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Wedding Guide · Georgia

Savannah and Coastal Georgia Wedding Guide: Venues, Costs, Seasons, Permits, and Local Planning Tips

By Claire Bennet

Claire Bennet

Senior Travel Editor · WeddingUFO

Claire Bennet is Senior Travel Editor at WeddingUFO. A longtime destination-weddings writer with bylines in Brides and Travel + Leisure, she covers the regions, venues, and logistics that make a place worth saying yes in.

March 9, 2026

Treat Savannah as a softer Charleston and you'll miss what it actually is.

It is stranger, moodier, more intimate, and often more interesting.

The live oaks hang lower. The squares create natural ceremony and portrait moments. The historic district feels walkable but layered. The riverfront has its own texture. Tybee Island, Sea Island, Jekyll Island, St. Simons, and the Georgia marshes add coastal atmosphere, but they should not be casually tacked onto a Savannah weekend.

Savannah is strongest when the wedding stays historic and walkable. Coastal Georgia is strongest when the wedding fully commits to the island or marsh setting. Do not make guests bounce between both without a reason.

Quick Answer

Savannah and Coastal Georgia work beautifully for couples who want historic squares, garden courtyards, live oaks, boutique hotels, restaurants, marsh views, barrier islands, beach portraits, and a softer Southern destination weekend.

A smaller wedding with 40 to 80 guests often falls around $30,000 to $85,000. A full service wedding with 100 to 150 guests often ranges from $75,000 to $200,000 plus. Luxury Sea Island, private estate, tented marsh, or multi event coastal weekends can move into the $225,000 to $450,000 plus range.

Choose the Base

A historic Savannah wedding works best for walkability, hotels, restaurants, squares, courtyards, and a guest weekend that feels compact.

A Forsyth Park or square centered wedding needs permit planning and realistic expectations about public space.

A Tybee Island wedding becomes a beach town weekend and needs lodging and traffic planning.

A Sea Island, St. Simons, or Jekyll wedding is a coastal resort or island wedding, not simply a Savannah wedding.

A marsh wedding needs bug control, weather backup, transportation, and comfort planning.

Best Time of Year

March, April, May, October, and November are strongest. Summer is hot and humid. September can be lovely but storm aware. Winter can be excellent for historic homes, restaurants, and intimate weddings.

My pick: April or November. Savannah in summer is not for guests in formalwear unless every comfort detail is handled.

Cost Notes

The biggest cost drivers are venue, catering, bar, rentals, florals, hotel blocks, transportation, tenting, permits, and weekend events.

The hidden cost is moving guests between historic Savannah and the coast. Tybee looks close until traffic, parking, heat, and formalwear enter the room.

Marriage License Notes

Georgia requires proof of age, proof of divorce if applicable, and payment when applying for a marriage license, and the signed license should be returned to probate court within 30 days of the ceremony. Chatham County Probate Court lists a $36 marriage license fee with qualifying premarital education documentation, with different fee handling depending on documentation.

Best Venue Styles

Historic Savannah Hotels and Houses

Best for walkable weekends, intimate dinners, courtyards, and guests who want to feel the city

Squares and Park Adjacent Weddings

Best for small ceremonies and portraits. Public space rules should be verified before planning

Restaurant and Private Dining Weddings

Best for smaller guest lists. Savannah’s dining rooms can carry a wedding without overproduction

Tybee Island Weddings

Best for beach energy, relaxed guests, and couples willing to plan around heat, parking, and traffic

Sea Island, Jekyll, and St. Simons Weddings

Best for resort weekends, coastal polish, and guests who will stay on or near the island

Where Guests Should Stay

Stay in the historic district for Savannah weddings. Stay on Tybee for Tybee weddings. Stay on or near Sea Island, Jekyll, or St. Simons for island weddings. Do not split guests across Savannah and the coast unless transportation is built in.

Logistics Couples Miss

• Squares are public.
• Summer heat is serious.
• Tybee traffic can affect timing.
• Marsh venues need bug plans.
• Cobblestones and brick sidewalks affect shoes.
• Coastal Georgia weddings need storm season awareness.

Final Planning Advice

Choose Savannah or the coast.

Savannah is architecture, squares, food, and walkability. Coastal Georgia is marsh, beach, resort, and island rhythm. Both are beautiful. They do not need to be forced into the same weekend.

FAQs

Is Savannah good for a wedding?

Yes. Savannah is excellent for couples who want historic squares, live oaks, boutique hotels, restaurants, courtyards, and a walkable Southern wedding weekend.

Is Tybee Island good for a wedding?

Yes, for relaxed beach weddings and smaller guest lists, but lodging, parking, heat, and traffic need planning.

What is the biggest mistake couples make?

Trying to make a Savannah historic district wedding and a beach island wedding happen at the same time without enough transportation or time.