General Beach Information
 Howard Futch Memorial Beach Park in Melbourne
Brevard county's beaches are considered public and do not require a permit in order to perform a marriage ceremony on the beach itself. You should contact a county or municipal authority in order to reserve a pavilion if you want an alternative for inclement weather or wish to hold your reception in one. You can take your chances that a pavilion will be unreserved and therefore on a first come first serve basis in the event of rain, but you will definitely need to reserve it if you want to ensure exclusive use. Whether you reserve a pavilion or not, I highly recommend calling the Brevard County Parks and Recreation Department or the local municipality to find out if there are any festivals or special events scheduled for your day. The last thing you want to do is show up while a surfing tournament is going on and find there is no where to park and the beach is jam packed.
Space on the beach is first come-first served, but I have never experienced any problem finding appropriate space on any beach at any time of year. I have also found that other people visiting the beach are usually considerate when it comes to making space for a wedding party or moving so as not to disrupt photography. Beach access, is a slightly different matter. Access to the beach may be granted by the county, a municipality or may be private land. The Brevard County Parks and Recreation Department does a splendid job of maintaining quite a number of beach access parks that offer a variety of amenities, usually with free parking. Municipal beach parks may or may not have parking fees, so be sure you check to warn your guests. For example, the beach park directly at the end of the 192/Melbourne Causeway has metered parking so bring change! Most Popular Beaches Lori Wilson Park, Cocoa Beach Lori Wilson park is administered by the Brevard County Parks and Recreation Department. PRO: It has bathroom facilities, lots of beautiful boardwalks for lovely photo opportunities, a nature trail and a number of small pavilions in the event of inclement weather. CON: It is a very popular park in one of the more congested vacation spots in the county. Depending upon the time and date of the wedding, you might find yourself circling for awhile to get a parking spot. NOTE: It is a very large park and has two parking lots, north and south, so make sure your guests know exactly where you will be meeting. Pelican Beach Clubhouse , Satellite Beach The Pelican Beach Clubhouse is administered by the Satellite Beach Recreation Department. PRO: It is a lovely facility for small to medium size weddings. You can get married on the beach, in a sandy area behind the clubhouse by the dunes, on the back deck or inside so it is extremely versatile when it comes to weather concerns. It has bathroom and kitchen facilities as well as a changing room for the bride. CON: It is not suitable for large parties. Parking is free, but limited at the clubhouse. There is an adjacent parking lot that is also free, but is also used by people coming to the beach for any reason. On a good surfing day, the parking lot can fill and even overflow into the modest parking at the clubhouse. Yes, I have stood in a parking spot and turned a surfer away so the bride and groom would have somewhere to park. NOTE: This is a very popular venue and should be booked well in advance. You can also have your wedding at Pelican Beach Park next to the Clubhouse without reserving the Clubhouse itself. There are bathroom facilities and pavilions at the beach park. Howard E. Futch Memorial Park at Paradise Beach, Melbourne Howard E. Futch Memorial Park is administered by the Brevard County Parks and Recreation Department. PRO: It has bathroom facilities, a pavilion suitable for larger wedding parties and a playground for restless children. I have personally never had a problem obtaining a parking spot and appreciate that the entrance is at a traffic light. You can arrange for electrical power to be turned on at the pavilion. Signage is good and is very easy for guests to spot while driving along A1A. CON: The pavilion is utilitarian and can require a bit of decorating. I did have one wedding where the county failed to turn on the power as promised. It is a popular beach park so be prepared for total strangers to watch your ceremony. Juan Ponce de Leon Landing , Melbourne Beach Juan Ponce de Leon Landing is administered by the Brevard County Parks and Recreation Department. PRO: It has bathroom facilities, a small pavilion and free parking. CON: The parking lot is moderate in size and will not accommodate a huge wedding party. NOTE: It is approximately 6 miles south of the 192/Melbourne Causeway which can make it seem a little distant or remote. On the other hand, because of this it does seem to lend itself to more intimate weddings with fewer onlookers. Photo Attributes The pictures above on this page were gifts of the bride and groom, photographer unknown. The header photo was taken at Juan Ponce de Leon Landing in Melbourne Beach. The photo below is courtesy Shannon Perez of Simply in Love Professional Photography. 
