Summer Beach Weddings Update!

Summer is almost over and we've had such a busy season I was not able to post to the blog as I had hoped to do! Many couples decided that the Emerald Coast was the perfect place for them to exchange their vows this summer and in particular, Panama City Beach was the beach location for their special event!

One special thing we have done this year was to add a photography website to the Emerald Coast Beach Weddings website. This new site, April's Beach Photography will offer our services as a beach photographer for family beach photos, children photos and engagement photos---all in a beach or garden setting. We hope that even if you are not coming to visit our beaches for a wedding, you might like to have a beach photo session to remember your time here in Panama City Beach Florida

With the Fall wedding season already beginning, and bookings for next year already in full swing, we want to remind you that a beach wedding can be a fabulous and exciting experience for the entire family. And when you are ready to find that special company to handle the details of your special day, we hope that Emerald Coast Beach Weddings is the company you trust to turn your dream of a beach weddding into a reality!

And if you have booked your wedding and are busy planning your special day here, we have a new business that we would like to recommend to you as a wonderful way to spend an afternoon or evening. How Great Your Art is a unique art experience that is so much fun we just have to help promote it. A talented artist walks your through the entire process of creating a painting---all the steps on how to do it, the canvas, the paints, the inspiration--it's all covered in this very fun session. It's not "art lessons" but rather an experience that shows you and helps you create your own masterpiece. Large groups are welcome and we've found it to be a perfect way for a bride and her bridesmaids to spend an afternoon having great fun! Couples are encouraged to attend too as well as older children (teenagers). Private parties, kid's art experiences, it's just loads of fun and having done it several times myself, I have to admit it's a little addictive! Check out their website at www.HowGreatYourArt.com to see what it's all about and check the schedule of paintings and see the artists. The great thing is with a large enough private party, you can choose the artist and any painting by that artist! Paint a picture of Panama City Beach to take home with you!

Beach Weddings and Spring Break

Another wonderful Spring Break is almost past us here in Panama City Beach, Florida and while we are very happy people love our little slice of paradise, it is always crazy busy for us at this time of the year! Being a small, family owned and operated corporation means you get the personal attention you want when it comes to planning your wedding day but it also means not always catching us in the office when you need to speak to someone! We always tell our brides that being busy means we are making sure all of our bridal couples wedding day dreams are coming true--be patient when you call and have to leave a message! We promise to get back with you as soon as possible!

Here are just a few of our latest couples to get married with Emerald Coast Beach Weddings in the past couple of weeks-

*Danielle & Cody from Ozark AL
*Gaelyn & Dale from Vandalia IL
*Allyson & Keith from Cheyenne WY
*Chris & Brandon from Point Clear, AL
*Amy & Steve from San Francisco, CA
*Amanda & Jonathan from Nashville, TN

Gaelyn and Dale actually renewed their vows to celebrate 50 years of marriage! They eloped on the night of their high school prom in 1958 and have been together ever since--what a great love story!

Panama City Beach Spring Break Weddings

Congratulations to Jessica and Joe! They got married on March 8th in Panama City Beach and we loved being a part of their special day! When you are ready to book your special wedding day in Panama City Beach please be sure to give Emerald Coast Beach Weddings a call! We can help you plan the perfect day!

A February Wedding

A beautiful February Wedding in Panama City Beach, Florida was just the thing for Kristin and Mitchel's wedding on February 27th. The beach was empty and the sunset was so beautiful. It was a little bit on the cold side but Kristin and Mitchel were so much in love I'm sure they barely noticed the temperature! Just one day after the wedding and the temps were back up in the 70's so it was a little unexpected that we had the little cold snap come through when it did! Anyway--congratulations to Kristin and Mitchel--we were glad to be a part of their special day and we here at Emerald Coast Beach Weddings wish them all the best!

Happy Valentines Day!

Happy Valentines Day To Everyone! It's a special day to tell someone you love them--not just husbands and wives, or boyfriends and girlfriends, but anyone whom you love with all your heart! We hope all couples who decide to get engaged on this special day will consider an Emerald Coast Beach Wedding as the perfect way to join their lives in marriage! Give us a call to find out how your special day can be a perfect dream on our beautiful beaches! A gorgeous Panama City Beach wedding is waiting for you--and we can help you plan it!

