The calender might say that winter is upon us, but here in Australia, we like to pretend that winter doesn't exist. So to fuel our cold weather denial, we may as well talk about a particularly popular type of summer wedding – the beach wedding. 

It may not be new, but there are so many ways to have a beach wedding and so many people having them, that we thought we'd offer some ideas and advice for all the beach-loving, brides-to-be.

The sand and surf make an excellent, and budget-friendly backdrop for your wedding ceremony. And the Australian coastline has no shortage of truly beautiful and intimate spots to celebrate your big day - but where to start?

First, narrow down a couple of locations. Once you have a region or two in mind, contact the local councils, they will be able to give you all the information on permits, times, number of guests allowed etc. This research is so important when you are planning your beach wedding, as some of the more popular beaches may only allow for short ceremonies or have very particular conditions. For example; the main foreshore of Noosa, on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, only allows 2 hours for the setup, ceremony and cleanup

Once you've got the location and permit sorted, the fun part can begin. How will you create the perfect beach wedding setting for your perfect beach wedding? Don't feel confined by colours or themes, if you want a black and white beach wedding, then do it! Try to remember the location though when you plan your theme, high heels are great for solid ground, but sand is not exactly stiletto-friendly. Keep the dress code casual and you should be able to avoid any fallen guests.

Photographs & Styling courtesy of Beautiful Beach Weddings.