WEDDING CEREMONY SERVICE - FAQ

Q. How do we go about planning our wedding ceremony?

A. Simply choose the location and wedding package you desire. Submit a request form and our wedding consultant will contact you to discuss the details. Once all is taken care of you will sign the wedding agreement and submit a deposit or total payment for your wedding ceremony. The deposit is 50% of the total value of your wedding package and is non-refundable. The total value includes the original cost of the wedding package and any add-ons.

Q. What about weddings scheduled less than 30 days prior to the wedding ceremony?

A. A 15% rush fee will be added on to all weddings scheduled less than 30 days prior to the wedding ceremony. Deposits will not be accepted and all fees must be paid up front before services are rendered.

Q. What forms of payment do you accept?

A. We only accept credit or debit card payments via Paypal. A detailed invoice will be sent to you via your email address. The invoice will have a link to Paypal which will allow you to pay safely and securely. Payment must be made within 24 hours of having signed the wedding agreement or the wedding agreement will be cancelled. Payment must be made in order to secure the wedding site and all necessary vendors. My California Beach Wedding will not secure the wedding site and all necessary vendors without having first received the deposit or payment in full.

Q. Who is in charge of wedding location permit fees?

A. Permit fees are fees that are paid directly to the wedding location facility by the bride and groom.

Q. What do we need to know about purchasing a marriage license?

A. You do not need to be a resident of California in order to marry in California. The state of California does not require you to take a blood test in order to obtain a marriage license.

Marriage by proxy is not allowed in California. Meaning, the couple to be married, officiate and witness (if applicable) must be physically present in order for the marriage to be performed.

A marriage license can be obtained at the County Clerk's Office. In order to do so the couple to be married must both appear in person and bring valid picture identification. The picture identification must include date of birth, issue and expiration date. For example, a state issued identification card, drivers’ license, passport, military identification, etc.

Some counties require a certified copy of a birth certificate as an additional form of identification. A certified copy can be obtained at the Vital Records Office in the state of birth. This can be done via mail or online.

If you have been married before, you will need to know the date the marriage ended and how it final judgment if the previous marriage ended by dissolution or nullity.

Marriage licenses are valid for 90-days from the date it was issued. If you do not get married within that time period, you will have to purchase a new license.

Please note you will not receive a copy of your marriage license after you have been married unless you request and pay for a certified copy from the County Clerk or County Recorder.

There are two kinds of marriage licenses available a Public Marriage License and a Confidential Marriage License. In addition to the general requirements listed above, there are additional requirements for each of the licenses listed below.

Public Marriage License:

You must be at least 18 years old. Persons under 18 years of age with written consent from at least one parent (or legal guardian) and permission from a California Superior Court Judge may marry. Emancipated minors are not exempt from this process.

The public marriage license can be obtained from any county in California. You are not required to get married in the county where you purchased the license. However, you must be married in California. You must file the license in the county where it was purchased.

You must have at least one witness present at your ceremony. You may not have more than two witnesses sign the official marriage license. Licenses received with more than two witnesses signatures will be returned to the officiate and a duplicate marriage license will need to be purchased.

There is no age requirement in California for witnesses, however, they must be old enough to know that they are witnessing a marriage ceremony, and be able to sign (not print) their name on the official marriage license.

Only one officiate may sign the marriage certificate as solemnized.

The public marriage license is a public record. Anyone may request copies of the marriage license by submitting the required fee to the County Recorder.

Confidential Marriage License:

The bride and groom must be at least 18 years old to apply for a confidential marriage license. Minors can not apply for confidential marriage license.

The bride and groom must be living together as husband and wife at the time they apply for marriage license, and must sign an affidavit on the license attesting to those facts.

The couple must be married in the county where the license was issued.

Witnesses are not required to be at the ceremony, and no witnesses sign on the marriage license.

The marriage license is a confidential record and is registered at the County Clerk's Office in the county where it was purchased. Only the bride or groom may purchase copies of the marriage license and must provide picture identification along with the required fee to the County Clerk in order to do so. Persons other than the bride or groom requesting copies may only do so by presenting a court order to the County Clerk in the county where the license is registered.

Copies of confidential marriages are not available from the state office.

For further information contact the County Clerk's Office in your county or the county in which you plan to marry.

Q. How long is the wedding ceremony?

A. The ceremony usually runs from 20-25 minutes. However, if there are any special requests such as poem readings the ceremony can run a little longer.

Q. Are the beaches and ocean view parks private?

A. No. These are public locations. However, we have never had any problems with park visitors or beach goers and in fact, people tend to stay clear of the wedding site.

Q. How far in advance can we book our wedding?

A. You can book your wedding up to one year in advance. Beach and ocean view weddings have grown in popularity and are in great demand. The earlier you book your wedding the better your chances of getting the date and location you desire.

