Beach Wedding - Help us!

[firefighter0038]

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? 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

 

[Kurt]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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

 

[Cheering472]

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 [/QUOTE

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

 

[Ocean Lover]

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 [/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!