West Palm Beach Weddings
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West Palm Beach, also known as West Palm, is the most populous city in Palm Beach County, Florida, USA. The city is also the oldest incorporated municipality in South Florida. According to the University of Florida's 2006 estimates, the city had a population of 107,617. West Palm has a much larger unincorporated population estimated at upwards of 250,000. The city's Urbanized Area has an estimated population of almost 1.3 million. West Palm's economy is currently ranked #4 in the Milken Institute Best Performing 296 U.S. Cities index.
It is the county seat of Palm Beach County, and one of the principal cities in the South Florida metropolitan area. The area is known as the West Palm Beach--Boca Raton--Boynton Beach MSA, which covers the entire Palm Beach County area. It is situated in the northernmost county of the South Florida metropolitan area. According to the 2006 Morgan Quinto Poll, West Palm Beach is the 14th most dangerous city in the United States.
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West Palm Beach Weddings
Traditions
Why West Palm Beach?
Marriage License Requirements
You do not have to be a resident of Florida to apply for a marriage license; however, both parties must be present when applying. One of the following forms of identification is required for each party to obtain a marriage license:
- Driver's license issued in the United States;
- Federal or state identification card; or
- Passport showing your name and date of birth.
Birth certificates or green cards are not acceptable. A blood test is not required.
If either party was married before, the manner in which the last marriage ended and the exact date the marriage ended are required. Copies of the death certificate or Final Decree of Divorce, Dissolution or Annulment are not required.
Applicants who are 16 or 17 years of age: In addition to the above listed requirements, the following documents must be presented when one or both of the applicants are within this age bracket:
- Minor's birth certificate showing parent's name.
- A parental consent form may be obtained at the time of the application. Both parents must be present with their own identification on hand. The exception will be if the parents are divorced and one parent has full custody of the minor. In this case, proof of custody must be presented and only the consent of the custodial parent will be required in writing.
Applicants under 16 years of age: Minors who, under oath, swear that they are the parents or expected parents of a child may apply for a marriage license. If they are already parents, the child's birth certificate must be presented. Otherwise, the pregnancy must be verified by a written statement from a licensed physician.
A previously married minor may apply without the need for parental consent.
The cost of a license is $93.50. Residents of the State of Florida have the option of attending a premarital course from a registered provider, or waiting three days, as Florida law requires, for the marriage license to become effective. A directory of premarital course providers is available at all court locations. If a certificate of completion is provided at the time of application, you will receive a cost reduction of $32.50 and the three-day waiting period will be waived.
If one applicant is a Florida resident and the other is not, they may both attend the course to receive the full benefit. If only the Florida resident attends the course, the three-day waiting period will still be required.
MARRIAGE CEREMONIES
The Circuit Civil Department takes applications for and issues marriage licenses as well as performs ceremonies. A fee of $30.00 is required for the Clerk to perform a ceremony. The Clerk accepts cash, check or money orders.
A license is valid in any county in the State of Florida. It is valid for 60 days and no extensions may be made.
LOCATIONS
All locations are open 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M., Monday through Friday, except legal holidays.
Main Courthouse, Room 3.2300 205 North Dixie Highway West Palm Beach, FL 33401 Telephone: (561) 355-2986 Midwestern Communities Service Center 200 Civic Center Way, Suite 500 Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411 Telephone: (561) 355-4860 South County Courthouse, Room 160 200 W. Atlantic Ave. Delray Beach, FL 33444 Telephone: (561) 274-1588
North County Courthouse, Room 1202 3188 PGA Blvd. Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410 Telephone: (561) 624-6650
West County Courthouse 38844 SR 80 Belle Glade, FL 33430 Telephone: (561) 996-4843
Our mailing address is P.O. Box 4667, West Palm Beach, FL 33402-4667.
How To Get There
Get in
By Car
West Palm Beach is easily accessible by Interstate 95 and the Florida Turnpike.
By Bus
PalmTran runs throughout Palm Beach County. At the corner of Quadrille and Clematis you will find a popular hub, connecting many different routes.
By Train
Amtrak has a stop in the southern part of the county (about 12 miles away), and the Tri-Rail runs between Miami and West Palm.
By Plane
- Palm Beach International Airport, 1000 Turnage Boulevard, (561) 471-7420. A small, yet highly adequate airport. While both the Miami and the Fort Lauderdale airports are busy, PBI is easy to get in and out of, and is about 5 minutes from downtown West Palm Beach. Travelers flying into South Florida or the Bahamas should strongly consider PBI.
