Weddings & Event Planning

Planning a beach wedding?

The Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce is your one-stop shop for all the information you need to make your dream wedding become a reality. Brides and grooms come from all over the world to celebrate their special day with a picture-perfect wedding ceremony on our sugar white sand beaches with the azure gulf waters as a backdrop.
Peruse our Special Event Section for professionals that can provide everything you need to make your event special. Find event venues and specialty rentals, catering, florists, entertainment, bakeries and more.

Anna Maria Island – Your Destination Wedding Paradise

Weddings are a symphony of elements. Each element is composed of details. From your rehearsal dinner to your honeymoon, there are nearly one hundred tasks to be completed and over a dozen different wedding professionals you will likely consult. Our island hosts hundreds of weddings every year with each detail handled as if it’s the most important task we’ll ever do.

Anna Maria Island would be honored to be the backdrop for your wedding day. Let our wedding professionals create a day to remember and memories to last a lifetime. Memories made at the beginning of your new life together, make every detail that much more important. Most important are the people surrounding you. The joy they bring just by being there and the pride you’ll feel for making them feel welcome. When considering Anna Maria Island as your wedding venue, think of how your guests will feel when they arrive. As they cross the bridge and read the sign that says, “Welcome to Anna Maria Island”, they’ll realize that you didn’t only invite then to your wedding but included them in the experience that is our tropical paradise.

Helpful Wedding Tips

Contact the Manatee County, Florida Clerk of the Circuit Court at 941-741-4020 for information about your marriage license or visit this page. You and your betrothed must appear in person at the Clerk of Court in downtown Bradenton to obtain the license. You may apply for a marriage license by mail, which means the couple does not have to appear in person and will have the license sent to them in advance. This is an excellent option for couples who would rather be spending time on the beach instead of at the local Clerk of Court office! Look for a local company who offers this service.

Contact the City Hall in the city you plan to be married in and inquire about any necessary permits you may need. Anna Maria Island has three cities with similar but slightly different permitting requirements for signage, structures on the beach, bands, etc. City of Bradenton Beach – 941-778-1005, City of Holmes Beach – 941-708-5800, City of Anna Maria – 941-708-6130.

Make sure that if you are planning an outside wedding there is an alternate inside or under-cover location. We know that you would rather the weather be absolutely beautiful, and we hope it is, but make sure there is a “just in case” back up. (It is good luck for it to rain on your wedding day – so if that happens, you can still have a perfect day.)

Make sure weddings are permitted at your vacation or beach rental if you are considering this avenue as a wedding/reception venue. Be sure to abide by vacation rental agreements, paying particular attention to occupancy, parking and noise restrictions. Discuss your plans with the property owner or manager. Remember, Anna Maria Island is a mixed-use residential area that has full-time residents living in harmony with visitors.

Work with local vendors who know the rules and regulations of Anna Maria Island. Many planners and wedding businesses are from other cities and do not keep up to date on local governance.
Consider a local wedding planner. Planning a traditional wedding can be stressful but arranging a destination wedding requires professionals who know AMI intimately. AMI Chamber wedding professionals are adept at handling the unique tasks from honing in on the perfect setting, to the best hair salons, to navigating the requirements for arranging a legally-binding union far from home.

Know that businesses on Anna Maria Island welcome everyone and are committed to creating a culture that reflects the diversity of our destination couples.

Explore the rest of the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce website. You will find vendors who will assist you in creating the destination wedding of your dreams.