Yes, you can get married on Hurlburt Field. The Air Force base near Mary Esther and Fort Walton Beach has a chapel and a waterfront event venue, The Soundside, and its grounds run right along Santa Rosa Sound. Jake and Lauren got married on base on September 5, 2026, and I covered their day in photo and video: portraits under the live oaks, sunset on the water and a glow-stick exit. Here’s their day, plus what you need to know about planning a wedding on Hurlburt.
I’m Korbin, the photographer and videographer behind KDH Weddings. I work all along the coast from Pensacola to Destin, and a wedding on base comes with a few extra steps that are worth planning early.
Wedding venues on Hurlburt Field
| Venue | What it is | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Hurlburt Chapel | The base chapel | 210 Cody Ave, Hurlburt Field · (850) 884-7795 · Google 4.7 (31 reviews) |
| The Soundside | The base’s waterfront event venue on Santa Rosa Sound, run by the Force Support Squadron | 107 Kissam St · (850) 884-7507 · Google 4.4 (256 reviews) · offers Classic, Ceremony and Waterside packages |
Ratings were checked on 30 September 2026. For eligibility, dates and pricing, contact the chapel or The Soundside directly, because on-base venues set their own rules about who can book.
Getting on base: what couples and vendors need
Hurlburt Field is a working Air Force base, home of Air Force Special Operations Command. That changes a few things:
- Guests without a Department of Defense ID usually need to be cleared before the day. Ask your venue how guest access works, and send the details to guests with the invitation, not the week before.
- Every vendor needs access too: your photographer, videographer, DJ, florist and caterer. Send your venue a vendor list early.
- Build in extra arrival time. The gate adds minutes, and a wedding with 150 guests arriving at once adds more.
- Check photo rules. Some areas of a base can’t be photographed. Your venue will tell you where portraits are fine. On Jake and Lauren’s day, the shoreline and the oak-shaded lawn gave us everything we needed.
Portraits under the live oaks
Hurlburt’s waterfront is lined with old live oaks, and their low, twisting branches make natural frames. We did the wedding party there in the late afternoon: bridesmaids in powder blue, groomsmen in black tuxedos, and a bouquet-and-arms arch for Jake and Lauren to kiss under.
The shade under those oaks is the other reason to use them. In early September on the Gulf Coast it’s still hot, and the trees keep the light soft and everyone cooler while you work through group photos.
Sunset on Santa Rosa Sound
The best thing about a wedding on Hurlburt is the open water. With nothing but the Sound and the far shore behind you, late-day portraits get a glowing sky and soft light on your faces. In early September, sunset in the area is about 7:05 pm, and golden hour starts about half an hour before.
We walked the grass along the shoreline and finished on a wooden dock over the water, some of my favorite frames of the year.
The party and the glow-stick exit
DJ Shabastin ran the reception. At the end, guests lined the covered entrance with glow sticks, and Jake and Lauren ran through to the getaway car, where they stole one last kiss before driving off.
Glow sticks are a great choice for an exit on or near the water. They’re allowed where sparklers often aren’t, they photograph beautifully, and nobody has to worry about wind.
Air Force wedding traditions you can add
Jake and Lauren kept their day classic, with black tuxedos and no uniforms, and that’s completely normal. If one of you serves, though, these are the traditions couples most often add to an Air Force wedding:
- Dress uniform. The service member marries in their Air Force dress uniform (the mess dress for an evening formal).
- A saber arch. Air Force weddings use sabers rather than swords. Six or eight members form the arch as you leave the ceremony, and the last one may give the new spouse a playful tap: “Welcome to the Air Force.”
- Cutting the cake with a saber.
- A toast to the service, and to those who couldn’t be there.
The details on each, from who can be in the arch to uniform rules, are in my guide to planning a military wedding in Pensacola. You’ll also find the real USMC wedding I photographed at the Oyster Bay Boutique Hotel: Bobby and Kaisey’s day.
Tips for a Hurlburt Field wedding
- Start the access paperwork early, and give your venue your vendor list as soon as you have it.
- Time the ceremony for the sunset. For waterfront portraits, aim to finish the ceremony about an hour before sunset.
- Use the oaks for group photos, and save the shoreline for the two of you.
- Choose a send-off that works in wind. Glow sticks, bubbles or LED wands all work.
- Tell your photographer about any military traditions in advance, so the saber arch or the toast doesn’t happen behind them.
Vendor team
| Role | Vendor |
|---|---|
| Location | Hurlburt Field, Florida |
| DJ | DJ Shabastin (@dj.shabastin) |
| Photography & videography | KDH Weddings |
Photo and video coverage for Hurlburt, Fort Walton Beach and Navarre
I cover weddings from Pensacola to Destin, including on-base weddings, with no travel fees anywhere I work. Packages are 3 hours for $1,500, 6 hours for $3,000 and 9 hours for $4,500, with a second shooter on 6 and 9 hours, which I’d recommend if there’s a saber arch. Videography is the same price, and booking both for the same hours takes 10% off.
More real weddings: Brandon and Victoria at Laurel Hill Farm · Nick and Amanda at Supposey
Nearby: Fort Walton Beach wedding photographer · Okaloosa Island · Navarre · Destin wedding venues
FAQ: Hurlburt Field and Air Force weddings
Can you get married on Hurlburt Field?
Yes. The base has the Hurlburt Chapel (210 Cody Ave) and a waterfront event venue, The Soundside, which offers Classic, Ceremony and Waterside packages. Contact each directly about eligibility and dates.
Do guests need a military ID to attend a wedding on base?
Guests without a DoD ID usually need to be cleared in advance. Your venue will explain the process. Send the details to guests early, and include your vendors.
What makes a wedding an Air Force wedding?
Usually the service member in dress uniform, plus traditions like a saber arch, cutting the cake with a saber and a toast to the service. Everything else is a regular wedding, and many Air Force couples skip the traditions entirely.
Does the Air Force use swords or sabers in a wedding arch?
Sabers. The Air Force and Army use sabers. The Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard use swords.
What time is sunset on Santa Rosa Sound?
It changes through the year: about 7:50 pm in late June, about 7:05 pm in early September and about 5:10 pm in January. Plan your ceremony so portraits land in the last hour before sunset.
