There are many things to consider with planning and having a Florida beach wedding and here are some wedding planning tips.

• Picking a beach for the wedding venue in Florida
• Transportation of the bridal party and family to Florida
• Obtaining the Florida marriage license
• Having someone perform and plan your marriage ceremony on the Florida beach
• Planning with vendors like the wedding photographer's and other professionals
• Wedding packages and extra's to make the wedding day special like flowers, cake, arch as well as dove releases and champagne toasts

If you can give consideration to the above checklist then you are on your way to a wedding day to remember.

There are a variety of public beach parks and privately owned beaches to have a beach wedding and only your budget will dictate your choice of locations. You can have a nice romantic beach wedding in Florida on a very modest budget. You must be careful if you are from out of town or out of state in planning your beach wedding as many beaches require a permit for gatherings of large groups of people. If you keep your wedding party under 2 dozen people, then you will generally be left alone. Beach wedding marriage vows and ceremonies generally last about 15 minutes for the actual service. Large groups of people attract attention on the beach with the assorted vendors involved like a DJ and wedding photographers present.

There is a state park in South Florida that is very wedding friendly and they allow you to rent the park in the evening and you are allowed to bring food on site. You can have your wedding on the beach as well as host the wedding reception and dinner there. They have a modest sized pavilion at the Florida state beach park. There are also a large variety of public beaches available that do not need a permit for a wedding.

Saturday is one of the busiest days of the week and over the holidays and with the winter season the beaches can be quite crowded. The evenings are usually the best time of the day to perform a wedding ceremony as it is not too hot and the lighting is usually quite good for pictures. The evening is also a good time for the wedding as many of the sunbathers have gone home for dinner and there are usually only a couple of lover's and fisherman as witnesses to your marriage ceremony.

If you are local to South Florida then you are familiar with the beaches and public parks available and you may even have a favorite spot. When one is from out of town and out of state, then planning and transportation is more difficult. Logistics is a very important part of the wedding day. Getting to and from Florida is only part of the solution to the problem. Getting the family to and from the beach wedding venue is also a hurdle to clear. Many people get to book a hotel beachside and use the private beach of the hotel as their wedding venue. Most hotel's are happy to allow paying guests to use their beach for a wedding venue, as long as one does not interfere with any functions of the hotel in progress. Not all of us can afford a beach front hotel in the winter season in Florida. Rental cars are another possible solution to the transportation problem.

I can give you the name of a couple of limousine companies that can supply you with limo service to and from the beach and this can be had for around $300-400 dollars for the evening. Transportation with a limousine maybe a good idea of a small group of family and friends. You can think of it as a rolling party as many will supply you with beer and wine and other drinks. You need not worry about DUI or getting lost in an area that you are not familiar with. They can take you to the beach and to dinner and sightseeing afterwards as you generally get 3-4 hours of service for this price. The limo's can easily carry a dozen people and I prefer the white lincoln continental limousine's as they are roomy and look very professional as opposed to the hummer limo, but that is my opinion.

If you are a Florida resident you must go to any county courthouse in the state and apply in person with both the potential bride and groom present on the weekday during normal business hours. The cost of the marriage license tends to run between $90 and 120 dollars depending upon the county. Cash always works as payment for the license to marry and they accept checks as well at most locations. Always call the place you plan to go to obtain your Florida marriage license as rules change at the whim of the court. There is a 3 day waiting period of Florida residents except if you took the approved marriage counseling class in advance. Check with the courthouse for the current rules and more recent information on obtaining your marriage license information. You can get a marriage license at any courthouse location and it is valid for all of Florida.

Marriage license by mail:

If you are an out of state resident you can obtain a Florida marriage license by mail or in person. The cost tends to be a little more for the marriage license by mail service and it is worth it to many people pressed for time. For those unable to arrive in Florida on a weekday to apply in person for the marriage license at the courthouse, the marriage license by mail is a possible solution to their problem. This tends to appeal to busy professionals and business people and I can assist you in the license by mail procedure.

Marriage license in person:

You can obtain your marriage license at any courthouse location in Florida and it shall be valid for all of Florida. The cost of the marriage license tends to run between $90 and 120 dollars depending upon the county. Cash always works as payment for the license to marry and they accept checks as well at most locations. Always call the place you plan to go to obtain your marriage license as rules change at the whim of the court. There is no 3 day waiting period for non-Florida residents. Check with the courthouse for the current rules and more recent information on obtaining your marriage license information.

A wedding planner can help you choose a beach and local vendors like a photographer as well as help make sure the wedding venue is decorated with flowers and has an arch and wedding music for the bridal march down the aisle. There are many things to consider for your marriage on the beach. A beach wedding has to contend with the elements like the rain, sun and the wind. Always having a plan B is very important due to poor weather as the outdoors does not always follow our wishes for the wedding day.

Having someone who has knowledge of the local Florida beaches and area is a valuable asset to have. Experience is a useful commodity to have when dealing with someone to plan your wedding day. Hiring someone over the Internet is not always the most confidence inspiring experience.

Wedding packages for your Florida beach wedding can be your one stop solution to all of your wedding needs as a beach bride. Most wedding packages tend to cost a thousand dollars or less and you can think of it as a grand wedding.

Wedding packages for beach weddings generally includes:

• Wedding officiant or wedding clergy for performing the marriage ceremony on the beach.
• Wedding photography with a professional wedding photographer and / or video of the ceremony
• Someone to decorate the beach wedding venue with an arch and flowers
• wedding music provided on a cd such as the wedding march processional and recessional
• vase for a sand ceremony (like a unity candle ceremony) use of sand due to wind on the beach
• Wedding cake and champagne for the toast
• Dove and butterfly releases make for an extra special day to remember

You are sending money to someone that you have never met and do not know. You hope and pray they show up for your wedding as your wedding will be a mess if the person does not follow through with the agreed upon plans. I know of someone that had their wedding planner quit 3 weeks before the wedding. it was good for the bride that she did not lose the deposits that the planner had made to the vendors and it was not a total loss. Having a wedding planner and using a wedding package can save you time and money by not having to negotiate with multiple vendors for the special day.

I have been planning and performing weddings for over 5 years and I have been involved with hundreds of weddings in a formal and informal venue. Let me see what I can do for your special wedding day.

We are Palm Beach Weddings and my main area of coverage is the South Florida area of Palm Beach and Broward counties. From West Palm Beach to Ft Lauderdale and all the surrounding area's of coverage. Let me Plan and perform your beach wedding anywhere in south Florida and ask about  availability.