opinions needed regarding ceremony to-dos please...

We (and by "we" I mean "I"...b/c FI couldn't care less either way) have been going back and forth about a few things regarding the ceremony. just a little background...we are having a beach ceremony(with steel drum band) with about 35 guests and then heading to a restaurant for lunch. We can't seem to decide on whether or not to have a sand ceremony and a champagne toast following ceremony. I could go either way on the sand ceremony, but my thoughts are that it is just more stuff for us to lug on and off the cruise ship. As far as the champagne toast, my mom thinks we should have a toast after the ceremony, but a good number of our guests don't drink and I am sure those who do probably won't all like champagne. Our guests will receive bottled waters when they get off the shuttle for the ceremony and then will receive rum punch or red stripe on the 15 min. ride from the beach to the restaurant. We have such a limited day in Jamiaca since we arrive by cruise ship that I am really overthinking every detail and analyzing taking up too much time with trivial things and taking away from pics and enjoying Jamaica.

So my question is will I regret not doing either a sand ceremony or champagne toast??...what is your opinion?

On a side note...when you have a ceremony on the beach and you walk back down the aisle afterwards do you just stop at the end of the aisle and turn around to hang out with your guests since you don't have anywhere else to go?? It just seems like an awkward arrangement.

I know these are all random questions, but these are the random things that run through my head, and you girls would understand the most. Thanks!

I personally am not a big champagne toast girl usually no one drinks it and you said most your guest don't drink to begin with so it seems like a waist of $$$

I am still not sure about the sand ceremony either but I really want to add something special but I am not sure that is it so any ideas are welcomed here as well

and you are totally right where do you go I am sure it is set up for you to go somewhere so it is not like ok now what

I wouldn't worry too much about a post ceremony toast since you are going to lunch afterwards. Most people toast at reception anyways, that way those who don't drink or don't like champagne can just toast you with their favorite drink.

Walking back down the aisle...hmm...do you know if there will be a grove of trees or anything nearby? Maybe you and hubby can wait there for guest to come and offer congrats?

Sand ceremony...yah I'm no help I still am up in the air about unity candle and we are at a vegas hotel chapel....

My friends were married on the beach in St. Thomas. They walked back down the aisle and then waited for their guests to come congratulate them. After they did hugs all around we had cake, champagne, and photos.

Edited to add: We aren't doing a sand ceremony because I don't want to lug it on the ship, to the location, and back on the ship.

The sand ceremony was done within our actual ceremony. Like right after we put on our rings, we then did the sand ceremony. Then we went back to standing in front of the arch & thats when the officiant did the "i pronounce you man & wife" part. So if you really want to do that, it can be done within the ceremony.

As for walking down the aisle, yes, we walked down, got a few feet away, had our little hug & kiss & then turned around & came back to our guests.

At some point after the ceremony our guests were given rum punch & champagne. I don't know when this happened because I think we were with our photographer. But there was no toast really until we had dinner at our reception.

If you know that your guests don't drink & won't really need the champagne then skip it. Or maybe you could have something else other than champagne like sparkling cider. Maybe thats an option & it will satisfy your mother's wishes! LOL.

I don't know how this will sound, but if your guests are going to be offered red stripes & water on the busride back to the restaurant, maybe you can do a "red stripe" toast on the bus, ofcourse before the driver takes off. I'm thinking that would make for a cool picture-everyone on the bus holding red stripes in the air & toasting to you! Sorry for sounding corny!

We're doing the Sand Ceremony and a Hand Ceremony. Also afterward, we're doing a cake and champagne toast.

Maybe some past brides can give a little more insight on what they did after they walked back down the isle. We plan on using the U2 song, Beautiful Day, so do we wait for the song to end if we go back to greet our guests? I'm quite confused now that you mentioned something!

I have always liked it in a wedding where instead of the bride and groom walking back down the aisle they stop at each each row to get their congrats. Kind of like how an usher does it in church...

Thanks girls! I think we will skip the champagne toast, now I just need to decide on the sand ceremony. Although the thought of more stuff to drag around makes me think twice.

I just hope the band will be entertaining enough during pics, since we won't be having any food or cocktails.

I ended up not doing a sand ceremony (It just got cut off my to do list at the end...) HOWEVER, I did collect a bottle of sand from the beach where we were married, and I LOVE LOVE LOVE that i have that. (We just put it in an empty water bottle, and then transferred it to a nice vase when we got back to home. Less to worry about - but you still have a little piece to help you remember the place you were married!!!! (Not like you'll ever forget...but...)