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.
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 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 nearby downtown 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.
Weddings On Caladesi
Due to the secluded nature of Caladesi Island State Park, 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.
