Florida is filled with destinations that would lend themselves to a beautiful wedding venue. From its northernmost point to the Florida Keys, a couple can find magnificent natural settings including beaches, lakeside gazebos, resorts that specialize in weddings, historic areas, exotic gardens, islands, Disney World, etc.
With its miles of white sand beaches, a beach wedding can be amazing. Imagine walking down the aisle at sunset with the waves breaking nearby, the sound of the water, the glorious backdrop, perhaps having dolphins or wild birds attend, and having a “seashell girl” instead of a flower girl. Imagine the pictures that you would get from such a ceremony!
In Destin you could charter a boat for the reception, and there are many interesting places for your guests to visit including a water park.
If you would like to be married in a picturesque garden, you can choose one such that is filled with fountains and a grand palace at the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens in Miami. The Harry P. Leu Gardens in Orlando has the largest collection of camellias outside of California along with butterflies and palm trees. You can have up to 180 guests, and there is the use of an indoor facility if it rains.
In the Florida Keys you can have an unusual underwater wedding in the Jules’ Undersea Lodge at Key Largo, where the honeymoon hotel has portholes to watch the sea life five fathoms below the surface.
For the ultimate fairy tale wedding, Walt Disney World is spectacular. There is a rose garden at Cinderella’s Castle, a Victorian-style Wedding Pavilion, a romantic courtyard, or other areas to choose from. Arrangements can also be made for the bachelor and bachelorette parties, rehearsal dinners, food and beverage, wedding cake, flowers, photography, music, spa services, fireworks, confetti cannons, and more. Imagine the bride being able to arrive in a vintage Model A or Rolls or in a Cinderella coach pulled by six Welsh ponies, including a driver and two footmen. You can then extend your stay in this world’s most popular honeymoon destination.
You could perhaps choose a wedding on one of Disney’s cruise ships. That includes the ceremony, pianist, flowers, and a cake and champagne reception.
Disney also offers weddings on their private island, Castaway Cay.
Other islands such as Sanibel, Captiva, Anna Maria, and others all offer wedding packages.
There are also many beautiful chapels, churches, and hotels to choose from, if preferred.
Florida weddings are legal for those couples from the US, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and most other countries.
There is no minimum stay required nor a waiting period if the bride and groom are not Florida residents. You do have to have formal proof that you are single, of legal age (which is 18), proof of divorce or being a widow or widower. The Florida marriage license is only valid for 60 days and must be applied for by both the bride and groom in person with a proper picture identification. The license costs less if you take the state-sanctioned four-hour marriage preparation course. Every couple has to read the Family Law Handbook.
