Venues for beach wedding and indoor/outdoor reception venues on a budget

aec2003

My fiancé & I live in Indiana but we are considering a destination wedding.  We preferred Hawaii but as that will be too expensive, we are now looking into a wedding on the beach in Florida.  I'm not sure we have too much preference on the area, just that the beach isn't too crowded.  We are considering next Spring.  I'm not sure where to even begin looking.  We will have a small guest list, if needed to keep the cost down.  We are okay setting everything up ourselves, with help from friends & family.  Has anyone rented a beach house and set up a ceremony outside, maybe on a private beach?  We also need inexpensive locations for a reception, preferably with both indoor & outdoor space (maybe on the beach, or a place that has gardens/flowers/water outside).  Thanks for any help!

Chipmunk415

There are a number of beach venues along the Emerald Coast (Pensacola, Destin, Panama City Beach) as well as over by Jacksonville. St Augustine (south of Jax) is a popular destination wedding spot. But you say you're thinking next spring- please be aware that March is Spring Break season along the Florida coastlines, and prices can triple just for hotels. A number of places book up well over a year in advance or tack on additional restrictions in March.

Also be aware that Florida weather is not like the rest of the country- It can be in the 50s here right up till Mid March-Mid April, and then suddenly it is in the 80s and 90s every day. Beach breezes help, but weather can be unpredictable that time of year, and you can count on at least one rainstorm per week.

Feel free to send me a private message- I've lived in FL my whole life, and now live between the Emerald Coast and Jax. I visit both on a fairly regular basis, and I have research on both areas from my own planning.

ChellaTims

Chipmunk, do you have any suggestions on places in or around Navarre beach? I think aec2003 might like the Navarre area too due to the emerald waters and it's not as built up and overly crowded like some of the other areas.

Chipmunk415

Navarre is good for beach weddings. If you're looking for more upscale for the reception, you'd want Destin or P-Cola. I do have a friend here in Tallahassee who's dad is a minister conducting Christian services every Sunday on the beach. I'll ask and see if they have some reqs specific to Navarre. Aec2003, we need more info to help you!

aec2003

Thanks for the ideas!  I need to start looking some of those areas you mentioned.  We haven't decided yet on whether we want our wedding to be in Florida, Indiana, or Illinois so I'm looking into all 3.  If it's in Florida I think we would look at May/June since it would be less expensive and less crowded than during Spring Break season.  Actually May would probably be the cheapest as a lot of places go up in price for June.  We would probably have 50-100 guests and our budget is $5,000 to $10,000 max for everything wedding/reception related.. food, guests, venue, dress, rings, etc.  I think a beach wedding would be free for the most part with the exception of renting chairs.  My dad is a pastor so he can do our wedding and I might be able to do some of our own photography which might help. 

Chipmunk415

Sounds good! Be aware, in addition to chair rental costs, you'd also have the cost of a beach permit. When you decide where you want it (if in FL), check out the county or city website- they generally have the permit forms and requirements easily accessible online. The 50 dollar permit is worth it to avoid a potential $1,000+ fine. Panama City and St. Augustine have a lot of rental hall venues steps from the beach, and there are additionally some restaurants that will let you rent out a level of their space for a private event.

If you really want to be on the water for the whole thing, there's a dinner cruise company out of Destin that does weddings on board the ship, plus reception. Definitely a novelty!

Kole86

Hey!! I plan on having my wedding in Destin. I am curious as to which month is better weather for a beach wedding ? When does it start to warm up a little? I know how hot it can get fast, just don't want to be freezing either haha.

fairblueeyes

Navarre is a great choice for a small beach wedding.  There are several homes for rent on Navarre Beach that people often have weddings at, look on vrbo.com for some listings.

Beware, though May can be cheaper than typical spring break dates, if it's approaching Memorial Day the prices jump right back up.  Also, this is the most popular time of year to get married as well.  Don't wait to book!

Oh and the cruise company in Destin is The Solaris.  They could probably do your whole wedding within your budget, definitely check it out.

To Kole86 , if you are looking for the nice weather, you probably want between March, April or May.  There are freakishly hot days in May, but for the most part it's nice.  If you are looking at a end of summer wedding, late September and October are my absolute favorite times of year here (I live in Fort Walton Beach).  I wish I could get married in Sept or Oct, myself... alas, I chose May due to scheduling conflicts.

fairblueeyes