How to Plan Your Florida Beach Wedding
Your Florida beach wedding should feel effortless — from the first shared look to your barefoot walk on the sand
Planning a beach wedding is wonderfully unique: the ocean breeze, the natural backdrop, and the simple beauty all create a magical experience. But planning this special day also comes with considerations that don’t exist with traditional venues — from choosing the perfect beach location to understanding permits and timing your sunset ceremony. This guide breaks down each step with confidence and clarity, so your planning feels exciting and stress-free.
1. Choose Your Wedding Package or Build Your Own
Begin by deciding how you want your wedding day to feel. Whether you’re dreaming of an intimate elopement or a full celebration with friends and family, we offer curated beach wedding packages designed to streamline planning without sacrificing personality. Each package includes essentials — like officiant services and ceremony photography — and can be customized to reflect your unique style and vision.
Why this matters: Starting with a package gives you a framework to build from, helps you budget smartly, and prevents overwhelm before the fun design decisions begin.
2. Choose Your Beach Location
Florida’s Gulf Coast offers stunning options from Sarasota to Marco Island and beyond. Every beach has its own personality — from secluded coves with soft sand to iconic sunset viewpoints — so think about the vibe you want for your ceremony. We’ve personally visited and photographed many of our favorite wedding beaches, and can recommend locations based on what matters most to you (sunset views, easy parking, nearby accommodations, etc.)
Helpful tip: Consider accessibility if you’re expecting guests with mobility concerns, and check whether a beach permit is required for your chosen spot. Also consider a beach with adequate parking for your group size and location proximity to where you are staying.
3. Reserve Your Date
Once your package and setting are selected, you can reserve your date with a deposit — even before locking in every detail. This gives you peace of mind that your ceremony date is secure while you finalize everything else. After reserving, a planning consultant will work with you to refine your package, assist with location selection, and guide you through any necessary paperwork. You can reserve your date without a package or location selected as well to lock your day in. We send you a package agreement to choose all of your colors, time, locations and other selections.
Pro planning tip: If possible, consider weekday dates — beaches are often quieter and the lighting at sunset is spectacular.
4. Plan Your Ceremony Flow + Guest Comforts
A beach ceremony often benefits from thoughtful sequencing early in planning.
• Processional — where guests will stand, aisle setup in the sand
• Timing — sunset is stunning but requires precise timing
• Sound — ocean waves can be beautiful but may necessitate mic support
• Weather backup — Florida weather changes quickly; a rain plan is helpful
These details ensure your ceremony feels intentional and flows beautifully from start to finish.
Beach weddings are breathtaking — and they can require extra guest-centric planning:
Comfort matters:
• Provide fans, water, or shade for midday ceremonies
• Communicate dress expectations (light, breathable fabrics recommended)
• Share parking and arrival details on your invitation or wedding website
Small considerations like these go a long way toward making your guests feel cared for and comfortable throughout your beach celebration. All of these guest comforts can be added to your package as an enhancement, if they are not included already.
5. Design Enhancements + Personal Choices
Now that the logistics are in place, bring your vision to life:
• Floral accents — keep blooms light and suited to coastal breezes. Add more flowers as needed to your package.
• Color palette — pull inspiration from the shoreline, sunset, or ocean tones. Send us photos of your inspiration.
• Personal vows or readings — these make your ceremony deeply memorable
• Complete our planning forms - Destination Wedding Checklist, Photography + Ceremony Worksheets.
Design choices should feel natural with your beach setting — echoing your personality and the surrounding elements rather than competing with them
6. Final Checklist Before Your Big Day
✔ Confirm your final package review from Platinum
✔ Finalize ceremony timing and arrival times.
✔ Send a reminder message to your guests with location and parking
✔ Get your Florida Marriage License
✔ Visit your ceremony venue to familiarize yourself with parking and where to go.
WHAT HAPPENS IF IT RAINS AT Your Beach Wedding
When is rainy season in Florida?
The rainy season in Florida typically runs from May through October, with the heaviest rainfall occurring in August and September. It's important to keep in mind that weather patterns can vary from year to year. Platinum has planned thousands of Fl beach weddings, and ony a handful a year are subjected to severe weather and contingency plans. However, rain isn't the only element to be aware of. High winds, extreme heat and even our cold fronts are weather patterns to consider when planning your Florida Beach Wedding. We can offer the best time of day per season to avoid severe weather however there isn't a garuntee your wedding day weather will be perfect.
What happens if it rains or severe weather is projected on your wedding day?
