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In This Section
Brevard Beaches
At The Beach
Beach Ceremonies
Check
Calendar for Possible Availability
If you see a
Red thumbtack with the words "Contract Pending" on the calendar, the date
and time may still be available. If you see such a conflict, I will
be happy to contact the couple to see if they intend to confirm
their booking.
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A fair number of the weddings I officiate are conducted on the
beaches of Brevard county. I have a page dedicated to tips that will
help you maximize the enjoyment of your beach wedding, but I have
found that prospective brides and grooms are also interested in
information to help them decide which beach is most appropriate for
their wedding. If you are considering a beach wedding in Brevard
county, please do take a moment to browse the
other page as well, as I believe you
may find it quite helpful.
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!
Brevard county municipalities along the Atlantic Ocean from north
to south are:
The five most popular beaches for beach weddings in Brevard
County are probably:
Jetty Park is a municipal park administered by Port Canaveral
Recreation.
PRO: It is a large park with a great deal of amenities. It has
bathrooms, boardwalk, camp sites, pavilions, and refreshment areas.
It has a view of the Space Center and is quite lovely.
CON: Parking is $7 per day for cars. It is one of the most
popular recreation spots in Brevard county and will have a fair
amount of fishing activity going on.
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. Parking is free.
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.
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 is administered by the Brevard County Parks
and Recreation Department.
PRO: It has bathroom facilities, free parking, 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 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.
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 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.
If you have any questions about deciding upon a beach for your
wedding, or wish to share additional information about a particular
park, please do send me an
email. |
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Brevard Beaches
