Positioned on the Gulf Coast near Florida’s Big Bend, Honey Lake Plantation offers every amenity to even the most discerning couple.
Let a Model T usher you to your wedding ceremony and have a spectacular firework display culminate your entire wedding extravaganza. These are but a few of the exciting amenities that Honey Lake Plantation offers its brides and grooms.
While many couples must forego the opportunity to be married in a traditional church when they choose a destination wedding, Honey Lake Plantation offers brides and grooms a unique church built in the old southern style tradition. Honey Lake Church is adorned with a 56-foot steeple that houses a massive 800-pound bell that can be heard from over a mile away. Huge windows at the front of the church overlook the beautiful Honey Lake while towering 14-foot high antique stained glass windows, which are the oldest of their kind in the state of Florida, adorn both sides of the church and emit gorgeous rays of multi-colored light as the sun’s rays penetrate them. The church is a beautiful place to exchange vows and is a venue unparalleled by any other destination wedding on Florida’s Gulf Coast.
Whether it is an elaborate wedding with hundred
s of guests that you seek or a more intimate affair with a few close family members, Honey Lake Plantation can accommodate both or anything in between. With its plush outdoor settings such as the Gathering Hall’s Back Lawn, its more intimate sites like the Honey Lake Church Side Lawn, or even the church itself, this plantation has a locale for every wedding size. To ensure that your special day is perfect, Honey Lake Plantation’s team of wedding professionals will be at your disposal to make certain that your wedding day is as extraordinary as you have imagined it to be.
Begin your marriage with a bang! One of the most remarkable enhancements that a couple can include at the conclusion of their wedding is a fireworks display. Enjoy an evening under the stars as you view a spectacular show to culminate the day’s special events and the marriage of the bride and groom. The Plantation Bonfire is another way for guests to enjoy the evening after the wedding ceremony and reception have concluded. The bonfire includes a roaring fire and plenty of S’ mores to keep guests happy!
A
s a special gift to the newlyweds, the wedding party or guests can choose to “Dim the Lights on the Wedding Night”. This special wedding gift to the newlyweds occurs on the evening of the wedding after the nuptials and reception. It consists of the couple’s room being decorated with candles, white rose petals, chilled champagne, chocolate covered strawberries and chocolate truffles. This is a truly beautiful way to celebrate the couple’s first night as husband and wife.
There are several events that surround the wedding that the bride and groom can choose to partake. The Bridal High Tea Party celebrates the bride in an intimate setting in the White Ballroom with meticulously prepared food such the goat cheese-pecan finger sandwiches and baked scones. The bride can also enjoy a more
elaborate setting with the Bridal Luncheon where a three-course meal is served honoring the bride as her special day approaches. So as not to leave out the guys, there is a Guys Get-Together where Buffalo-style chicken wings are served with sandwiches, wraps and others snacks. The Guys Get-Together usually takes place in the Owl’s Nest Cigar Bar which is a unique screened lounge overlooking Honey Lake Plantation where guests can enjoy fine cigars and beverages alike.
Regardless of the size of your wedding party, Honey Lake Plantation serves the best a
nd freshest food. The focus is on both the satisfaction of the wedding party as well as the highest standards of creativity in the presentation of the food. The presentation includes selection of the menus, themes, flowers, linens and décor. Some popular favorites include the Buffalo chicken spring roll for hors d’oeuvres and the entrees boast two guest favorites: the seared diver scallops and the Gulf shrimp. All ingredients are of the finest quality and are either grown on the plantation or brought in fresh daily.
Honey Lake Plantation offers wedding parties and their guests a multitude of things to enjoy in addition to the wedding itself. From kayaking to horseback riding, this plantation resort has it all. Fine cuisine, spa services and a zero-entry pool will keep the most fastidious guests pampered while the more outdoor-loving guests can enjoy a sportsman’s paradise with hunting and fishing activities on this sprawling 4,700 acre estate.
Honey Lake Plantation is in a class all by itself. The century’s old gigantic oak trees, brilliantly colored azaleas, lofty pines, green lawns, and magnolias will create the most beautiful backdrop for a couple’s nuptials. From tradition to the most modern of conveniences, brides and grooms as well as their guests will enjoy this expansive estate and all it has to offer.
*This article and all its contents was published in the January/March 2014 issue of Gulf Coast Bride magazine.
