When you picture a wedding in North Wales, you might immediately think of dramatic mountains and wild woodlands - but the area has over 250 beautiful miles of coastline, with surprisingly golden sands. It’s perfectly possible to plan a wedding or elopement on the beach in North Wales, as long as you consider the legal aspect (and how this is set to change with Wedding Reform in the coming years), are aware of the practicalities, and know which sandy stretches will give you the experience you’re looking for.
As a celebrant who has led several beach wedding ceremonies here, I can tell you almost everything you need to know about coastal celebrations in North Wales.
Can you get legally married on the beach in North Wales?
Not unless the beach is licensed as part of a wedding venue, no - at least, not yet. At present, if the bit of coastline you’ve chosen doesn’t have a license, you’ll need to plan for two ceremonies - one to do the legal signing, and then your symbolic celebrant-led one on the beach. Celebrant ceremonies are, by nature, much more personal and personalisable because they don’t have to follow a set formula or structure, so it’s at your beach wedding that you can have total freedom to marry in exactly the way you want.
At the time of writing (September ‘26) there is a Wedding Reform act happening, which is going to allow Humanist Celebrants like me to hold marriage licenses ourselves, rather than venues holding them. This means your options for getting legally married outdoors, whether that’s up a mountain, in a woodland clearing or indeed on a North Wales beach, are about to get much, much more exciting.
You must obtain landowner permission to get married on the beach.
While North Wales’ beaches are publicly accessible and yes, you do have a ‘right to roam’, this doesn’t automatically mean you’re allowed to use them for your wedding ceremony. In actual fact, the entire coastline is owned by someone, whether that’s The Crown Estate, the local authority, an organisation like The National Trust, or a private landowner. Many couples don’t realise that you actually have to ask the landowner’s permission to hold your wedding on a beach.
In reality, it can be tricky to get it - not least because finding out who owns the land is often not as straightforward as it sounds. Getting a permit authorised is the next challenge, and some organisations such as NRW (who manage Newborough Beach and Llanddwyn Island) have explicitly stated that they won’t allow ceremonies on their land.
Couples get around this issue in different ways - some by actually obtaining the elusive permission, others by heading to the beach for photos and doing the I-doing elsewhere, or by renting a venue or holiday property with beach access. As for the rest, they just…do it, and hope they get away with it (not a professional recommendation) - it all depends on how rebellious you’re feeling.
While getting married on a beach sounds like a romantic, free-spirited way to have your ceremony, there are actually several practicalities to think through first.
The practicalities of getting married on the beach in North Wales:
North Wales is a popular tourist destination, particularly in the warm summer months that so appeal to those planning a beach wedding. As such, the coastline can be busy all week, and finding privacy (or indeed space) can be challenging. It’s far easier to elope on a beach than it is to hold a wedding ceremony with guests, especially when you consider you’ll need to bring somewhere for them to sit, and perhaps a microphone so they can hear
On the subject of privacy, you’ll more than likely find that people want to watch when they see your ceremony taking place on their dog walk on the beach. They might even take photos or film, and you don’t really have any control over how close they come. Consider how willing you are to share your moment with strangers.
There is no shelter from the weather on the beach, and while we absolutely hope for a balmy summer day, there are never any guarantees in North Wales. I recommend having a backup plan just in case.
Are there parking places and facilities such as toilets at your beach of choice? More popular beaches do have them, but they can fill up fast, and more off-the-beaten-track areas have no facilities to speak of. Bear this in mind when planning.
Check the tides. North Wales’ beaches are tidal, some dramatically so, and you need to know what the sea is doing at what time to ensure your ceremony is accessible, dry, and safe. The romantic Llanddwyn Island, home to the patron saint of lovers, gets completely cut off at high tide, and while this is an extreme example of how the coastline changes throughout the day, it’s a good reminder that you need to work with Mother Nature if you want the best ceremony possible
Discover the best wedding venues in North Wales with beach access
Choosing a venue with access to the beach gives you the best of both worlds, and removes many of the practical issues. Some of my favourite picks include:
With its own mile long private beach, you can have your legal ceremony in one of its licensed spaces and your symbolic ceremony right there on the sands, or go for a just-married stroll with beautiful views.
For the nature-lovers, camping enthusiasts and the sustainability-minded, Bach Wen is situated on the coast of Caernarfon and offers direct access down to the sand and sea beyond. Note to add mention of Janne and Christine when you’ve done the wedding have photos.
With lovely views out towards the Irish Sea from its spot on the headland above Lligwy beach, here you’ll find a gorgeous glass-roofed ceremony space, a terrace to soak up the sea air, and accommodation on-site - and absolutely no need to open a tide chart.
Holiday cottages
My couples often rent holiday properties with access onto the beach, like this one in Aberffraw which has a beautiful walk along the estuary or a lovely garden as a backup plan.
Sally and Lee rented a cottage on the beach in Porthdinllaen, across the way from the famous Ty Coch Inn, and I led their intimate ceremony with around 20 guests on the sand.
Anglesey’s little church in the sea
St Cwyfan’s, the 12th-century medieval church you’ve probably heard of called the little church in the sea, is on the tidal island of Cribinau and is only accessible by causeway at certain times of the day. With this one, checking your tide times is more important than ever.
Wedding venues close to beaches - sea views without the sandy feet:
North Wales is blessed with many wedding venues situated close to the beach but not directly on it, meaning you can still have the salt air and sea views without the sandy toes. Here are some of my favourites:
A great wedding venue for couples who want to enjoy the outdoors, but with the option of doing so from indoors. It’s just a 10 minute drive from Criccieth Beach, so you could easily go there for photos if you want a touch of coastal style about your wedding day.
This wedding venue is rather fabulous indeed, situated on the shores of the Menai Strait. What it lacks in white sandy beaches, it more than makes up for in exceptional views across the water towards Eryri. North Wales is a place of folklore and fairytales, and this venue delivers on that and then some.
If you prefer a wild Welsh beach wedding, you might consider:
Porth Iago, Llyn Peninsula
Porth Oer, also known as Whistling Sands, where the sand squeaks underfoot
Dinas Dinlle, with an iron age fort at your backs and beautiful views out towards Yr Wyddfa
Porth Tyn Tywyn, marked by its dunes and rockpools, is great for quiet elopements
Don’t forget to ask the landowner’s permission, and try to plan around peak tourist days and times for the most peaceful, intimate experience.
If you’re planning to get married on or near one of North Wales’ beautiful beaches, I’d be honoured to hold space in the salty air for your unique story. Whether you’re planning a wild elopement or commitment ceremony with just the two of you and your dog, a handfasting celebration with a small but specially selected group of loved ones, or a bigger wedding at a venue with a view, I can craft a beach ceremony that feels unmistakably you. Get in touch to check my availability.
Kate Rostance is a humanist wedding celebrant based in North Wales. She creates ceremonies that are relaxed and full of meaning - with a touch of humour and plenty of heart. She works across North Wales, including Snowdonia, Anglesey, Gwynedd, the Llyn Peninsula, Cheshire and beyond.
