Eat, Drink, and Get Married: Five Florida Restaurant Venues We Love
Churches and luxury resorts will always be mainstays when it comes to wedding venues, but with more brides and grooms getting excited about food these days, restaurants are increasingly falling into favor. In addition to their highly customizable F&B options, restaurants can be tailored to fit events of different sizes—you can treat your guests to a sit-down dinner, or go more casual with a cocktail-style reception complete with bubbly and passed hors d’oeuvres.
Image courtesy of Café Boulud
And here’s a bonus if your budget’s a big factor: Because of their small size and the frequent availability of a private dining space, they often clock in at a lower cost than larger, more lavish venues. From trendy to timeless to ultra-casual, we’ve rounded up five Florida restaurants where you can have the wedding of your dreams.
Café Boulud, Brazilian Court, Palm Beach
Image courtesy of Café Boulud
Sofia Vergara’s recent wedding at The Breakers sent the press into a frenzy, but what you might not know is that the screen star held her rehearsal dinner in an equally posh place—Café Boulud at The Brazilian Court hotel in Palm Beach, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. It turns out, you don’t have to be Hollywood royalty to have a rehearsal dinner—or, better yet, your whole wedding—here, as the newly revamped restaurant is readily available for intimate wedding celebrations. Café Boulud’s private dining space fits up to 150 guests and features a beautiful branch-themed chandelier (pictured above), as well as, of course, the unparalleled cuisine of the world-renowned Chef Boulud.
Cecconi’s at Soho Beach House, Miami Beach
Image via Facebook
Located in the courtyard of the Soho Beach House, Cecconi’s serves hand-made pasta, seafood, and dishes from Northern Italy in a dreamy outdoor garden space complete with colorful seating, rustic pergolas and light fixtures, and trees strung with twinkling white lights. (Read: A built-in beautiful photo backdrop.) Larger parties can take over the entire restaurant, which means you swap vows and celebrate with the entire place to yourselves.
The Rusty Pelican, Tampa
Image via The Rusty Pelican
The Rusty Pelican is a popular eatery among locals and visitors alike, and it also has its own event planning staff and designated event spaces, plus a waterfront lawn that’s an ideal ceremony space. A few esthetic highlights include high ceilings, statement chandeliers, and floor-to-ceiling views, and when it comes to feeding your guests, you can have essentially whatever you choose, from a seated breakfast or a brunch buffet to hors d’oeuvres and a multicourse seated dinner.
310 Lakeside Restaurant, Orlando
Image via Facebook
Situated in downtown Orlando, across from Lake Eola, 310 Lakeside restaurant is a dream for brides and grooms—there are no food and beverage minimums or room fees; the restaurant has its own planning staff; and it has a private ceremony, reception, and outdoor patio dining space. We love its high ceilings and tall windows, which add just the right amount of drama to your special day.
Islamorada Fish Company, Islamorada
Image via Islamorada Fish Company
Barefoot elegance best describes this Key West restaurant and wedding venue. The waterfront Islamorada Fish Company can host between 75 and 150 guests with both indoor and outdoor ceremony and reception space. The only thing more enjoyable than its super-fresh seafood and one-stop-shop service is the stunning sunset you’re bound to enjoy at the end (or, perhaps, beginning) of your evening.
