A Virginia Beach Wedding

Are you thinking you want to get married on the beach, but you would rather not drive that far from home? A Virginia Beach wedding might be just right for you. Accessible and not far from a large percentage of the United States, yet just far enough south to be warm for the largest part of the year, Virginia Beach weddings tend to be fun, relaxed, and near tons of honeymoon spots.

Getting a Virginia Marriage License

You can get a marriage license valid to marry at Virginia Beach at any Circuit Court Clerk office in Virginia; the clerk's office recommends arriving between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm. No blood tests or witnesses are required, and there is no waiting period after receiving the license. You must use the license within 60 days. The fee is $30 cash – no checks. Bring government-issued photo identification or a certified copy of your birth certificate.

You can download a marriage license form from the Virginia Beach government website. Both bride and groom should complete this form before going to the Clerk's office to save time. If you want a certified copy of the marriage license, each copy will cost $2.50.

You must be 18 (or 16 or older with written and notarized parental consent) to get married. In Virginia, first cousins can marry, but no relatives closer than that.

You can have your marriage ceremony performed by certified marriage commissioners of the State of Virginia, or by an ordained minister who is in regular communion with his faith.

Outdoor Weddings

Most people traveling to Virginia Beach to get married want to have the ceremony on the beach, which is mostly controlled by the Virginia Beach Parks and Recreation Department. While Virginia Beach is happy to host weddings, they do have some rules:

1. Though Virginia Beach has many miles of public beaches as well as beautiful city parks and gardens, they do want to preserve all of them. The city gladly allows small (less than 150 people) weddings without reservations if the wedding does not require shutting out the public and uses minimal equipment and setup (check with the city to see what they consider minimal). They do not allow weddings on the boardwalk at all because of the public accessibility problems.

2. They do not allow private receptions on public property. You should speak with some of the restaurants and/or hotels in the area to discuss holding your reception in their facilities or outdoors on their beachfront or garden properties.

3. You cannot reserve space from June 15 through Labor Day in any public area. Outside these dates, you must not restrict general public admittance. You should anticipate that your parking will be limited, and you cannot use any amplified sound. Always check to be certain that no construction, beach cleaning, etc. will be going on at the time and place you have scheduled your wedding. You may not release helium balloons because of the environmental risks.

4. Suggested public venues for your Virginia Beach wedding include: the Great Neck Park Gazebo; the Red Wing Park Gardens, including Japanese, Rose, and Fragrance Gardens; Little Island Park; Bayville Farms Park; Great Neck Park; Munden Point Park; Mount Trashmore Park; Woodstock Park; and Red Wing Park.

5. You can get more information at Virginia Beach Parks and Recreation's Leisure Events Office.

After The Wedding

The best thing about marrying in Virginia Beach is that when the wedding is over, you do not have to go anywhere to have fun. A few things that both the newlywed couple and their guests can consider for honeymooning or just to make their attendance at the wedding a real vacation are:

Whale watching: With a location near several main ocean currents, dolphins and whales alike tend to gravitate to Virginia Beach. A great way to spend a warm morning here is to take the family out on one of the many whale-watching excursions. Even if you do not see a whale, you are certain to enjoy the history, the stories the crew can tell you and the wind in your face as you explore the Atlantic and Chesapeake Bay.

Beach Lounging: Many people choose to spend a day, or a week, soaking up the sun on the beach. Virginia Beach has a three-mile boardwalk along Atlantic Avenue that makes up one of the longest pleasure beach areas in the world. In addition, you can visit the Fort Story beach, North End beach (don't park illegally!), the Croatan beach (which has a surfing area), the Little Island Park Sandbridge Beach, and the False Cape State Park far to the south, with six miles of undeveloped beach onto which you can hike, bike, or boat.

Nightlife on the beach: Along the Atlantic Street boardwalk are three miles of bars, hotels, and nightspots that are ideal for wasting a night or two away in Margaritaville. There are tons of big name concerts at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater – can you hear it now?

Explore Virginia Beach with the kids: Besides sand, sun, and surf, you will find tons of fantastic things to do with the kids – and nothing's far from the ocean. One huge attraction is the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center, with 800,000 gallons of aquariums and a hundred hands-on exhibits. If your little ones are more active, the Ocean Breeze waterpark has sixteen waterslides and a large wave pool. In addition, if you like camping, the First Landing State park has Spanish moss-draped trees, unbeatable views of Chesapeake Bay, and nearly twenty miles of hiking trails lined with picnic and camping areas.

Fishing: Located right where Chesapeake Bay flows out into the Atlantic, Virginia Beach fishing is incredible, with world-record bass and other unimaginable varieties of seafood.

Golfing: The famous Cypress Point is here, as well as tons of other great courses: Hells Point, Heron Ridge, Honey Bee, Red Wing, and West Neck. While the golfers are busy, the rest of the wedding party can check out miles of shopping on the boardwalk and in the city, or go for a cruise through Chesapeake Bay.

Scuba diving: With Virginia Beach's rich and deep maritime history, one of its great treasures is the underwater wrecks that dot the coast. There are tour ships that will take you out exploring these areas, both in guided tours or on private expeditions.