How to Plan Your Florida Wedding

By Julie Landry Laviolette

You’ve found “the one,” and now it’s time to plan the wedding of your dreams. If you’re looking for a spectacular venue, a seasoned wedding planner or a photographer who can turn your wedding day into art, Florida is a good place to start. The Sunshine State is a natural choice for dream weddings, big or small, budget or extravagant.

Florida’s tropical paradise and variety of venues will make a picture-perfect backdrop for your wedding day.

Looking for a toes-in-the-sand beach ceremony, with swaying palm trees and ocean breezes? Check.

How about a lush garden setting surrounded by a kaleidoscope of flowers? Check.

A posh resort with white-glove service in an elegant ballroom? A unique experience like getting hitched while skydiving or with a dolphin as an attendant? Check and check.

Here are some tips to get you started, plus a resource list of Florida venues, wedding planners and wedding planning guides by city.

Picking a date

When picking your wedding date, the bigger the event, the more time you should give yourself to pin down the details. Here’s some things to think about:

Timing. If your chosen venue is popular, start by looking at its availability. You may need to plan 12 months or more in advance.
Season. The postcards are right - Florida is known as the Sunshine State for a reason. Most days you'll find blue skies and lots of sunshine. If you have your heart set on being a June bride, just know that tropical temperatures are highest during the summer months. Florida venues often have canopied pavilions, ballrooms with floor-to-ceiling windows, shade trees and covered patios to take advantage of the picturesque outdoors while keeping your guests comfortable.
Local events. Check the calendar at your chosen location for major sports events, festivals or concerts. Avoiding those dates will help lower costs.
Significance. You may want a date that has personal meaning, like the day you met or the anniversary of your first date. You also may want to avoid major holidays or religious celebrations.
Budget. Choose a date in the off-season to save money.

Selecting your venue

Think about the theme of your big day. Do you want a large reception at the elegant venue trending on wedding websites? An intimate ceremony at a contemporary art museum? An oceanside ceremony on the beach? Florida's scenic beauty and tropical landscapes offer spectacular settings for your wedding day, whether you want high-end and highbrow or relaxed and easygoing.

Consider:

Budget. Look at the overall package and what it includes. What other vendors will you need to hire?
Capacity. Make sure the venue can accommodate your guest list.
Amenities. Check things like parking, restrooms, catering style and seating.
Reviews. See what other couples and vendors have to say.

Pro tip: With an outdoor wedding, plan to have shady spots, umbrellas or shade tents and cold water for your guests, or give out keepsake fans. Have a backup plan in case of inclement weather, so you can bring the festivities indoors. Remember, in Florida you don't have to be outdoors to take advantage of the lush backdrop. You can choose an indoor venue with floor-to-ceiling windows, a covered outdoor patio, or a pavilion to make the best of both worlds.

Choosing a wedding planner

Some venues have a wedding coordinator who will work with you. If not, a wedding planner can help coordinate logistics and vendors, recommend venues and help create your dream theme within your budget.

Think about

Planning style. Interview a few planners to get a feel for the type of weddings they plan. If they specialize in outdoor weddings and you want an elegant Miami Beach ballroom, keep looking.
Personality. Make sure your personalities mesh and the planner is available for meetings or calls. Decide if you want a full-service planner or a day-of-wedding coordinator.
Budget. Find someone who can work within your budget.
Referrals. Get referrals from your friends and look at reviews.
Contract. Get everything in writing, including fees and services.

Finding a photographer

Look for a photographer and videographer who is skilled with capturing your idea of a dream day, whether it's on a beach, a yacht or a ballroom. If you are taking advantage of Florida’s tropical outdoor venues, make sure your photographer can adapt to changing conditions like wind or a passing sprinkle.

Consider

Experience. See how many weddings they have photographed and if their style matches yours.
Lighting. Find out how they handle different lighting conditions – say if you’d like a ceremony that takes advantage of a colorful Florida sunset.

Backup plan. Ask what the plan is if equipment fails, if there’s rain or a windy day.

Communication. Talk about how you will work together leading up to and on the big day.

Hiring a caterer

Create a menu that highlights seasonal local flavors (Florida is known for its seafood and farm-to-table freshness). A professional caterer can help you choose a menu that takes advantage of Florida's bounty and fits your venue and theme.

Look for

Local experience. Find a caterer who can tailor a menu to Florida’s tropical climate with seasonal bites and drinks.
Style. Decide if you want buffet, plated or passed-around party food.
Experience. Ask how they handle last-minute problems and how they will staff the event.
Reviews. Look for positive reviews and taste the food, if possible.
License. Make sure they are licensed and insured.

Flowers

Choosing the right florals can really set the tone for your wedding. Select hearty, in-season flowers for the most affordable blooms that can shine in Florida's tropical climate.

Find

Experience. A local florist can take your date and find seasonal blooms in your color palette.
Portfolio. Scroll through a floral designer’s social media to get a feel for their work. Look at their reviews.
Budget-conscious. Look for someone who can work within your budget, suggest what to splurge on, and where you use less-expensive blossoms.

Hair and makeup

When designing your hairstyle and makeup, look for styles and products that work with Florida's warm sunny days and higher humidity. Think about water resistant makeup and anti-humectant hair products.

Find

Your style. Look at stylists’ social media pages to see if their vibe meshes with yours. Find an inspiration picture using a model with similar skin tone and facial features.
A trial. Do a trial of the look you want, so you can preview your desired look, and make adjustments before the big day.
Communicate. Your idea of high-glam, all-natural or something in-between is very personal. Find someone whose personality works with yours and will listen to your feedback. A professional Florida artist will know the products that will work best with your skin and hair in tropical weather.

Getting the marriage license

You and your intended have to apply for a Florida marriage license in person at a county clerk’s office. You can apply in any county and get married anywhere in Florida. If you are a Florida resident, there is a three-day waiting period unless you attend a premarital course from a registered provider. If you don’t live in Florida, the waiting period is waived. The license is good for 60 days.

Tips for attire

Let Florida’s tropical backdrop shine on your wedding day. Easy, breezy, lightweight fabrics will help you and your wedding party feel most comfortable for a Florida wedding.

Choose

For women - Strapless or thin strapped gowns in light fabrics will help you feel and look your best for your wedding portraits, especially on a warm Florida day, or one with high humidity. Think lightweight or shorter dresses, which you can transform into a formal look or a more casual, beachy vibe. If you’re doing outdoors, stay away from long trains and heavy fabrics.
For men – Think light-colored, lightweight cotton or linen suits. Stay away from heavy suits and darker menswear, especially if you’re having the ceremony outdoors or on a beach. Go to breathable fabrics like linen shirts and khaki slacks.
Footwear – If you’re planning a beach wedding, choose flats, sandals, or go barefoot! Save the stilettos for another time.

Wedding insurance

A wedding is one of life’s biggest events, and it’s often one of the most expensive. You can protect your deposits and payments with a wedding insurance policy. Wedding insurance can help you recoup costs if your special event is postponed or canceled due to severe weather or if a vendor doesn’t deliver as promised. Before you buy insurance, chat with your vendors to find out how coverage they have on their own, so you don’t buy overlapping coverage. Ask each vendor for a copy of their policy, for your records.

Explore Florida's honeymoon destinations

A secluded beach resort, a luxe spa retreat or an outdoor adventure in Florida can be the perfect storybook ending to your dream wedding. The state’s romantic luxury hotels, 825 miles of beaches and unique activities like tubing in a crystal clear natural spring or kayaking in waterways among lush landscaping will help you and your intended start your new life together in a relaxed way.