Weddings

You’ve arrived in a nautical paradise, and you’ll feel it when you check into your newly renovated two-bedroom suite, where the decor evokes a luxury yacht: polished woods, gleaming white marble and pops of classic navy. Take a moment to yourselves, pausing to enjoy the view from your private balcony with a glass of Champagne.

Next, you’re off for a romantic Northern Italian dinner at the resort’s Portofino Ristorante & Bar. While you’re in the Marina Village, stroll the waterfront hand-in-hand at the Longboat Key Club Moorings, the largest resort marina on Florida’s west coast.

Today is all about rest and relaxation — and anticipation! Begin your relaxing resort day with a Sunrise Power Bowl, avocado toast or vanilla-scented Belgian waffles at Latitudes, which overlooks the pool deck and the beach. Take a swim in the beachfront pool, and then head to the spa for some serious island-inspired pampering. With 10 treatment rooms and two relaxation rooms, the spa boasts ample space for R&R.

After a brief ceremony rehearsal, welcome your guests in true Longboat Key style: a beachside barbecue complete with firepits, s’mores stations and twinkling lights. (If you’d prefer an elegant indoor affair, consider hosting your guests in the Island House, located next to the resort’s lush golf courses.). Either way, end with a nightcap at The Tavern & Whiskey Bar, where you’ll find more than 100 types of whiskey from around the world.

It’s finally here! And so are nerves. Not to worry — there are plenty of ways for you and yours to keep yourselves occupied until the Big Moment comes. Feeling sporty? Take advantage of the resort’s 45 holes of championship golf with sweeping views of the bay and the Gulf, or challenge your wedding party to a friendly tennis or pickleball tourney. Feeling beachy? Head to your private cabana for a morning of waterside lounging, or try waterfront yoga, tai chi or even a heart-pumping “bootcamp” class in the sand. Then it’s back to your suite to spoil yourself and your maids with in-room hair and makeup sessions.

It’s time for a moment that you’ll want to last forever: the moment you first see your beloved before your happily forever after. Steal away to the South Beach boardwalk, the banyan trees behind Harbourside or the mangroves overlooking the bay. After sharing this moment alone together, say your vows in front of your nearest and dearest next to the lapping ocean waves. Your guests will linger with their toes in the sand for an elegant cocktail hour, and then will watch as the Sarasota sky alights in washes of pinks and flames of oranges as the sun sinks below the horizon.

After the sun has set, the party can begin. Join your guests for a coastal-inspired dinner and a night of dancing on the Harbourside Lawn, or in the adjacent Harbourside Ballroom. Toast to your forever, and to the fact that the magic started in your own piece of paradise.

The nautical-inspired John Ringling Room — right off the resort’s lobby — is the perfect place to end the perfect weekend. Give your guests a proper goodbye with a luxurious brunch — beckon them with a Belgian waffle bar with fresh strawberries, whipped cream, pecans, bananas foster, cognac-maple syrup and other delicacies. After reliving the magical moments you’ve spent together, make new memories together exploring nearby Sarasota.

Just because the wedding is over doesn’t mean you need to stop celebrating. Extend your stay in Longboat Key and spend your first few days as spouses taking advantage of all that the area has to offer: sunset cruises, world-class fishing, guided kayak tours, orchestra performances, art galleries, fine dining and more. Or just think of the resort as your refuge: the perfect place to unwind before heading home — and then on to forever.