Anna Maria Island Beach Weddings

Anna Maria offers a network of event planners, caterers, venues, transport companies, stylists, florists and bakeries ready to cater to every taste and budget. These professional vendors will help you plan out the event and guide you through the details to from your rehearsal dinner, to your island honeymoon, there are many tasks to be completed and likely a dozen different wedding professionals you will be working with. Hundreds of weddings take place every year with each detail handled with dedication to your special celebration. The setting sun on Anna Maria is the perfect backdrop for tropical wedding. Have your guests come early or stay late and enjoy the nearby amenities and experiences that the island has to offer. Follow this checklist to help you plan your perfect beach wedding or vow renewal.

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Get a Marriage License

The first step to get married on Anna Maria Island is to get the marriage license. You'll need to contact the Manatee County, Florida Clerk of the Circuit Court at 941-741-4020 for information about your marriage license. Both parties that are getting married must appear in person at the Clerk of Court in downtown Bradenton to obtain a marriage license. You can apply for a marriage license by mail, which means the couple does not have to appear in person and will have the license sent to them in advance. This is an excellent option for couples who aren't local who would like to get the license in advance.

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Who Files the Marriage License after the Ceremony?

Make sure to get the officiant to sign the marriage license during or after the ceremony. Understand beforehand if the officiant will be mailing the signed marriage license to the same Court of Clerk office that you purchased it from or if you will be responsible for this. This is an important step to ensure the marriage is legally binding and obtain your copies.

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Contact the City Hall

It's a good idea to contact the City Hall in the city you plan to be married in and inquire about any necessary permits you may need. Anna Maria Island has 3 cities on the island, Anna Maria located at the north end, Holmes Beach in the central area and Bradenton Beach to the south (not to be confused with Bradenton the city on the mainland). Each city may have different permitting requirements for signage, structures on the beach, music, etc. ​

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• City of Anna Maria – 941-708-6130 - cityofannamaria.com

• City of Holmes Beach – 941-708-5800

• City of Bradenton Beach – 941-778-1005 - cityofbradentonbeach.com

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Book the Officiant

You can hire your own officiant or use a wedding service to purchase a package wedding to help you achieve your drewm destination wedding in Florida. There are many companies online that you can contact with your questions to help you FloridaWeddings.com. Alternatively you can hire just the officiant on your own to conduct the ceremony. It's a good idea to ask questions and include any ideas you have about customizing your wedding ceremony. Ensure that you organize a ceremony that fits your personality. Things to think about are poems, readings and sand or candle unity ceremonies. These are important to lay out an action plan with the officiant first to ensure the ceremony goes smoothly.

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Ensure your Passport is up to Date

This is a biggie if you are traveling to Florida from outside the country. Make sure that you and your wedding party and guests check their necessary passport and travel documents to arrive to your destination on time.

 

Decide on a Theme for the Wedding

Working with the local event planner can help you hone in on the perfect decor and theme for your special event on Anna Maria Island. Whatever the wedding theme you choose...nothing can beat the tropical beach and waterfront venues, fragrant local flowers and seaside decorations adorning your celebrations. Top it off with a catered dinner featuring fresh local seafood. We recommend Lasting Impressions event planning as your local event planner choice. The photos on this page with the soft pastel pink and natural green and beiges were done by Lasting Impressions. Contact our fave Anna Maria Island event planner company Lasting Impressions by Catrina here.

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Decide on a Venue

There are a lot of options for venues and locations to get married on Anna Maria Island. From local restaurants on the beach, to a more simple beach arbor. County public beaches and beach parks are a great idea for the wedding ceremony. Once you decide on the venue for the wedding the next step is to decide on a venue for the Reception.

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Decide on a Reception Venue

It's a good idea to become acquainted with the bylaws of the local city hall that you are thinking about with the reception venue. Bylaws and ordinances are fancy words for rules for the local city. These are really important to research to avoid any bad surprises on your wedding day. You can call the local city hall and ask for help in understanding what the rules and regulations are for each city on Anna Maria Island. The island is comprised of 3 cities, Holmes Beach, Anna Maria, and Bradenton Beach. Each city has its own rules but most have rules regarding excessive noise and parking. If you are picturing a late night rave dance party it's best to achieve those dreams by using a restaurant, condo resort, or hall reception venue. If you are picturing your dream wedding as a casual affair with some sit down catering and close family friends a local vacation rental might do the trick. Keep in mind to ask a vacation rental host about holding any events at their property first. It's extremely important to get permission from a rental host to avoid any police intervention.

