When brides-to-be think about getting married in Florida, the fabulous weather and award-winning beaches come to mind. But did you know that Anna Maria Island, Longboat Key, Bradenton and Lakewood Ranch have much more to offer?

 

From the convenience to the affordability to the variety of wedding locations, this area has a lot going for it. Take a look – you’ll find just the right spot for your picture-perfect wedding. 

There are scores of reasons to tie the knot here. Here are 10 of them: 

1. Spectacular Beaches – Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key are fringed with white-sand beaches. With many beaches facing the Gulf of Mexico, vibrant sunsets form the perfect wedding backdrop. Click here for more information.
2. Budget-Friendly – This area is largely undiscovered and low key. Rather than high-ticket amenities, you’ll find plenty of affordable options, making organizing a wedding on a budget a snap. For information about accommodations deals, click here.
3. Temperate Weather – Southwest Florida’s weather is rightfully famous, with its balmy sea breezes, gentle winters and perfect shoulder seasons (the area sparkles in spring and fall). For more information about our weather, click here.
4. Variety of Venues – Looking to get married on one of our pristine beaches? In a family-owned winery? In a 1920s-era mansion on Sarasota Bay? In a floating chapel? With our variety of wedding locales, you’re sure to find the one that’s perfect for you. For more information about wedding venues, click here.
5. Old Florida – Rather than high-rises and bustling boulevards, you’ll find small beachfront hotels, wooden fishing piers, funky restaurants and friendly folks. For more information about our communities, click here.
6. Transportation – Sarasota/Bradenton International Airport is close at hand, and Tampa International Airport is less than an hour away. Interstate access is easy as well, with I-75 just a few miles to the east. It extends to Miami in the south and as far north as Michigan. For more information about getting here, click here.
7. Convenience – With everything so close at hand, holding the rehearsal dinner, wedding, reception and honeymoon is easy. Rent a spectacular beach house, and everything can take place under one roof, just steps from the beach. And with many resorts offering wedding packages, you can stay, celebrate and play without having to leave the grounds. For hotel and resort deals, click here.
8. Deluxe to Affordable – Want to feel like a princess and get married in a Mediterranean mansion on Sarasota Bay? Or be surrounded by exotic beauty and get married in a lush tropical park? Whether you envision a grand wedding at a country club or an intimate celebration on the beach, you’ll find what you’re looking for here. For more information about wedding venues, click here.
9. Natural Beauty – In this area of abundant natural beauty and comfortable weather, outdoor weddings are a natural. And you don’t have to limit yourself to the beach. Get married in a luxuriant tropical garden, and surround yourself with stately royal palms, fragrant frangipani and brilliant bougainvillea. Or walk down the aisle at a family-owned vineyard. For more information about gardens, parks and other wedding venues, click here.
10. Rich History – Southwest Florida is a region rich in history. Get married at Gamble Plantation, an 1800s sugar plantation, the fantastic 1920s era mansion at the Crosley Estate, or in the Spanish courtyard of the South Florida Museum, surrounded by picturesque columns and arches, ornate wrought-iron gates, chandeliers and an equestrian statue of Hernando De Soto. For more information about historic sites and other wedding venues, click here.