Your Wedding on an Island

Our island state parks make for a great setting for your wedding, whether you choose the more remote Caladesi Island or the popular Honeymoon Island, and the experts can help make it happen.

Honeymoon Island

Most well-known in the late 1930s and early 1940s when a New York developer built 50 palm-thatched bungalows for honeymooners, Honeymoon Island was referred to as "the island of undiscovered pleasures for newlyweds," with private beach wedding locations, turquoise waters, and white, natural sandy beaches.

Since that time, much has changed and much has stayed the same on Honeymoon Island. Now a state park located adjacent to Caladesi Island, Honeymoon Island's tropical setting still attracts lovers. Sun-drenched beaches and abundant flora and fauna have always made this barrier island a much-desired getaway. Unlike neighboring Caladesi Island, visitors can easily drive across the Dunedin Causeway to enjoy all the delights offered by this romantic retreat.

America's No. 1 Beach 2008

Just a few miles off the coast of Dunedin and Clearwater Beach (and adjacent to Honeymoon Island), Caladesi Island was designated as America's No. 1 Beach in 2008 by noted coastal researcher and Professor Stephen Leatherman (a.k.a. "Dr. Beach," famous for his annual Top 10 Best Beaches of America list). This isn't the first time Caladesi has made Dr. Beach's list. It received the No. 2 ranking in both 2006 and 2007.

This well kept secret has a pristine natural environment featuring powder white sand and is dotted with palm trees and protected by mangroves on its bay side. The Gulf side of the island provides three miles of shore for you to stroll along. An uninhabited barrier island, it is only accessible via private boat or ferry. Caladesi is an ideal spot for a romantic getaway or as an escape to serenety and seclusion.

Weddings On Caladesi

Due to the secluded nature of Caladesi Island, holding weddings there can be challenging. It's not completely impossible, but it will require private rental of a ferry boat for you and your guests and the additional water transport of all needed equipment. You will also need to coordinate with the park ranger for all details. A better, and certainly easier, alternative for a beach wedding on a natural unspoiled barrier island is neighboring Honeymoon Island.

Weddings on Honeymoon Island

If you want to combine the allure of being married on the sandy shores of a tropical island with the convenience of amenities that will make your special day memorable, look no further than Honeymoon Island.

The on-site staff of Honeymoon Island Productions are ready to ensure all you need to bring is your dress and the rings. They provide set-ups and catering for both your beach wedding and the following reception.

Watch the sun melt into the calm Gulf waters during your ceremony and then bask in the bright rays of the moon's reflection on the sea. Although the park closes at sunset for the general public, for private events such as a wedding, special arrangements can be made so you literally have the island to yourselves and your guests.

Accommodations for you and your guests are conveniently located in the nearby downtown of Dunedin. This easily walkable charming town has a variety of dining and shopping options for you and your guests and is one of the oldest towns on the west coast of Florida. Arrangements for transportation to the island on your special day can also be made.

On Honeymoon Island, nature lovers will find osprey nests, a wide variety of shorebirds, and one of the few remaining virgin slash pine forests in South Florida. The park boasts several nature trails and bird observation areas. Visitors can swim, fish, and snorkel in the warm waters of the Gulf or picnic while they enjoy the beautiful scenery. Shelling is particularly good here, as the Gulf currents deposit an incredible variety of seashells on the shore.

For more information on holding your wedding and reception on Honeymoon Island, contact:

Honeymoon Island Productions
Cafe Honeymoon/Cafe Caladesi
Sharon Gentry
1 Causeway Blvd.
Dunedin, FL
727-736-2132
sgentry@honeymoonpavilion.com
www.RomanticHoneymoonIsland.com