Destination weddings can be a great way to have some fun and save yourself the stress of planning a wedding. You pick a location and a venue, fly out, have some fun and leave the clean-up and hard work for someone else. Sounds perfect to me!
Key West in Florida is one of the most popular towns for destination weddings, and it’s easy to see why. A gorgeous tropical location famous for beautiful sunsets and delicious seafood, rich with history and culture – what’s not to love?
According to Wedding Report, the average cost of a Key West wedding is just $22,662, which is an absolute steal given Florida’s popularity among wedding hopefuls.
Here is our list of the best wedding venues in Key West, FL…
Ocean Key Resort & Spa
One of the island’s many beautiful wedding destinations, Ocean Key Resort & Spa offers it all. It has two stunning outdoor wedding venues, fantastic reception packages, and a resort with something for everyone.
The Sunset Pier lets you get married right on the mighty Atlantic ocean. While it’s most breathtaking at sunset, this site is beautiful all day. Turquoise waters and clear blue sky make this the perfect spot for anyone looking to get married in a beautiful tropical destination.
If the pier is not available, there is another equally beautiful option at Ocean Key, The Ocean Terrace. Offering one of the very best views on the island, you can’t go wrong if you choose The Ocean Terrace with the mighty Atlantic as your wedding backdrop.
Both sites offer flexible decorating options. After your “I dos” you can have pictures taken around the resort, where beautiful views abound. From there, you can head back over to Sunset Pier for a reception on the water. Enjoy the cool ocean breeze as you party through the night and watch the manatees swim in the water below.
Site rental includes ceremony location, chairs, infused water station, shade umbrellas, and any necessary tables. Reception and food can be added at an additional cost.
Pricing: $3250
Capacity: 200
Find Ocean Key Resort & Spa at Ocean Key Resort & Spa or check out Facebook or Instagram.
The Reach Key West
This cozy beachside resort offers stunning views of the Atlantic and sparkling pristine beaches. It’s an ideal venue for an oceanside island wedding; just imagine the feeling of sun-warmed sand between your toes.
The Gazebo looks out onto the endless blue of The Atlantic ocean. Get married with the soothing sounds of the ocean tide in the background and the salt tang in the air.
Able to accommodate 75 guests, The Gazebo is protected from the elements and can be decorated to your personal taste. There is also an indoor backup option should mother nature’s plans disagree with yours.
After the ceremony, wedding pictures can be taken on the beach before your reception. Getting married on the ocean means lots of delicious ocean-caught seafood. The Reach does not disappoint with offerings like shrimp, scallops, marlins and so much more. If some of your guests are picky meat-eaters or have special needs, no worries; additional options are available.
Wedding packages include four hours of site use, butler-passed toast for the bridal party after the ceremony, tableside toast for guests, a four-hour open bar with liquor, wine, beer, soft drinks, hors d’oeuvres, cake cutting, and bartender.
Pricing:$3200 – $10,700
Capacity:75
Find The Reach Key West at The Reach Key West or check out Facebook or Instagram.
Casa Marina
Built in 1920, The Casa Marina luxury resort has been hosting lavish weddings and events for over 100 years.
With beautiful indoor and outdoor wedding venues and accommodations for intimate weddings & grand gala events alike, you can’t go wrong with The Casa Marina. It also doesn’t hurt that fresh, ocean-caught seafood fills the menu.
The Flagler ballroom is one of two indoor wedding venues at this site. The ballroom is a beautiful and spacious site for a ceremony, a reception, or both. The iconic arched windows and chandeliers invoke the 1920s and all of its opulence.
The Grand Ballroom is equally stunning and one of the most sought-after in Key West.
Flagler Beach and East beach are the outdoor wedding venues. Both offer pristine, sun-warmed sand and iconic ocean views. For a sunset wedding, choose Flagler Beach, and you can’t go wrong.
