Going to a wedding on the beach can be an entirely different experience. Most people only ever attend ceremonies which take place in churches or other large halls. Standing on the sand listening to the sound of the ocean while watching two people in love tie the knot can be truly magical. If you’ve been invited to a beach wedding, here are some things you should take into consideration.

1. Transportation to the wedding

Unless you live close to a beach, getting to the wedding is obviously going to be somewhat of an issue. Many couples who want to get married on the beach will choose destinations like Bali, Mauritius or even Santorini or another Greek island. It might be that you have to book flights to the wedding, in which case, you should decide as soon as possible whether you’re going to attend or not and then book your flight well in advance. Prices are usually cheaper if you book in advance, and if the couple have invited lots of people, you might find that they’re all trying to book the same flight, which could increase the cost the longer you leave it.

2. Outfits for the wedding

If the wedding is taking place at a very hot time of year, you might not want to wear traditional formal suits and dresses in dark colours such as black, navy and grey. You should opt for light beach wedding dresses, it’s perfectly fine to wear white to a beach wedding when the temperature is sky high. Men can attend in trousers and thin cotton shirts, while women can wear either thin pant suits or cotton dresses in light or pastel colours.

3. Accessories for the wedding

For women, you should take a small clutch bag with essentials for the hot weather, such as a mirror and powder to reset your makeup, wipes to help you cool down in the heat or a small portable electric pocket fan. If you don’t like the idea of turning on an electric fan and having the small buzzing noise disrupt anybody around you, buy a Spanish-style fan that you can whip out and fan yourself with if you feel like the heat is getting a bit too much. While many weddings will serve glasses of water if the wedding is on the beach, you might want to take along your own bottle in case of emergency. Both men and women should ensure they have adequate shade and are wearing sun screen to protect their skin from the burning heat. While it’s easy for women to buy a suitable hat for a beach wedding, men might struggle slightly more, but thankfully there are usually canopies and marquees set up for a wedding on the beach.

4. Book your accommodation for the wedding

In some cases, the bride and groom will book an entire hotel or villa for their guests to stay. However, this is often just for the family members, so if you have to book your own accommodation, look online early and get the best deals you can find. You could also ask the bride and groom for their recommendations – they might have friends in the area that you can stay with or they may have come across good places to stay while they’ve been researching for the wedding.