Beach Wedding

I think it depends on the state! I know in California you can get a permit and there are a few kinds whether it's just the bride & groom or a large group.

Oh, I probably should have mentioned that lol. Okay, so it's going to be in South Florida with about 100 people.

I would check with local officials on what they require. You may need a permit and to check if there are any places you rent everything from. We opted for a beach wedding on a resort in Mexico so we wouldn't need to figure out all of the logistics ourselves

Some states require a permit, but it also depends on the beach. In my area for a beach wedding of less than 10 people a permit is not required. Plus setup can be tricky if you're right on the sand. Personally, I would go through a resort to save myself the hassle, but if that's outside your budget just make sure you get the right permits and that rental companies can accommodate.

As others have said, it varies by location.

For example, I was originally looking near VA beach. Their beaches are handled by parks and recreation. They don't require a permit if it is under a certain number of people, but without a permit they can't prevent pedestrians from setting up towels/chairs nearby or in your spot. So you'd have to get there early in the day and have someone stay there to "hold your spot". So a permit was the way to go. Also, if you are having your reception under a tent on the beach, you will most likely need a permit and possibly an ABC license as well.

I had a beach wedding in FL. We had 80 people and did it at the Palm Beach Marriott Singer Island Beach Resort & Spa. I didn't want to have to deal with the logistics of getting a permit, rules about chairs, dealing with others on the beach, etc.

No sure about public beaches, but if you do it through a hotel with beach front property, they take care of everything...

We had a beach wedding in California and we did have to get a permit. It was $200 and basically gave us nothing. That was just for the right to stand on the sand as a group. No chairs, no arbor, no parking, nothing. We were not even supposed to put chairs on the beach (I bent the rule on that one and had wooden benches brought down). We were married in front of my best friends home, so that is why we chose to do it there. The reception was at the house.

If I were having 100 people, I would probably look into a hotel. Just to make life easier on you.

Make sure your photographer knows how to shoot on the beach (lighting). Also, make sure they are willing to edit every picture that has strangers in the background. It's going to happen. Our photographer was amazing at this! It's funny, in the moment, I didn't notice anyone else on the beach. It just felt like us. I am glad our pictures reflect that.

Non-pro pic

Pro pic

Just check the wind forecast for you area. I hate windy beach weddings.

It definitely varies. I'm getting married in Hawaii on a beach. It's only going to be like 10 of us but no permit required. The beach does have it's rules though about what you can and can not have on the beach like chairs, arches, signs, amplified instruments, etc! We are able to have a 3x3 table which we plan on using for the unity sand portion of our ceremony. So, I would definitely get in touch with the local officials and find out what would be best for you

I just got married on the beach in Florida and the venue took care of all the permits and fees for the beach ceremony. It was just one last thing I had to worry about .