Celebrate in Cape May

Cape May Beach Weddings

For many people, there’s no better location for their dream Cape May wedding than the beach!

A wedding ceremony on the beach in Cape May

What to know about Cape May beach weddings

If you’re thinking about a beach wedding, here are a few things you should know:

  • You must reserve a time slot for your wedding.
  • You’ll have 30 minutes for your ceremony.
  • You can bring in accessories like chairs and an arbor.
  • The City only permits beach ceremonies, not receptions.
  • The beach is public land. The City doesn’t grant exclusive use of any location, so you won’t have the beach to yourself. Strangers can observe your wedding and other events could happen simultaneously nearby. You aren’t permitted to remove people from the ceremony site or the surrounding area.
A wedding party on the Cape May beach
Photo credit: Doyle Dowdell Photography

Fees and scheduling your wedding

The City charges a fee to use any public space for a wedding. This includes the beach. They will not refund ceremony fees.

You’ll need to schedule your ceremony for the specific beach location you’ll be using. Call (609) 884-9534 or visit the City’s site for more information.

The City’s online booking engine allows you to choose 30-minute time slots from 6am through 10pm. If you don’t have an officiant in mind, Cape May’s mayor and deputy mayor are available for a fee.

Available beach locations

The following locations are available for Cape May beach weddings:

  • Broadway Beach
  • Congress Hall Beach/Congress Street & Beach
  • Decatur Street Beach
  • First Avenue Beach
  • Grand Hotel Beach 1045 Beach Avenue/Philadelphia
  • Grant St Beach
  • Howard St Beach (left side only)
  • Jackson Street Beach
  • Jefferson Ave Beach (to the right side only)
  • Madison Ave Beach
  • Mt. Vernon
  • Ocean Club Beach/ 1035 Beach Avenue
  • Ocean Street Beach to the right side only
  • Patterson Ave Beach
  • Perry Street facing beach to the right only
  • Peter Shield Inn Beach to the left 1301 Beach Avenue
  • Pittsburgh Ave Beach
  • Queen Street Beach (to the right side only)
  • Reading Ave Beach
  • Trenton Ave Beach
  • Windsor Ave Beach