How to Plan Your Beach Wedding in Washington
Beach weddings in Washington are remarkably laid-back, fun, and can be very affordable.
The most popular image of a beach wedding that many couples have seems to be mainly white sand, turquoise water, and towering palm trees. They imagine that those scenes are only available in Hawaii, the Caribbean, or other tropical locations. In reality, there are many beach wedding locations in Washington that offer the same incredible sunsets.
To the east of the South Jetty in Westport is a small cove that the locals call Half Moon Bay. You will find a really pretty beach that rarely has people. It is one of best places to visit. You can get there by following the road to the South Jetty, and you can walk from the parking lot.
Or be enchanted by mesmerizing coastal views as you explore Kalaloch, one of Washington State’s most pristine stretches of sandy beach.
If you are planning a wedding on a vessel at sea or thinking of reserving a lighthouse for your wedding, it’s wise to make reservations as much as 9 months ahead, particularly for events during the summer season. Nearly all 28 miles of the peninsula’s sandy beach around Long Beach are available for your weddng ceremony. Alcohol can be served by obtaining a permit from a Washington State Liquor Store.
You will get tons of additional free info about these options when you visit the links that I display below in my “Location. Location. Location” panel.
In considering which of hundreds of potential beaches to site your wedding ceremony, keep in mind the nearest airports, accommodations and “civilization” (caterers, wedding cake bakers, musicians, photographers, and restaurants to provide for your guests before and after the wedding itself). Also, think about whether it is important to be on the beach at particular times of the day (such as sunset) and where the sun is likely to be at that time.
Huge beach houses can often be rented more affordably than putting up most people in a resort hotel. They also often offer large decks or entertaining areas that would be great for the rehearsal dinner, the wedding reception, and even the post-wedding breakfast.
So, explore! Enjoy! And relax!
Sarah Forrester
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Check out these links to fabulous beach areas that Washington offers.
In general, larger cities and towns are going to have more choices of hotels, motels, and bed & breakfast inns (as well as restaurants, bars, and entertainment for your guests) than remote locales. But don’t avoid considering those remote beaches. They are often far less populated, which will give you more privacy and fewer worries about gawkers and potential party-crashers. BEACH PERMITS: Some municipalities may require you obtain a special permit in order to hold your wedding on their beaches. A few may also ask you to show proof of liability coverage before issuing a permit.The permits are generally very modest in price, but vary widely among communities. |
Washington has a 3-day waiting period between obtaining the license and the wedding, but the license is valid for only 60 days. Since you’ll have plenty to do in the days before The Big Day, it’s a good idea to take care of this about a month beforehand.
Marriage licenses are issued by Clerks in each Washington county, but the license can be used anywhere in the state. The bride and groom must appear in person and present a picture ID (driver’s license, passport) or birth certificate. Previously married folks need no documentation, but the divorce must be final and filed before applying for the license. The license fee is $52.00 (approximate, varies by county; cash only). No blood test is required. Marriages are performed by licensed or ordained clergy. The officiant will sign your marriage license, which must be sent to the county auditor within 30 days of the marriage for it to be legally recognized. Because marriage license requirements can change, please do not regard this guidance as legal advice. |
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Planning so far in advance for a beach wedding means that you need to equip yourself with facts about the weather (temperature and possibility of precipitation) for the beach location that you have in mind.
Although there certainly are exceptions, when it comes to weather, the past is a pretty good predictor of the future.and it will almost always be better than a wild guess. This link provides historical weather data over nearly 50 years for thousands of locations in the world. You won’t want to have the bridal party standing at the water’s edge for the ceremony if the tide’s coming in. But when will that be? Find the time of the high tide for your beach location for any day in 2009 with this link. |
What if a major storm occurs or the groom has an accident that requires the wedding to be postponed or even canceled? What if an important vendor goes out of business before the wedding and you can’t get back your deposit for the cake or the music?
Consider wedding cancellation insurance. It is available online for as little as 1 cent for every dollar of insurance, and it can cover the honeymoon, too. Here’s one site that has designed a special insurance policy just for coverning wedding -related events: http://www.wedsafe.com/ |
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED READING
To help you through the sometimes mind-boggling decisions that you must make,
I discovered an inexpensive and highly readable book that spells everything out for you.
I mean everything! Click here and check it out for yourself!– Your host, Sarah Forrester
