When planning a destination beach wedding this question always arises; what to do about a reception? Here are some of our reception ideas for your Sarasota Beach Wedding:
Small Weddings of 30 or less guests:
With smaller weddings the easiest, and most cost-effective way to have a celebration after your beach wedding ceremony is to take your guests to dinner. Choose a restaurant that either has a small private dining room to rent, or where they take reservations and can accommodate your guest count. You can even make arrangements to have your cake delivered to this venue. After your first dance on the beach you can have a complete, small wedding reception at a fraction of the cost of a reception at home. Check out Turtles on Little Sarasota,Cafe Gabbiano’s and the Daquiri Deck in Siesta Key Village. The Columbia House, and Tommy Bahama Restaurant in Lido Beach come highly recommended. Sharkey’s in Venice and there are several more throughout the Sarasota, Florida area that may be suitable for your beach wedding reception.
Larger weddings with 30 – 100 guests:
There are several venues that can offer you a great reception for an economical price after your Sarasota Beach Wedding.
Siesta Key: Although this is one of the best beaches in Florida, there are no Gulf beachfront hotels or restaurants directly on the Gulf in Siesta Key that offer a reception venue. However, the Boatyard Bar and Grill is a great option (see photo below courtesy of Wedding Wire) — you can have your own reception area on the bay front. The Devyn is on the mainland but is a full service reception venue. Mattison 41 also provides reception accommodations.
What about a beach wedding reception outdoors? We do not recommend an outdoor beach wedding reception for several reasons.
First, most Gulf beach areas do not allow it or the rules are so limiting that it makes it more work for the couples (and more stress). During Turtle Season (May – October) there are many more rules about lighting, hours, on the beach after dark, etc.
Your guests definitely will enjoy your Gulf beach wedding, but the comfort of an indoor/outdoor covered area will be inviting and refreshing after you have completed your beach wedding ceremony.
If the weather has been a bit uncooperative but we have been able to use the beach for your wedding, you do not want to leave any part of your wedding day to the mercy of outdoor elements (especially if a rain event is approaching). In the case of inclement beach weather you may only have a small window of opportunity to complete your Sarasota Beach wedding, so why not head to your indoor reception area to have a great wedding reception celebration without the weather worries!
Older family members usually prefer an indoor/ or semi-indoor reception. It is great to be dressed up and enjoying the sandy beach for a ceremony, but to spend several hours outdoor on the sand is a different story (or the heat).
Something not usually thought about, but would be greatly appreciated is indoor plumbing!
There are so many options for a reception for your Sarasota Beach Wedding, you can surely find the one that works for you. Once you choose your beach wedding package and book your wedding date with us we can provide more local vendors depending on your specific needs. And, contact us with any questions you may have about your Sarasota Beach Wedding!
Dreaming of a barefoot wedding in the silver sand? The golden hour with oranges, pinks, reds, purples, pinks, across the horizon? A barefoot wedding can be a sign of trust, commitment, humility, and let’s face it…it just feels wonderful. Is a relaxing wedding get away, a barefoot beach wedding for you? Let’s take a look at some of the best Florida Beach Wedding locations for a white sand, barefoot ceremony.
Barefoot Beach Wedding Locations
Although you can really experience the soft sand and sunset skies from just about any spot along the Florida Coastline, we will highlight some of the beaches that make going barefoot the perfect delight for you and your guests. A destination wedding on the beach will make your special day one where you all can relax and be themselves. Whether it is a larger beach wedding or just the two of you, a barefoot wedding ceremony can feel even more intimate. Even your wedding party can go without shoes!
Clearwater Beach
The 2.5 miles of white sandy beach line and gorgeous water are what keep Clearwater Beach ranked as Trip Advisor’s best vacation destination year after year. So don’t just take it from us, hear what the thousands of visitors have to say about the dream destination beach wedding location. The variety of hotel accommodations keep prices fair, helping to keep the this an affordable beach wedding option. There are sunset festivals and drum circles taking place for a unique experience. The Florida Beach Weddings team has the inside scoop on some of the most convenient beach parking solutions and can fit your wedding to your personality. So whether it is quiet, calm and serene or fun filled, people watching, music loving, Clearwater Beach has a barefoot beach wedding venue waiting for you!
Destin Beach
Everything we just said about Clearwater beach’s natural landscape, repeat for Destin Beach. Pristine white sandy beach perfect for bare feet, calm emerald water, relaxed atmosphere. This Florida beach wedding location is a hot spot! In case ours and Trip Advisor’s reviews aren’t noteworthy enough, even Oprah has been known to shout out to Destin for it’s awesome beach! So you know it’s got to be good! This is the spot for beautiful beaches with sand as white as snow, abounding golf courses, famous “The Henderson” resort, and still affordable! This beach is an easy road trip destination beach wedding for all the neighboring Florida states. So whether it’s party of 2 or 200, a Destin Beach wedding is a perfect 10 on the barefoot beach wedding list.
Siesta Key Beach
Well add it to our list of white sandy beach, lovely gulf water views and stunning sunsets! Siesta Key beach is a great location for a barefoot beach wedding. Both family and budget friendly, this beach location will have you kicking off your shoes the moment you arrive. There are a variety of affordable hotel accommodations within a short walk to the beach, fun and lively restaurants, and nothing beats the romantic Siesta Key Beach sunsets!
