Sand Sculptures are one of the Latest Wedding Trends

If you are planning a destination wedding on the beach, then you may have been considering a sand sculpture.

Sand sculptures are one of the latest wedding trends, and they have been growing in popularity over the last few years. There are a couples of reasons why.

Sand sculptures, like ice sculptures, can be intricate, personal to the couple and they offer an amazing focal point. A great sculpture has the wow factor — something flowers, no matter beautifully arranged can rarely achieve. Sand sculptures have a lovely warmth — they evoke happy memories of making sand castles as a child, and beach holidays as a couple. Sand sculptures are also kind to the environment. Sculptors don’t use anything but pressure and water to bind the sand. The artwork will be reclaimed by the sea and wind, leaving no trace behind. In addition, they are made by hand. In a world increasingly digitised, handmade products hold a particular allure.

Unlike ice sculptures, they will last the whole wedding — and for days afterwards — while looking great. Hotels that offer sand sculptures as part of their wedding package will supply protective covering in the event of rain. If you are staying on at the resort after the wedding, having a tangible memory carved in sand is a lovely way to relive the day.

Couples also use sand sculptures as a way of “claiming territory” at a hotel. There’s always going to be other people wandering around a resort and on the beach — unless you are lucky enough to be able to hire an entire venue — and a sculpture helps delineate your space.

Unsurprisingly they don’t come cheap. Prices start at around $500 and many cost several times that. However they are labor intensive, often taking two days to complete and the sculptor often spend weeks beforehand drawing sketches and finalising the design. The more unique and personal the design, the more it costs — much like any other bespoke service.

Of course, there is one thing to bear in mind: children and overexcited guests may just ruin that beautiful piece of artwork before the end of your wedding. Then again, the other sculptural focal point — the wedding cake — gets devoured. Getting too worried about protecting the sculpture is probably not a good idea.

Concentrate on what’s really important. After all, sand sculptures are meant to be impermanent, but marriage is for life.