Increase the romance of your wedding or honeymoon by enjoying the experience in Paradise, the Florida Keys. Whether you want to plan an entire wedding party, from bridal shower to the ceremony, or just spend your honeymoon relaxing on the white sand beaches and dining on fine cuisine and Caribbean cocktails, the Florida Keys are the ultimate destination. (And if the thought of complicated arrangements—or your soon-to-be in-laws—terrifies you, the Keys are also a great place to elope!)

Stage your ceremony along the seashore, and forego a band for the gentle lapping of waves and the rustle of the palm fronds in the coastal breeze. Go barefoot in the sand at a sunset – or sunrise – beach wedding. Surround your wedding party with lush orchid and hibiscus blossoms at a Florida Keys garden ceremony. Leave the shore behind and say your vows aboard a starlit luxury yacht. The truly adventurous can even get married undersea, with scuba tanks strapped over gown and tux and a bevy of tropical fish as witnesses. Whatever you decide, when you marry in the Florida Keys, you’re guaranteed to actually enjoy your wedding—it’s hard to get very stressed out in such a beautiful tropical paradise.

Your guests can stay in cozy, historic beach bungalows or five-star oceanfront resorts. And when you’re taking some private time, your guests will have no difficulty entertaining themselves. Scuba diving, snorkeling, sunbathing, shopping, yachting, fishing, partying, sightseeing, and cultural and historic attractions will keep them wishing everyone they knew would tie the knot in the Keys. Accompany your bridesmaids to one of the Florida Key’s luxury day spas for a bit of pampering before your big day, and you’ll all be glowing for the ceremony.

Need help with all the arrangements? The professional wedding and event planners in the Florida Keys will ensure your special day goes off without a hitch, leaving you calm and able to actually enjoy your own wedding. Wedding planners will reserve ceremony space in historic churches, tropical gardens, luxury resorts and ocean liners, or anywhere else you’d like to say your vows. They’ll coordinate catering, floral arrangements, photography, the reception, hire an officiant, take care of paperwork, and more. Many wedding planners also offer concierge services for the couple and their guests.

Even without a concierge, it’s pretty simple to find great lodging and dining in the Florida Keys. Restaurants range from four-star, crystal and champagne to patio dining on fresh seafood. Likewise, whether you want high-class resort living, laid-back guest house lounging, or a historical stay in a quaint bed and breakfast, you’ll find it here.

Honeymoon beneath the sea, at Jules’ Undersea Lodge in the Emerald Lagoon off Key Largo. Guests dive 21 feet down to this two-bedroom former research facility, which also has a full galley, common room, and bath. Wake to watch fish and turtles drifting past the 42” windows. Unlimited diving for certified scuba divers; novices can dive with an instructor after a three-hour training session. Call 305-451-2353 for reservations and information on the scuba courses.

Popular Florida Keys wedding ceremony locations:

Key West

• The Key West Garden Club
  
• The Southernmost Mansion
  
• Ft Zachary Taylor State Park beach
  

Florida Keys sites

• Bahia Honda State Park beach
  
• Key Largo (the island where Bogart & Bacall battled the hurricane of 1935)

Dozens of private luxury resorts can accommodate your every wish, ensuring that your special day truly is perfect. Favorites include the Wyndham Casa Marina on Key West and the Chesapeake Resort in Islamorada. Hawk’s Cay Resort covers one of the five islands of Duck Key, and is an ideal setting for a perfectly pulled-together ceremony. Your wedding party will have access to the entire Caribbean-style resort, the marina, a spa, restaurants, shopping, pools, and even a dolphin habitat. Kids stay busy with day camps and a pirate-ship pool, while adults can play tennis, learn to sail, fish, parasail, or lounge on the beach beside the saltwater lagoon.

For a ceremony on the high seas, choose from a wide variety of sail and power boats, ranging in style from opulent catamarans to 17th-century pirate. Private charters range from $1,000 – $6,000 on average, depending upon the boat size, wedding party size, and whether catering, flowers, etc. will be provided.

The truly eccentric should consider a choreographed dolphin ceremony—trained dolphins float the bride across a pool, dance to your wedding music, and present the rings. Catering is available, and the lushly landscaped park grounds can accommodate parties of 250 guests. Contact the Theatre of the Sea on Islamorada at 305-664-2431.

Lovebirds flock to the Florida Keys to say their vows beneath the sea. Many Keys dive charters offer wedding packages, which may include champagne and underwater photography. Some offer half-day scuba courses for uninitiated guests, though those who’d rather stay closer to the surface can snorkel above the ceremony. The most popular spot for sub-sea nuptials is alongside the Christ of the Deep statue in John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, Oceanside of Key Largo. Spotted eagle rays frequently drift past the 25-foot-deep bronze statue, which is surrounded by the colorful spur and groove coral formations of the Dry Rocks reef.

Marriage Requirements

Bride & groom need photo ID cards, a marriage license, and to be 18 years of age older. For non-residents of the State of Florida, no blood test is required, and there is no waiting period. If either the bride or groom is a Florida resident, a three-day waiting period applies. Since additional restrictions and conditions may apply, please call the Monroe County government at 305-292-3550 for more specific information.