A wedding day should be magical and memorable. But since marriage equality has yet to make it to the Sunshine State, many LGBT couples find themselves in an uncomfortable situation. Do they abandon friends and go to a state that affirms gay marriage, or should they just have a symbolic ceremony and a party to remember right here in Florida?
A wedding day is a special day—and Florida offers many exotic and memorable locations to ensure a day you and your fiancé won’t soon forget. But finding the right location that is LGBT friendly can be difficult. So we did the work for you.
There are tons of options. So why not get married…
On a cruise
The romance evoked from cruise lines can make for the perfect wedding setting. And while most cruise lines do offer same-sex wedding ceremonies, not all of them can offer you the legalities of a marriage. Big names like Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian all offer same-sex wedding services, but unless a ship operates from a country that allows legal same-sex marriage, the ceremony is just symbolic.
In Florida, Charter One in Fort Lauderdale offers custom-tailored commitment ceremonies and other LGBT celebrations. Company co-owner Lauren Talchik said that while the State of Florida doesn’t recognize gay marriage, gay or lesbian couples should not refrain from celebrating their commitment to each other. She says the crew is gay-friendly and partners with local gay-owned vendors to create the shipboard events.
The fleet includes a number of ships, from intimate 65-foot yachts to ships that can accommodate up to 400 guests. For more information, visit YachtChartersNow.com or call 953-771-0102.
In a garden
Florida’s warm weather and exotic plant life combine for the perfect setting for an outdoor, botanical-themed wedding. Parks and gardens throughout the state provide lush settings for vows and some even offer wedding planning services. The trick to finding the right garden for your same-sex ceremony is determining who actually owns the property.
Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales, for example, is privately owned and therefore not under the jurisdiction of local law. A spokeswoman for the park said same-sex ceremonies are permitted, even though same-sex marriage is not legal in Florida. Hollis Garden in Lakeland, however, requires a city permit for a wedding, which means getting permission for gay couples could be tricky.
Sunken Gardens in St. Petersburg is listed as a “destination wedding location” and has accepted same-sex couples wanting to announce their devotion to each other for years, according to Sarah Carvalis of the St. Petersburg Downtown Enterprise Facilities Department.
“As far as I know, same-sex ceremonies have always been welcome here,” Carvalis says. “We have straight and gay couples using the gardens throughout the year and different packages depending on what they want.”
Sunken Gardens is officially owned by the City of St. Petersburg, which has a non-discrimination ordinance that includes sexual orientation. Carvalis said she was unaware of any protests or backlash related to a same-sex union at the gardens.
“Since we are part of the city, everything that happens here is public record, including commitment ceremonies for same-sex couples,” Carvalis notes. “No one has seemed to care that much, which is great.”
For more information on Bok Tower Gardens, call 863-676-1408. For details on wedding services by Sunken Gardens, call 727-551-3106.
In a castle
The United States isn’t exactly known for its castles. But same-sex couples can have a fairy tail wedding on castle grounds right here in Florida. Solomon’s Castle in Ona offers weddings for gays and straights alike, according to a spokesperson there.
“We welcome everyone,” said Dave, who answered the phone at the rural castle. “They just need to let us know what they want done.”
Solomon’s Castle was built more than three decades ago by Howard Solomon on a remote Florida swamp deep inside Hardee County. The castle is Solomon’s home, which is built from discarded press plates of the local daily newspaper. It sits right next door to the Boat in the Moat restaurant, which offers catering services to wedding parties.
If couples want a wedding that’s over the top—this is the place to say “I do.”
For more information, visit SolomonsCastle.org.
At an amusement park
Disney sells approximately 2,000 wedding packages each year to both gay and straight couples, and has since it began offering domestic partnership benefits to gay couples in 1996. But it wasn’t until late spring of 2007 that same-sex couples were allowed to be publicly “married” at the Magic Kingdom.
“We believe this change is consistent with Disney’s longstanding policy of welcoming all guests in an inclusive environment,” Disney Parks spokesman Donn Walker wrote in a press release. The decision to allow same-sex couples access to all wedding venues was prompted when a male couple complained they were denied equal access to the parks.
Disney parks haven’t received much opposition to the policy of allowing same-sex partners to marry, mostly because the unions aren’t legally recognized.
If the Disney thing isn’t to your liking, you could always get married with a few mermaids in your wedding party. Weeki Wachee Springs in Spring Hill has welcomed same-sex couples for years, according to John Athanason, public relations director for the mermaid-themed park.
“We’ve offered same-sex marriages for as long as I can remember,” Athanason says. “The process is no different than any other wedding ceremony we’ve had here. Everyone who comes here customizes their ceremony to be exactly what they want.”
For more information on Disney weddings, call 321-939-4610 or visit DisneyWeddings.com. For information on Weeki Wachee weddings, visit WeekiWachee.com or call 352-596-2062.
On the water
There are wedding cruises, and then there are weddings on the water. Weddings on Water, based out of Sarasota, offers America’s first floating wedding chapel, where it cruises into Sarasota Bay for each ceremony. The floating church used to be docked in St. Petersburg, but was sold late last year. However, the chapel still offers commitment ceremonies to same-sex couples. It’s a beach wedding without the beach, according to the Weddings on the Water web site.
