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Beach Wedding - Help us!

firefighter0038 avatar
firefighter0038Beach Crab
3,675 views
Hi! My fiance' and I are from south Louisiana (cajun country to be exact) and are planning to get married in June 2007 on the beaches of South Walton. I have always dreamt of getting married on the beach and love the South Walton area. I fell in love with the pictures of the pavilions at Seaside but when I called and learned that the minimum fee is $3,200 plus 20% service charge the pictures all the sudden didn't look as beautiful . ;-) No really, I still think they're beautiful but the pavilion I love is the Savannah which I was informed is an extra $1,500 since it is owned by the association and must be rented for an additional fee. So, about $6,000 (incl. 20%) for about a 1/2 hour ceremony - not bad huh? :lol: At first I was just like, forget about the money it's my fiance's second marriage but it's my first rodeo so money is no object. But I would probably be aggrivated after the 1/2 hour imagining $6K gone - poof - just like that. So, my question is is if anyone knows of another pavilion - like place to get married on or even if the owners of the privately owned pavilions rent them out for less than $6K for just a 1/2 hr. ceremony. I especially love the Tupelo pavilion. It is beautiful!! I like the idea of getting married on a pavilion on the beach. It makes it semi-private and makes for nice photos. Thanks for any input!!

P.S. We will also consider throwing in a few sacks of boiled crawfish (straight from the source I might add) to sweeten the deal!!!:clap_1:


James and Dana

Replies

33
Kurt avatar
KurtAdmin
#2
:welcome:

Congrats!

You might check with Carillon Beach. I don't know if they rent their pavilions or not. They also have a little chapel.

There are plenty of private houses you can rent that have nice walkovers but but I can't think of any that match Seaside.
John R avatar
John Rneeds to get out more
#3
wow, seaside has the highway robbery thing down to an art, don't they? that being said, there is plenty of white sand, and could your entire party actually fit in/under a pavillion? you could have the ceremony on the beach(i'd rather have the dunes as a backdrop myself) and then head to the reception halll, or, if you must do it in one of the pavillions, just stealth it, it's only half an hour right? have a bus pick everybody up, and drop them off(keeping the number of cars needing to park to zero). the bus goes somewhere to turn around, and by the time it's back, you're married. i'm sure a charter bus is cheaper than 6k
TreeFrog avatar
TreeFrogBeach Fanatic
#4
Lots of people just get married on the beach, no pavilion required. You could rent a beachfront house for a day or two and have a nice place for a reception and for some of your special guests to stay.

Rosemary Beach has a lot of weddings, both on the green and on the beach. They could probably offer some alternatives - I have no idea of price, though. The rental office is 888-851-1551.
Lady D avatar
Lady DSoWal Insider
#5
Do any of the State Parks like Grayton Beach State Park have a pavilion? Eden Gardens has a covered over pavilion type structure on their grounds. And there is a nice view of the back water out on their grounds. I know it is not beachfront. But here are two links on the Florida State Parks site showing their wedding guide and after hours wedding agreement including use of the pavilion. Might be something to consider. They don't allow alcohol but if you are only looking for somewhere to have the wedding that is nice and then have your reception elsewhere that is ideal.

http://www.floridastateparks.org/edengardens/docs/EdenGardensStateParkWeddingGuide.pdf

http://www.floridastateparks.org/edengardens/docs/EdenWeddingAgreementPavilion.pdf
Cheering472 avatar
Cheering472SoWal Insider
#6
I agree with JohnR, I'd probably stealth it. (If you needed chair set up for all your quests on the pavillion it would be different.) You will have to deal with other beach goers trying to get to the beach via the pavilion. You could always have the bridal party on the pavilion and the quests on the beach watching. I'd just get married on the beach and have some lovely photos on the pavilion afterward. I'd take the $6000 and rent a big beautiull beachfront home to share with my wedding party. You have a place to have the wedding in case it rains too.

Whatever you decide, congratulations and many years of happy to you both!
InletBchDweller avatar
InletBchDwellerSoWal Insider
#7
:welcome: wow seaside does know how to dig deep in the pockets!!!😱

I agree with many others, go and have it on the beach and then you can rent a gulf front house somewhere else for reception/in case it rains/to honeymoon in.

Here in Inlet Beach at the end of Orange st. it seems that there is a wedding every weekend. There is not alot of people and the dunes are getting back into shape.

Whatever you do good luck and keep us posted.....
Ocean Lover avatar
Ocean Loverbean
#8
I agree with JohnR, I'd probably stealth it. (If you needed chair set up for all your quests on the pavillion it would be different.) You will have to deal with other beach goers trying to get to the beach via the pavilion. You could always have the bridal party on the pavilion and the quests on the beach watching. I'd just get married on the beach and have some lovely photos on the pavilion afterward. I'd take the $6000 and rent a big beautiull beachfront home to share with my wedding party. You have a place to have the wedding in case it rains too.

