Rain Policy – What happens if it rains on our wedding day?
Typically the weather out at the beach is very favorable (however unpredictable!)- if there is going to be inclement weather, we try to anticipate this ahead of time. We will be in contact if anything needs to be changed or updated and give recommendations accordingly. Ultimately it will be the decision of the couple on what their preference is. In the evening, (Sunset Time) the weather is often very nice, even if there were storms earlier in the day. *Please note storms in Florida really can come out of nowhere and often unpredictable, even with a favorable forecast. We do our best to read between the lines and highly recommend a ‘Plan B’ option provided by the couple in advance of the ceremony. Gulf Beach Weddings does not provide a backup location for the wedding ceremony in the event of inclement weather.
Unfortunately we have no control over the rain and our vendors have been paid, reserved the date / time for your wedding months in advance. There are a limited number of nearby shelters or pavilions on the beach that would be a reasonable option to hold the ceremony. If there are any breaks in the weather, we will head out on to the sand for more pictures and celebration. Keep in mind some pavilions require reservations in advance of the ceremony.
Customer may have the choice to apply the fee to another date, time or location if a named Hurricane makes landfall at the time of your scheduled wedding, at the ceremony location. This date must be discussed and agreed upon to avoid conflicts with previous bookings. Please note additional costs may be incurred should the wedding need to be moved to a Pavilion (if available), Reception Venue provided by the Couple, or outside location not agreed to in the initial booking due to inclement weather. We strongly encourage couples to have an indoor/covered alternate ‘Plan B’ location reserved and mentioned to GBW at the time of booking, additional permission may be required. Please see our Recommended Beach Pavilion Backup Page for more resources.
*Please note Vendors, Setup Crew, etc. are scheduled for certain time frames in advance of the ceremony. Should the wedding need to be moved into a Pavilion and it is available, this option is an accommodation and may not include all the setup materials originally included with your wedding package. There will be no ‘discount’ in this event as we will do our best to setup as much as we can accordingly. In all cases, we are not responsible for weather related events and their potential risks associated. We advise couples in advance, weather can be unpredictable and often involves wind, lightning, and rain associated. This includes Algae Blooms (Red-Tide, HABs, etc.), Seaweed on the beach, or the potential for either at or around the time/location of the ceremony. These items are often unpredictable and can change with the tides daily. Please proceed with caution.
Sand Key, Indian Rocks Beach
Anna Maria Island, Bradenton Beach
Lido Beach, Siesta Key
Destin, Ft. Walton Beach
Pensacola Beach, Ft. Pickens, Opal, Navarre
Ft. Walton Beach, Okaloosa Island
St Andrews State Park, Panama City Beach
We do not use tents or recommend them as a rain backup alternative / the tent would have to be extremely large and have to be reserved at least a few days in advance. The possibility of lighting, size of the tent, and the inability of your guests to get to the tent without getting wet is often reasons why this is not a viable option.
Rest assured, we make every effort to have your Beach Ceremony out on the sand. There are no additional fees for this, its more about doing the best we can for each of our couples!
What is the historical average temperature, rainfall, and hurricane season on Florida’s Central West-Coast?
Indoor Setup Example
UPDATE 12/1/24: All Tampa Bay Beach Locations Reopened from Storm Helene & Milton. Our thoughts and prayers are with our neighbors. Please pray for safety, recovery, and all the first responders coming to their assistance.
