We always suggest you have your Wedding on the beach that is owned by the person(s) you are renting from if possible. For this reason it's good to choose your lodging wisely so you can simply walk from your room onto the beach and get married! Otherwise, see the public Beach options below for the nearest location.

We are often asked about a "private beach without people"...it doesn't exist. If your Wedding is during the tourist season ( May - Sept ) expect the beaches to be crowded. However, if you plan a sunset Wedding it will not be as congested as most people begin to leave by then and the Beach Services remove the umbrellas and chairs.

WHAT TO EXPECT: We will normally meet you at the beach location or your lodging about 20 minutes early. You'll provide us with your Marriage License and any balance due at this time. Then we'll walk out onto the Beach, select a spot and perform the Ceremony! If you're planning something more formal we'll discuss the plan prior to the Wedding and follow through. After the Ceremony we'll present you with your Keepsake items and return your License if you wish to file it. We will be happy to file this for you but understand that you may not receive the recorded copy for 2-3 weeks during the busy season. So if you need it FAST we suggest you take it back to the Clerks office for immediate filing.
If we're providing photography, we'll be taking pics throughout the Ceremony with more "portrait" type posed pics afterwards for 15-20 minutes. This can include pics with family and friends.
Most of our Ceremonies take between 5 - 15 minutes depending on the Ceremony you choose, add-ons and size of your party. This is important as you won't want to be on the beach in July for long...fully clothed anyway!

MUSIC: Most of our Couples forego any music as the Ceremony is short by design. Plus it can be difficult hearing above the wind and surf. But some either use an I-Pod plugged into something LOUD or a live musician ( guitar, violin, etc.)

CHAIRS: Again, our Ceremonies are pretty short so people won't be standing long. Chair rentals can run $5 and up a piece. If you have a few guests that need seating, you can usually purchase plastic patio chairs at Walmart for about $5.

WEATHER: The one thing we can't predict. We average 160 Weddings per year and about 5 of these are impacted by the weather. But it is good to have a back-up plan. Some ot the public beaches have pavilions that we can use. Otherwise we simply move to a covered location where you're staying or wait out the rain. Or we can re-schedule to the next day if possible. We do all we can to be sure you GET MARRIED!

GENERAL:

• Traffic during the Summer season can be very heavy. Be sure to allow plenty of time to reach your location. Good idea to visit the location in advance so you're sure where you're going.
• Don't apply heavy make-up in the summer. It can run!!
• For pictures it's always good to have some color. Flowers, clothing, etc. will enhance your pics.
• Be sure to bring your Marriage License, rings, final payment and any other materials you'll need.

OKALOOSA ISLAND - SANTA ROSA BLVD.