MYRTLE BEACH SC RESTRICTS BEACH WEDDINGS

The City of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina controls the public beaches within city limits. Currently, the city does not allow commercial weddings on its public beaches, with 1 exception--they are allowed above the high tide line (wrack line) at a few older oceanfront hotels owning "grandfathered" legal rights to that strip of sandy real estate (such as The Sea Mist Restort).

However, non-commercial weddings ARE allowed everywhere there. What's the difference?  

• "Commercial" is when you pay ANY people or services to do their work for you ON the beach (such as chairs, minister, musician, photographer, etc).  
• "Non-commercial" is when ALL your service people/items are volunteer, no payments.

See details on Myrtle Beach's restrictions online:  www.cityofmyrtlebeach.com/faq.html

BTW:  these laws do NOT apply to ceremonies being held on the lawns, patios, gardens and pools of oceanfront hotels/resorts OVERLOOKING the ocean...that is private property.

Also, some oceanfront hotels have a "Myrtle Beach SC" address but actually sit OUTSIDE official city limits. You can do your ceremony there.  For example, it is allowed on the beach inside the Myrtle Beach State Park because its outside MB city limits. 

• Southern city limit line - the Springmaid Pier itself is the city-limit line (right side of that pier allows any beach weddings, left side is no). 
• Northern city limit line -Starts at The Dunes Beach Club (about around the start of Shore Drive). 

Other great location options are North Myrtle Beach or Surfside...beautiful, nearby, neighboring beaches that allow all weddings and no permits needed.