Getting Married in Palm Beach
A barrier island off South Florida with a winter social season, grand resorts and Gilded Age estates. Palm Beach is a 16-mile barrier island off the South Florida coast and has been a winter resort destination since Henry Flagler built the first grand hotel there in 1894. The historic oceanfront resort, which reached its current form in 1926, remains the centre of the island's social calendar, with extensive event space, many restaurants and a large room count on one property.
A barrier island off South Florida with a winter social season, grand resorts and Gilded Age estates
The island is largely residential, with high-value private real estate, and much of the best entertaining happens in homes rather than hotels. Cultural institutions such as the Flagler Museum and the Society of the Four Arts add a layer of social infrastructure.
A renovation programme in 2024 and 2025 refreshed the ballrooms and several outdoor ceremony lawns at the historic resort. A newer resort to the south added a new Grand Ballroom in 2023, so the island has two upgraded flagship venues at the same time.
Season matters here more than at most US destinations. July and August are quiet and very hot. The peak wedding window runs from January to April, when the island is at its most social, the weather is reliable and the shops and restaurants of Worth Avenue are fully operating.
Where to Get Married in Palm Beach
Palm Beach Island
The main venue strip, holding the historic resorts, the Flagler Museum, Worth Avenue shopping and private estates, all within a compact area.
West Palm Beach
Across the Intracoastal Waterway, with the Norton Museum of Art and the Kravis Center. Logistics for vendors and caterers are easier here than on the island.
Palm Beach Gardens
North of the island, with a golf resort and some large estate venue options.
Manalapan
South of the island, an ultra-private residential enclave. A newer resort is located here.
When to marry, and what to arrange
The season
When to Get Married
January to April is the peak window and the most socially active period on the island, with low humidity and comfortable temperatures. June to September is hot and humid with frequent afternoon thunderstorms, and hurricane risk peaks from August to October. It is not a summer wedding destination.
Recommended wedding months
January to April
Peak season is February and March, and the shoulder months are October to November and April to May.
Settings, travel and stays
Choosing a Setting
Oceanfront Lawn Ceremony. Two resorts keep maintained lawns between the hotel and the Atlantic, for outdoor ceremonies that face the sea.
Historic Mansion Venue. The Flagler Museum hosts private evening events in Whitehall, the Gilded Age mansion built for Mary Lily Kenan in 1902, a distinctive ceremony setting in Florida.
Getting There
Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) is the nearest, a short transfer from the historic resort. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International (FLL) lies to the south, and Miami International (MIA) is further south again. There are no direct UK transatlantic flights to PBI, so guests connect through Miami, New York (JFK) or Atlanta (ATL).
Palm Beach International (PBI). Used for domestic connections.
Miami International (MIA). Direct service from London.
Fort Lauderdale (FLL). A lower-cost alternative with wider access for low-cost carriers.
Where Guests Stay
The island has a small number of high-calibre hotels and a large market in private estate rentals.
Historic oceanfront resort. A complete destination wedding resort with everything on the property, recently renovated.
Manalapan resort. A newer resort to the south with a more playful and relaxed look than the historic resort, and a new Grand Ballroom from 2023.
Worth Avenue boutique hotel. A boutique hotel known as the pink hotel, beside Worth Avenue, with a polo-themed bar as its social hub.
Smaller resort. An intimate property by Palm Beach standards, suited to a smaller wedding format.
Good to know
Food and Drink
Dining on the island has a specific register: formal, club-oriented and driven by the social season calendar. The best restaurants open for the season and close or cut hours in summer.
Hotel steakhouse. A steakhouse inside the historic resort, with private dining rooms and wine cellar events that suit rehearsal dinners.
Worth Avenue restaurant. A restaurant on Worth Avenue since 1941, with a private room available.
Modern American dining. An independent restaurant serving modern American food, with private dining by arrangement.
Good to Know
Season booking windows. Peak-season dates from January to April book far ahead at the leading resorts, and February and March are the tightest months. For a peak date, the venue is approached before anything else is confirmed.
Hurricane season. Florida's hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30 and peaks from August to October. Wedding insurance with weather-cancellation cover is essential for events from August onwards, since storms passing nearby cause significant disruption even without a direct hit.
Social season overlay. During the social season the island is fully populated and every restaurant and venue is open. Outside it, especially in July and August, many residents leave and some restaurants and venues close or cut back.
Worth Avenue proximity. The historic resort is a short walk from Worth Avenue, the island's shopping street. Pre-wedding shopping days and post-wedding celebrations there can be built into the guest itinerary.
Marrying legally and entry rules
The legal requirements for marrying here, and who needs a visa, are being checked and are not published yet. Confirm both with the official authority that will marry you before you book.
Planners, photographers, florists and musicians who work in Palm Beach
How do the historic resort and the Manalapan resort differ?
The historic resort is formal, larger in scale and the social centre of the island. The newer Manalapan resort to the south is more relaxed in tone. The first suits larger events and guests who want the full Palm Beach setting, and the second suits couples who want high quality with a more personal feel.
Can the Flagler Museum be used for a wedding?
Whitehall, the Flagler Museum, hosts private evening events in its state rooms and gardens. It is among the historically significant venues in Florida. Events are subject to minimum spend requirements and the museum's event policies, and the events team handles enquiries.
When does Palm Beach season wind down?
January, February and March are the height of the social season. After Easter the island begins to quiet, and by June it is noticeably emptier.
How do international guests reach Palm Beach?
Guests fly to Miami directly from London, then drive north to the island. Alternatively they fly to New York and connect to PBI. Routing through Miami is the most direct transatlantic choice.
Where do guests stay at a Palm Beach wedding?
The island has a small number of high-calibre hotels and a large market in private estate rentals. The historic oceanfront resort is a complete destination wedding resort with everything on the property, recently renovated. A newer resort to the south has a more playful and relaxed look than the historic resort, and a new Grand Ballroom from 2023.
Meet Aura, Your Wedding Planning Assistant
Describe your dream wedding, from the destination and setting to the number of guests and your budget. Aura will help you discover wedding venues and professionals that match your plans.
More Wedding Destinations
United StatesAspenBig Sur & CarmelCharleston & the Low CountryAll destinations
How We Compiled This Guide
This guide draws on the venues' own published details, official sources and the knowledge of our editors. Entry and legal information can change, so confirm it with the authority that will marry you before you book.