So elopement, small wedding, or full on party wedding, we can help you plan your dream sunset beach wedding! Contact us to find out everything you need to know about planning a beach wedding. From marriage licenses to beach permits, color design choices to photography packages. We surely have a beach marriage package to cover all of your sunset beach wedding needs!
New Smyrna Beach
Dreaming of dunes? Sand dunes rolling as far as the eyes can see like snowdrifts abound in New Smyrna beach! New Smyrna Beach Wedding couples will enjoy a 17 mile stretch of white sand beach, the blue Atlantic ocean with white wave caps, and a typically less crowded location than your traditional beach wedding in the Daytona area. It truly is a paradise beach wedding perfect for barefoot vows! Contact us today to get started planning your barefoot beach wedding.
Our second week of “virtual escape” offers you a look into the very beautiful beaches of Siesta Key in Sarasota, Florida. This is one of our most popular beach wedding locations on the Gulf coast of Florida. If you are thinking of getting married in Florida, Siesta key is a great photo spot where you can get married in the white sand as the sun sets over the emerald green water.
Beach couple in the surf after Gulf beach wedding
This great Sarasota, Florida beach is rated one of the top beaches in the world and no wonder: it’s perfect for the beach wedding colors you crave! Our Florida wedding packages are so diverse, with so many ways to customize, that you can easily make your own statement at your beachfront ceremony. Your guests will be wowed as you say your vows on the sand under a beautiful bamboo arch by the sea – what beautiful photos and memories for a lifetime!
Rustic Romance package set up on the Gulf beach
Like many of our destination wedding locations, there are a variety of beaches to choose from in the Sarasota area. They include: Siesta Key main beach area, Lido Beach, Longboat Key, Turtle Beach, Venice Beach and Nokomis Beach. Each Sarasota beach wedding venue has it’s own unique personality and style. Whether you are having a small beach wedding, eloping or a fully decorated, complete beach wedding with a larger number of guests, there is a Siesta Key beach venue waiting for you!
Let’s take a closer look:
Siesta Beach – a short drive from Sarasota
From the moment you step foot onto Siesta Beach, you’ll be mesmerized by its sugar-fine, quartz white sand. If you’d like, you can make your way over to beautiful Crescent Beach, which is also situated right in Siesta Key. Once you have enjoyed your time soaking up the sunshine at Siesta Beach or Crescent Beach, you can make your way into town for some delicious dining and shopping. While you’re strolling around town, you are bound to see and hear wild parrots as well as other birds such as plovers, spoonbills, storks, and terns. You’ll find this beach town the perfect low key place to get married and full of friendly, happy people.
Simply Deluxe Beach Wedding altar with bamboo canopy, chairs in Siesta Key
Lido Key – less crowded and relaxed
Lido Beach, which is stunning and attracts people from all walks of life year-round includes great, natural scenery for your Florida destination wedding. There a variety of hotels, motels, and private condos that are available for rent on Lido Key. Although Lido Beach isn’t as large as Siesta Key beach, it’s an excellent option if you’re searching for a less crowded, more relaxed vibe.
Couple just married at sunset on Lido Key
Longboat Key – quiet island vibe
Longboat Key Beach weddings are an excellent option for couples who prefer to exchange their vows in a casual environment. You are bound to be completely relaxed and comfortable. A five star beach wedding location without the hustle and bustle! For that you have Sarasota just a few miles away.
Military couple married on the beach in Longboat Key (Nautical Knot Package)
Turtle Beach – tranquil setting with sea turtles
Turtle Beach is a stunning beach situated on South Siesta Key in Sarasota. It is appreciated for its ample amount of sea turtles that nest at its shore. It features approximately 2,600 feet of beach front as well as areas for volleyball, camping, picnics, grilling, and children’s play. Turtle Beach Weddings in Siesta Key allows for an alternative beach location to the main beach in Siesta Key. Manatees may be spotted nearby.
Turtle Beach for a Siesta Key Beach wedding
Venice Beach – happy seaside town
There’s a reason Venice, Florida was named one of the “Happiest Seaside Towns in America” by Coastal Living. Venice is situated in the heart of Sarasota County and has become a go-to vacation destination. Unlike the majority of other beaches on Florida’s Gulf Coast, Venice beach features dark sand because of their tiny fossils and minerals. When strolling along Venice beach, you’ll notice shark teeth. These shark teeth are so popular that Venice is actually home to a Shark Tooth Festival that is held every April. Venice is a fun, relaxing place to host your Florida Beach Wedding.
Venice beach wedding party jumps in the air after beachfront wedding
Nokomis Beach – stress free seashell hunting
Situated south of Siesta Key in Sarasota County, Nokomis Beach is a beautiful, quiet beach retreat. It is one of the few beaches in Sarasota that features lifeguard stations on both the north and south of the beach as well as numerous free public parking lots. If you enjoy collecting seashells, you’re in luck because Nokomis Beach is known as the best beach in the Siesta Key area for seashells. It’s a very stress-free beach…no Spring Breakers here!
Gulf beach wedding in Siesta Key
So is a Siesta Key Beach Wedding call your name? Contact us today to reserve your Florida wedding date.
