planning a Hilton Head Wedding

What To Know First

• Wedding ceremonies on the beach in the Town of Hilton Head Island need a permit that is free of charge. Apply online at least 30 days before the ceremony. Source.
• The beach permit form asks for the exact ceremony location, date, time, duration, number of expected guests and a daytime phone. Town hall is at 1 Town Center Court, 843-341-4600, Monday to Friday 8 am to 4.30 pm. Source.
• Islanders Beach Park is closed to the public from September 8, 2026 through May 31, 2027 for construction, and the Town will not approve beach wedding permits there during that time. Source.
• Hilton Head Island is in Beaufort County, so marriage licenses come from the Beaufort County Probate Court. Both applicants must be present and applications are by appointment only, Monday to Friday 9 am to 3 pm, at the Beaufort main office or the satellite office on Hilton Head Island. Source.
• There is a 24 hour waiting period between the application and the license. Blood tests and physical exams are not required. Each applicant needs valid government issued photo ID. Source.
• Marriage license fees are $50 if either applicant lives in Beaufort County, $75 if neither does but one lives in South Carolina, and $95 if both live outside South Carolina. Fees are paid in cash in the exact amount. Source.
• The Westin Hilton Head Island resort says it is closed from November 2026 through March 2027 for renovation, with reservations reopening in April 2027. Source.
• Daufuskie Island venues such as Haig Point are reached by water. Haig Point says guests arrive by ferry from Hilton Head. Source.

How I Would Pick The Time

Set the ceremony from the sunset, not the other way around. Portraits start about an hour before it, and twenty minutes right at sunset is worth more than an hour at noon.