Cali or Florida

[LilOne]

My sister is thinking of getting married on the beach in either Cali or Flordia. Any reccomendations? There would only be about 20 people there.

Any suggestions would be appreciated!

TIA!

[Rose]

Where does your sister live now? Is one side going to be easier than the other? My sister just got married on the beach in Santa Cruz, Ca and it was very pretty but it was in driving distance for us so the planning was very easy.

San Diego would also be very pretty. My Husband & I were going to get married in La Jolla but we ended up cancelling are plans and eloping in Tahoe. I am from CA and have been to FL so I can't comment on the beaches in Florida.

[ManteoChik]

I think it really depends. Where are most of your guests traveling from??

I've never been to California but I'm very familiar with different FL beaches.

[LilOne]

She lives in Wisconsin, as do most of the guests.

[kemaji]

It would also depend on the time of year she wanted to get married. No Cal beaches can be foggy and cool in the summer, especially July/August. I'd pick Florida in late March/April/early May and late October/November. I'd pick Northern California in late May/June and September/early October. I can't speak for S. CA because I've never lived there for any extended period of time.

[msnicolea]

She lives in Wisconsin, as do most of the guests.

And she doesn't want to wed on the shores of one of Wisconsin's finest beaches? ;)

[IrishMeg]

If she is getting married from late November until very early April, Florida would be fine. Any other time of the year is either in the midst of hurricane season and/or way too hot.

August, September, and October would be the worst months to be here because of hurricanes. Those months are too hot for an outside wedding. May and June are really hot, as well. February-April are high season (read: more expensive) and we get all of the Spring Breakers.

I'd pick California, personally, because despite all of our beaches, our weather just sucks for an outdooor ceremony.

[maniach]

I disagree with IrishMeg. I think we have beautiful weather, you just have to pick the right month. It's pretty limited when the weather is good, though. It's REALLY hot from May to September (for wearing a wedding gown, anyway). Depending on the part of the state you are in, it's also really cold (well for Florida anyway) from late November until early March. If she wants to get married in March, April, October, or November, Florida is the place for her, lol. We also have a wide variety of beaches that are beautiful. I don't know if you can get married in state parks, but there are a lot of state parks on the beaches: Dry Tortugas in Key West, Fort DeSoto over on the Gulf, Little Talbot and Big Talbot Islands in Northeast Florida (near Jacksonville), etc. We have white sand beaches, and some beaches with more shelly sand (Ft. Lauderdale and Miami are like that).

I can't speak for California beaches, but I know that the water out there is cold and not so much here in Florida. Especially in the Gulf.

Also, everyone's all freaked out about hurricane season and everything, and I get it, a hurricane during a wedding would suck. However even with the increased hurricane activity, it's still probably not very likely that one would hit while you were here. Hurricane season lasts for about 6 months and in that time, there were probably 6 hurricanes last year. So, one a month, and the rain lasts for maybe two or three days, and it could come in on a Monday, then the weekend is all clear. It's just something I wouldn't worry about too much. But, then, I live here so I'm used to it.

Anyway, enough rambling from me. Hope some of that was helpful. Good luck!

If she doesn't know which one she wants to do, I would look at ease of travel. It's probably closer to Florida for driving, but if you plan to fly, I would see if it's cheaper to fly to CA or to FL.

[Amuse Bouche]

Southern California Beaches are pretty nice, year round. It can be foggy in the spring, though -- I would say February through early June you're going to get a lot of fog, December through February you have the chance of rain. Summer and fall are usually perfect beach weather here.

[GeekGirl]

And she doesn't want to wed on the shores of one of Wisconsin's finest beaches? ;)

*snort*

In January, no doubt! :p

[KrissyCat7]

I'd pick Cali. I think the west coast has amazing beaches....just my personal preference.:)

[LilOne]

Thanks!! So does anyone have recommendations on where exactly in California? She wants to get married right on the beach. I'm guessing it would be easiest to have the reception at the same place. So maybe a hotel or something like that?? She's having a small wedding to save money so something that's pretty inexpensive... Any thoughts??

TIA!!

[ejs]

Thanks!! So does anyone have recommendations on where exactly in California? She wants to get married right on the beach. I'm guessing it would be easiest to have the reception at the same place. So maybe a hotel or something like that?? She's having a small wedding to save money so something that's pretty inexpensive... Any thoughts??

TIA!!
Beach-front hotels are usually pretty expensive in CA.

CA beaches can be foggy at certain times of the year, but we don't have humidity.

[Mrs.B716]

I have to laugh- I'm from Wisconsin!! You can't trust the weather- a good reason to go to Florida or California!!! I would choose Florida- it's a little closer.

[KrissyCat7]

Check out this site
http://www.mybayareawedding.com/categories/cv_non_denominational/index.html

[kemaji]

It is difficult to find inexpensive wedding sites in CA, especially beachfront locations. San Fransicso is one of the more expensive cities in the US for weddings. That being said, if she is set on a beach wedding, look into some of the state parks, sometimes they have a nominal site fee and then you'd have to bring in everything else. It all depends on what kind of wedding she wants to have.

[trestlegirl]

There are a few places to get married in La Jolla and Del Mar (San Diego area)which are very pretty, up on the bluffs overlooking the ocean. It would be tough to have a wedding right on the beach here unless you planned carefully with the tides - at high tide the water comes up to the edge of the bluffs in many areas.

Powerhouse Park (http://www.delmar.ca.us/Visitors/pwrcc.htm) is a popular wedding spot in Del Mar - people generally have the wedding out in the park and the reception at the adjacent community center. There are also hotels in the area that would host a reception.

She might also look into renting a beach-front house for a week...there are a lot of weekly beach rentals here. Some of them are gorgeous homes and have large patios that extend onto the beach, and I have seen people cordon off areas in front of the houses for parties. Since it will be a small wedding that might be feasible.