East Coast Bride? Beach Wedding with Real Sunset? Yes 

Anyone who lives on the east coast knows you can’t actually see the sun set over the ocean on this side of the country, which takes a bit of steam out of sunset weddings on the beach—unless you head south to the west coast of Florida or the Florida Keys and Key West. If your dream is a laid-back, yet passionate wedding alongside the sea at sunset, Key West —Jimmy Buffet’s “Margaritaville“—will make your dreams come true!

You can fly a small, private plane to the island. Otherwise you’ll travel by car from Miami, over a single road and bridges–including the spectacular Seven-Mile Bridge—that connect exotically named keys like Key Largo, Islamorada, Big Pine Island and Marathon to the last key in the chain. Key West is the southernmost point in the continental U.S., with tropical weather, lush vegetation, crystal blue water and white-sand beaches, amazing seafood, fascinating shops and more character than most coastal towns. Famed author Ernest Hemingway called Key West home, and you can actually have your wedding on the grounds of his island mansion. A great “walking” city, some real estate titles here date back to the Kings of Spain. When you stroll the palm-lined streets, you’ll find gingerbread mansions and tin-roof treasures. Bikes and mo-peds are also a great way to get around.

There are plenty of extraordinary accommodations on this tropical paradise. Everything from hotels, motels and resorts to charming bed-and-breakfasts, guest houses and vacation rentals are available. And don’t worry about entertaining your guests! That’s the easiest part of your wedding-weekend planning. Key West is a haven for fun in the sun—water sports (fishing, snorkeling, diving, boating, wave running,) cruises, airplane tours, a butterfly conservatory, the nightly sunset celebration at Mallory Square, vibrant boutiques and shops, sensational street life, restaurants with amazing ambience and mouth-watering menus. If you’re seriously ready to PARTY, the Key West bar scene—including Hemingway’s favorite, Sloppy Joe’s—will keep you rockin’ from 9AM until ?

And the sun sets exactly where, when and how you want it to!

~Susan