If you’ve decided that Cyprus beach weddings are the way to go, you’ll most likely be planning for sunny and warm weather, stunning surroundings and an intimate ceremony.

One of the challenges with organising a beach wedding is getting the balance right between the decor and the surroundings, as well as ensuring that your bridal party and your guests are prepared for the more informal surroundings.

A host of luxury wedding experts recently offered some of their top advice on how to organise the perfect beach wedding to Town & Country Magazine. Decor is one of the hardest things to get right, they note, but there are a few simple tricks to ensure you don’t over do things.

Decorative accents, such as custom chair covers or quirky outdoor lights, can make your wedding unique without being too intrusive to the stunning natural surroundings. In fact, one of the top tips is to make sure that your decor doesn’t compete with the beach, but instead that it compliments it.

Choosing the likes of “ghost chairs and light and airy florals” are among the best ways to do this, according to the owners of Rockrose Floral in the US.

When it comes to how you dress your bridal party, Brian Leahy, owner of Brian Leahy Photography, said that you can go all out with colour if you want. “Bright reds, greens, and corals contrast incredibly well with the sand, ocean and blue skies,” he stated.

Given that colourful bridal gowns are coming into fashion, this could be a great option for anyone who wants to introduce some vibrant shades to their big day.

There are a lot of things to think about when planning a wedding, and one of the most important is what your bridesmaids will wear on your Big Day.

While this may not seem as high a priority as your own wedding dress, their gowns dictate what flowers they will have and the overall colour and theme of the day.

Here are some of the hottest trends for bridesmaids this year for inspiration:

– Black bridesmaid dresses

Whether you are getting hitched in the UK or arranging a Cyprus beach wedding, you might consider dressing your best girlfriends in black.

This colour is all the rage this year, no matter if you’re arranging a summer or winter wedding. This is because everyone looks good in black, with the shade being flattering for a variety of shapes, sizes and skin tones, so you can please all your bridesmaids with this choice.

What’s more, it is practical and spillages can be easily disguised – so you don’t have to fret if a glass of champagne gets knocked on to the frock!

– Separate skirts and tops

Traditionally, bridesmaids wear dresses. However, you could go for an alternative look by buying separate skirts and tops for your favourite gal pals instead.

This makes it much easier to come across outfits that fit, with many ladies finding it difficult to settle on a dress that is the right size for both their chest and their hips.

What’s more, it allows your bridesmaids o have some individuality – for instance, they could all wear the same skirt but choose different tops.

– Sequins

Don’t save sequinned dresses just for festive weddings, as adorning bridesmaid dresses with glitter and sparkle will look fabulous in the sunshine

Embrace this look by choosing pale pink gowns and watch the sequins glisten as night falls.

When it comes to getting married there’s a lot to think about and one of the things that brides might be worrying about is how to get the perfect makeup. This might be something you’re particularly concerned about if you’re not the kind of person who usually wears much makeup either.

However, the latest Pinterest wedding report shows that an increasing number of brides are opting for the natural look when they walk down the aisle.

Among the makeup items with the biggest increase in searches on the site were lip gloss – up 459 per cent in the last year – and barely-there shine, up 343 per cent in the same period.

Messy updos also seem to be the go-to hairstyle, with searches for this term climbing by 1247 per cent in the last year. All of this is good news if you’re planning a Cyprus beach wedding, as there will be loads of inspiration out there for your big day.

And let’s face it, if you’re getting married with your feet in the sand and the sun shining down, you’re probably not going to want to be wearing tons of makeup.

Pinterest also noted that, when it comes to bridal outfits, comfort appears to be a priority, with searches for jumpsuits, sleeves and flat shoes all up on last year.

For grooms, a more casual approach to wedding attire seems to be taking over as well, with searches for tie-free ensembles up by 459 per cent in the same period.

Meanwhile, Brides magazine recently shared the top wedding trends for 2018 as predicted by the Joy app in the US.

One of the things it said we can expect is a more unplugged approach to weddings – that means asking guests not to take photos during the ceremony or at key moments in the day, instead letting the official photographer get all the best shots and angles.

If you’ve got your heart set on tying the knot on a gorgeous stretch of sand, a Cyprus beach wedding could be exactly what you’re looking for.

But if you’re looking at this stunning Mediterranean spot, when is the best time of year to plan your nuptials? The trick is in getting the right balance with the weather – come in the heart of summer and not only do the beaches tend to be packed, but it can also be very hot.

In the winter, meanwhile, it can be much cooler, so although the sands will be largely empty it might be too chilly for an alfresco wedding.

The best time of year for pleasant weather is the spring, according to Rough Guides, when temperatures are warm and balmy without being too hot, and there tend to be fewer crowds.

As you move into the summer, the heat ramps up – average temperatures on the coast are 30 to 35 degrees C, while inland the mercury can hit 40 degrees C. The autumn is still pleasantly warm, but is usually more humid than spring.

Of course, if you’re planning to get married overseas you’ll no doubt have a wedding planner in Cyprus who can help you decide when it’s best to arrange your ceremony.

You may have to stick to school holidays to accommodate friends or family who have children, or if you have kids yourselves, in which case going towards the beginning or end of the summer break is a good option – or fitting your wedding into a half term.

For guys, planning what to wear to their beach wedding can be a challenge, so you may want to take the advice of celebrity stylist Ilaria Urbinati, who recommends opting for a lightweight suit in cotton or linen, rather than the traditional tux.

Cyprus beach weddings are some people’s dream, from childhood until they finally get the chance to make it a reality.

If you are one of the lucky people looking forward to a beach wedding this year, then you may be able to benefit from some of Pinterest’s top wedding trends for 2018.

