The Powel Crosley Estate, nestled on the shores of Sarasota Bay, is a historic wedding venue that combines 1920s Mediterranean architecture with picturesque waterfront views, creating a truly timeless Florida wedding backdrop. This private estate offers various outdoor locations, including a scenic Bayside lawn under sweeping banyan trees and a covered open-air space with stunning water views.

“The Powel Crosley Estate is a completely open canvas with multiple different layouts available. Not only does it give the best of both worlds by being waterfront without sand, but it also is one of the most gorgeous estates in Sarasota. You can have your ceremony face the estate, the water, or even utilize the Pavilion as a backdrop for draping and florals. The Pavilion is also a perfect spot for cocktail hour,” -Lauren Gertz, owner of MDP Events Planning, shares. “The lawn is a great size to tent, which is important for a rain plan, or amazing for an al fresco dining experience. I love to have couples make use of the inside of the estate by having guests enter through the main doors, dessert and cake cutting in the Library, welcome table in front of the main fireplace, and even add a photobooth in the one of the side rooms. An ultimate favorite of mine is the couple’s grand entrance, waving from the upstairs balcony and walking down the staircase out back to be announced into the Reception and dance on the terrace for the first time as newlyweds!”

“This is one of my favorite venues ever because aesthetically, it is just stunning. There are only a few venues in our area that look or feel Mediterranean, and you have the whole space to make it your own, so you can really create any vision that you want. I also love that you can use everywhere on-site; I love utilizing the space as much as I can. This is really great for creating different experiences in different areas,” Katy Martin owner of Coastal Coordinating reveals. “For example, have the ceremony down by the water, then the guests would move to the pavilion for a fun interactive cocktail hour, then have an outside reception with dancing on the patio. One of my most favorite things is hosting an after-party inside the main area. You definitely will have to add on hours to your package, but it is so much fun. This venue is super unique and has so much space to be used. It’s absolutely gorgeous.”

“Beyond its rich history and picturesque photo opportunities, Powel Crosley offers an exceptional onsite staff and customer-oriented catering vendors. Some of the most outstanding catering teams I’ve encountered have been affiliated with Powel Crosley” Ashley Johnson, owner of B Eventful adds.

“For couples desiring a sought-after date, month, or within peak wedding season, they should plan to book at least eighteen months in advance of their preferred wedding date. Prospective couples are required to apply for hosting their wedding at Powel Crosley. During periods of heightened demand, it is recommended that couples anticipate submitting their application promptly at midnight when availability for their desired wedding month becomes accessible. Important updates regarding application timelines and deadlines are regularly communicated via Powel Crosley’s social media at the end of each month. To increase the likelihood of securing their preferred date, couples are encouraged to provide multiple date options within their application.” -Ashley Johnson, B Eventful

“The Powel Crosley is different than most Sarasota wedding venues and has an auction system where they release dates at midnight, typically six months before the wedding month couples are interested in. All couples must email in and submit an inquiry form at midnight with their top favorite dates. They will then be contacted based on a first-come, first-serve basis to see which date they have been given from their preferences.” -Lauren Gertz, MDP Events Planning

“Most of our clients that have booked the Powel Crosley estate book at least a year out for prime dates. Most Fridays and Saturdays go very quickly, especially in the spring and fall. So, having an open date or day of the week is very helpful in getting your month of preference. I highly suggest booking at least one year out and being flexible on the date. I’ve had a few of my clients reach out at 12 months out, and every Saturday and Sunday has been booked, so they’ve ultimately gone with Fridays. Booking far in advance is helpful, and being flexible on the date is helpful as well.” -Katy Martin, Coastal Coordinating

“I would compare securing a date at this venue to the Hunger Games. ‘May the odds, forever be in your favor.’ They book a little over one year out, and on the first of each month at midnight, they release their dates for that month, and it is truly on a first-come, first-serve basis. The Powel has confirmed with us they receive hundreds of applications for dates at midnight. Myself, my assistant, my husband, the bride, and her family all stayed up once until midnight and submitted applications for a date for our couple to ensure they got the date they wanted. They luckily got the date, but we were all sweating waiting to hear the results!” -Amanda Biery, The Olive Tree Weddings

“Powel Crosley has curated a list of six quality catering teams you are permitted to select from. All these vendors have been vetted by the venue and have incredible knowledge about the venue. The catering selections are Mattison’s Catering, Michaels On East, Simply Gourmet, Milan Catering Pier 22, and Puff N Stuff. In addition, the venue required catering to coordinate and book all rentals.” -Ashley Johnson, B Eventful

“The Crosley has a specific list of caterers that are allowed to work on-site. They vary in terms of price for couples to be able to choose which fits best in their budget range. All caterers are fabulous to work with and have familiarity with the space to make the wedding day seamless and stress-free!” -Lauren Gertz, MDP Events Planning

“You have to use the catering companies for all rental items, so your average rental invoice is a little higher here because the catering companies are ordering rentals, and there is a markup on items for them to handle them. Linens, chairs, tables, furniture, lighting, tents, etc., are all handled by the caterer you choose. There is not much lighting outside when it gets dark, so you are almost forced to add on lighting. Another thing to think about is the guest count and rain plan for this venue. It can quickly get expensive here.” -Amanda Biery, The Olive Tree Weddings

