St. Pete Beach – The iconic “Pink Palace” hotel features 38,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space, plus 277 guest rooms (including 36 suites), a variety of culinary experiences among their four restaurants, two resort-style pools, and an 11,000 square foot on-site spa, all nestled directly on the white sugar sands of St. Pete Beach.
The resort is popular for local couples and destination weddings alike. Be it a vacation or staycation, guests have an opportunity to immerse themselves in true Florida style as they enjoy the private beach, luxurious amenities, and local fare. Service is personal and attentive thanks to the Don CeSar’s family of staff, many of whom have been with the property for over 20 years.
Couples can choose from several ceremony and reception locations, including the Don’s exclusive beach with views of the Gulf of Mexico or the secluded courtyard with dramatic staircase backdrop, along with the newly renovated ballrooms and attached balconies.
The Ceremony:
The Don CeSar offers outdoor ceremony locations on the beach or in our Courtyard as well as indoors in our elegant, light-filled ballrooms. Our ceremony packages include the Event Space, an indoor weather backup location, White Folding Chairs, a Fruit-Infused Water Station, an Audio Package, and a Day-of Wedding Coordinator.
- $3,500 (plus Administrative charge and sales tax)
The Cocktail Hour:
Each of our reception locations has an included cocktail hour space which includes Cocktail Tables, Chairs, and House Linen in White, Black, or Navy as well as any food and beverage set up.
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- Included in reception food and Beverage minimum.
- $64/person average beverage cost.
The Reception:
The Don CeSar has a variety of recently renovated ballrooms to accommodate a variety of group sizes for the reception.
- Up to 250 guests
- Most wedding receptions are scheduled for 4 hours.
Included in the food and beverage minimum for your reception are tables, chairs, house linens in white, black, and navy blue as well as china, flatware, glassware, and all food/beverage service equipment. We also have table numbers and votive candles available upon request.
Savings Tip: Consider the months of January, July, August, and September for reduced food and beverage minimum and special menu offerings.
The Food & Drink:
The Don CeSar offers a wide variety of unique menus and can customize a menu just for your special event. Food and beverage minimum varies per ballroom; the range of $8,000-$38,000, with a $136/person average meal cost.
Meet the Sales Manager
Charles Kaval is the Director of Catering Sales at The Don CeSar. Working within the realm of the wedding world for over 25 years in several different locations along the East Coast, he truly enjoys taking the wedding vision from the bridal couple and creating that experience on their special night. He is a recent transplant from New York City and loves being part of this very vibrant and exciting city of St Petersburg.
Nicole Johnson has been working in hotels for 10 years and within the weddings realm for over 7 years along the East Coast. Nicole has earned a wealth of knowledge from a diverse background of geographic locations and cultural weddings. Nicole stumbled into hospitality in 2012 when she packed up her car and moved from Connecticut to Florida for a change of scenery. Since then, she hasn’t looked back and weddings quickly became her passion. She takes pride in making sure that every couple feels that their vision, wants and needs are being heard and communicated into the wedding of their dreams. Nicole is a big believer in ‘not one size fits all’ and understands that each wedding is a special event that is a unique love story and different from every other. When Nicole is not planning weddings, she spends her free time with her 2-year-old son, Greyson, and Russian Blue cat, Theodore. While you can normally find her salsa dancing or doing flips in the gym, she’s taking it easy these days with one on the way due in April 2022.
With over 9 years of experience with weddings, Kasey Bussell has a commitment and passion to helping guide couples in transforming the tropical wedding of their dreams into a reality. I began my career in Corporate Communications and Events, then the live entertainment industry for over 10 years, and found my true calling in weddings. I am recognized for being very detail-oriented, responsive, and calming for the pre-wedding nerves that undoubtedly arise, and have a passion for all things weddings. If you are looking for a team of professionals to ensure every detail is covered where the food and service are outstanding, a venue that is beautiful, historical, and iconic, and memories that last a lifetime, this is without a doubt the place for you!
The Don CeSar Hotel Reviews from Marry Me Tampa Bay Couples:
Marry Me Tampa Bay curates the below reviews from real couples whom we've personally interviewed. As Tampa Bay's most trusted wedding planning resource, these reviews are 100% accurate and aren't created by fake accounts.
Luxurious Blush and Purple St. Pete Beach Ballroom Wedding | The Don CeSar
I needed it to stand out to me. How can you miss the big pink building?!
I chose The Don Cesar because I felt like it was the most royal venue. We choose this location because we loved the ballroom with the open windows looking out to the beach, and we loved that it's a historic building. The catering manager was absolutely amazing, as well as the chef. I can't say enough great things about them! They really went above and beyond, and everything was literally perfect. They really made my vision come to life and suggested having cocktail hour by the beach pavilion because I wanted my out-of-town guests to be able to be by the beach.
Romantic Blush Pink St. Pete Beach Wedding | Don CeSar
Beauty and elegance. My parents got married at the Don CeSar, and it has always been my dream to get married there too! We loved the service so much; it was the perfect place for us! The dinner was so yummy.
Gold and Garnet St. Pete Beach Wedding | The Don CeSar
We wanted a beachy, laid-back, but slightly fancy atmosphere. We chose The Don CeSar because we have a second home nearby. We have also been there multiple times and loved the service and atmosphere.
Vibrant Boho St. Pete Beach Destination Wedding | The Don CeSar
I always knew that if I ever did get married one day, that I would get married at The Don CeSar. It is so special to my family and I, and has always held such a special place in my heart; it truly is my happy place and my favorite place on earth!
It is the resort my family and I have been going to every summer, even sometimes other times throughout the year, and my favorite place to go to. I have been taking my own daughter there since she was 6 months old. It is definitely a huge part of our family and I couldn't think of any other place I would have ever wanted to get married at. Charles, our main wedding contact at The Don CeSar, was phenomenal and made our day extra special with his genuine care for our wedding to be exactly how we dreamed it to be! I couldn't say enough good things about him!
Elegant Pink and Gold Rooftop Wedding | The Don CeSar
It was important to have a venue with indoor and outdoor space with timeless elegance. The idyllic 1920’s pink Don CeSar is synonymous with St. Pete Beach and spoke to the relaxed elegance we strive to encompass in our daily life. Its presence speaks volumes, and we knew that the architecture, decor, lush greens, and views of the water would be the perfect setting for our photos and our desired indoor and outdoor experience.
The North Terrace at The Don CeSar checked all of our boxes and then some. Plus, it had a spectacular view of a March sunset! Their service was impeccable from start to finish. It was important to us that our families could share an intimate dining experience; we come from traditional families that value conversation over the dining table, but haven't had the ability for our families to be in the same room, all at once! The wedding provided the perfect opportunity to finally join as one family. It was a really special moment for all of us. We still talk about the food and desserts, and our guests particularly loved the donuts made in-house!
Devin, our coordinator at the Don CeSar was on top of every email and made sure everything at the hotel was flawless. The food at the Don was impeccable and worth every penny ten times over. We still talk about our meals and desserts!
Romantic Blush Pink Courtyard Wedding | Feather Sound Country Club
We spent two nights at The Don CeSar! It’s local, and we didn’t want to think about anything besides enjoying one another on our wedding night. We drove there after the reception, and it was relaxing knowing we didn’t need to worry about packing bags or missing a flight the next day.
We spent a day relaxing in the room, on the beach, and in local restaurants. The next day we got our first couples massage and then drove down to Key West. We spent a week in the Keys.