After saying “I do,” you can take wedding pictures throughout the historic resort while your guests enjoy a cocktail hour. For the reception, chow down on a menu of fresh, ocean-caught seafood.
The four-hour wedding package includes flavored water for the ceremony, tableside champagne toast, a four-hour open bar, your choice of welcome drinks, a selection of hot & cold hors d’oeuvres, plated or buffet dinner, cake cutting, and a ten percent discount off the best available room rate for guests.
Pricing: $3,200 – $16,500
Capacity: 75
Find Casa Marina at Casa Marina or check out Facebook or Instagram.
First Flight Restaurant & Brewery
This historic building derives its name from being the birthplace of Pan-Am International Airlines. Though Pan-Am airlines are no more, this beautiful historic building still stands, serving as a restaurant, brewery, and event venue.
First Flight offers two outdoor wedding venues. Nestled amongst the bayan trees, Treetop Terrace overlooks the luxuriant garden below. This adaptable space can be arranged and decorated to accommodate small weddings. Enjoy the sultry Florida breeze during your treetop wedding at this venue.
The second venue is The Canopy Garden. Filled with lush tropical plants and beautiful orchids, The Canopy Garden accommodates up to 160 standing guests. This venue offers a fold-down stage with power for music and access to The Crash Bar and Pub Area.
After saying “I do,” photos can be taken throughout the venue.
Fees include tables, chairs, linens, the site itself, setup & tear down. Cake cutting and bartender are additional.
Pricing:$850-1850
Capacity: 60-160
Find First Flight Restaurant & Brewery at First Flight Restaurant & Brewery or check out Facebook or Instagram.
Fort Zachary State Park
If you’re looking for an outdoor wedding, you should always consider the state parks. These beautiful public parks often have private rental options that are surprisingly cheap and flexible. Fort Zachary State Park is no exception.
This beautiful state park offers two outdoor wedding venues. The Point, which is situated where the Gulf of Mexico joins the Atlantic Ocean, offers breathtaking views of the ocean itself and passing sailboats. For a second option, you have The East Beach. This beautiful white sand beach is surrounded by Jamaican Palms and sea grapes, hiding it from prying eyes.
All private events begin at sunset when the park closes. Imagine your wedding ceremony starting on either of these beautiful beaches with the mighty Atlantic in the background as the setting sun paints the Florida sky pink, purple, and orange with twilight.
You have the choice of an indoor or outdoor reception. Cayo Hueso Cafe is available for an outdoor reception on a sandy, sun-warmed beach under a canopy of palms. If you prefer an indoor reception, choose The Fortress, it’s like stepping back in time to the Civil War.
Site fee includes the use of the site itself and setup and teardown. If you wish to use one of the two reception venues, you must arrange those separately with the venues. Contact the visitor center to add music, catering, chairs, tables, etc.
Pricing: $150
Capacity: 25
Find Fort Zachary Taylor State Park at Fort Zachary Taylor State Park or check out Facebook or Instagram.
The Southernmost House
This beautiful Queen Anne-style mansion was built in 1897 and has had a long and colorful life.
It was the first home in Key West to have electricity, the installation of which was overseen by Thomas Edison himself. Though it was initially built as a home, it became a speakeasy during the prohibition period, where celebrities mingled with notorious gangsters on their way to Havana, Cuba.
The Southernmost House currently serves as a boutique hotel hosting weddings and other events. This beautiful mansion features two-story balconies, stained-glass windows, and multiple ocean views.
The Southernmost offers two wedding packages. You have your choice of The Mini-wedding Package, which includes the couple and no more than 15 guests, champagne, and your choice of a male or female officiant. The Wedding Package offers a little more – the couple plus 25 guests, champagne toast, floral arch, and a hand-tied bouquet. Both packages offer oceanfront views.
If you want to host a boutique wedding on a beautiful oceanfront property with a rich history, then you should definitely consider The Southernmost House.
