For 58 Years

The tradition continues with the support of the Atlantic City Mayor and the Catholic community of Atlantic City, New Jersey.

The annual Wedding of The Sea is held in Atlantic City on August 15th each year.

What Is It?

A large crowd gathers every year for a Mass, followed by the procession and the ceremony in the ocean.

The history dates back centuries — to Venice, Italy—and then into the rich Italian—American history of Atlantic City.

The Ancient Origins

It means "Sposalizio del Mare," or "Wedding of the Sea." It began in about 1000 A.D., when the leaders of Venice created a special ceremony to symbolically marry the city to the sea.

Almost everything in Venice was water dependent. The annual ceremony was to pay respect and thanks for the blessings provided by the sea.

Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small Comments

Yesterday I participated in the annual wedding of the seas. The Wedding of the Sea Festival is an annual Atlantic City tradition held every August 15 on the Feast of the Assumption. It features a solemn Mass, a public procession to the beach, and a ceremonial wreath or ring toss into the Atlantic Ocean to bless the waters and honor the city's connection to the sea #faith #resilience #redemption #thefutureisours #teamsmall, said Mayor Small.

In case you’re wondering why it takes place on August 15th? When the tradition came to Atlantic City through the Italian Catholic community, it was combined with the August 15 — The Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Assumption is one of the major feasts of the Catholic Church.

The Wedding of the Sea is one of Atlantic City's most distinctive and cultural traditions. It’s nice to see it endure for nearly 6 decades.