Getting married on the beach is an idyllic and beautiful way to tie the knot. But before your seaside wedding can happen, there’s some planning to do. From checking out locations and sorting out the appropriate permits to finding a wedding reception venue — read on to learn everything you need to know when organising a beach wedding.
1. Start planning early
While you may think that organising a beach wedding requires less planning, that’s not the case. You still need to do some intense planning when it comes to a beach wedding to ensure everything works out the way you want. So, start planning early to avoid any mishaps.
2. Check out locations
It’s not just about tying the knot in an idyllic seaside location — it’s about choosing one that’s conveniently placed and allows your wedding guests comfortable access and participation. Think about kids and the elderly as they may not be able to walk a great distance or stand on the sand.
3. Sort out the permits
While a permit isn’t always required to have a wedding on a public beach, it may be required in certain cities. For example, on the Gold Coast, all beach weddings must be approved by the city. Keep in mind that some permits state the maximum number of people that can attend the wedding — so don’t even think about the guest list until you know how many people are allowed to come.
Know how the permit fee is structured — is it per hour charge or a flat rate that covers the entire length of the event? Will liability insurance be required? How large is the exact area the permits covers? All these questions are important when finding out about your wedding permit.
4. Know the restrictions
Public beaches have pretty strict rules when it comes to protecting the oceanside environment — and of course, you wouldn’t want to do any damage to our beautiful beaches. Things like confetti, helium balloons, glass, styrofoam, rice, and faux flowers can be prohibited.
Some permits will also highlight other types of restrictions, such as the number of chairs. And when it comes to alcohol — most public beaches across Australia do not allow alcohol consumption.
5. Ceremony logistics
There are so many things to consider when planning a beach wedding after you’ve sorted out the permits and researched the restrictions. Some of the things to consider when it comes to logistics are:
- Cleanliness: Some councils do not make sure the beach is clean before the ceremony, so you may want to check if this is the case and clean it yourself before setting it up. When you leave, you’ll have to clean up.
- Wedding time: Think about what’s the best time for you to have your wedding, bearing in mind the time of year it’ll be held at. Summer may be extremely hot, so an afternoon or evening beach wedding could be the best idea.
- Facilities: Are there any toilets nearby? Can trucks park nearby in order to bring the chairs, speakers, etc? Are there any power points nearby?
- Weather: Know the forecast in advance and prepare accordingly. Not to mention, knowing about when it’s low and high tide, as it may affect how close to the ocean you’ll be able to set up.
6. Reception
Having a beach ceremony is one thing, but most permits don’t allow for a reception seaside. Find a venue that’s close to the beach, that way, you’re still oceanside but with the comfort that only an enclosed venue can give. A venue close to the beach where the ceremony will be is also perfect in terms of transportation for guests — no car required!
Take a look at our function venues at The Coolangatta Hotel. Across from Coolangatta beach — it’s the perfect location to walk over after your ceremony. Contact us today.