Pricing:$1500 – $2500
Capacity: 25
Find The Southernmost House at The Southernmost House or check out Facebook or Instagram.
Audubon House & Tropical Gardens
There are many beautiful historic homes on this list, and the Audubon House is exactly that. This beautiful colonial home was built in the 1840s by Captain John Huling Geiger. Nearly two centuries old, the house has weathered many changes and endured numerous storms.
There is something romantic about a house that survives so much. Perhaps some of the luck and romance that has sustained this home can sustain marriages that begin there.
For wedding ceremonies, the luxuriant tropical garden is available. Palms, flowers, and orchid-filled trees make up the garden, which can accommodate 130 guests. The outdoor space is also large enough to accommodate a cocktail hour and wedding reception, with the back porch serving as a dance floor.
As your guests enjoy their cocktails, head on over to the world-famous Mallory Square for pictures with your photographer, before partying the night away with your friends and family under the glow of antique copper lanterns.
DJs and musicians are welcome. Tables and chairs must be provided by your caterer.
Pricing: Contact the venue for a quote.
Capacity: 100
Find Audubon House & Tropical Gardens at Audubon House & Tropical Gardens or check out Facebook or Instagram.
Old Town Manor Weddings
This historic Victorian mansion is over 100 years old. Built in 1886, not only is the original house still intact but so are the gardens. Century-old palms with cascading orchids, a Brazilian Jacaranda tree with blue bell-shaped flowers, and 2 fish ponds all date back to the year it was built.
This beautiful Manor offers multiple wedding packages.
With the All Yours Package, your wedding celebration becomes a three-day event during which you have your choice of wedding celebrations: welcome brunch, rehearsal dinner, ceremony, reception, etc. A professional bartender is included for five hours. This package is offered in conjunction with a buyout of all 14 guest rooms.
Smaller packages are available for ceremony and reception time, or the smallest with just ceremony and cocktail hour.
All packages include a dedicated venue manager to work with your event coordinator, garden-style tables and chairs, string lighting, a sound system to play music from your device, and basic grounds preparation and clean-up.
Pricing: $950 – $2,500
Capacity: 75
Find Old Town Manor Weddings at Old Town Manor Weddings or check out Facebook or Instagram.
Hemingway Home Weddings & Events
Ernest Hemingway’s famous Key West home is an absolute stunner. The two-story French colonial building is located in the heart of downtown Key West and is surrounded by lush palms and beautiful gardens.
Weddings at the Hemingway home are held on the cobblestone garden patio. The garden patio accommodates 100 guests and is enclosed by towering palms, tropical flowers, and plants. The space is large enough that people typically host both their wedding and reception in the same location.
Weddings at the Hemingway home require the use of their wedding planners: Whitehead & Co.
Pricing: $1,000 – $5,500
Capacity: 100
Find Hemingway Home Weddings & Events at Hemingway Home Weddings & Events or check out Facebook or Instagram.
Margaritaville Beach House Key West
Your destination wedding at Margaritaville Beach House is a multi-day event beginning the day you arrive. Check into your beautifully appointed suite on Thursday. Suites have a living area, dining area, and a balcony and include welcome cocktails. Friday is rehearsal and welcome reception for your guest at Tin Cup Chalice Bar & Chill Veranda.
Saturday is the big day. You can get ready in a private bridal suite or bring the entire party together in a two-room prep suite. Once you’re ready, you can share a first look at the private Gardens before heading over to the pristine, white sand of Smather’s Beach.
From there, it’s off to the Tiki Hut for cocktails and a reception dinner of fresh ocean-caught fish. If you want to party late into the night, catch the shuttle over to Duval street. In the morning, it’s time to bid your guests adieu over a brunch of omelets and mimosas.
If this sounds like the destination wedding of your dreams, definitely consider Margaritaville Beach House.
Pricing: Contact the venue for a quote.
Capacity: 100
Find Margaritaville Beach House at Margaritaville Beach House or check out Facebook or Instagram.
