One of the nation’s leading bridal magazines, the knot, has named two popular Anna Maria Island Florida restaurants in a recent "Best of Weddings" issue. Both members of the Chiles Restaurant Group, the BeachHouse and the Sandbar are popular choices for island weddings. The recognition in this guide to top wedding-related businesses in the country adds to Anna Maria Island’s long list of matrimonial accolades, and the destination’s reputation as the "Beach Wedding Capital of Florida." Home to the Anna Maria Island Wedding Merchants and the area’s first strolling Wedding Festival, the island welcomes hundreds of brides-to-be every year as they take their vows on its sandy white shores.
"We’re honored to be recognized for all the hard work our amazing events staff puts into each and every wedding," said Caryn Hodge, marketing director for the Chiles Restaurant Group. "The island provides a beautiful backdrop, but it's the careful coordination and attention to details that make for a seamless, memorable wedding."
This is the first year the BeachHouse has received this prestigious honor and the second year for the Sandbar. According to the knot, no other company in the area has received this award more than once.
In a survey conducted by Harris Interactive, 20,000 recent brides gave detailed feedback on businesses they hired for their wedding celebration, rating each vendor on creativity, professionalism, and other criteria. The resulting ratings and detailed feedback were aggregated by the editors of the knot to create the one-of-a-kind publication highlighting the best wedding resources in each region according to local brides. The "Best of Weddings" guide is available at local bookstores including BooksAMillion.
Florida’s Gulf Islands consists of Anna Maria Island, Longboat Key, Bradenton and Lakewood Ranch, and is marketed by the Bradenton Area Convention & Visitors Bureau through domestic and international advertising, public relations and marketing efforts. Visit www.annamariaisland-longboatkey.com for more information. To learn about planning a destination wedding, visit www.groupersandwich.com or www.amiweddings.com.