Whatever you decide, congratulations and many years of happy to you both!

Not sure that would work with June being the key word here. I think it would be too busy. Renting a gulf front house sounds like the way to go! Congratulations and :welcome:
Cheering472 avatar
Cheering472SoWal Insider
#9
Not sure that would work with June being the key word here. I think it would be too busy. Renting a gulf front house sounds like the way to go! Congratulations and :welcome: [/QUOTE

Probably right OL, June is busy. Stealthing is difficult when crowds are around.
Ocean Lover avatar
Ocean Loverbean
#10
Not sure that would work with June being the key word here. I think it would be too busy. Renting a gulf front house sounds like the way to go! Congratulations and :welcome: [/QUOTE

Probably right OL, June is busy. Stealthing is difficult when crowds are around.

I had a vision in my head kids running up and cutting through the ceremony!
Ocean Lover avatar
Ocean Loverbean
#11
Not sure that would work with June being the key word here. I think it would be too busy. Renting a gulf front house sounds like the way to go! Congratulations and :welcome: [/QUOTE

Probably right OL, June is busy. Stealthing is difficult when crowds are around.

I had a vision in my head kids of running up and cutting through the ceremony!
dbuck avatar
dbuckBeach Fanatic
#12
I had a vision in my head kids of running up and cutting through the ceremony!

You are so right.
Scooter avatar
ScooterBeach Fanatic
#13
Hi Firefighter,

I'm also from Louisiana (N.O.). Wish I had a place so I could take you up on those crawfish! There's a home in Paradise by the Sea that is rented for weddings. I know of someone who had a destination wedding and it was held there. Have no idea how much it is. It's gorgeous - gulf front. The Hilton home is right next door. I believe it's considered Seacrest Beach. Good Luck! :clap_1:
howlin'enterpriBeach Comber
#14
My husband & I (of two years) wanted a beach wedding ourselves. Like ya'll it was my 2nd go round and his first. We rented a beachhouse that was up on pilings within walking distance of the beach (Gulfview Heights Area in Blue Mountain). We decorated the parking area under the house we rented for the reception and set up a flowered arch with a bamboo walkway on the beach and had the dunes and a beautiful evening sunset as the back drop. (The whole thing was less that $6,000.
Sheila avatar
SheilaSoWal Insider
#15
Hi Firefighter,

I'm also from Louisiana (N.O.). Wish I had a place so I could take you up on those crawfish! There's a home in Paradise by the Sea that is rented for weddings. I know of someone who had a destination wedding and it was held there. Have no idea how much it is. It's gorgeous - gulf front. The Hilton home is right next door. I believe it's considered Seacrest Beach. Good Luck! :clap_1:


I think the name of the house you are thinking of is Renaissance, it is gulf front and it also has a guest house that is called Cotton Candy. They have a pool in the courtyard that the two homes share. I have seen many weddings taking place there. I believe Beach Rentals of SouthWalton may have those 2 homes.
Miss Kitty avatar
Miss KittyMeow
#16
My husband & I (of two years) wanted a beach wedding ourselves. Like ya'll it was my 2nd go round and his first. We rented a beachhouse that was up on pilings within walking distance of the beach (Gulfview Heights Area in Blue Mountain). We decorated the parking area under the house we rented for the reception and set up a flowered arch with a bamboo walkway on the beach and had the dunes and a beautiful evening sunset as the back drop. (The whole thing was less that $6,000.

:clap_1: ...I love this!!!
firefighter0038 avatar
firefighter0038Beach CrabAuthor
#17
Thanks for all of the advice ya'll. Now I think renting a house is the best bet. It would definitely be less expensive plus we could have the ceremony and reception in one place. Cheap and simple - my fiance's two favorite words!:floor:
Lady D avatar
Lady DSoWal Insider
#18
The charges to me for use of the pavilion and grounds at Eden Gardens were reasonable. $2,000 for 100 guests including park fees. $2400.00 for 200 guests. There was a $500.00 deposit but that is refundable. I am sure they have had many weddings on those grounds. They have a tree referred to as the Wedding Tree which is this huge oak in the middle of the grounds. Pretty place. I love the Rose Garden area with the arch that you walk under.
Smiling JOe avatar
Smiling JOeSoWal Expert
#19
You should talk John R into letting you rent his sunrise/sunset dock.
firefighter0038 avatar
firefighter0038Beach CrabAuthor
#20
So how 'bout it John R. How much time does a sack of crawfish, case of Tabasco and a cold twelve pack buy on your dock?


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