A Meaningful Pass-a-Grille Beach Wedding
There’s a certain kind of beauty that doesn’t need to be dressed up. It’s in the way someone looks at the person they love. The hush that falls over a small circle of family and friends. The sound of waves as vows are spoken.
Lisa and Rich’s Pass-a-Grille Beach wedding was small and intimate, and it was a celebration that felt personal and joy-filled from start to finish. This was a second marriage for both of them, and they knew exactly what they wanted: a simple, meaningful ceremony that honored their love and the people closest to them. No distractions. No rush. Just joy, connection, and the soft colors of a March sunset on the beach.
Details make all the difference when planning a beach wedding:
An Intimate Florida Beach Wedding Focused on Connection
Lisa and Rich gathered with their closest family and friends for a two-hour celebration that felt less like an event and more like a gathering of people who genuinely enjoy spending time together. From the start, they were intentional about making the day relaxed and focused on connection. With an invitation to kick off their shoes and go barefoot from the start (see the sign they created in the gallery above!!), they swapped a formal reception for a casual gathering at their favorite restaurant afterwards, DIY’d their décor, and prioritized spending time with the people who matter most to them.
Their attention went instead to thoughtful touches for their guests that elevated their beach wedding to a whole new level: things like cozy, plush blankets for guests to use (and keep) so they could stay warm after the sun had set. And a rainbow of sand buckets for each of the guests to hold everything they’d need to let loose enjoy the celebration, including playful sunglasses and pretty champagne flutes. There was no pressure and no rush – just warmth, sunshine, and an invitation for everyone to slow down and enjoy each moment together.
A Ceremony Full of Laughter, Personal Touches, and Rose Petals
They chose Pass-a-Grille not just for the view, but for its meaning: it’s where they got engaged. And on their wedding day, they returned to that same stretch of sand to say their vows on the beach, surrounded by their favorite people. From a friend who officiated to another who played guitar for the ceremony, it was clear that they had gathered with a focus on celebrating their love with the people who mattered most to them.
And while weddings are naturally full of emotions like joy and sentimental tears, Lisa and Rich also proved that humor can have it’s place too. With a comically long scroll that was unrolled for the vows and an invitation for all of the guests to pop on their heart-shaped sunglasses for the group photo, it was truly a fun and joyful evening.
Intimate beach weddings are full of emotion:
Ringing the Bell at Sunset | A Pass-a-Grille Wedding Tradition
With beach weddings, it is especially important to be intentional with your timing (something I’m always assisting my couples with). By starting the ceremony in the late afternoon, we had plenty of time to celebrate with the guests on the beach before taking couples portraits at the ocean’s edge as the sun set. As golden hour faded into dusk, Lisa and Rich led their wedding party down the beach to Paradise Grille where they had arranged to ring the iconic bell as the sun dipped below the horizon. It was joyful, symbolic, and completely them.
Golden hour portraits and ringing the bell at sunset:
What to Know If You’re Planning a Pass-a-Grille Beach Wedding
If you’re considering a wedding at Pass-a-Grille, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Permits are required. You’ll need to get approval from the city and let them know which boardwalk you plan to use. They are also necessary if you plan to bring champagne or other alcoholic beverages to your celebration.
- Think through the details. If you’re getting married in cooler months, the beach can get chilly as the sun sets. Blankets for guests, a shawl or coverup for the bride, and sunglasses for guests as the sun sets in case they forgot their own are all thoughtful (and practical!) touches that make the celebration even more enjoyable for everyone.
- Local help is available. If you’d prefer to outsource setup and permits, there are wedding vendors who specialize in helping your beach wedding flow seamlessly and go off without a hitch. From wedding planners and coordinators to florists who set up and even companies who specialize in setting up and tearing down beach weddings, you don’t have to make this magic happen on your own!
- People will stop to watch. It’s just part of how beach weddings go! Be prepared to have extra eyes on you, cheering as you take your first kiss. If you want to minimize the audience, heading to more private beaches like Pass-a-Grille Beach at less-popular times (like a weekday instead of the weekend) can help.
And if you time it right, you might just end the day with a sunset walk and a bell ring of your own.
Lisa and Rich’s Day in Three Words?
Magical. Joyful. Elegant.
