Living in North Carolina, so close to the sea, we frequently find ourselves daydreaming about creative new themes for weddings on the sand. And one concept we always find beautifully breathtaking is bohemian beach-side weddings. Whether for an Ocean Isle elopement, a Caswell Beach wedding, or simply a sustainable wedding on the shore, vintage bohemian style is timelessly beautiful and can be done in effortlessly eco-friendly ways!
Dreaming up this stunning styled shoot was a wonderfully creative exercise for us, and we are thrilled with how it turned out. The earthy whimsy of bohemian style rooted in the nostalgia of vintage design suited the natural beauty of the beach exactly as we imagined it.
Here’s how we did it!
Step One: Design Time Choosing a color scheme early on helps narrow your focus and create a vision. Of course, it doesn’t have to be too rigid, this is boho after all! Just come up with a palette to tie things together, because even boho benefits from cohesiveness of style. For this shoot, we went with warm golds, oranges, and reds – but we could have just as easily chosen a cooler blue, tan, and cream palette too!
Then we chose our core show-pieces: the design elements we wanted to really showcase and set the tone for the whole look. We knew using an upcycled door as our tabletop was going to look amazing, and couldn’t resist the triangle arbor, because it’s what boho dreams are made of!
Step Two: Source and Shop
Since we were aiming for a vintage vibe, we headed right for the thrift store – a treasure trove of nostalgic needs. You can find an eclectic array of items from furniture and rugs to glassware, flatware, serving ware, or tabletop décor and more. Mixing and matching patterns and textures is totally boho, so don’t be afraid to bring a variety of styles into your design. We loved scouring the shelves for fun vases, apothecary jars, and general décor. For our shoot, we scored that stunning setee the day before the shoot by luck at a local thrift shop. I just love giving furniture new life!
Don’t forget to shop your own house, too! You never know what kind of personal touches you can add to your design using great pieces you already own – plus, it’s free! I was able to add so much character to this shot using items I found at home. The wooden bowls were from my mom’s collection, circa 1970. The pillows were (mostly) from Guatemala, purchased on our honeymoon. I found some runners in different fabrics to layer on the table, but scarves would have worked just as well. One of the models wore her mother’s wedding dress – how romantic is a borrowed dress? And so sustainable! We also had a few bronze candlestick holders that worked well for this project. But use what you can find! One of the best things about boho design is how forgiving it is. Mix and match is where it’s at!
Lastly, we rented what we couldn’t find. The door and mantle were borrowed from a local rental company that we partnered with for this shoot, as did the plates and flatware. We also rented the arbor and chairs, opting for wood to bring in a more neutral and natural vibe.
Step Three: Pull it Together
We worked hard to balance the palette throughout the design, including the florals, letting golds, coppers and burgundies weave a cohesive color scheme. These colors gave a richness to the neutral beach backdrop in such a robust, romantic way!
We leaned into texture and created a feeling of fullness by layering. Layering fabrics, including rugs, aisle runner, table runner, et cetera creates dimension and interest that really shine through. We also took the layering concept to the tabletop, creating dynamic, visual abundance with layered chargers, napkins, plates and more – contrasting colors, textures and materials for added interest.
Nature was a big element of this design, considering our location and the bohemian theme. Florals (Pampas make an especially lovely choice for boho weddings) are another way to add texture and color, but you can just as easily choose other natural objects to fill the space such as driftwood, seashells, or other greenery. Other than that, we kept things simple to let the beautiful beach backdrop really shine!
Are you swooning over boho vintage weddings too? What are your favorite boho design elements? We’d love some more inspiration!
If you're planning a wedding in Oak Island, NC we'd love to help! Contact us to get started!
Styled Shoot Vendor Team:
Design & Planning: Blue Satin Bee
Photography: HenHouse Photo
Floral Design: Wild by Nature
Rentals: 3 Cheers Party Rentals
Jewelry: Wade's Jewelers
Hair and Makeup: Watertown Hair
Cake: The Confectionary