Who doesn’t love the idea of a beach wedding or ocean front ceremony? I love the feel of sand on my toes and salt on my skin. The day I find a candle scented with sunscreen and bug spray I’m going to buy it out! On LBI there are a lot of beautiful spots for an outdoor wedding ceremony, but today I am telling you about my favorite unique LBI wedding ceremony location spot. I have not yet had a couple willing to plan a ceremony there, but fingers crossed. In fact, I spent a weather-questionable day there this summer creating a wedding photo shoot masterpiece for Bay Magazine’s Summer 2019 issue. It kills me that I have to sit on the results shot by Delany Dobson Photography until the magazine comes out. But I’ve done it before and will be able to do it again. Seriously, don’t tell anyone, but this one was my favorite.

And if you are a history buff (I am such a history nerd and obsessed with local LBI/Jersey Shore history) and looking for a spot without crowds for your unique LBI wedding ceremony location, you are gonna love The Mast in Barnegat Light!

Unique LBI Wedding Ceremony Location | The Mast, Barnegat Light

If you’ve ever been to the north end of Long Beach Island, you know you can not miss the lighthouse. Ol’Barney is one of LBI’s quintessential icons. And it’s a lovely place to get married. There are a few spots within the park where you can have a stunning wedding ceremony with the lighthouse as beautiful back drop. But if the idea of getting married in the state park with crowds is a little off-putting, then I have a perfect solution. Get married in front of the mast of the Sea King.

Say what? No joke. It’s an awesome location and an amazing experience for you and your guests. Just on a side note, if you, or your guests require handicap accessibility, this spot is not handicap accessible. You can touch-base with the township and request their tractor to provide an assist for guests as well as handicap friendly wheel chairs. It’s do-able, but not without its challenges.

Here are a few behind the scenes photos from the photoshoot. It truly took a village to pull off this one! I had to convince my husband to take the day off. And my daughter, mom, assorted nieces and nephews, and my sister pitched in as well. My niece lent me her dog, Murphy, who was one of our three amazing models.

The Mast of the Sea King | Where is it?

Park at the ocean end of 11th Street and take the path into the dunes of Barnegat Light. This is like no other beach on LBI (or in most of NJ, for that matter). Some of these dunes rise up 30 feet above the wooden pathways. It’s unique and romantic, and off the beaten path without the crowds. After winding through the sand paths for about 200 yards, a metal pillar appears rising up above the sand. That pillar is actually the mast of the fishing boat Sea King. So, how did it end up so far inland? When I began planning this photo shoot with Farrell and Gary (the co-founders of Bay Magazine, Gary shared with me how the mast used to mark his favorite boyhood fishing spot. Well, now, it’s about 100 yards inland!

On February 12, 1963, the Sea King, a 95-foot trawler, was towing the decommissioned minesweeper Prescott to Atlantic City for refitting. In a thick fog, both ships were stranded on the Barnegat Shoals. Prescott was later saved. But the Sea King could not be salvaged. The Sea King began rusting away, and was in the ocean until 1992. That is when the southern Barnegat Light jetty was extended. Over the next 25-ish years, nature took over. And slowly, the sand built up on the south side of the jetty creating sand dunes and beaches between the surf and the mast of the Sea King.

Imagine this unique experience you will be giving your guests. I can also imagine the incredibly romantic yearly pilgrimage on your anniversary to this special spot where you can celebrate and honor a sweet tradition steeped in Long Beach Island history.

LBI Ceremony Spots

If you are looking for a unique LBI wedding ceremony location indoors, in case of rain, or for a mid-day ceremony, when you might want to save your guests from the sun and heat of an outdoor wedding ceremony, then check out this comprehensive list of Long Beach Island wedding ceremony venues, here. If you enjoyed today’s post, check out this amazing photoshoot we worked on last Fall for Bay Magazine. We shot some gorgeous bride and groom portraits on the beach in Holgate. If you’re on the hunt for Long Beach Island wedding ceremony locations, contact me here. I’d love to chat and see how I can help!