Do you love the idea of a beach theme wedding and reception, but aren’t real crazy about taking a chance on the variables such as blistering temperatures, sky-high humidity and unexpected rainshowers?  Here’s an alternative that you may want to check into.

Consider holding your wedding and/or reception at an aquarium.  There are several aquariums around the country that have banquet rooms cozy enough for a party of 50 and large enough to accomodate up to 500 people.  Just a few of the states that have aquariums that cater to weddings and receptions are: Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, North Carolina, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Tennessee.  Do an online search in your particular area to see if there is an aquarium located near you.

Being located in Georgia, I’ve done a little checking with the Georgia Aquarium.  You can choose your own caterer or you can use the aquarium’s famous caterer, Wolfgang Puck.  Meals range from ‘coffee break’ type foods and hors d’oeuvres, to buffets and exotic sit-down dinners.  The prices, as  of the writing of this article, start at $5 per person and can go as high as $75 per person, so it’s fairly easy to fit into your budget and style.  Informal weddings, as well as extremely formal elegant weddings fit well into this aquarium’s atmosphere.

The best part of this type of beach theme wedding is the scenery.  Rooms are lined with gigantic windows peering into the aquarium itself.  Whales, sharks and other exotic aquatic animals happily join your celebration as they give an ever-changing backdrop to your reception room.  Plus, by holding your event at an aquarium, there’s no need to wait on warmer weather to be able to incorporate your beach theme.