According to The New York Times, “impressively designed, highly personalized sand sculptures seem to be what ice sculptures once were, minus the melting issue.” CreditJulie Ambos/Studio Julie Photography.
More over glistening ice doves. Beach-loving brides and grooms are saying no thanks to traditional ice sculptures and yes please to the 2016 update: sand sculptures.
“Sand sculptures seem to be what ice sculptures once were, minus the melting issue; impressively designed, highly personalized and offering an unexpected wow factor,” wrote Alix Strauss for The New York Times. “For those having destination weddings held on sugary white sandy beaches, tributes made out of sand are taking center stage and becoming surprisingly popular.”
Planners and venue directors echo that statement.
“In the five years since I’ve worked here, I’ve seen a 65 to 70 percent increase in couples incorporating this into their weddings,” Evelyn Judge, director of catering and events at the Casa Marina, told the newspaper.
Nick Wagner, director of guest experiences at the Marco Island Marriott, told the Times sculpture demand has increased 15 to 20 percent over the last year. The number of inquiries are up, too.
“Sand is a new element that offers a memory and a surprise moment,” he said. “People are mesmerized that something from the beach is converted into a piece of art. Then the ocean reclaims it.”
Part of the appeal? “While ice sculptures last only a few hours, those made out of sand can last for days — that’s longer than some marriages,” Strauss wrote.
The sculptures, however, don’t come cheap: They can run into the hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
Read more about the trend.