Boutique balloons (saves for filled balloons have gone up 86 per cent over the past year). Brides everywhere can benefit from this trend which sees balloons filled up with everything

Quizzes (saves for trivia night up 279 per cent) People have struggled to know what to put on the guests’ tables for the wedding, but this year the trend is pretty clear, quizzes! Trivia is incredibly popular and if you pitch it right, you can help your guests get to know each other better. Better yet if you have a pet topic that you and your spouse have in common, make this the subject of the quiz.

Meaningful guest books (saves for guest book keepsake are up 216 per cent) Rather than getting another bound album for your guest book how about mementoes you can keep on the wall, such as trees or thumbprint paintings? You can also ask guests to write out tips and hints, or wishes for you, to dip into throughout your marriage.

DIY food (saves for activities up 114 per cent) Having make your own cocktail bars and dessert bars is still popular. Get one of these or your wedding and your guests will thank you.

Planning your picture-perfect Cyprus beach wedding can be a lot of fun and a very romantic way to wed the love of your life. But in the excitement about the big day itself, your dress and the party with your guests, make sure you take care of the practicalities too.

Although a Cyprus-based wedding planner will be able to assist you with the legal and practical side of your nuptials, it never hurts to be aware of what your obligations are in terms of documentation and so on.

Female First recently highlighted some of the top things you should know if you’re planning to get married abroad.

Top of the list is the legalities of tying the knot in your chosen destination. A wedding planner will be able to reassure you about these points, and will ensure that your ceremony is all above board – that’s why it’s so important to get help from an organisation with local knowledge and connections, to ensure your big day goes without a hitch.

You also need to ensure you have all the right documents to arrange a marriage overseas. The website notes that this usually involves providing copies of your birth certificates, a certificate of no impediment (showing that you are free to marry) and any divorce documentation if either of you have been married before.

This side of things might not be the most fun aspect of planning your wedding, but they are all things you need to do in advance. Other things you should start thinking about now if you’re getting married next summer include setting a budget and booking your venue in good time to ensure all your guests can make travel plans for the date you want.

If you’re in the midst of planning a Cyprus beach wedding, you probably have a fair idea of how your big day is going to go already. But there might be some small details you’re undecided about, so it never hurts to take a look at some of the top trends to get some inspiration.

Pinterest, which is well known for picking up the latest trends, has released its 2017 Wedding Trends Report, which looks at everything from bridal hairstyles and makeup to the food and drink offered to guests.

The good news if you’re planning a wedding overseas is that natural hairstyles are back in vogue, which means no need for lots of faffy equipment and accessories to get your hair looking just right. Natural curls and waves, adorned with the odd flower, is the way to go – perfect for a relaxed beach wedding.

According to the website, weddings are about “personalization and having fun” this year, with couples being more adventurous when they plan their big day.

This was apparent when it comes to the food and drink served, and especially in terms of pairings. Sliders with shots of beer or oysters served with sparkling wine samples were among the examples.

If you’re getting married in Cyprus, you could seek out some local dishes to give your guests a flavour of the island. According to The Culture Trip, halloumi, stuffed vine leaves, bamies (which is okra in tomato sauce) and Cypriot loukoumades are among the ten best foods on the island.

If you are already planning your Cyprus beach wedding you may be wondering when the best time is to get married in Cyprus.

Here we weigh up some of the pros and cons for you.

Spring

Pros: This is the loveliest time of year in Cyprus. The weather is just right, often in the mid 20s, and the flowers are all out and may be cheaper for you to buy. This time of year is perfect for photographs.

Cons: The weather may still be a little chilly and the sea may still be too cold to swim in for some.

Summer

Pros: Everyone is on holiday, this is traditional wedding season. You are absolutely guaranteed some great weather on your wedding day.

Cons: This is the hottest season of the year, and may even prove a little too hot for some. Think about whether or not your dream wedding dress will be bearable in 35 degree heat, or how long your chocolate wedding cake will last, before you make any firm decisions on what you want to do on your day.

Autumn

Pros: The sea will have warmed up which means even the coldest fish will want to go in for a dip. The weather will be a little cooler, and the food and vegetables will be at their peak so this is the perfect time for a barbeque at the beach-style wedding.

Cons: Everyone will have gone back to work, and be feeling a little blue.

Still can’t decide? Check out FemaleFirst where they sum up summer and winter weddings.

Whether you’re planning a wedding close to home or are intending to tie the knot at a stunning Cyprus beach wedding, there are a few trends you might want to avoid – according to a number of wedding planners.

The Independent quizzed some professionals in the wedding industry in the UK about some of the trends that they want to see disappear, so you may want to have a read and steer clear of these for your nuptials.

Rustic-themed weddings were at the top of the list, with luxury wedding planner Katie Hallam explaining that her business tries to encourage couples to avoid just following popular trends because “we don’t want people to look back at their wedding photographs in years to come and think that they were just part of a particular craze”.

She added that it’s important for couples to inject some of their own personalities to their ceremony, rather than just following what’s trending on Pinterest.

Another trend to avoid is sparklers at weddings, with one planner noting that they’ve seen a bride’s dress get set alight by sparklers.

Dancing entrances are another thing to avoid, with wedding planners advising that there’s too much that can go wrong, as well as the fact that these kinds of entrances often look really corny.

One trend you might want to consider, however, is that of image mapping. This allows you to project moving images onto the walls, floor or any other surface in your venue, as well as enhancing the end effect with lighting. It could be the ideal way to add some personal touches, especially if you’re getting married overseas and don’t want to have too much to transport.