Here Be Dragons…
Wedding F.A.Q.
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This is my first time attending a burn... what do I need to know?
You will need to buy a ticket prior to the event in order to attend our wedding.
Chick and Jaidy have been coordinating with the Love Burn organizers and will be able to acquire tickets for our party, but we can’t afford to buy them for everyone that wants to come. We came to the conclusion that, if we wanted to have a destination wedding, this is one of the most economical ways to do so. Miami is not an inexpensive city, but camping at a park is one of the least expensive options to stay in the area. The cost of the ticket gives you the right to pitch a tent and go to this amazing event for the entirety. There are different options available for you to camp.
Don’t Panic.
While this is going to be a very different experience from others you might have had, YOU CAN DO IT! Love Burn is not a festival. It is a temporary, collaboratively-built, decommodified community with distinct norms, values, and principles. That means you cannot purchase food or supplies (other than ice) inside the event and people who attend are expected to adhere to the principles and to participate and volunteer in some way. The Love Burn community is built on the same principles as Burning Man in Black Rock City, Nevada. Jaidy and Chick chose Love Burn because we believe it is a more accessible, kinder, gentler event to hold a wedding ceremony where our friends and family could attend. The location is beautiful, and we hope that you enjoy this opportunity for a beachfront vacation adventure.
Not all 10 Principle events allow people to leave and return (once you’re out you’re out). But, at Love Burn, if you can’t camp for whatever accessibility reasons, there are other options that still allow you to participate. If you need to leave it is possible, although the organizers would prefer you stay on-site the entire time. That said, do keep in mind that when the gates are closed, you may leave, but you may not return until they open again. The gates are usually closed from midnight to 8am.
Beach Art
Beach
Jellyfish
Gator Pond
Sound Camp
Lights at Night
Temple & Effigy
Flaming Art Cars
What is the environment like at Love Burn?
Weather
Love Burn is held in Virginia Key Beach Park in February. Miami has amazing weather in February. It will most likely be quite sunny, and it will most likely rain. Please plan accordingly. It will be important to be prepared for inclement weather. We have generally packed things in water-resistant compression bags, brought an umbrella, raincoat, or poncho. Temperatures are generally temperate and range from 64-78F. The humidity is often quite high. This also means its easy to get dehydrated and you will need to plan to drink enough water and electrolytes. The days are sunny and warm. The evenings are often cool enough to wear a jacket.
Grounds
Most campers are placed on grass. There is also is hard packed sand, especially in the temple burn area as well as, paved roads, and beach. Its a relatively walkable area for those who are not mobility challenged. We are hoping to have a golf cart for our friends and family that are. Map
Flora & Fauna
South Florida is a very vibrant place for humans and other living things. We will be holding our rituals outside and sleeping in tents. This means there might be bugs of the biting kind and that its a good idea to wear clothing that makes it more difficult for them to bite you (long pants or socks mainly). We have brought picaridin and other natural bug sprays and because of that have not had very serious issues with the noseeums that like to bite participants, but we have seen participants with quite a few bug bites, likely due to not applying bug repellent.
On the beach there can be stinging jellyfish. Just don’t touch them and you should be fine. Some people like to swim in the ocean, and that’s fine, but you should watch out for them there as well. The beaches are small, but there are always some art installations, boats, and sound stages nearby. There is also nudity allowed on the beach (and in other designated areas), so be prepared for that.
Alligators do live in the park, but they are fenced off and don’t bother anyone. Signs are posted.
Sound
There is music playing almost constantly at Love Burn. It is a high stimulus environment and sometimes can turn into quite the cacophony. People are awake at all hours and often there are art cars with bass speakers and the occasional naked person running around with a bullhorn. Be prepared with earplugs or noise cancelling earphones if you want to try to sleep while you’re there.
Lights
At night we recommend bringing personal lights so people can see you clearly in dark areas of the burn. This could be a headlamp or something more creative. Lots of people let their creativity flow when it comes to lighting themselves up at night. The nights are long and filled with LED art and parties. There are fireworks, and large effigy and temple fires. We’d recommend staying up late to experience the event when it shines the most.
Art
There is some kind of artistic gift at every theme camp and throughout the grounds. Sometimes they are quiet and subtle collaborative pieces of art or interactivity. Other times they blow fire and sound and move around the islan
How am I going to camp if I’m flying in?
Bring a tent with you on the airplane or reserve one and pick it up when you arrive. We’ll provide you with a checklist of items you’re likely to need.
If you do bring one on the airplane be sure to put tent stakes and poles in a checked bag. We’ve done it with one checked bag and a carry-on each. Its comfier to check two bags, if you can swing it.
We’ve brough small blow-up beds, but have found its almost easier to sleep on the ground with a couple blankets for padding. It depends on what you’re comfortable with.
We are registering a Theme Camp and you are welcome to camp with us. There are also other camps you’re welcome to camp with. All theme camps have some kind of dues. Dues cover things like food and water and supplies and are usually around $100-200. Theme camps require some amount of volunteer time.