Best Places in Orlando to Get Married

Orlando , Expert View Column
A woman in a wedding dress standing in front of a large window at the top of a grand staircase
By AttractionTickets.com’s Florida Experts, Susan and Simon Veness
The Sunshine State is simply brilliant for weddings, and there is an amazing array of venues on offer.

The state of Virginia has trademarked the slogan ‘Virginia is for lovers,’ but it could easily be something that Florida could also lay claim to. We don’t know the actual figures, but it often feels like there are more weddings in the Sunshine State than anywhere else in the world.

It’s a winning combination, of course. With picturesque places like Lovers Key and Honeymoon Island, Florida is just a natural place to tie the knot, and provide the right ambience both before and after the ceremony. It also seemed a natural follow-up to AttractionTickets.com’s blog on 10 great places to propose in January.

Just to start with, there is a dazzling array of venues, from the blissful beaches and scenic gardens to unusual ideas like sky-diving or scuba-diving, all the way up to the epic fantasy of a Walt Disney World wedding at their grand Wedding Pavilion. Florida is also superbly endowed with all the necessary services for a memorable ceremony, from flower arrangers and musicians to cake-makers and caterers. You will be positively spoiled for choice for wedding gowns and suits, hairdressers and makeup artists.

 

A bride and groom kissing each other while standing underneath a large tree

 

The other key element of getting wed, Florida-style, is that it suits all budgets. You can certainly pay $10,000-plus for that Disney flourish – complete with Cinderella’s Carriage – but a basic wedding licence costs just $93.50, and you can get a local notary to perform the ceremony – the equivalent of a British registry office – for as little as $30.

You just need to apply at the tax offices of any of Osceola, Polk, Lake or Orange counties, pay the $93.50 fee, and then you are free to stage the ceremony anywhere in the state. There is no waiting period for overseas visitors once you have the license.

The addresses for the four offices are as follows:

  • Osceola County: 2 Courthouse Square, Kissimmee, FL 34741, tel. 407 742 3500
  • Polk County: 3425 Lake Alfred Road, Winter Haven, FL 33881-1492, tel. 863 534 4000
  • Lake County: 290 Citrus Tower Blvd., Suite 116, Clermont, FL 34711, tel. 352 253 4589
  • Orange County: 425 N. Orange Ave., Suite 350, Orlando, FL 32801, tel. 407 836 2000

You must make an appointment online in advance, and both applicants must be 18 or older, apply in person and bring a valid passport. In most cases, offices are open from 7:30 or 8am to 4pm Mon-Fri. For the ultimate convenience, each county office can usually provide a clerk to marry you there and then. For those looking for a same-sex wedding, Orlando is fully in step with the federal Supreme Court ruling in January 2015 that legalized same-gender marriages.

Oh, and do remember that Florida is hot in the summer. Make that HOT. If you opt for an outdoor occasion, try to make it a morning one, or risk melting before you get to say “I do!”

Once you have your license, the key question is WHERE to get married.

 

Beach Weddings

In many cases, this is a bewildering choice as the options are truly extensive. There is a super-abundance of scenic natural backdrops, especially along both coasts, where swaying palms and pure-white sands are a given.

On the Atlantic Coast, early-morning weddings are popular, as they offer the rising sun as the ideal backdrop, while the Gulf Coast features gorgeous sunsets to give your photographs that glorious, picture-perfect glow.

For beach weddings, you definitely need to arrange all the necessary permitting and seating, etc, in advance, and working with a local company is essential here. Many beachfront hotels also provide wedding coordinators, so it pays to shop around online. You can also look up a beach-specific specialist like FloridaBeachWeddings.com.

 

A bride and groom standing on a beach at sunset in front of a floral wedding arch

 

Orlando Attraction Venues

Of course, many of Orlando’s theme parks and other attractions offer up novel venues for that Something Different wedding occasion and, if you have a favourite place somewhere like International Drive, it is possible you can arrange for that to be your go-to choice, too.

Among the many popular choices for a truly special occasion are the following collection of attractions that all feature their unique style:

 

A bride holding her bouquet in the air with her arm around her groom. They are posing in front of the Hard Rock Cafe sign

 

Private Settings

When you’re looking for a location that features a private hideaway to set the seal on your perfect day, the Orlando area also boasts some utterly beautiful houses and gardens that you won’t find in many tourist brochures. These include:

 

A groom dipping his bride over his knee. They are posing in front of a white American country house.

 

Hotels & More

In addition to the attractions and special event venues, there is a dazzling line-up of eye-catching hotels and even golf courses that all offer wedding services that fit right in with the exciting Orlando vibe.

Distinctive hotels that all feature memorable backdrops include the magnificent Gaylord Palms Resort in Kissimmee, the gorgeous, art-centric Alfond Inn in Winter Park, and the chic Castle Hotel on Universal Boulevard, while for golf courses, it’s hard to beat the exclusive confines of Isleworth Country Club.

Other excellent choices include the Grande Lakes Resort, The Waldorf Astoria, the Wyndham Orlando Resort (on International Drive), and the B Resort & Spa close to Disney Springs, as well as the distinguished Arnold Palmer Bay Hill Golf Club & Lodge.

In downtown Orlando, you can even hire the iconic Orange County Regional History Center, the Orlando Museum of Art, the Dr Phillips Center for the Performing Arts or the artsy Grand Bohemian Hotel. The choice really is astounding! You can also look up more choice from the Visit Orlando website here: www.visitorlando.com/plan/weddings.

 

A bride and groom next to their bridesmaids and groomsmen getting married in front of a large oval-shaped piece of art

 

A Disney Fairytale Wedding

Of course, it’s hard to overlook the true magic and charm of a Disney wedding. Here, the purpose-designed and secluded Disney’s Wedding Pavilion provides a genuine fairytale setting, on the shore of Seven Seas Lagoon, with views across to the Magic Kingdom. This dazzling location has just about everything you could possibly want in a wedding venue, with graceful spires, arched windows, vaulted ceilings and beautifully landscaped grounds. Throw in an array of additional touches, like themed entertainers or even a visit from Mickey himself, and you have the recipe for an unforgettable experience.

The Wedding Pavilion can accommodate up to 250 guests (!), but there are also several dozen more locations around Walt Disney World that can all be had, for a price, including Crescent Cove Beach in front of the Yacht and Beach Club Resorts, the Place de Remy at EPCOT, on a Disney Cruise Line ship and even in front of the Tree of Life at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park.

 

Rows of benches and a floral wedding arch in front of a facade of Paris at dawn

 

If you’re looking for a one-stop shop for all your wedding needs and requirements, be sure to look up Orlando-based and British-owned Get Married in Florida for an excellent bespoke service that specialises in ceremonies for international visitors, with all-inclusive prices from $850.

Have you ever seen or even attended an Orlando wedding? Tell us about it on the friendly AttractionTickets.com Community Facebook page, on Twitter or Instagram.

Orlando , Expert View Column