The Adventure Bride’s Guide to Eloping on Pensacola Beach

So you’ve decided to tie the knot on the beautiful shores of the Emerald Coast…

First of all, great choice! The colors along the Gulf of Mexico around the Florida panhandle are absolutely GORGEOUS! (I would know, I have lived here for about 6 years!)

The best places (in my opinion) to elope along the panhandle are Destin Beach and Pensacola Beach because that’s where the colors seem to be most vivid. Having eloped on Pensacola Beach myself, I have a unique perspective.

If you want a ceremony entirely on the beach, that is totally doable! If you’d like a ceremony on the beach with a reception after, there is a wedding venue (Pier Suites) literally right beside the main beach entrance (beside the iconic Pensacola beach ball water tower), or you can choose from multiple restaurants and bars nearby depending on what vibe you are looking for!

I’ve had multiple brides host their wedding on the beach, then have a small reception at a nearby venue or restaurant. And vice-versa, some brides opt to host their wedding at a venue, and only take their photos near the water. Either way, the Emerald Coast is sure to give you an amazing background for your event!

In Pensacola, the public beaches do allow weddings to take place; and no permit is needed unless there are over 25 people in attendance. Keep in mind that your photographer will have to have a permit in order to legally shoot the photos at the beach, but those can be obtained fairly easily online at the city’s website.

Some colors that stand out for photos next to the emerald water shades include greens, teals, blues, white, black, pinks, peach, and any neon colors; and this is a good list of colors to keep in mind when choosing florals and bridesmaids dresses (if applicable).

Sunset and sunrise are the best times to host an event or take photos, as the sun is usually quite harsh during the day. If the sky is overcast, photos can be done earlier than sunset, and amazingly, the water still has a great deal of color that will show up in contract to the sky.

Obviously, if you are getting married on the beach, be sure you practice basic beach and water safety - watching out for ocean life or sharp shells that may have washed ashore, being mindful of the flags and currents if you plan to trash the dress, and wearing protective sunscreen even on overcast days. (You might be surprised to learn that the harshest sunburns happen during overcast hours - please learn from my mistake - it wasn’t pleasant!)

Most importantly, remember to leave our beaches exactly as you found them! We take great pride in keeping our beaches clean and safe both for humans and the ocean life. Please pick up any trash you may have dropped, and do not climb the sand dunes! Anything tossed at the bride & groom for photos MUST be biodegradable, and any flower petals put down on a runner will need to be 100% real. Doing things like releasing balloons over the water might make for a cool photo, but will end up popping and falling into the water and could cause harm to an underwater inhabitant such as a dolphin or turtle.

If you’d like your pet to be involved in your special day, there are two dog beaches that are easily accessible and can be found on your map app of choice. Any pets, even if only present for a small photo session must be at the pet safe beaches. This rule is pretty heavily enforced, so better to be aware in advance! There are a few pet care wedding specialists in the area that I can place referrals to if needed; and some of them are even willing to provide transportation for your pets to and from the dog beaches so that your family will not have to worry about ruining their clothes or taking time out of your big day to walk them.

Hopefully these tips helped if you are considering hosting a wedding or intimate ceremony on the Pensacola Beach! While the beach is an amazing place to say “I do,” it does come with a few rules and responsibilities while you are present. If you have any questions regarding rules or would like to book your event with my company, please visit my Contact Me section to place your inquiry.

Till next time, adventure brides!