Elegant Tropical White Outdoor Wedding Reception with Gold Chiavari Chairs and Rattan Hanging Lanterns Inspiration | Sarasota Wedding Venue The Resort at Longboat Key Club

Elegant Coral and Pink Tropical Sarasota Wedding | The Resort at Longboat Key Club

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Rachel and Mac’s waterfront Longboat Key wedding was an enchanting autumn evening overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. The outdoor ceremony and reception encapsulated the natural elegance and stunning beauty of Florida’s coast, while the elevated lighting and décor created a magical atmosphere.

“We would describe our wedding as tropical, elegant, and classic. Knowing how beautiful the Harbourside Lawn was, we wanted to keep our décor simple yet elegant to highlight the beautiful foliage and palm trees surrounding the space,” the bride explained. “I had my heart set on a black and white classic dance floor as one of our focal points, so many of our design decisions stemmed from there. We chose gold chairs and gold accents on our tables, such as shimmery napkins and framed table numbers. We focused on lighting up the space with lots of candles and overhead lanterns since we knew it would become dark fairly early in November.”

Having spent many holidays in the Siesta Key area, the Baltimore couple decided it would be the ideal destination for their wedding. Rachel planned the wedding remotely with the assistance of Marry Me Tampa Bay’s preferred wedding recommendations, which helped her find the perfect wedding venue and an all-inclusive resort to host their 140 guests from across the country.

“After getting engaged, I quickly started looking for vendors and found many through Marry Me Tampa Bay. I stumbled upon a gorgeous wedding at The Resort at Longboat Key Club on Marry Me Tampa Bay, and it was so helpful to actually see what another bride did with the Harbourside Lawn space and to hear more about the design process,” the bride revealed. “After finding our reception venue, I was able to book a lot of vendors by looking to see which were tagged in Marry Me Tampa Bay’s posts or from reading various posts on the blog section of the website.”

Providing an exceptional guest experience was an important factor when selecting their wedding location. The world-class grounds at The Resort at Longboat Key Club and superior service made the Gulf Coast beach venue the perfect location.

“We knew we wanted a lot of outdoor space. After finding The Resort at Longboat Key Club on Marry Me Tampa Bay and researching a bit more, we loved how many different options there were for both the ceremony and the reception. Having an outdoor reception that was not tented was definitely unique for our guests! Since the majority of our wedding guests were from out-of-town, it was special for everyone to experience the Sarasota area and beautiful Longboat Key! We also loved that our guests would be able to stay at the resort and its proximity to the Sarasota airport for all our out-of-town guests,” the bride shared. “When we first reached out to the resort, we were overwhelmed by how helpful and accommodating the event staff was. Gwen provided so much helpful information that really eased all our nerves as an out-of-town couple. She was so incredibly sweet throughout the entire process and was so responsive to all our questions and requests. The Resort at Longboat Key Club truly went out of its way to make sure our dream wedding became a reality. Our guests still talk about how amazing the food, cocktails, and service were at the reception!” 

The couple tailored their destination weekend around the exclusive amenities offered at The Resort at Longboat Key Club, including hosting their rehearsal dinner at the Portofino Ristorante & Bar.

“Mac and I love spending time by the water, and we really wanted our guests to have a memorable experience during our wedding weekend, as many of our guests had never been to Sarasota before. When we found The Resort at Longboat Key Club, we were so excited that our guests would have the opportunity to golf, spend time by the beautiful beach and pool, and also be so close to all of the fun restaurants and shops at St. Armands Circle,” the bride detailed. “After having our wedding on a Friday, we were able to have a beach day with our closest family and friends on Saturday.”

For over 35 years, Beneva Weddings has been creating florals for Sarasota weddings, and the design team played a crucial role in creating Rachel’s romantic tropical atmosphere. The elegant orchid bridal bouquet perfectly complemented the bridesmaids’ vibrant bouquets, creating striking contrast in the wedding photos. The Harbourside Lawn was transformed into a hidden paradise, with exotic floral arrangements adding to the ambiance of the outdoor event.

“When I started to look at flowers, I absolutely loved the idea of potted white orchids, and I wanted an all-white orchid bouquet, but I just couldn’t get away from my love for color! After talking about my ideas with Beneva Weddings, I was so happy that I would be able to incorporate orchids and many different tropical flowers, such as ginger root and palm leaves, into our design,” the bride beamed. “Working with Beneva Weddings was a dream. They understood my vision right away! They were able to incorporate my love for white orchids while still using pops of color with colorful tropical flowers throughout our design. We were blown away by our beautiful flower semi-arch at our ceremony and the amazing bridal and bridesmaids bouquet they created for us! Corona was incredibly easy to work with, and she was always willing to make adjustments. As an out-of-town bride, I loved that all the proposals included photos of what the floral designs would look like, so I could visualize what I would see on the wedding day.”