Get around
By Car
The easiest way to get around West Palm Beach and South Florida is by car. The city is set up on grid system, and is fairly easy to navigate. Downtown is roughly 2 miles north east of Palm Beach International Airport. Palm Beach County is served by Interstate I-95 and U.S. Highway 1 and US 441. It is also served by Florida's Turnpike. On Airport Car Rental Companies include:
- Alamo Rent A Car, ☎ +1-800-462-5266.
- Avis Rent A Car, ☎ +1-800-331-1212.
- Budget Rent A Car, ☎ +1-800-527-0700.
- Dollar Rent A Car, ☎ +1-800-800-3665.
- Enterprise Rent-A-Car, ☎ +1-800-261-7331.
- Hertz Car Rental, ☎ +1-800-654-3131.
Off Airport Car Rental Companies with Shuttle include:
- E-Z Rent-A-Car, ☎ +1-800-277-5171.
- Sunshine Rent A Car, ☎ +1-888-786-7446.
By Taxi
Taxis are generally expensive, but available at almost any time and place.
- Yellow Cab, ☎ +1 561-682-2222. The largest company in the city.
By Bus
- Palm Tran, ☎ +1 877-930-4BUS (4287). Palm Tran runs seven days a week (excluding holidays) serving more than 3,500 bus stops.
- Molly's Trolley, ☎ +1 561-838-9511. A free trolley serving the Downtown West Palm Beach Clematis Street District. Hours of Operation Sunday-Wednesday 11am-9pm and Thursday-Saturday 11am-11pm.
By Train
Tri-Rail, ☎ +1 800-872-7245. Commuter train which runs north and south parallel to I-95, connecting Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. Tri-Rail provides access to South Florida's three major airports, as well as links to Miami's Metrorail.
Stay safe
- Driving -- Florida has "no fault" auto accident laws, which means you are responsible for up to $10,000 in damage to your car, even if you are not responsible for the accident. Make sure your rental car comes with colission insurance, or obtain separate insurance. Florida also has a very high rate of auto fatalities, so take extra care on the roads.
- Crime -- Despite a dropping crime rate, the crime is very high for a city the size of West Palm Beach, it was recently rated as the 14th most-dangerous city in the United States, but the areas of high crime are not in areas that would be traveled by the everyday tourist though.
Get out
The Tiki Bar is a casual bar on the Intracoastal about 2 miles north of West Palm, in Riviera Beach just off US 1. They feature live music 7 days a week. If you go, try the Grouper Tacos, an unforgettable taste treat. One plate serves 2 people.
Heading north about 5 more miles takes you to Blue Heron Blvd. Turn right, and cross the bridge. You'll find yourself on Singer Island, a small beach community that wants to be the next Cocoa Beach. Featuring clean, wide, white sandy beaches, several open-aired beachside restaurants, and a few large surf shops, this is a very relaxing place to get away from the trendy shopping and nightlife of West Palm.
There are a lot of other interesting cities surrounding West Palm, including Jupiter and Palm Beach Gardens to the north, and Delray Beach, Boca Raton, and Boynton Beach to the south.
Insider Tips
VAT & Taxes
Sales tax in West Palm Beach is 6.5%. The tax on hotel rooms is 12%.
Best Time to Go
Climate
West Palm Beach, FL Weather
West Palm Beach, FL climate is hot during summer when temperatures tend to be in the 80's and mild during winter when temperatures tend to be in the 60's.
The warmest month of the year is July with an average maximum temperature of 90.10 degrees Fahrenheit, while the coldest month of the year is January with an average minimum temperature of 57.30 degrees Fahrenheit.
Temperature variations between night and day tend to be fairly limited during summer with a difference that can reach 15 degrees Fahrenheit, and fairly limited during winter with an average difference of 18 degrees Fahrenheit.
The annual average precipitation at West Palm Beach is 61.39 Inches. Summer months tend to be wetter than winter months. The wettest month of the year is September with an average rainfall of 8.10 Inches.
Normal Climate
Normal Temperatures
(WEST PALM BEACH INTL AP Weather station, 3.75 miles from West Palm Beach) Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Annual Max °F 75.1 76.3 79.2 82.1 85.9 88.5 90.1 90.1 88.7 85.0 80.4 76.4 83.2 Mean °F 66.2 67.2 70.6 73.8 78.2 81.2 82.5 82.8 81.7 78.1 73.1 68.3 75.3 Min °F 57.3 58.2 61.9 65.4 70.5 73.8 75.0 75.4 74.7 71.2 65.8 60.1 67.4
Normal Precipitation
(WEST PALM BEACH INTL AP Weather station, 3.75 miles from West Palm Beach) Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Annual Inch 3.75 2.55 3.68 3.57 5.39 7.58 5.97 6.65 8.10 5.46 5.55 3.14 61.39