How to Choose Your Miami Wedding Venue

You’ve decided you want to tie the knot in South Florida. And why not? It’s a beautiful place, perfect for a celebration with your family and friends. But do a quick search for “Miami Wedding Venues” and you’ll see right away that there’s limitless options. How do you know the right one to choose? As one of Miami’s top wedding florists I’ve seen many of them, and I’m here to help! Here’s how to choose a venue that’s perfect for your style and budget in South Florida.

A stone courtyard filled with long farm tables at the Derring Estate, one of Miami’s most beautiful venues. Florals done by The Bride Candy, Miami’s best wedding florist.

Large or small?

The number one factor in choosing a wedding venue is to make sure that your guests fit comfortably. There’s hundreds of venues in South Florida, but only some can accommodate weddings of more than 150 guests. If you’re having a very large wedding it’s always best to hire a wedding planner, they will know the perfect venue for you. Or if you’d prefer to search on your own, good places to start are large outdoor venues such as Vizcaya, The Ancient Spanish Monastery, or Curtiss Mansion. 

You’ll have many more options with a smaller wedding, so your choice will likely come down to other factors than capacity. But don’t wait too long! Remember that there’s a backlog of couples looking to get married after the freeze of 2020, so if you find a favorite venue you should jump on booking it right away!

A bride and her bridesmaids smiling on a South Florida beach. Dried and preserved bohemian bouquets by The Bride Candy, Miami’s top wedding florist.

Are you a beach bride?

Maybe you’ve always dreamed of getting married with your toes in the sand, with the sun and the sea as your backdrop. That’s definitely possible in South Florida! We have many beach venues to choose from, most of which are hotels. That’s not a bad thing: beach weddings are logistically difficult and hotels will manage much of it for you. Some of our favorites are National Hotel, The Palms Hotel and Spa, The Confidante, and The Edition Miami Beach. 


One thing to remember is that Miami Beach is a public beach. So there’s no way of making sure your ceremony on the sand is 100% private. If you’re looking for fully private beach ceremony options there are a few resorts in the Upper Florida Keys that you might consider such as Baker’s Cay, Playa Largo, and Pierre's Restaurant at Morada Bay.

Worried about blowing your budget?

You’re not alone. The number one question I get from my couples is how they can stretch their budget a little further. Making the right venue choice is important here: many venues provide just the event space. If budget is a concern, look at venues that come with other services like day-of-coordination, basic furniture rentals, and included food and beverage. Or if you prefer to source those services on your own, it’s usually best to look at venues a little further from the city center to save some dough. Consider looking at venues around Homestead, FL or the Redlands, about a 45 minute drive from South Beach. 

A view of the cloisters from the gardens of the Ancient Spanish Monastery in Miami. This venue provides both outdoor and covered options for weddings, making it a good choice for bad weather. It’s also the venue where The Bride Candy chose to get ma…

What about the weather?

We may be in the Sunshine State but anyone who has spent time in Miami will tell you that it rains A LOT. Mid-May to mid-October is our rainy season, and you can count on frequent afternoon and early evening thunderstorms. That makes outdoor summer weddings difficult here (but not impossible). If you’re considering a summer wedding, look for a venue that has a rain plan or that allows you to bring in a large tent. And if you do decide to tent your wedding, you’ll need a tent with sidewalls. There’s nothing worse than rain blowing into a tent in the middle of a reception. Or just avoid an outdoor wedding entirely to take the stress out of planning around weather.

Gorgeous tablescape of white and pink tropical florals and greenery with gold-rimmed glass goblets and flatware on wooden farm tables in an outdoor Miami courtyard. The flowers are done by The Bride Candy, Miami’s luxury wedding florist.

When your wedding is a destination

Let’s face it, Miami is a popular destination for just about everybody. If most (or all) of your wedding guests are flying into town, it makes sense to look at venues that are easy to get to. Make sure to choose one that’s close to the city center so your guests don’t have far to travel (Miami Beach, City of Miami, Coconut Grove, and Coral Gables are central). Or go for one stop shopping by choosing a hotel for your destination wedding, it’s so much easier to have all your festivities in one spot. Some of our favorites for destination weddings include:

A bride and groom and their wedding party walk toward the camera in a shady pine grove in Florida. The Bride and bridesmaids are holding bouquets of eucalyptus and white flowers done by The Bride Candy, Miami’s best wedding floral designer.

Making it count

It’s a big choice to make, but choosing the right venue will make sure that the rest of your Miami wedding planning goes smoothly. And of course it’s important to choose a vendor team that has worked in your venues before and knows how to make it shine. We’ve made hundreds of couples' wedding dreams come true. Get in touch today to learn how we can help you tell your love story with flowers.