their way.
Photography by Thomas Frost
Venue for this real wedding Antonia's Pearls