Spring Break Beach Wedding Tips

Ah! Spring again! And around here, it's Florida Spring Break Time! What that means for us here in Panama City Beach is many kids here having a good time. But while you might think that having your wedding in Panama City Beach Florida during Spring Break might not be a good idea, it's really not at all like it used to be during the 80's and 90's when Panama City Beach was THE Spring Break Destination for every college kid in America. Panama City Beach has grown up and is becoming more upscale and family oriented with every passing year. Here are a few suggestions to things much easier if you are planning a Panama City Beach wedding --as a life-long local I consider myself quite savvy about our Spring Break season!

1. Rent a beach house. You won't have to listen to kids running up and down the hallways all night or wishing the elevator was just a little bit less crowded. Plus--you basically have your own little spot of beach right behind the house. Perfect!

2. Have to rent a condo? Try to go for the ones that have an age limit to rent there. Many of the new and luxury condos will have an age limit of 25 or older. The nicer condos will also be more likely to get rid of those who are disruptive and unruly.

3. Try to stay at the west end of Panama City Beach. It's away from the superclubs and usually far enough away from the main portion of the strip where people like to cruise up and down. The furthest west the better if you want more peace and quiet. Don't want to be in the middle of action? Then don't stay on Thomas Drive or the first 5 miles of Front Beach Road from Long Beach Resort going west. Once you get past the intersection of Front Beach Road and Middle Beach Road you should be Ok--you'll still have traffic but it won't be as bad.

4. Dining can be a little tricky. The early the better since most of the spring breakers will be on the beach until the last possible minute or in their rooms gearing up for the evening ahead. Even a Panama City Beach wedding reception can be accomplished with the right planning!

5. Driving can be a nightmare on Front Beach Road. Whenever possible use Middle Beach Road and Back Beach Road to get around. You can pretty much zip from one part of the beach to the other by avoiding Front Beach Road as much as you can. That's where Panama City Beach has an advantage over Destin where traffic gets so bogged down you could just scream. No easy ways of avoiding the main road in Destin because it is the main road and there aren't any good backways of getting around there unless you are a local and know about the backroads.

6. Crowded beaches--well, sometimes you just want a little space! If you have to stay at a condo or hotel you will see that their beaches will usually be a bit crowded. There are a few places you can go in Panama City Beach to enjoy the beach and relax in peace and quiet. Some of these places do not allow alcohol so most spring-breakers will avoid them. The picture for this post was taken at the height of Spring Break at one of those places--notice how empty the beach is?

7. What to do other than go to the beach? LOTS! Shopping being the biggest thing! Spring Breakers are usually more interested in being on the beach or at the clubs rather than inside a store. Putt-putt golf and other attractions are best done earlier during the day (when spring breakers are on the beach) or later in the evening (when spring breakers are cruising the strip or at the clubs). Same for going to the movies :-)

We hope these tips help a bit if you are planning a Panama City Beach wedding during the spring or even during the summer season. Have any other questions about how to have the best beach wedding ever? Call us at Emerald Coast Beach Weddings to help you plan your special day!

Get Married in Paradise!

If you are searching for a location for your wedding that is beautiful, friendly, exciting and affordable, then Panama City Beach Florida is the right place for you! Our gorgeous beaches have consistently been rated the top in the country, our sand is sugar white and just as soft, the water an unbelievable tropical emerald green and clear, and the locals are as friendly as can be. The number one rated seafood restaurant by Southern Living Magazine is located right here--Captain Andersons--and we have other dining establishments that are just as wonderful! We are so excited that Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville is coming soon too! There's world-class fishing, luxury condos and beach houses, fun stuff for the kids and long stretches of beaches where you can stretch out and not worry about hitting some one next to you! There's something for everyone here in Panama City Beach and having your wedding and honeymoon here just makes perfect sense.

When you are ready to begin planning your perfect beach wedding, remember that Emerald Coast Beach Weddings is the perfect choice to handle your special day. As a lifelong resident of this area, I can promise you we have the insight and experience only a "true" local can provide when it comes to making sure your beach wedding goes as planned. Let us help you plan the Florida Beach Wedding of your dreams. Leave it to the experts--we'll make it happen!

Happy New Year!

Goodness! Has it been that long since I posted to the Emerald Coast Beach Weddings blog? I guess so because it is now January and December just flew by! Time to get back to work and ready for the upcoming wedding season!

To all you bridal couples who were engaged at Christmas or on New Years Eve---congratulations! And if your dream is to be married on a sugar white beach, with the warmth of the sun kissing your face, then please don't hesitate to give us a call to book your special day! Many prime dates for this upcoming summer have already been reserved by couples just like you! We look forward to seeing you on the beach---let Emerald Coast Beach Weddings be the company you trust to handle the most important date in your life. We promise to take good care of you!