When it comes to making the most of your beach wedding, all you need is a little help and a fun-loving imagination. Today we’re sharing ten things to help you take advantage of your seaside celebration along with photos from the world’s best wedding photographers. Read on and to find eight ways to maximize your ceremony and reception by the seashore.

The backdrop is perfect no matter what your style! Beaches lend themselves well to both luxury and casual weddings so there is no need to hold back if you want to have a grand affair and no need to scale up if a small, intimate wedding feels more like you. With resorts and hotels that fully cater to weddings on the sand, and photographers who are willing to go the extra mile to photograph adventure weddings and elopements, it’s all up to you.

The sand or simple grass mats can make for a beautiful, natural ceremony aisle and it only takes a stable arbor and some pretty floral design to make a lovely path to walk down to say “I do.” We all know it’s hard to compete with Mother Nature when it comes to making things beautiful so let her help and watch her add ambiance to your wedding day.

You can say goodbye to uncomfortable shoes and go barefoot. Set aside your heels and opt for sandals that are easy to slip on and off when you want the feeling of soft sand beneath your feet. Offer guests flips flops they can change into and everyone will be ready for fun on the beach.

Your photographer can use the crashing waves to add romance to your portraits and find rocky places that will give you and your bridal party the perfect place to pose.

You can set up games to bring out the playful side in people. Horseshoes, frisbees, the Limbo and badminton are games everyone can get involved in and having sand toys on site can be great for the kids. Plus, you can throw your bouquet as high and as far as you want to.

You can get wet and sandy and roll in the waves. It’s your wedding, so why not?

Sunsets and rainbows will definitely be worth the wait!

And a fire can help you get cozy while you wait for the stars to come out. Don’t forget to bring a blanket and a wrap and you can spend all night reveling in that just married feeling.

Ready to have an unforgettable beach wedding? Then be sure you have the right photographer on board to capture all the beauty and emotion of your big day.