As Rachel looked back on her wedding day, the anniversary dance stood out in her mind, as the newlyweds were joined on the floor by the groom’s grandparents, who were celebrating over half a century of love and marriage.

“There were so many memorable moments from our wedding. One that comes to mind was our first dance and our anniversary dance. Mac and I danced to Stand by Me by Ben E. King, and it was such a fun way to kick off the night. Our band also had anyone married for five+ years come out to the dance floor for the anniversary dance. They slowly started increasing the number of years, until the couple married the longest was still dancing. Mac’s grandparents have been married for over 60 years, and it was so special for Mac and me to join them for a dance together!” the bride reminisced.

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Sarasota Beach Resort at Longboat Key Club Wedding Venue
Tropical Beach Palm Tree Dusty Blue and White Wedding Invitation Suite Ideas
Bridal Accessories | Cream Marble Acrylic Box Clutch | Dolce Vita White Pearl Wedding Shoe
White Gold Round Solitaire Engagement Ring | Gold Wedding Band | Stackable Ring Inspiration
White Beaded V-Neckline Anna Campbell Wedding Dress Ideas
White Orchid and Palm Leaf Tropical Bridal Wedding Bouquet Inspiration | Sarasota Florist Beneva Weddings

The Proposal:
I was visiting my family in Siesta Key for the holidays. Mac flew down and surprised me by waiting on the beach in front of my family’s house after my sister and I had finished a walk on the beach! It was the best surprise and one of our favorite memories.

Bride and Groom First Look Beach Wedding Portrait | Sarasota Wedding Venue The Resort at Longboat Key Club
Neutral Cream Mismatching Bridesmaids Dresses | Black Groomsmen Suit Ideas | Tropical Beach Wedding Attire Inspiration
Neutral Cream Mismatching Bridesmaids Dress Inspiration | Tropical White Orchid, Palm Leaf, Monstera, and Garden Rose Wedding Bouquet | Sarasota Florist Beneva Weddings and Events
Tropical White Orchid, Palm Leaf,, Monstera, and Garden Rose Wedding Bouquet | Sarasota Florist Beneva Weddings and Events

What was your wedding floral inspiration?

When I started to look at flowers, I absolutely loved the idea of potted white orchids, and I wanted an all-white orchid bouquet, but I just couldn’t get away from my love for color!

After talking about my ideas with Beneva Weddings, I was so happy that I would be able to incorporate orchids and many different tropical flowers, such as ginger root and palm leaves, into our design.

Working with Beneva Weddings was a dream. They understood my vision right away! They were able to incorporate my love for white orchids while still using pops of color with colorful tropical flowers throughout our design. We were blown away by our beautiful flower semi-arch at our ceremony and the amazing bridal and bridesmaids bouquet they created for us! Corona was incredibly easy to work with, and she was always willing to make adjustments. As an out-of-town bride, I loved that all the proposals included photos of what the floral designs would look like, so I could visualize what I would see on the wedding day.

Tropical White Orchid, Palm Leaf, Monstera, and Garden Rose Wedding Bouquet Ideas | Sarasota Florist Beneva Weddings and Events
Intimate Sarasota Beach Bride and Groom Wedding Portrait | Sarasota Wedding Venue The Resort at Longboat Key Club

How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
We would describe our wedding as tropical, elegant, and classic. Knowing how beautiful the Harbourside Lawn was, we wanted to keep our décor simple yet elegant to highlight the beautiful foliage and palm trees surrounding the space. I had my heart set on a black and white classic dance floor as one of our focal points, so many of our design decisions stemmed from there. We chose gold chairs and gold accents on our tables, such as shimmery napkins and framed table numbers. We focused on lighting up the space with lots of candles and overhead lanterns since we knew it would become dark fairly early in November.

What were your colors?
I found myself drawn to a lot of whites, but I found myself becoming more attached to coral and different shades of pink as the process unfolded! We were able to incorporate some touches of color throughout our wedding while mostly sticking to a neutral palette of white and gold.

