If you’re considering having a beach wedding in Gulf Shores, Alabama, there are many things to consider to ensure your special day is everything you’ve dreamed of. From choosing the perfect location to selecting the right vendors, here is a wedding guide to help you plan your beach wedding in Gulf Shores, Alabama.

Location

The first step in planning a beach wedding in Gulf Shores, Alabama is choosing the right location. Gulf Shores is a popular destination for beach weddings because of its beautiful white sand beaches and stunning ocean views. Here are a few options to consider:

• Gulf State Park Beach: This is a public beach that offers over two miles of pristine coastline. It’s a popular spot for beach weddings because of its natural beauty and accessibility. You’ll need to obtain a permit to use the beach for your wedding ceremony. When ordering your wedding package from Sun Coast Beach Weddings you can ad the beach wedding permit in and we will get the permit for you and a parking pass for you and your guests.The beach wedding permit cost $150.

• Orange Beach: Orange Beach: is a neighboring community to Gulf Shores and offers a variety of beachfront wedding venues. Many do not have as good parking and we can not do full setups at many of them.

• Private beachfront property: Another option is to rent a private beachfront property for your wedding ceremony. This allows you to have a more intimate and personalized ceremony, but it may be more expensive than using a public beach. You would need to find a wedding friendly beach house that will let you have a wedding. Many will not due to the cost of the insurance. Also the beach house much have full beach access for us to be able to load out and setup on the beach so the house needs to be approved by us as well. We would need parking for our large truck.

Weather

The weather in Gulf Shores, Alabama can be unpredictable, so it’s important to plan accordingly. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Hurricane season: Hurricane season in the Gulf of Mexico runs from June 1st to November 30th, so if you’re planning a beach wedding during this time, it’s important to have a contingency plan in case of a storm. But we only get a direct hit once every 10 to 13 years. So its not as a bog deal as it seems. We get rained out very little.

• Rain: Gulf Shores can experience rain showers throughout the year, so it’s a good idea to have a backup plan in case of inclement weather. Most of the time it may rain in the afternoon and is all clear by the time we do our beach weddings an hour before sunset.

• Heat: Gulf Shores can get hot and humid during the summer months. This is why we do all our large wedding packages one hour before sunset so it is not as hot for us to setup and you and your guests are not as hot. As the wedding ends it cools down even more as we are in the time of the sun setting. This also provides the best lighting for your wedding and you can see the sunset.

Vendors

Choosing the right vendors can make all the difference in ensuring your beach wedding in Gulf Shores, Alabama is a success. Here are a few vendors to consider:

• Wedding planner: A wedding planner can help you with everything from choosing the perfect location to coordinating with vendors and managing the day-of logistics. The good news is when you hire Sun Coast Beach Weddings we help you with all of it so you do not need to hire another wedding planner unless you want to. See all out beach Weddings packages HERE.

• Photographer: You’ll want to capture all the special moments of your wedding day, so hiring a professional photographer is a must. Sun Coast Beach Weddings offers the best beach wedding photography you can add to your wedding packages. We have shot well over 1000 beach weddings and you won’t fins a better beach wedding photographer. Or you can bring you own photographer but shooting on the beach is nothing like shooting a in-land wedding.

• Caterer: Gulf Shores has many great catering options, from fresh seafood to Southern-style cuisine. Consider choosing a caterer that specializes in beach weddings. When you hire Sun Coast Beach Weddings we will provide you with a list of local vendors to help you pick who you might want to hire for all your different needs.

• Florist: A florist can help you create the perfect beach-themed floral arrangements for your ceremony and reception. When you hire Sun Coast Beach Weddings we will provide you with a list of local wedding florist. We do not recommend using live real flowers of the wedding set up as due to the heat in summer the flowers can be wilted before the wedding even starts.

• Musician/DJ: Whether you want live music or a DJ, having someone to provide entertainment is important for setting the tone for your reception if you are having one.

Permits and Regulations

There are certain permits and regulations you’ll need to follow when planning a beach wedding in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Permits: You’ll need to obtain a permit from the city of Gulf Shores to use the beach for your wedding ceremony. This includes a fee and certain restrictions, such as no alcohol on the beach.
When you hire Sun Coast Beach Weddings and want to have your wedding at the Gulf State Park you can add on the permit fee when ordering your wedding package with us. The permit fee is $150 for the Gulf State Park and other start park areas.

• Noise restrictions: Gulf Shores has noise restrictions that may impact your reception. Make sure to check with the city before booking a venue. This can be the most at a rented beach home.

• Beach cleanup: You’ll be responsible for cleaning up after your wedding ceremony, so make sure to plan accordingly.

Accommodations

Finally, it’s important to consider accommodations for you and your guests when planning a beach wedding in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Here are a few options to consider:

• Beachfront hotels: Gulf Shores has many beachfront hotels that offer wedding guests a good place to stay. Also condo rentals and many hotels in Foley and Orange Beach as well.

Sun Coast Beach Weddings

Sun Coast Beach Weddings is you number one choice for your Gulf Shores Beach Wedding. We have many packages to pick from and you can customize each package as you wish. See all our packages HERE.

We have been providing beach weddings for almost 25 years now with over 1500 beach weddings done.