Barbara_in_CT

I don't know anything about Florida but I do know that you should remove the word "wedding" from your conversations. Call it a group, call it a reunion but calling it a wedding will double the price. That goes for anyplace else you might want a wedding.

Congratulations on your engagement and for having sensible aspirations.

mah1980

Look at the Don Cesar in St. Pete. Another tip is to get married on a Sunday afternoon since that drops the prices dramatically.

GoTravel

Group prices are no different from wedding prices.

coldwar27

Sorry I didn't reply sooner. The hotel and the park are right next door. You could spit from one to the other although you probably don't want to do that. If you go to the website, click photos and then click on the second photo you see which should be an aerial shot of the hotel. The park is to the immediate left.


There is also a Marriott that is across the street (Gulf Blvd) on the intercoastal side that might be cheaper. I am really really NOT advertising but I know of a bagpiper that practices at that park every weekend so that might be an added bonus. Not what anyone would expect. The Sheraton is one of my hotels for guests to stay at for my wedding (in October) and the rate I got was $179 a night for those guests if that information helps you at all. I will probably be at the beach in about 2 weeks if you want, I can take some pictures for you and email them.

emmynick

My votes for Key West. Can't beat it - except watch out for spring breakers...but you'll have that anywhere in FL in March...

Congrats!!!

LiznJack

Hi -- thanks to everyone for all the great advice. It has kept Liz and I busy looking at websites and making phone calls. We like the idea of having an earlier wedding and then a brunch and leave the rest of the day free for fun.

coldwar27: thanks for the info and offer to take pix. Very generous of you. We may just take you up on that offer. We contacted the park and they provided us with some good info. The Sheraton does look great.

The other option we're seriously thinking about is the Lido Beach Resort on Lido Key. Looks great and people seem to have only very positive things to say. We still need to get more details from them though.

Thanks for all the other suggestions. We'd love to have the wedding in Key West but think it is probably too far and too difficult to travel to for our guests coming from New York/Boston area. We'd like to have it in a place where they could fly directly. Otherwise Key West would be perfect. Maybe for a honeymoon though.....

Thanks too for those who suggested the cruise and boat option. Liz isn't too thrilled with the idea of a boat.

So, if anyone has any thoughts other thoughts or opinions about The Lido Beach Resort we'd love to hear them.

Thanks again! You all are great.

rubytwo

You might check out Harrington House on Anna Maria Island in Bradenton. It is a lovely B & B and the weddings there are really pretty. I would vote for an early wedding as well. Cooler and less chance of rain. Harrington House does have a web page.

LiznJack

Hi rubytwo:

The Harrington House looks very nice. Thanks for the suggestion. Unfortunately it won't work because they don't allow children under 12. A few of our guests will be bringing their young kids with them.

rubytwo

That's too bad. That never even occured to me. Sorry about that!

rubytwo

Did you speak with someone there..or was that just on their web page? If it was just on their web page, let me know. I stay there often and can give you the name of someone to speak with in person.

GoTravel

One thing about smaller venues like that is if you are taking up the majority of the rooms, they will bend the rules for you.

LiznJack

I didn't speak to anyone but saw it on their website.

Good point about bending the rules a bit if we're taking up a good portion of the resort. We'll give them a call and see how hard and fast this rule it.

Thanks.

birdergirl

I have to second that late March would not be the best time for a beach wedding, just about anywhere in Florida. You will have spring breakers and tourists gawking at your nuptuals.

Prices go down a bit in May, but June 1st is the big break. Then you could afford to have a dream wedding! And, if you were able to delay until then, I would definitely say go to Sanibel or Captiva Island. The hotels there have all remodeled after hurricane Charley in 2004. Many just reopened a few months ago! They do beach weddings frequently.

We saw an evening reception being hosted at the Casa Ybel resort shortly after the storm, and it looked just wonderful. Congratulations! Whatever you choose, I'm sure it will be wonderful!

Gretchen

What placeu2 said. DS was married on April 2. If they had waited a week later air fare and hotels would have been a fraction of what they were.

LiznJack

We appreciate the tip but don't think we can do it in May or June. We're tied to our spring break schedule -- we're going to go on a honeymoon after the wedding so need a week off. In May and June our and our guests schedules become incredibly hectic. I wish we could do it then because we really would love to spare everyone some big expenses.

Liz and Jack

tinamidon

Yes, March is expensive in Florida. However, I would not give up too quickly. Hotels & resorts down here have been really struggling to fill capacity, even the luxury properties...keep searching around and don't go just by websites. Check out the discount hotel sites...really you just need rooms & a restaurant reservation for 16. Here are a few places to start off the top of my head:

Jupiter Beach Resort*
Hilton Singer Island*
Marco Island Marriott* (any Marco hotel)
Crowne Plaza Melbourne*
Hutchinson Island Marriott*
Lots of Options in Miami & Ft. Lauderdale, Naples, Ft. Myers

*These are places where I often see good deals & I know they are on the beach & nice properties. The Clearwater area is nice too, however, be careful of the problems they have had recently on the west coast of Florida with all the dead fish washing up on the beaches...we were there @ Sand Key last August & the beach was deserted because there were dead fish everywhere....I mean everywhere...that would be a miserable scene for a wedding!

Also, if you do consider the Keys (not much for beaches tho-), check out Hawk's Cay Resort, a friend married there & they just let her use the gazebo at no charge & she just paid for rooms & something small set up poolside...very accommodating she said.

I think the key is to not have the hotel arrange much for you or you will be spending the $$. Set up ceremony location yourself, book rooms, book restaurant. Go ahead & ask hotels if they have a site you can use for ceremony. Don't forget to make a plan in case of rain!

LiznJack

tinamidon - thanks for the good ideas. Did they have that problem with the dead fish in Sarasota? We're seriously thinking about Lido Key. We spoke with someone who performs weddings there and we really liked him. He had some good recommendations for places to stay in the area too.

One problem we're having is that we'd like to book the hotel room now -- we'll need 8 rooms in all -- but most resorts haven't posted their 2007 rates yet. So we have to deal directly with the hotel instead of places expedia, orbitz, etc. My fear is that prices are going to go down once the discounters can start offering rooms and we'll be stuck with a higher rate.

We totally agree with you about not having the hotel do the wedding plans. As soon as you mention wedding to hotel people they automatically tell you prices begin at $1000 - $1500. And that's just for the ceremony.

We want to gather before the wedding, have some drinks and hors d'oeuvers, then have a really nice but simple beach ceremony, followed by a great dinner at a wonderful resturaunt. We think doing it this way will be MUCH cheaper, and better, than going with a hotel wedding package.

Thanks again!

tinamidon

I do not know if Sarasota had the problem. As I said, it was in Clearwater area last August and I just read in the paper this past week that it was back again on the west coast of Florida...I think it was south of Clearwater though. I think it was called a "Red Tide plume..." or something like that. Maybe you could pull up the local newspaper & see if there is any mention of it there...

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phillyjazz

We stayed at the LaPlaya Beach and Golf resort in Naples Florid for my 50th birthday in November and in July of this year, for our 5th wedding anniversary and it was fabulous. The hotel has a high rise bldg. a 6 story bldg (which you have to cross the street to get to the beach) and they have a 4 story beach house where we stayed right on the beach. I used Liberty Travel to make the hotel reservations because you tend to get a cheaper rate and used USA3000 and got an excellent fare from Phila. to Ft. Myers. The drive from Ft. Myers to Naples is approx. 45 minutes. You can visit the hotel site at www.lapalya.com. Good luck and congratulations.