Q. What is the best time of year to schedule a wedding?

A. The best time of the year to schedule a wedding is from late June through September. However, mid-April through May, which falls between the rainy season and June gloom, is also a good time of year.

Q. What are the most popular days for weddings?

A. The most popular days are Saturday, Sunday and then Friday, in that order. Saturday always fills up fast. As for Monday-Thursday, there are fewer people at the parks and beaches on those days. There is also less competition for dates and locations.

Q. What is the best time of day to schedule a wedding?

A. The best times are before 12 noon and after 4:00 pm. The beaches and parks tend to be busy between 12 noon and 4:00 pm, thus parking becomes quite a challenge. This is also the hottest time of day.

Q. What should we know about the wedding officiate?

A. All of the wedding officiates we work with are non-denominational.

Q. Can we write our own vows?

A. Yes. Our wedding officiates will be more than happy to accommodate you.

Q. What about vendor no-show?

A. In the unlikely event that the wedding officiate is a no-show; the My California Beach Wedding Consultant will assume the duties of the wedding officiate. The wedding Consultant is an ordained non-denominational minister and is well versed in the legal requirements of a wedding officiate. In the unlikely event that the photographer is a no-show, My California Beach Wedding reserves the right to delay the wedding ceremony long enough for a qualified replacement to arrive.

Q. What about bad weather?

A. In the case of light rain, we will wait a few minutes to see if it stops. However, in the case of heavy rain, the wedding will have to be rescheduled. My California Beach Wedding will not be held responsible if weather, other acts of God, or other reasons beyond the control of My California Beach Wedding cause the postponement or change of location of the wedding ceremony. Should this occur additional vendor fees may apply. Most wedding locations charge an additional permit fee for rescheduling. The bride and groom are responsible for securing an alternative location in case of the above mentioned situations. Keep in mind when planning an outdoor wedding you are at the mercy of the weather.

Q. What is your cancellation policy?

A. In order to cancel your wedding ceremony, please submit, in writing, the cancellation via email to info@mycaliforniabeachwedding.com. Please provide your name, contact information, date of wedding and wedding location. All payments made toward the wedding ceremony, in addition to the non-refundable deposit, up to the point of cancellation are non-refundable.



STORE POLICIES

Placing an Order:

To place an order on our website, select the items you want to purchase and place them in our secure on-line shopping cart. When you are finished shopping, select the "check out" option to begin the checkout process. Your transaction is secured through our Secured Socket Layer (SSL).

If you place your order after business hours and/or on the days we are closed. We will process order on the next business day.

Payment Options:

My California Beach Wedding accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, Debit and eChecks via Paypal. Please note: If you choose to pay via an eCheck your order will not be processed until the eCheck clears which can take up to 4 business days. Our website uses Secure Socket Layer (SSL) Technology to encrypt all of your personal information. Be sure to enter your address exactly as it appears on your Credit Card Statement in order for your purchase to be approved.

If there is a problem with the payment information you provided, we will not be able to process your order. We will notify you via phone or email of the situation and redirect you back to our website so that you can resubmit your order.

Fraud Protection:

MyCaliforniaBeachWedding.com WILL NEVER ask you to verify credit card or bank account information via email or over the phone.

You should only provide this information to us when placing an order.

If you receive an email or phone call that seems to be from MyCaliforniaBeachWedding.com that requests credit card or bank account information. It WILL NOT be from MyCaliforniaBeachWedding.com. DO NOT provide the requested information in response to these emails or phone calls.

Please forward any suspicious emails to customercare@mycaliforniabeachwedding.com .

If you receive any suspicious phone calls please send alert via email to customercare@mycaliforniabeachwedding.com . Credit Card Charges:

Your credit card will not be charged until your order is processed. Orders are processed within 24-48-hours after they have been placed. However, if you place your order after business hours and/or on the days we are closed. We will process order on the next business day.

Your credit card statement will reflect a charge from: MyCaliforniaBeachWedding.com .

Order Confirmation:

My California Beach Wedding will send you an order confirmation via email once your order has been processed. This email will contain details of your order including your order number, product description, quantity and the amount due.

Note: If you do not receive a response from us regarding your order, please check your spam or junk mail folder. We always send order confirmations within 24-48 hours from the time you place your order except on the days we are closed. Please note that orders placed without an email address will not receive this information. Please double check your email address when you place your order. If you make a mistake when typing your email address, we will not be able to send you your order confirmation.

Question About Your Order:

We will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have about your order. When emailing us please include your order number in the subject heading so that we can properly handle your request. For emails regarding orders contact us at customercare@mycaliforniabeachwedding.com .

Order Cancellation:

You may change or cancel your order as long as the order has not been processed. Orders are processed within 24-48 hours after they have been placed, except after business hours and on the days we are closed.

Order Changes & Cancellation Restrictions:

Once the order has been processed changes and cancellations cannot be made on custom and personalized items. Therefore, before you place a custom or personalized order, be sure to double check all color selections, spelling and type before placing the order.



