Beach decorations

BMDunlap01

Hey ladies -
  My fiance and I are planning a destination wedding in the pensacola/destin area. I've been researching packages but I'm frustrated with the the expense of things. I read that we are not allow to decorate the beach ourselves if having a small ceremony. Is this correct? Can I not put up a bamboo arch and chairs on a public beach?
  Any advice for a destination bride from Ohio would be so appreciated!!

kgroh85

I think you have to have a permit to use those items ona public beach. How many people are you planning on having? If its going to be a smaller wedding you should look into a small beach wedding planning service. I googled "beach wedding, destin " and there a bunch in the destin area.
We live in Ohio and are getting married in St. Augustine, but we are having about 80 ppl, so we went with a beach club located on the beach that will set us up on their part of the beach- but it has been pricey!
I HIGHLY suggest taking a short trip to the area you are looking at getting married in if you have the funds to do so. I went down with my Dad and MOH over labor day weekend and got so much done. I set up tons interviews and cake tastings. Otherwise, the internet and knot/wedding wire reviews have been very helpful in choosing vendors.
Just remember, if this is your dream wedding, you CAN do it! All the hard work will pay off and you'll have your beautiful dream beach wedding

Good luck!

BMDunlap01

Thank you so much for the feedback! It's very crazy trying to do it all from a distance. As you understand.
We're only going to have about 30 people and want to DIY as much as possible to save costs. For me I just want to be able to rent some chairs, make the isle markers and arch myself and have a single live musician and the JOP.
I had been reading on some of the sites you mentioned though that you can't decorate the beach unless your a liscened professional. Just thought I'd check with the locals to see if it is true.
Good luck with your wedding!

colleens509

I am getting married in Fort Walton Beach in June and have been looking into the same thing.  We are also from Ohio.   We had friends get married in Fort Walton a few years ago with about 30 people and they decorated with tiki torches and some other small things.  They did not  have chairs however.  I don't think they had to get a permit.  They were married at Beasley Park, which is a public beach.  Hope that helps.  We have about 75 people, however, we have decided against renting chairs for a 20 minute ceremony.   Have you contacted Emerald Coast visitors center?  They may be able to help. 

Good Luck!

BMDunlap01

Hey Colleens509 - I hadn't checked the visitors center yet. That's a great idea. Thank you!

I have gone back and forth about the chairs. They do seem unneccesary because of how short the ceremony will be but it seems less formal without them. What was your experience with out them?

ramos86

Wow! I am going trough the same exact problem... actually getting fustrated I am also having a wedding with 30 people in Pensacola Florida. Something very small just a civil wedding I wanted a heart in the sand with rose petals and 30 chairs. I want to do the sand unity and shell ceremony and well the officiant i been emailing so many people and this lady sent me an estimate of 750 because she is not local and would charge $100 for the trip. She gave me a better package for $900 including the officiant but I stil think it is so much money for a maybe 30 minute ceremony. So I been looking around for an officiant and I been trying to figure out if my sister and I can decorate the beach just 30 plastic chairs and a heart in the sand im sure it would cost me maybe 200 for that not 900... ahh im going crazy if you find anything out please let me know my wedding is july 1st.

serene82

Look into what permit you need. Our beach charges a reasonable fee of 50-100 allowing you to have chairs etc. this is in St. Augustine.

chenry28

I would love to find this out too- still waiting to hear back from some people, but please kjeep posting when you do hear!

jordankari

if its on a public beach you just have to contact the city to get a permit. for jacksonville the permit is 35 dollars so I guess it would probably be similar?

jalifig

Any luck on finding chairs?  I am looking for chairs - cheap chairs for a pensacola beach wedding. 

sartri95

I am going through all of this currently.  I see this is an outdated post; however I am interested in how everything turned out and if I can benefit in my planning now from your experience?  Any advice would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks so much.

 

Wedding is Feb 2014