For many brides-to-be, Seaside is the perfect place to get married - the perfect place to be, and to invite your wedding guests. Your guests will be charmed by this small town on the Emerald Coast of Florida, in its idyllic setting of white sand and the teal-green waters of the Gulf of Mexico. As you prepare for the big Wedding Day, they can have fun exploring Seaside, with its relaxed style, complemented by perfectionist services.
Wedding Guest Accommodations
Seaside, the iconic setting for the impossibly charming Truman Show , is unique. With no hotels allowed in this town designed for perfect walkability, accommodations consist largely of hundreds of pastel-colored and picket-fenced rental houses, where visitors become locals instantly, and enjoy the life of the town, and the beach.
These vacation cottages of Seaside can accommodate any size group, from a couple to an extended gathering. Neighbors are separate in a residential setting, yet close enough to spend time together if they wish - the ideal arrangement for family and friends as they converge for the wedding day.
The gourmet yet casual eateries of Seaside range from the artisanal food-truck style of Airstream Row to seafood fine dining on the edge of the ocean. Shopping is not forgotten, as eclectic boutiques, galleries and other marvels wait along the various streets, to discover as you walk a different adventure each day.
Wedding Venues
Seaside offers several distinctive and iconic venues as the scene for a wedding ceremony or reception with memories that won't fade. There are several landscaped parks to choose from, each with its own flair. De Bicci Park offers a leafy and forested feel in a quiet glade, for a tranquil ceremony, while Ruskin Park evokes colonial times in a square of old-style New Orleans buildings, outdoors yet contained, for an elegant champagne reception and celebration.
The Lyceum Lawn in the grounds of the Amphitheater can host up to 200 guests, for the perfect great tent or starlight gathering. Close by, The Court offers a formal and private setting on the Court Lawn with guest accommodations adjoining. Meanwhile the Tupelo Pavilion is the original meeting place of the town, and is perfect for a warm and meaningful ceremony.
The famous Chapel offers an interfaith ceremony, with its own adjoining Grove for a tented or open-air relaxation and reception after the ceremony. And the beach is always close at hand in Seaside, with the Beach Pavilion and the Tupelo Pavilion each available to gather an intimate group to share the ceremony. And the Beach itself offers the pure white sand for both ceremonies and reception celebrations.
See our Seaside Wedding Venues for more information.
Wedding Planners and Caterers
A wedding takes a lot of planning, and it is often a great idea to leave all the details to professional planners, and let the bride and groom focus simply on their happiness. As a popular wedding destination, Seaside hosts a number of skilled and experienced event planners, caterers, beauticians, photographers and all the professionals required to make the day a flawless success. Snags can arise with the best of plans, and professionals on hand who have relationships with local vendors can make sure that all contingencies are covered.
If not for the many wedding professionals of Seaside, who would have to arrange guest travel and accommodations, the all-important catering to make sure no one is famished during the event, the grooming and last-minute clothing adjustments, the lighting, the music, the settings and seating - and the crucial photography for the perfect captures of unique memories?
So, not to worry on that score - everything is covered for all sizes and tastes, customized for you to make a serendipitous event out of meticulous planning. See our Event Planners guide for more information.
Travel Notes
When you arrive in Seaside and park the car, you usually don't start it again until you leave. A perfect walking and biking town, with complementary bicycles at most accommodations and easy rentals at hand, getting around is a breeze. And it's fun to walk simply to discover the many delights of the town.
Many guests fly into the nearby airport and take a shuttle or limo service into town. Our Concierge Service can run whatever errands and gather whatever supplies you want, both in advance and while you're here.
We can also arrange car rentals for you if you want to explore the surrounding countryside, which is stunningly beautiful, with rare coastal dune lakes, and pristine preserve areas and parks. For some orientation, see our guide: Where is Seaside, Florida?.
And if the happy married couple decide to stay on in Seaside after the guest have left and enjoy their honeymoon here - which is a great idea, because who wants to pack bags and leave this beachside paradise? - many perfect Day Trips From Seaside in the area offer a way to enjoy their togetherness out in nature.