After the romantic engagement, the planning begins for your dream wedding. Many couples envision a wedding at the beach surrounded by family and friends but still want a traditional ceremony in a chapel. The town of Seaside, Florida, offers both of these things for couples seeking an idyllic wedding destination.
From a picturesque chapel to a quaint cottage town set against a coast of sugar-white sandy beach on the Emerald Coast overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, this is what makes Seaside attractive for weddings.
Decisions, Decisions
From the moment you get engaged, there are many planning details that need to be decided. When you choose to have your wedding in Seaside, there are a number of well known and respected wedding and event planners to help. A planner can offer a unique approach and handle all the intricacies of planning a destination wedding.
Sometimes, professional help is best to take the strain out of a joyous occasion, especially with so many aspects that a wedding entails, such as the ceremony, photography, music, catering and the reception. This level of professional expertise is one of the reasons that Seaside is a popular wedding destination.
Venues
Some couples want to hold their wedding ceremony on the beach or at an outdoor pavilion. Others want a beachside relaxed feel but are looking to hold their ceremony in a chapel. Luckily, both can be accommodated in Seaside. While a picturesque ceremony on the beach with the ocean in front of you will create a memorable wedding location, the Chapel at Seaside is another compelling choice. With seating for 175 guests, this chapel has served the community for over 20 years. The 68-foot bell tower can be seen throughout the town.
Architect Scott Merrill designed the chapel structure as the epitome of simple sophistication, and its beauty has been noted by several organizations including Southern Living magazine’s designation of one of the South’s Most Beautiful Chapels. It has also been awarded South Walton’s Best Wedding Venue Award, Diamond Level for both 2017 and 2018. This interfaith chapel was added to the permanent archive of the Historic American Building Survey at the Library of Congress in September of 2018. The chapel’s own pastor can conduct your ceremony. He focuses on every couple to make their ceremony unique to them.
Your Family and Friends
One of the unique features of the Seaside community is that there are no hotels. Rather, your guests will be accommodated in the many rental cottages in town. These quaint cottages and townhomes accommodate both large and small families. Many offer sweeping views of the ocean and the Seaside community. This will add to your guests’ enjoyment of your destination wedding. For a little while, they will truly live like locals in this small, unique community.
According to the Home Owners Collection, a direct booking site for Seaside vacation homes, “When not engaged with a wedding-related activity, guests and bride and groom can relax, explore the town and have some beach fun. There are many boutiques, cafes and other shopping opportunities for them to enjoy. Many Seaside vacation rentals supply a bicycle or two for jaunting around this uniquely walkable town, and additional ones can easily be rented so the whole family can adventure together.”
Umbrellas and chairs can be arranged for an afternoon staring at the blue water. Water toys are also available for those who want to enjoy the water. With high-end restaurants and creative quick-serve food options, everyone will find something that delights them. These are just a few of the amenities that your guests will find in Seaside.
Catering
Your wedding planner can help guide you through selecting a caterer for your reception. One name that you will hear a lot of is Bud & Alley’s. Owners of several local establishments, including the elegant Waterfront Restaurant, they have served community members for years. There are several other caterers in the area, including gourmet chefs. Your wedding coordinator can arrange tastings or help you to select the best one for your preferences.
Car Service
The first thing that you will learn about Seaside is that once you have parked your car, you won’t need it again. Everything is within a short walk from the cottages and venues. In fact, many prefer to hire a car to travel from the airport, and a local limo service is ready to oblige – also useful for your drive to the ceremony and the “get away” drive after the wedding. Your guests may opt for a service like this especially if they have a number of people in their party and a lot of luggage to transport.
Seaside Wedding Style
The town of Seaside, FL is a welcoming, charming community that will make the perfect location for your dream destination wedding. On your wedding day, you will be surrounded by friends and loved ones in an idyllic location. Extend the fun to enjoy the town with your guests. The many activities, shopping and dining opportunities will make many memories for years to come. Following the ceremony, consider having your honeymoon in the area. Many couples return each year to celebrate their anniversary in the place they started their marriage.
There are so many reasons why couples are drawn to Seaside as their destination wedding location. It is a very safe community that is designed to relax and enjoy the pleasant things of life, and to be able to soak up the sun and water. When you begin considering the location for your destination wedding, visit Seaside to see how this magic place is truly about love, community, beauty, nature – and effortless chic. These are the things that make a truly memorable wedding.
Rhydian Choi 
Kim Marks 
Nicola Holder