Planning a Sarasota Destination Beach Wedding: What Out-of-State Couples Need to Know
Planning a wedding is exciting. Planning one from hundreds—or even thousands—of miles away can feel a little more intimidating.
Where should you get married? Who handles the beach permit? How do you find trustworthy vendors when you don't live in Sarasota? Where should your guests stay? What happens if it rains? And how do you know everything will actually be ready when you arrive?
These are questions we hear all the time.
At Plan My Beach Wedding, many of our couples don't live in Florida. They're planning a destination wedding on Siesta Key, Lido Beach, or another beautiful Sarasota-area beach while living somewhere else in the country.
The good news is that you don't have to live in Sarasota—or make multiple trips here—to plan a beautiful Florida beach wedding.
Here's what I think every destination couple should know.
Choose the Right Sarasota Beach for Your Wedding
One of your first decisions will be choosing your beach.
Two of our favorite locations are Siesta Key and Lido Beach, and although they're close to one another, they offer slightly different experiences.
Siesta Key is famous for its gorgeous white quartz sand and beautiful Gulf of Mexico sunsets.
It's one of Sarasota's best-known destinations and is a wonderful choice if you've always dreamed of saying you were married on Siesta Key.
Because it's so popular, however, the beach can become busy—especially during holidays, spring break, and other popular travel periods.
Lido Beach also offers beautiful white sand and incredible Gulf sunsets, but it's generally less crowded than Siesta Key.
Another thing I love about Lido is its location.
The areas where Sarasota County allows weddings are conveniently located near St. Armands Circle, where you'll find restaurants, shops, and plenty of options for continuing your celebration after the ceremony.
There's also plenty of nearby parking for your guests.
If you're not sure which beach is right for you, ask us.
There's no universally "better" beach. We can help you choose the one that fits the experience you're imagining.
You Don't Have to Figure Out the Beach Permit
One of the questions destination couples often have is:
“Do we need a permit to get married on the beach?”
For organized beach ceremonies, local permits and regulations may apply.
But this isn't something our couples have to navigate alone.
We take care of the necessary beach permits for our couples.
When you're already planning flights, accommodations, clothing, guests, and everything else involved in a destination wedding, that's one less thing you should have to worry about.
Choose Your Wedding Date Carefully
Sarasota is beautiful throughout much of the year, but some months are better suited to beach weddings than others.
From our experience, April, May, June, October, and November are particularly popular wedding months.
If you want a weekend ceremony during one of these periods, I recommend reserving your date well in advance whenever possible.
There are also a couple of months destination couples should think carefully about.
July and August
These months can be extremely hot and humid.
Even an evening ceremony can still feel very warm.
If July or August is the only time that works for your family, we can certainly plan around it. I just want couples to understand the reality of Florida summer weather before choosing their date.
April and Spring Break
April is beautiful, but spring break can bring many additional visitors to Sarasota's beaches.
If having a quieter ceremony is especially important to you, your choice of beach, ceremony location, date, and time can make a difference.
Sunset Is Usually Worth Waiting For
For most Sarasota beach weddings, I'm a big fan of ceremonies later in the day.
Watching the sun disappear over the Gulf of Mexico is one of the things that makes getting married on Florida's west coast so special.
Sunset also creates beautiful light for wedding photography.
One important tip:
Don't schedule your ceremony at the exact sunset time.
You need enough daylight for the ceremony and your photographs afterward.
We'll help you determine an appropriate ceremony time based on your wedding date.
You Don't Need to Fly to Sarasota to Meet Every Vendor
This is one of the biggest advantages of working with a local wedding company.
You shouldn't have to spend months searching the internet wondering which vendors you can trust.
Over the years, we've worked with local photographers, makeup artists, musicians, DJs, transportation companies, restaurants, venues, and other wedding professionals.
And something that's important to me personally:
I'm happy to share recommendations.
I don't believe helpful information should be held hostage until someone books with us.
If I know a wonderful makeup artist or photographer who might be perfect for you, I'm happy to point you in the right direction.
Decide Where Your Guests Will Stay
For a destination wedding, accommodations become part of the wedding experience.
Siesta Key offers vacation rentals, resorts, hotels, restaurants, and entertainment close to the beach.
