That is really up to what you want out of the weekend! I would recommend renting a car either way to get the most out of visiting beautiful Sarasota, but might not be necessary if you stay in a hotel downtown and are mainly just attending the wedding + reception. While it will probably be too cold to swim or lay out at the beach, if you like beach walks, beautiful sunsets, want to explore the little beachy village of Siesta Key and are maybe traveling with a group or staying a little longer then I'd recommend staying in a condo on Siesta Key! If you are making a quicker trip just for the wedding or if you want to explore the city art galleries, restaurants, bay views, rooftop bars, and shops downtown then I'd go for downtown! The beaches are about a 10-15 min drive from the hotels (Lido or Siesta Key) so you will have access to the beach if you rent a car or if your hotel has a beach shuttle! There is SO much to do in the area, you really can't go wrong either way!
Please see the travel section of the website for in depth flight, hotel, and condo rental answers!! Sarasota-Bradenton is the closest. Tampa International is a little over an hour away, but can be cheaper sometimes depending on your preferred airline.
We will have trolleys picking people up from the hotel blocks downtown as well as Siesta Key locations and dropping off at the ceremony at St. Mary Star of the Sea Church. Then after the ceremony, they will be able to take people from the church to the reception at the Ritz-Carlton! They will run throughout the night back to the hotel blocks and select Siesta Key locations!
Ceremony at St. Mary Star of the Sea Church: free on-site parking lot. Reception at Ritz-Carlton: complimentary valet parking.
7:45-8:45 pm = Cocktail hour with hor d'oeuvres 8:45/9 pm = Dinner - will RSVP to provide meal choice selection
That is the plan. Will update when transportation is booked.
Formal attire! Black-tie optional.
Yes, on Saturday we want to gather at the beach if you are able!
The short answer is that we are having an adult and family only reception! We absolutely would love the kiddos to come to the wedding ceremony if parents want to bring them along, however the reception will be adult and family only because it will be such a late night. It was important to us to have all of our adult friends and family enjoy the night and be able to be present from start to finish! We understand that this could pose difficulties for some families that are coming from out of town, so please feel free to contact Elite Family Care at 941.556.1117. They are a very reputable babysitting service in Sarasota if you need someone to watch your children.