We ask all of our clients to have a back up location secured or in mind as they are planning their destination beach wedding. We stay in close contact with you the 48 hours leading up to your wedding and monitor the weather with you. Platinum can set up and provide services at your back up location instead, or possibly move the time of day or even the day of your event, if all vendors are available to avoid the incliment weather. If you decide to proceed on the beach and take your chances with the rain, we will make every effort to set up decor however we can omit certain items that may be hazardous or get damaged. Your photography, video or any other vendors may choose to not perform due to hazards, time delays or risk of their equipement getting damaged. If there are time delays to start, it will impact the timing of your event overall and may impact services. Refunds are not issued due to weather and the inability to provide certain services due to weather.
What is the best time of day to get married in the Summer?
July, August and September are the hottest months here! They are also the wettest. If you are planning a Summer destination wedding in Florida, time of day is essential in planning a comfortable event. The heat can be just as much of a nuisance as the rain! Ask us about recommended times to get married in the Summer.
Can I change my day or time if weather is going to be an issue?
Yes you can! As long as all of your vendors and we are available, we can definitely adjust your ceremony time, location and date with short notice. This works great for small elopement so less than 5 people. However, if you are planning your wedding with a larger group, don't let your rain contingency plan be moving your wedding last minute. You'll want to have a rain plan and secondary location secured as a back up so your wedding can go as planned without changes.
Can I add more photography time or pay for my vendors to stay if there are rain delays?
As long as your vendors are available to stay, you can add more time for them to stay due to weather delays. Payment is due at the time of service for additional time. Your vendors will only provide services for the time they are scheduled, time delays do use your allotted time. This is the case for your Platinum set up team, coordinator, Officiant, photographers, videographers, musicians and anyone else contracted to be at your wedding.
What are my back up plan options?
Platinum's venue is the beach! We are a beach wedding company. However, we do have a relationship with a couple venues that may be available to suggest. You would be responsible for payment to use those venues. We often suggest considering where you are staying. Most hotels have a ballroom you can rent or the restaurant you are using may have a private room that can be used. Some beaches do have pavilions for rent that offer shelter as well. We are happy to provide you with suggestions and help you located a back up venue but it is your responsibility to make arrangements for it.
Q & A
Is the package pricing online valid for the entire State of Florida?
No, the packages that are pre-set and priced on our website are only valid for Ft Myers, Sanibel, Bonita Springs and Naples Florida. We service other cities however there may be a surcharge that would apply, depending on the city, as vendor pricing in other areas vary from SW Florida. Platinum reserves the right to refuse bookings and/or change effective pricing on packages at any time
Is a beach permit required and are they included in your packages?
Not all Florida beaches require a beach wedding permit therefore Platinum does not include beach permits in their packages. Permits also vary in price depending on the beach or location that is selected. We can include the permitting in our contract once a location is chosen. The cost of the permit will be added to the contract as well and collected at the time when deposits are made. Most of our destination wedding elopement packages do not require a beach wedding permit.
Does Platinum only set up at certain locations?
No, Platinum can set up at any location or venue. We can recommend locations to you if you ask. We know what Florida beaches are free to use for your beach wedding and which have best parking.
How do we get our Florida Marriage License?
You and your fiancé’ must visit a Florida Clerk of Court to obtain your Fl marriage license. Non-FL residents will receive their license immediately and should bring that to the wedding and give to your Officiate. You can obtain your marriage license at ANY clerk of court in the State of Florida. You can also use a license by mail service. We refer our clients to www.MarriedByMail.com
Does Platinum only do beach weddings?
No. Platinum can set up and provide services at any venue including banquet halls, gardens, homes, boats or in pavilions. Where ever you can get married, we can set up!
Can I add things to my beach wedding package after I sign the contract for my wedding?
Yes you can! Our contract allows for changes all the way up to when final payment is due. Services are available as “add on’s” at any time as long as they are available.
When is my final payment due? Can I make payments on my wedding?
After your initial deposit to reserve our services, final payment is not due until the week before your wedding date if you are paying via credit card or 2 weeks before your wedding if you are paying with a check. You can make payments as you can afford to however it’s not required. You can make payments securely on our website on the payment page. The system will email a receipt immediately. Be sure to list your wedding date on all payments.
I purchased a pre-set package on your site. Does this mean you are my wedding planner?
Ceremony and all inclusive destination beach wedding packages do not include a full wedding planner. Some of them include coordination of your ceremony only. We are not responsible for choosing your date, time, location or any other detail that would be considered “planning”. We provide only the services listed in our beach wedding packages and contract. If you need a wedding planner, we do have planner packages available.
Do you provide a backup plan in the event bad weather threatens?
It is the responsibility of the customer to secure a backup plan for their Florida Beach wedding. Platinum will accommodate their clients by setting up at a secondary location with enough notice if rain is an issue. Platinum will make the best effort to provide the services desired and will even allow you to move your date/time with enough notice and if available.
