Dreaming of a Hilton Head beach wedding? Here are 5 essential rules
Want to say “I do” with your toes in the sand and the Atlantic Ocean stretching endlessly behind you?
Hilton Head Island’s beaches provide a stunning, serene setting for couples dreaming of a romantic seaside wedding.
But before you dive into wedding planning, there are some things you should know first.
Local wedding planner Alexandra Ascencion, owner of Alexandra Paez Events, told us five things couples shouldn’t overlook when planning their dream Lowcountry wedding.
You’ll need a permit
If you’re planning on putting up any kind of structure on the beach, such as an arbor or chairs, you’ll need to get a permit from the Town of Hilton Head Island, Ascencion said.
The permit is free, but you’ll need to apply online at least 30 days in advance. Make sure to put away chairs and clean up the area after the ceremony. Alcohol is strictly prohibited on Hilton Head beaches.
Missed the deadline to apply? Ascencion said if you’re looking to do a 20-minute ceremony on the beach with a small group of people without putting up any structures, you may be able to get away with not getting a permit.
Parking isn’t free
If you want to have a ceremony on the beach, be aware that parking at most public beaches on Hilton Head is no longer free during peak season.
Between March 1 and Sept. 7, paid parking is enforced at Alder Lane, Driessen, Fish Haul, Folly Field and Islanders Beach Parks from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The fee is $3 per hour on weekdays and $5 per hour on weekends. Parking at Coligny Beach is still free year-round.
Before the town changed the rules, Ascencion said it was common to see weddings at Fish Haul Beach, one of the island’s quieter, less crowded beaches. Now that the rules have changed, the popular Coligny Beach has seen an influx of beach weddings.
Watch out for heavy machinery
If you’re looking to get married on the beach this year, keep in mind that your vows might be drowned out by the sounds of bulldozers and dredgers pumping gallons of sand from the bottom of the ocean onto the beach.
That’s because the Town of Hilton Head Island is in the middle of a $47.5 million project to restore sections of Hilton Head’s coastline and combat erosion.
The project is expected to be completed by May 31. Sections of the beach will be closed off on a rolling basis as progress moves along. You can check on the progress and see which areas are being renourished on the town’s website.
No beach receptions — except at one place
Although the Town of Hilton Head Island permits wedding ceremonies to be held on the beach, you’ll have to look for somewhere else to hold your reception.
The only exception is Tiki Beach at the Beach House and Tiki Hut, which has a capacity of up to 250 guests for a reception or 125 for a banquet.
Ascencion said that’s because Hilton Head beaches are public, but the Tiki Hut is on private property.
No AirBnb weddings
If you’re looking to host your reception in a relaxed environment, you may be tempted to rent an AirBnb close to the beach and host the reception in the backyard.
Many neighborhoods on Hilton Head once had several rental homes that offered up their spaces for events, Ascencion said.
However, after pushback from full-time residents, many HOAs have created rules against it, and the Town of Hilton Head treats the use of a short-term rental as an event venue as a zoning violation.
New short-term rental rules also prohibit tenants and guests from parking on the street, and short-term rental properties are only allowed to be able to accommodate up to six cars.
If you or a family member owns the property, you might be OK with hosting a small private reception as long as it’s allowed by your HOA, Ascencion said.
Be sure you, your guests and your vendors follow parking regulations set by the town or the HOA.
You’ll also need to follow the town’s noise ordinance by keeping daytime noise to a reasonable level and respecting quiet hours after 10 p.m. The exact daytime noise limit varies by location, but if your neighbors can hear your music from inside their homes, it’s likely breaking the noise ordinance.
Why do people get married in Hilton Head?
People from New Jersey, Ohio, and even Bermuda travel miles just to tie the knot on Hilton Head Island, Ascenscion said.
Many came to Hilton Head on a family vacation as a child, she said.
“It holds this memory for them,” Ascencion said.
