On January 20, 2021, the LGTBQ Advisory Committee unanimously passed a motion recommending three (3) independent proposals to promote the City of Miami Beach and their support of Marriage Equality, marketing the city as a destination for marriage, as well as the resources available to all residents. 

The proposals are as follows:

I. Using the existing city website to provide links with information and services required for a marriage license to assist anyone unfamiliar with the marriage process.

• One-page printable graphic of the steps required to apply for a marriage license and make the application online accessible.

II. Designate Marriage Equality Month in Miami Beach.

• Suggestions included the months from January through August with specificity towards April as Miami Beach PRIDE and June in New York City PRIDE parade months. 

III. Capitalizing on our resources.

• By creating a structure that would function as the backdrop for outdoor ceremonies and photo opportunities. The suggested structure would include two interlocked circles which symbolize both the couple's rings and eternity. Foliage could be grown to bring the structure to life, similar to the structure at Soundscape Park. 

At the City Commission meeting on January 12, 2021, the Mayor and City Commission referred a discussion to the Neighborhood and Quality of Life Committee (NQLC) the recommendation of the LGTBQ Advisory Committee to create an outdoor backdrop for marriage ceremonies and photo opportunities.

At the April 28, 2021, NQLC Meeting, the Committee directed staff to provide further detailed information on identifying a list of potential locations for an outdoor structure and the production costs associated with creating such structure. 

Currently, the Tourism and Culture Department (TCD) issues approximately 250 wedding ceremony permits per year for various locations throughout Miami Beach. A few sites seem to be more popular with couples, including the area between 34 and 36 streets and South Pointe.

As a result of the direction given by the Committee, TCD met with Parks and Recreation, Property Management, and Capital Improvement Departments to assist in identifying a list of locations that would be appropriate for a ceremony and an outdoor sculpture.

The staff has identified the following public locations throughout Miami Beach for ceremonies and the proposed outdoor sculpture.

Lummus Park

The location identified is on 11 Street and Ocean Drive in South Beach. 

This area represents the iconic backdrops that give Miami Beach international recognition.

Maurice Gibb Park

It is located on 18 Street and Purdy Avenue in the Sunset Harbor neighborhood in South Beach.

The palm-shaded waterfront park is slated to break ground in the  first half of 2022.

Bayshore Park

Located between Pine Tree Drive and Prairie Avenue and 23 through 28 Streets in Middle Beach. This 19.5-acre property is slated to break ground in the first half of 2022.

Altos del Mar Park

It is located on AIA and 76 through 77 Street in North Beach.

It is a recently opened two-acre green space located oceanfront.

The estimated cost for creating a structure based on a similar public art structure in the Art in Public Places (AiPP) program is the South Pointe Park Pier Gate by Tobias Rehberger (2014). The total amount was $89,177.00 in production costs. 

If the City were to identify funding for the production of an outdoor structure for ceremonies, it must allocate additional funding for the installation and 15% of the production cost for future maintenance and conservation of such structure.

A  request for a budget enhancement to produce an outdoor structure would have to be considered prospectively.   In addition to identifying a funding resource, the AiPP would have to initiate a call for artist's proposals to design the structure and submit for additional approvals including but not limited to the Historic Preservation Board for recommendation to Commission from the NQLC.

The local event industry has maintained success during the COVID-19 pandemic due to the ongoing desire for oceanfront weddings. This is an opportunity for the City to collaborate with Miami Beach Visitors and Convention Authority (VCA) and Greater Miami Visitors & Convention Bureau (GMCVB) on ceremony-specific tourism marketing. Currently, the GMCVB has a "Miami Wedding Planning Guide." The staff is currently reviewing the renewal of the GMCVB agreement. It would be pertinent to include a Miami Beach-specific wedding planning guide to the terms of the agreement.