Wedding Ceremony Itinerary Guest Fan Ideas
Tropical Palm Leaf, Monstera, Torch Ginger, Pink Garden Rose, Orange Anthurium Ground Wedding Ceremony Flower Arrangement Ideas | Sarasota Florist Beneva Weddings and Events
White Orchid, Pink and Orange Garden Roses, Anturium, Hypernicum Berry, Torch Ginger, Monstera, and Palm Leaf Wedding Ceremony Altar Arrangement | Sarasota Florist Beneva Weddings and Events | Waterfront Mangrove Inspiration
Waterfront Mangrove Asymmetrical Pink, Orange, and White Flower Stand Wedding Ceremony Altar Inspiration | Sarasota Florist Beneva Weddings and Events | Venue The Resort at Longboat Key Club
Bride and Groom Vow Exchange | Waterfront Mangrove Wedding Ceremony | Sarasota Venue The Resort at Longboat Key Club | Florist Beneva Weddings and Events
Bride and Groom Vow Exchange | Waterfront Mangrove Wedding Ceremony
Bride and Groom Outdoor Florida Wedding Portrait

Where did you spend your honeymoon?
Mallihouana Resort in Meads Bay, Anguilla! A travel agent highly recommended it for its amazing beaches, and we can’t spend wait to spend some time on the beach and out on the water!

Where did you host your bachelorette party?
The bachelorette was originally planned for Naples, Florida but quickly was changed to St. Michaels, Maryland after Hurricane Julia. Even with the change in plans, we had the best time having a fall weekend on the Eastern Shore of Maryland!

Elegant Tropical White Outdoor Wedding Reception with Gold Chiavari Chairs and Rattan Hanging Lanterns Inspiration | Sarasota Wedding Venue The Resort at Longboat Key Club

What did you look for in a wedding venue?

We knew we wanted a lot of outdoor space. After finding The Resort at Longboat Key Club on Marry Me Tampa Bay and researching a bit more, we loved how many different options there were for both the ceremony and the reception. Having an outdoor reception that was not tented was definitely unique for our guests! Since the majority of our wedding guests were from out-of-town, it was special for everyone to experience the Sarasota area and beautiful Longboat Key! We also loved that our guests would be able to stay at the resort and its proximity to the Sarasota airport for all our out-of-town guests.

When we first reached out to the resort, we were overwhelmed by how helpful and accommodating the event staff was. Gwen provided so much helpful information that really eased all our nerves as an out-of-town couple. She was so incredibly sweet throughout the entire process and was so responsive to all our questions and requests. The Resort at Longboat Key Club truly went out of its way to make sure our dream wedding became a reality. Our guests still talk about how amazing the food, cocktails, and service were at the reception!

Pink Torch Ginger Flower with Ruscus and Anthurium Floral Centerpiece Ideas | Sarasota Florist Beneva Weddings and Events
Hyacinth Placemat | Gold Rimmed Charger | Neutral Napkin Linen | Boho White Florida Wedding Reception Inspiration
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Elegant Tropical White Wedding Reception Feasting Table Decor Inspiration
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Pink and Orange Garden Rose Accents on White Three-tiered Buttercream Wedding Cake
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Black and White Dance Floor | Bride and Groom First Dance Wedding Portrait | Sarasota Venue The Resort at Longboat Key Club

Which vendors really exceeded your expectations?
Our photographer was incredible from start to finish. She was able to capture us as a couple, and she took so many amazing candid shots that bring us back to all of the special moments from our wedding day.

Our makeup artists did such an incredible job on all my bridesmaids’ hair and makeup! They made sure we stayed close to our timeline and were so fun and easy to work with.

Our band was incredible, and they made the planning process for our music so easy. Mac and I were thrilled that they were able to play all our favorite songs! 

What advice would you give to other Sarasota couples?
As easy as it is to become caught up in all the details, at the end of the day, your guests are there to celebrate you as a couple! Although planning early and staying organized is important, try to enjoy the day and soak up every minute! It goes by so fast.

Marry Me Tampa Bay Preferred Wedding Pros

Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Pros are highly respected by our local wedding community and have been personally vetted by our editor.

Feature Credits

Vendors and venues marked with

are Preferred Marry Me Tampa Bay Wedding Pros and have been personally vetted by our editor.

Ceremony/Reception Venue and Caterer:The Resort at Longboat Key Club
VideographyBaby Blue Films
Florists/DecorBeneva
Cakes & DessertCakes by Ron
DJ/Band & Live EntertainmentBay Kings Band
Invitations & StationerySterling Stripe
Limo and TransportationSiesta Trolley Inc
Dress and Bridesmaid AttireGarnish Boutique
Dress and Bridesmaid AttireAnna Campbell Bridal
Bridesmaids DressesJenny Yoo
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About the Author

Anna Coats

Marry Me Tampa Bay editor Anna Coats created Marry Me Tampa Bay in 2012 to showcase the area’s best local weddings and vendors. She has been featured as a wedding expert on the national talk show Daytime, Fox13, ABC Action News, Great Day Tampa Bay, and Bay News 9 (now Spectrum).

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