Beach weddings? Not anymore in this NJ town

Susanne Cervenka | Asbury Park Press

Show Caption Hide Caption New Jersey considers statewide beach smoking ban A bill making its way through the New Jersey state Senate would ban smoking on all public beaches.

SPRING LAKE - Beachfront weddings are going out with the tide in one beachside town starting in November.

Spring Lake Borough Council banned weddings on the boardwalk and beach to relieve congestion at gazebos and walkways. The new rule starts Nov. 1.

"The issue really was the boardwalk is so narrow and it is so overcrowded when they were having weddings at 12 p.m. or 2 p.m.," Borough Administrator Bryan Dempsey said.

What else isn't allowed on New Jersey beaches? Learn about the ban on beach smoking in the video at the top of the page.

Spring Lake's old policy on beachfront weddings didn't require anyone to get a permit for the event, Dempsey said. As long as the wedding party didn't kick people out of the gazebos or put up decorations, they were clear to host their nuptials.

That relaxed policy led to the borough "getting more than our fair share," Dempsey said.

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That led to some problems especially on hot days, like this weekend, when some beachgoers were seeking gazebos for shade at the same time brides were arriving to meet their grooms.

Also, the gazebos, on Washington and Newark avenues, held about 30 people, Dempsey said. Overflow crowds would back up on the boardwalk, clogging the walkway.

Spring Lake looked into requiring permits for weddings, but "it was easier just not to do it," Dempsey said.

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The borough specifically delayed the start of the new policy until Nov. 1 so weddings that already were planned for this summer and fall can proceed, Dempsey said. Since the borough didn't require permits, there was no other way for the borough to reach couples who had made plans.

Most other beach towns do allow weddings on their boardwalks and beaches.

Towns like Belmar, Bradley Beach and Avon require everyone to have a beach badge if the wedding takes place during beach hours.

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There's no charge to use the beach in Avon, but the borough asks couples to coordinate with the police department on the location they intend to use. The reason: Last weekend, three weddings were hosted on Avon's beach on the same day.

If it's a simple gathering (read: only people), there's no cost outside of beach badges to use the beach itself in Bradley Beach. But if the wedding includes tables, chairs and decorations, it falls into the territory of a special event, which requires Borough Council approval.

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Towns do require permits as potential fees to use boardwalk venues like gazebos.

Bradley Beach's Fifth Avenue gazebo requires a permit with a $150 fee and a $150 deposit that's refunded if there's no damage. That cost gives couples access to the gazebo, which has electricity as well as benches that can seat 200 people.

Susanne Cervenka: @scervenka; 732-643-4229; scervenka@gannettnj.com