Couples choosing Lido Beach may enjoy staying near St. Armands Circle, where guests can easily walk to restaurants and shops.
Downtown Sarasota is another option, especially for guests who want access to restaurants, nightlife, cultural attractions, and the waterfront.
Think about your wedding as more than a ceremony.
Your guests may be spending several days in Sarasota, so choosing a convenient home base can make the entire trip more enjoyable.
Plan What Happens After the Ceremony
Not every beach wedding needs a traditional reception.
Some couples want the ballroom, DJ, dancing, cake, and formal dinner.
Others simply want to walk off the beach and enjoy a wonderful dinner with the people they love.
Both are weddings.
Especially for smaller destination weddings and elopements, a restaurant reception can be an easy and beautiful option.
Lido Beach couples have the advantage of St. Armands Circle nearby, while Siesta Key has plenty of restaurants and entertainment in and around Siesta Key Village.
Sarasota also offers many reception venues for couples planning larger celebrations.
Give Your Guests Information Before They Travel
Destination wedding guests appreciate knowing what to expect.
Consider giving them information about:
Ceremony location
Parking
What time to arrive
What to wear
Appropriate shoes for the beach
Things to do in Sarasota
Weather expectations
One piece of advice I especially recommend sharing:
Tell your guests not to wear narrow high heels on the beach.
Siesta Key's beautiful soft sand and stilettos aren't exactly best friends.
Think About Guests With Mobility Needs
Soft beach sand can be difficult for guests who have mobility limitations.
Fortunately, beach wheelchairs with large tires are available for rent in the Sarasota area, and some companies can deliver them to the beach.
If having a parent, grandparent, or another important guest at your ceremony is a concern, talk to us before assuming a beach wedding isn't possible.
Sometimes there is a simple solution.
Don't Spend Your Wedding Week Obsessing Over the Weather App
I understand why couples do this.
You've traveled all the way to Florida for a beach wedding, and suddenly your phone shows a little rain cloud on your wedding day.
Florida weather can change quickly.
A rain symbol several days ahead doesn't necessarily tell us what will happen at your particular beach during your particular ceremony.
Sometimes a shower moves through quickly.
When circumstances are safe and allow it, I've even preferred waiting a little while for rain to pass rather than sending a bride down the aisle with an umbrella covering her face in all of her wedding photographs.
Prepare for possibilities.
But don't allow the weather app to ruin the excitement of your destination wedding before anything has even happened.
Turn Your Wedding Into a Sarasota Vacation
One of my favorite things about destination weddings is that families get more than one day together.
Your guests can spend time at the beach, explore Sarasota, go shopping, enjoy great restaurants, take a sunset cruise, or simply relax together.
Nearby attractions include Siesta Key Village, St. Armands Circle, downtown Sarasota, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, and other Gulf Coast destinations.
You may discover that some of your favorite memories happen the day before or the morning after the wedding.
💙 From Lu's Experience
I understand why planning a wedding from another state can feel scary.
You're trusting people you've probably never met in person with one of the most important days of your life.
That's a big deal.
I've always cared about my couples, and I want you to feel comfortable asking questions—even the little ones you think might sound silly.
They're not silly.
You shouldn't arrive in Sarasota wondering whether the permit was handled, whether your ceremony decorations will be there, or who is supposed to do what.
Our job is to worry about those details before you arrive.
Your job is to come to Florida, put your feet in the sand, marry the person you love, and enjoy being surrounded by the people who came all this way to celebrate with you.
That's what a destination wedding should feel like.
— Lu, Owner of Plan My Beach Wedding
Ready to Plan Your Sarasota Destination Beach Wedding?
You don't have to live in Florida to plan a beautiful Florida wedding.
Whether you're dreaming of an intimate Siesta Key elopement, a sunset ceremony on Lido Beach, a vow renewal, or a larger celebration with family and friends, we'll help you navigate the details from wherever you call home.
Our Sarasota beach wedding packages can include your ceremony décor, officiant, coordination, music, permit assistance, and planning guidance, with additional options available to help you create the celebration you've imagined.
At Plan My Beach Wedding, our goal is simple:
You enjoy your wedding. We'll help take care of the rest.
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