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Book the Music DJ

There may be a great D.J. in your guest list that can run a decent speaker and sound system at the venue but if you want to keep things stress free you can hire a D.J. to create the reception ambiance you crave. Ask the D.J. for a music list sample to ensure they fit your style. Also keep in mind the start and end times for the music to avoid any issues with local noise ordinances.

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Decide on a Date

Check out our Inside Guide to Weather on Anna Maria Island that will help you choose a month that is best suited to your ideas and experiences that you want to achieve. Keep in mind that it gets super hot in the summer and occasional showers appear that are most often short lived but in some cases longer so it's a good idea to have an alternate plan if it rains or in the event of a natural disaster. The typical hurricane season runs from August to September. The Dry Season runs from November through to April so if you want to get married stress-free of rain this may be the period best suited for your wedding.

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Send out your Wedding Invitations

About 8-9 months prior to your wedding send out your wedding invitations to your guests. It's a bit trickier organizing guests for a destination wedding so don't be disappointed if some guests can't find the budget to attend. Give these guests who have to decline a great alternative to get together with you and your beloved when you return. This avoids hurt feelings for both when guests have to decline. For the guests that do attend your destination wedding be sure to spoil them with a fun but relaxed itinerary and a generous goody bag to remember the event.

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What Happens if it Rains?

It's prudent to have a backup plan if it rains on your wedding or vow renewal date. Have an alternate inside or under cover location in mind. This could be a county public or private pavilion on the beach, there are a few on Anna Maria Island. You will have to book ahead of time to reserve both a public or private beach pavilion. The BeachHouse and Sandbar Restaurants both have private pavilions that are beachside. 

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Figure out if you Need a Rehearsal

Beachfront destination weddings are usually more casual and don't require a rehearsal ceremony and dinner but these are things to think about. Keep in mind the logistics for guest and wedding party arrival dates to ensure the entire group will be available for a rehearsal if needed.

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Decide on the Wedding Attire

A beachfront wedding gives brides and grooms a chance to have some fun when it comes to wedding attire. From fancy tropical formal wear to more laid back beach attire there are lots of options to lay out for your wedding party and guests. Flowing and loose dresses and garments may be great options during the summer months. Be prepared to walk the beach in your bare feet or choose a simple shoe, avoid high heels for an elegant walk down the aisle! Keep in mind if you are getting married on the beach the coastal winds are something to think about when it comes to hair styles like loose waves or a tight chignon.

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Book Hair & MakeUp Stylists

Florida weddings on the beach are really relaxed but it is a fun idea to book hair and make up stylists to keep your day stress free for both the bride and grooms as well as the wedding party. Local hair salons will be happy to help you with your needs. It's a good idea to book a salon that is close to your accommodations if they cannot meet you at your resort or Anna Maria Island vacation rental.

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Find a Wedding Photographer on Anna Maria Island

Need a professional wedding photographer on Anna Maria Island, Florida? There are many local photographers that would love to capture special moments of your wedding for you. Give your photographer a list of 'must-have' photos beforehand.

• Erin Danielle is a local island photographer known for her casual beach portraits. Check out her portfolio on her website erindaniellephotography.com  

• Memories by Billi has extensive experience photographing memorable moments in and around the island. Her specialties are weddings, beach and maternity portraits. MemoriesbyBilli.com.

• Beach Blossoms Photography is another option that may be the perfect match on your special day.  beachblossomstudiophotography.com

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Book a Caterer for your Wedding

We recommend the catering services of A.J.’s Island Network for planning your ceremony. A.J. and her team will cater to every detail from planning, decorations, and officiating to exquisite catering. Make sure to order the cucumber water with rosemary...a Sirenia favorite! theloft5.com

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Order the Wedding Cake

You can go as simple as ordering a Publix grocery wedding cake or as fancy as ordering a custom wedding cake from one of our local vendors like Hometown Desserts. We know we've mentioned this before but it gets hot in Florida! Make sure you have a plan on where to display the wedding cake in a cool dry place at the reception!

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Wedding Guest Goodie Bags

You can go as simple as some take home custom cookies or as extravigant as custom beach towels and insulated cups for guests to take home. The sky is the limit and it's as easy as ever to buy custom products online or at local printing shops. Be sure to organize this well in advance due to any unforeseen production delays.