We shot a wedding at Cheeca Lodge where the clear-top reception tent lit up right at the water’s edge, and by the time dinner service started you could see the waves moving through the tent walls under the moon. That’s the kind of detail you only get at a handful of venues in Florida — and it’s a big part of why Cheeca Lodge keeps showing up on our list of favorite Islamorada properties to shoot.
Kelly and Mike were behind the cameras for that one, a tropical, color-forward wedding for a couple who wanted the water to do most of the talking. As a luxury wedding photographer team based in the Tampa Bay area, we don’t get out to the Keys every week, but when a couple books Cheeca Lodge, we know exactly what kind of day to plan for.
This guide is built from that experience — real notes on light, layout, and logistics, not a repackaged version of the resort’s own marketing.
Venue rental alone typically runs $7,500–$10,000 for a 5-hour reception, not including catering, florals, or other vendors. Most couples land well above that once food and beverage minimums are factored in. On the wedding we shot, the couple used the site fee’s included chairs, linens, and tables as a starting point, then built up from there with an outside floral team for a fully custom look.
The Islamorada Ballroom accommodates up to 1,500 guests for a reception, while smaller spaces like South Beach and Spa Island cap out around 120. Most weddings we’ve seen booked here land in the 80–150 guest range, using one of the mid-sized spaces rather than the full ballroom.
Yes. Cheeca Lodge has multiple indoor ballroom spaces that can absorb a full ceremony and reception if weather turns, so an outdoor booking isn’t a gamble. We always ask the venue coordinator to confirm the specific backup room during the planning call, since it varies by which outdoor space you originally booked.
The private beach at golden hour and the dock leading out over the water are our two go-to spots, with the palm-lined walking paths as a strong backup when the light gets harsh at midday. On our shoot, we used the last 30 minutes before sunset for portraits on the beach — the light off the water did most of the work for us.
Couples typically use one of the beachfront bungalow suites for hair and makeup, which gives natural window light and a private balcony for first-look moments. We noticed the bungalow rooms run small for a full bridal party plus photo/video, so we recommend confirming room size against your getting-ready headcount ahead of time.
Cheeca Lodge has on-site guest parking and valet service, and because it’s also a hotel with 243 rooms, many guests simply stay on property and walk to the ceremony. That on-site lodging is one of the biggest logistical wins of this venue — it collapses the usual multi-location wedding-day timeline into a few short walks.
Cheeca Lodge handles catering in-house as part of its full-service event planning, so outside catering generally isn’t an option. Florals, bands, and photography are open to outside vendors — which is how we ended up shooting there in the first place.
Late fall through spring (November–April) offers the most reliable weather for an outdoor ceremony, avoiding the Keys’ hurricane season. We’d still build a rain-backup conversation into any summer booking here, just given how quickly afternoon storms roll in off the water.
Yes — some reception spaces have set end times, with Spa Island events wrapping by 9:00 PM while spaces like the Bougainvillea Ballroom run later, until 1:00 AM. If a late-night reception matters to you, confirm the specific space’s curfew before you book, since it varies significantly across the property.
Cheeca Lodge sits roughly 90 minutes south of Miami and about 20 minutes south of Key Largo, making it a manageable drive for most Florida-based guests. Out-of-town guests typically fly into Miami and rent a car for the scenic drive down the Overseas Highway.
Yes — it’s one of our favorite venues in the Keys. Water on nearly every side, a golden-hour view built right in, and enough variety on the property to cover a ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception without photos ever feeling repetitive.
The single biggest advantage at Cheeca Lodge is the light off the water — it’s soft, it bounces, and it flatters people in a way indoor ballroom lighting never will. We build the timeline around getting the couple outside right as the sun starts to drop, which usually means holding portraits until after cocktail hour starts rather than rushing them in earlier for the sake of the schedule. Our favorite unadvertised detail on the property is the clear-top tent option for receptions — with the sides open and the water lit up behind the dance floor, it photographs like nothing else we shoot in Tampa Bay or Sarasota. The logistical tip most couples don’t think to ask about: because so many guests stay on-site, you can build a more relaxed morning-of timeline than you would at a venue where everyone’s driving in.
Want to see what a Cheeca Lodge wedding actually looks like through our lens? Click here to see Lindsay + Jay’s stunning wedding.
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