Weddings Part IV: Theme Weddings in Colonial Beach, VA

Cover photo: Bryce Hall

Setting the tone for your big day is limited only by your imagination. Your choice of colors, patterns, venue, formality and many other factors affect your wedding style. Here are some ideas we’ve seen in Colonial Beach, Virginia (CBVA), for wedding planning inspiration. Choose one or combine several for the wedding of your dreams!

Tropical/Tiki/Beach Wedding

With the second largest public sand beach in Virginia, beach weddings are popular in Colonial Beach, VA. Grooms can trade in their tuxedos for khakis, while bridesmaids might don brightly colored sarongs instead of gowns. The Potomac River and Monroe Bay make striking backdrops for wedding photos; tropical flowers are perfect for bouquets; and existing ‘props’ may be the only decorations you need. The palm trees that line our beaches, for example, are beautiful settings for intimate ceremonies–or even elopements. Several venues in CBVA feature a Caribbean, tiki vibe: the Tiki Room at Riverboat on the Potomac, Dockside Restaurant and Tiki Bar or High Tides Restaurant and Black Pearl Tiki Bar. (Learn more about these venues via our blog post Weddings Part III: Wedding Venues in Colonial Beach.) If you ask nicely, bartenders might even create a signature beachy cocktail just for your and your beloved!

 

Nautical Themed Wedding

Dock your boat at one of the nearly dozen marinas in Colonial Beach, Virginia, and say “I do” as the sun sets across Monroe Bay. Colors like navy blue and white–in stripes or accented with red–set the tone. Serve seafood and Include maritime motifs such as sailboats, rope, shells, and anchors. Dress your ring bearer and flower girl  in cute little sailor suits. Maybe the bellow of a foghorn follows the wedding officiant in pronouncing you officially married. Allow guests to leave notes on seashells.

Romantic, Garden and Wine Vineyard Weddings

Light and airy, flowers and greens are some of the qualities that support a romantic and/or garden wedding. These weddings can also take place at a winery, like nearby Ingleside Plantation Vineyard, which has a dedicated wedding planning staff. Invitations may be written in calligraphy. Delicate lighting defines the wedding spaces; the bridal party awash in soft, pastel colors. Flower gardens and vineyards frame the bridal couple for wedding photos.

 

Rustic/Country/Southern Weddings

A country wedding near the capital is possible! Colonial Beach, Virginia, is only 65 miles from Washington, DC or Richmond, VA. Stage your nuptials at Monroe Bay Vineyard‘s new Straw Bale Barn for authentic Country Wedding style. Enhance the atmosphere by serving beverages in Mason Jars. Wear cowboy boots and a ten gallon hat with your wedding attire. Hire a country western band.

 

Adventure Wedding

Does standing still for 20 minutes reciting your vows make you antsy just thinking about it? Your adventurous spirit can be the theme for your wedding! Recite your vows then ride off into the sunshine on a golf cart, motorcycle, paddle board, kayak, jets ski or boat! (Photos, left: Mary Wenz Photography; center and right: Bryce Hall, Get Hitched Colonial Beach)

 

Whimsical & Cosplay Weddings

Marriage is serious, but the wedding ceremony doesn’t have to be! Dress up as a beloved character or in your favorite color for a fun and memorable wedding that people will talk about for years! Here in Colonial Beach, VA, brides and grooms have been married dressed as pirates, in matching pajamas and Hawaiian shirts. The bridal party and guests have all worn white, pink, purple or blue. It’s your wedding day–have it your way! (Photos by Bryce Hall, Get Hitched Colonial Beach)

Military Wedding

Colonial Beach, Virginia, is proud to support our military and, as it is in close proximity to Dahlgren’s Naval Support Activity South Potomac, honored to host military weddings.

Vintage, Historic or Heritage Weddings

Do you want to incorporate your family heritage into your wedding? Are your summers spent at Renaissance Faires? History buffs should consider a wedding fashioned after their favorite period in time. The Northern Neck, the region in which Colonial Beach lies, is rich in history, and offers brides and grooms plenty of options for a vintage wedding. Wearing period dress from just about any era sets the tone for the occasion. Make Gatsby proud with a beaded wedding gown, glamorous Art Deco decor and Roaring 20’s style jazz band. Huzzah! (Photos: Bryce Hall, Get Hitched Colonial Beach.)

 

 

Holiday/Seasonal Weddings

Holidays and seasons simplify the wedding theme decision, with colors being the easiest to incorporate. Red coupled with white, blue or green for Valentine’s Day, the 4th of July or Christmas; orange for Fall. The time of the year can also have a profound effect on your wedding photos. Autumn wedding provide opportunities for breathtaking fall foliage as a backdrop; winter for snow covered shots; spring and summer for flowers in bloom. Weddings scheduled around holidays may mean fewer decorations are needed, since venues may already be decorated for Christmas, Halloween or New Year’s. There might also be events already scheduled, enabling you to keep the wedding celebration going! Keep in mind that holidays might affect guests, who may be unable to attend due to family obligations. (Photos: Bryce Hall, Get Hitched Colonial Beach.)

 

For more on Weddings in Colonial Beach, visit other blogs posts in our series:

Weddings Part I: Getting Married in Virginia

Weddings Part II: Destination Weddings

Weddings Part III: Wedding Venues in Colonial Beach