Congratulations, and thank you for your interest in Virginia Beach!
A permit is not necessary to have a wedding on the public beach; however, if you want to cordon off a portion of the public beach for a maximum of 3 hours you may apply for a Beach Wedding permit. Read through the guidelines for non-permitted weddings and discover you may not have the need for a permit.
Beach Wedding Guidelines-Permitted
The permit will reserve a location on the public beach for up to a 3-hours, allow for commercial setups on the beach of elements (such as arches and seating, temporary fencing and cordons) and amplified sound that is at a reasonable decibel level, with reasonableness determined by the City of Virginia Beach.
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KEEP VIRGINIA BEACH CLEAN: Do not leave arches, chairs, fence, ribbons, bubble bottles, beverage containers, cigarette butts, decorations, etc. behind. Basically, if you bring it out to the beach, please take it with you after the event. Clean up after yourself and your guests and please leave only footprints.
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NO FAKE FLOWER PETALS: (silk, plastic, nylon, etc.). Having a flower girl drop flower petals in the bride's path is always a fun tradition to add to a wedding ceremony. Dropping fake flower petals is littering. Please use REAL, un-dyed flower petals.
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Restrictions: No open flames, glass, alcohol, pets or animals are permitted. No helium balloons, rice, birdseed, confetti and streamers due to environmental concerns. No tents larger than 10' X 10' "pop-up", generators, or motor vehicles allowed on the beach. No portion of the boardwalk can be obstructed or utilized for a wedding ceremony. No beach access, pathway or sidewalk can be obstructed for access by the general public. |
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Parking: Park in legal, designated parking spaces only. This includes loading and unloading ceremony materials. Parking is paid parking, April 1 –October 31, all surface lots open at 8 a.m. and parking garages open at 7 a.m. Parking lots are public and cannot be restricted. Adhere to all parking restrictions. No red zone parking or blocking of driveways. Double parking by limousines is not allowed. There are no additional parking privileges provided with the obtainment of a permit. Unfortunately, there will not be any special additional parking allowed for the wedding or small ceremonies and no parking passes or permits can be issued to accommodate additional parking needs. |
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Signs: If you post temporary signs directing your guests, please remove them immediately after the ceremony/reception. Advertising/posting a business name directly on the beach and elsewhere is against the City of Virginia Beach sign ordinance.
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Wedding Photos: Virginia Beach offers many natural and beautiful settings to pose for your wedding photos. Please obey the environmental rules when choosing a site and obey the beach signs (keep off the rock jetties, stay out of the dunes, do not block sidewalks or beach accesses). |
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Reception Locations: The City of Virginia Beach does not permit private receptions on public property before or after the wedding ceremony; however there are many commercial venues for your wedding reception. Contact the Virginia Beach Information Center at (757) 437-4919 or your wedding planner for suggestions for suitable locations. City departments do NOT assist in wedding planning, aside from issuing the permit, but there is useful information to be found at www.visitvirginiabeach.com |
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Marriage License: To obtain a Marriage License please contact the Virginia Beach Circuit Court Clerk's Office located at 2425 Nimmo Parkway, Building 10-B 3rd Floor, Virginia Beach, Virginia 23453 or Marriage License or Call (757) 385-8822.
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No Beach Wedding Permits issued on Memorial Day Weekend, the week of 4th of July, Labor Day Weekend or for any location that will interfere with a major special event.
We welcome your simple, small ceremony on the beach
No permit is required for such an event. If it is a small ceremony and doesn't require reservation of a specific area, it can be held without a permit on the beach.
Weddings are prohibited on the boardwalk
Parking is general public parking only; no special passes will be provided
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If you choose to hold your ceremony in the resort area without a Beach Wedding Permit, please consider the following:
- Commercial deliveries are not permitted.
- Archways must be those that can be easily and non-commercially assembled/disassembled.
- Items that can be hand-carried by those in attendance, such as chairs, canopies, tents, tables and arches, can be used.
- Tents must be 10' x 10' or smaller.
- Any tables or seating elements cannot involve a commercial delivery and installation process.
- Amplified sound is permitted (within noise ordinance regulations).
- The boardwalk or beach access cannot be impeded by the event.
- There are numerous scheduled activities including beach cleaning, construction, public events, etc., that occur throughout the year in a variety of locations in the resort which cannot be impeded by the wedding.
- No open flames, glass, alcohol, pets or animals are permitted.
- No helium balloons, rice, birdseed, confetti and streamers due to environmental concerns.
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Little Island Park is located at the south end of Sandbridge and provides lifeguards, covered picnic areas with grills, bath houses/showers, lighted tennis courts, basketball court, children’s playground and a fishing pier.
Phone (757) 426-7200.
Lifeguard Services (757) 428-1546
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Parks and Park Gardens venue information can be found on the Virginia Beach Parks & Recreation's Weddings in the Parks webpage or contact 757-385-1189 or 385-0465 for more information about, or to place reservations for, the following gardens and park venues that appear to be created just for your perfect day!
Great Neck Park Gazebo
Red Wing Park Japanese Garden
Red Wing Park Rose Garden
First Landing State Park has a beach, on the Chesapeake Bay, and other facilities including a courtyard, gazebo and amphitheater which can be rented for weddings, conferences, special events and seminars.
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Marriage License Information and marriage commissioners information can be found at The Circuit Court Clerk's Office, Marriage License Division (757) 385-8822 or (757) 385-8926.
The Marriage License Information Line (with recorded information about marriage licenses) is (757) 385-8827. |