Nicole and Justin at Lori Wilson Park in Cocoa Beach
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County Ocean Beach Parks
 Pelican Beach Clubhouse in Satellite Beach
Brevard county's ocean beach parks are "open after 7:00 a.m. until dark, except for scheduled use."
Below is a list of the ocean beach parks administered by the Brevard County Parks and Recreation department from north to south. Cherie Down Park , 8492 Ridgewood Avenue, Cape Canaveral FROM SR-520 go north 1.9 miles on N Atlantic Av, turn right on Harrison Av, then left on Ridgewood Avenue and go 0.5 miles Robert P. Murkshe Memorial Park , 1600 Atlantic Avenue S, Cocoa Beach FROM SR-520, go 1.2 miles south on SR-A1A and turn left onto 16th Street Lori Wilson Park , 1500 N Atlantic Avenue, Cocoa Beach FROM SR-520 go south 1.4 miles on SR-A1A Seagull Park , 285 Highway A1A, Satellite Beach FROM US Hwy 1 take the Pineda Causeway (SR-404) east, turn south on SR-A1A and go 0.5 miles. S.P.R.A. Park 499 Highway A1A, Satellite Beach FROM US Hwy 1, take the Pineda Causeway (SR-404) to SR-A1A. Turn right and go south 0.7 miles. Canova Beach Park , 3299 Highway A1A, Indian Harbour Beach On the Atlantic Ocean at the eastern end of Eau Gallie Boulevard (SR-518) Howard E. Futch Memorial Park at Paradise Beach 2301 N Highway A1A, Melbourne FROM US Hwy 1 go east 3.3 miles across the Eau Gallie Cswy (SR-518), turn right on SR-A1A and go 1.1 miles to the park. Spessard Holland North Beach Park , 2525 Highway A1A, Melbourne Beach FROM US-192 (Melbourne Cswy), go south on Miramir Ave/SR-A1A 1.0 miles to the intersection with Ocean Blvd and Oak St. Go left around the curve onto Atlantic Ave and continue 2 miles. The park is on the left. Spessard Holland South Beach Park , 2545 Highway A1A, Melbourne Beach FROM US-192 (Melbourne Cswy), go south on Miramir Ave/SR-A1A 1.0 miles to the intersection with Ocean Blvd and Oak St. Go left around the curve onto Atlantic Ave and continue 2.2 miles. The park is on the left. Coconut Point Park 3535 S Highway A1A, Melbourne Beach FROM US-192 (Melbourne Cswy), go south on Miramir Ave (SR-A1A) 1.0 miles and the road becomes Oak Street (SR-A1A), continue 4.5 miles. Juan Ponce de Leon Landing 4005 Highway A1A, Melbourne Beach On SR-A1A 6.2 miles south of US-192 (Melbourne Cswy). Bonsteel Park, 8455 Highway A1A, Melbourne Beach, FROM US-192 (Melbourne Cswy) go 14.6 miles south on SR-A1A Patrick Air Force Base Beaches Patrick Air Force Base is located along A1A between the municipalities of Cocoa Beach and Satellite Beach. There are several beach parks there that can be used for weddings as well. These are public and you do not need to have a pass to get on the base or be in the military to use them. I have performed a wedding at the large beach park directly opposite the main gate and a smaller one just north of the Pineda Causeway. Amenities and parking availability vary . Some do have pavilions and bathrooms. I am not certain how one would go about reserving a pavilion however. The Tides Collocated Club at the base hosts weddings on their back deck or on the beach behind their facilities. These events do have to be booked through the Tides. You must be a member or sponsored by a member in order to hold your wedding there. Beach Municipalities Cities and towns along the Atlantic Ocean in Brevard County from north to south are: Port Canaveral Cape Canaveral Cocoa Beach Patrick AFB Satellite Beach Indian Harbour Beach Indialantic Melbourne (Many people are not aware that a number of hotels and beach parks along A1A actually have Melbourne addresses.) Melbourne Beach |
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