SHIPPING

Backordered Items:

If items are on backorder, the total cost of shipping will be adjusted to apply to in-stock items. Shipping for backordered items will be charged when the items on backorder are shipped.

Please note that the original total cost of shipping will not increase. However, it will not be charged all at once. All backordered items will be shipped via standard ground.

Shipping Options:

My California Beach Wedding uses UPS standard ground shipping for shipping within the United States. In addition to standard ground shipping we offer next day, second day and 3 day expedited shipping services. Please note that expedited shipping does not shorten the order processing time of 5-7 days.

Note: We ship from multiple locations in the United States. Therefore, you may receive your order in multiple shipments.

Shipping Destinations:

We only ship to destinations within the continental US. This does not include Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands, US Territories, P.O. Boxes, APO and FPO addresses. We do not ship internationally at this time.

Shipping Calculations:

Shipping is calculated based on the weight of your order and the shipping destination.

Shipment of Candles:

We strongly suggest that you use expedited shipping for orders containing candles during the hot summer months of June, July and August. We cannot guarantee the candles will not melt when using standard ground shipping.

Confirmation of Shipping and Tracking Email:

My California Beach Wedding will send an email containing delivery and tracking information. Please note that orders placed without an email address will not receive this information. Please double check your email address when you place your order. If you make a mistake when typing your email address, we will not be able to send you shipping and tracking information.

Note: If you do not receive a response from us regarding your order, please check your spam or junk mail folder. We always send shipping and tracking information via email.

Delivery Time:

Orders usually ship within 7 business days from when your order was placed. Custom and personalized orders usually ship within 12 business days from when your order was placed.

Note: We ship from multiple locations in the U.S. so you may receive your order in multiple shipments.

Tracking Your Order:

Tracking information may not be available for the first 24-48 hours after you receive your shipping and tracking confirmation email. If 48-hours have passed and you are unable to track your order, please email us at customercare@mycaliforniabeachwedding.com

RETURNS & EXCHANGES

Return Policy:

If you are not happy with your purchase, you can return most products to us for a refund. Custom, personalized items, perishable merchandise, hosiery and underwear (including lingerie sets with underwear and lingerie with built-in underwear) are non-refundable.

Request for exchanges or refunds must be made within 3 days of having received your order. We only accept authorized returns. All returned items must be unused, in the original packaging and box used to ship the items to you.

Refunds will be made for the original cost of the products minus shipping fees and restocking fee. If you received free shipping on your purchase, we will deduct the shipping fees we had to incur to ship the products to you. However, you will not be held responsible for the original cost of shipping on damaged or defective items.

Restocking Fee:

There is a 15% restocking fee on refunds and exchanges once the order has been processed. A restocking fee will not be charged on damaged or defective items.

Damaged or Missing Products:

All claims for damaged, defective or missing products must be filed with My California Beach Wedding within 3 business days of having received your order. Contact customer service via email at returns@mycalifbeachweddingstore.com . When sending an email please include your name, order number and a detailed message. We will provide you with a return authorization number and instructions.

Return Authorization:

Please contact us within 3 days of receiving your order to obtain a return authorization number. We will not accept any returns without a return authorization number. Once a return is authorized, we will refund your payment less any shipping charges and restocking fee. If you received free shipping on your purchase, we will deduct the shipping fees we had to incur to ship the products to you.

All returned items must be unused, in the original packaging and box used to ship the items to you. Refunds will be made for the original cost of the products.

Please print the authorization number on the outside of the box. We must receive returns within 14 days from the day the return authorization was issued. We reserve the right to refuse any returns and exchanges that do not meet these requirements.

Lost or Damaged Return Items:

My California Beach Wedding is not responsible for any return that is lost or damaged during return shipping. For your protection, we recommend that you ship returns via carriers with tracking services or by insured mail.

Refund Processing Time:

Once we have received and processed your return, we will send you an email confirming your return order and the amount we will credit back to your credit card. The refund process can take up to 15 business days, after having received your return order. The amount credited back to your credit card may take up to two credit card statements to appear.

Exchange Policy:

Request for exchanges must be made within 3 days of having received your order. We only accept authorized returns. All returned items must be unused, in the original packaging and box used to ship the items to you. You are responsible for the cost of return shipping and the 15% restocking fee.

My California Beach Wedding is not responsible for any return that is lost or damaged during return shipping. For your protection, we recommend that you ship returns via carriers with tracking services or by insured mail.

Exchange Restrictions:

Custom, personalized items, perishable merchandise, hosiery and underwear (including lingerie sets with underwear and lingerie with built-in underwear) are non-refundable and cannot be exchanged.

Restocking Fee:

There is a 15% restocking fee on exchanges once the order has been processed. A restocking fee will not be charged on damaged or defective items.