“Powel Crosley is a really unique and amazing venue photography-wise. There are many options both inside and outside, so you’ll definitely want your photographer to be familiar with the property and to make note of any spaces that are important to you. The Ship room is very cool and an awesome place for photos with just the couple, and for the first look, lighting is very important in there because it does have windows and is all wood, so it does cast color tones. Since this property is on the water, sunset time is really important as it is really bright and the water is super reflective when the sun is high, but the golden hour there is amazing. One of my favorite things to photograph there is the first dance under the market lights after sunset.” -Carrie Wildes, Carrie Wildes Photography

“When preparing for your wedding at the Powel Crosley Estate, immerse yourselves in the vintage elegance and scenic beauty this venue offers. I suggest embracing the estate’s rich history and architectural charm to create a visual narrative that reflects the essence of your love story. There are so many great spots for portraits at this mansion. To elevate your photography experience, consider incorporating the estate’s elegant, timeless rooms, stunning lawn, and breathtaking bayfront views into your photo sessions. They even have a bayside dock for a boat! It’s important to consider the lighting conditions at different times of the day to plan your photo sessions accordingly, taking advantage of the golden hour for soft, flattering light. The sun sets on the backside of the mansion, so that is something to keep in mind when planning your ceremony start time.” -Amber Yonker, Amber Yonker Photography

“There are many different options inside and outside the venue for photography and videography to choose from. One of my favorite things about this venue is that you can have the couple in two completely different areas of the Crosley for photos and still have many options. I love to put the groom upstairs and bride downstairs so that the groom and his wedding party can use the Ship Room and upstairs balcony patio while the bride can use the downstairs outside and the bridal suite for getting ready. There are endless options, including add-on rooms like the Gwendolyn Room upstairs for another location idea.” Lauren Gertz, MDP Events Planning

“When coordinating the photography schedule and overall flow of your special day, I highly recommend aligning your plans with the timing of sunset. At Powel Crosley, breathtaking sunsets provide an enchanting backdrop that you and your guests will undoubtedly cherish in photographs. Coordinating your cocktail hour to coincide with this magical hour not only offers a splendid setting for capturing memorable moments but also enhances the ambiance for both you and your guests to enjoy.” -Ashley Johnson, B Eventful

“This venue is very close to an airport, so any drones need to have airspace request and access, or else they will lock your drone access and it will not work. Your photo/video team should be able to handle this, but having the heads up will be helpful!” -Amanda Biery, The Olive Tree Weddings

“In Florida, it’s imperative to be mindful of weather conditions, particularly during hurricane season and towards the end of spring. Couples are strongly advised to establish a strong contingency plan for rain, such as utilizing a tent or the indoor spaces of the estate. Furthermore, Powel Crosley is located by the water. The venue possesses stunning views but also experiences breezes that may be stronger than expected. Couples should factor in wind considerations when wearing veils and planning tabletop décor.” -Ashley Johnson, B Eventful

“On the day of the wedding, there’s a set amount of hours that you get for the venue rental. You will either need to add additional hours by purchasing them or start. Most hair and makeup services start around 8 a.m. or 9 a.m., and the rental usually starts at 11 a.m., depending on your ceremony start time and how you contract your hours. It’s not that expensive to add on the hours, so you could always do that, but logistically, you really need to think about your timeline and how hair and makeup can fit in with the hours in your contract. A lot of our clients get ready off-site, and the guys will then come into the groom’s room at entrance time, and the ladies will finish hair and makeup and then travel over a little later. They can do getting-ready photos and get in their dresses in the bridal suite. Depending on the day of the week that you have, most likely, the venue will be booked the day before, so your rehearsal time will be earlier in the morning the day before because that day’s wedding has access to the venue. Having an early rehearsal is honestly a fun and good thing. Everybody comes more relaxed and they have plenty of time to do a fun activity during the day or go to brunch. Then, they have time to truly get ready and relax before the rehearsal or welcome dinner. I actually suggest to everyone to do an earlier day rehearsal if possible.” -Katy Martin, Coastal Coordinating

“The venue contracts a certain amount of time for your event. If you would like to get ready on-site, you will need to add on the additional hours from when hair & makeup will start. It is important to note that if you do get ready on-site or want anything during pictures to drink, all alcohol must come through the caterer. Although the inside space is beautiful, it is not always large enough for all guests as a backup space. A rain plan is something very important to chat through with your caterer and planner. It can also be very windy at the Crosley, and we have had to move events inside because of it! Remember to chat with your caterer about rentals and tenting in the beginning to get a sense of the cost and additional hours needed to have the tent set up onsite. All rentals must go through your caterer when working at the Crosley, and there are fees that your caterer must apply from the venue on top of the full cost. The venue has some tables on-site; however, almost all rentals will be brought in for the wedding day through the caterer.” -Lauren Gertz, MDP Events Planning