Location

Where are the Florida Keys?
The Florida Keys are off the Southern Coast of the United States. They are an island-chain of up 1,700 islands, spanning a total land area of 220 square kilometers. The islands begin at about 24 kilometers off Miami’s coast.

How Long is the flight to the Florida Keys?

The flight between London, United Kingdom, and Key West is about 13 hours and 20 minutes, but there would need to be a flight change in the United States. The flight between New York City and Key West is 3 hours and 25 minutes, and the flight between Los Angeles and Key West is about 6 hours and 30 minutes.

Highlights

What are the Florida Keys famous for?

The Florida Keys are a mixture of world-class diving, boating, fishing, and tropical paradise. They offer visitors the ultimate taste of Florida’s tropical beauty and entertain people of all ages. Also, some of the islands offer superb nightlife, but some of the islands provide pure relaxation – there is something for everyone!

Key West

Key West is a popular wedding destination because it offers a mixture of beaches, tropical coastline, and even excellent partying opportunities. The island showcases a lot of Spanish colonial architecture, making it a romantic destination.

A popular wedding resort is the Havana Cabana Resort because it offers a Cuban-style design, with an array of luxury facilities making it the perfect wedding resort. If you’re looking for a destination wedding in Key West – there are so many options on this island.

Key Largo

Key Largo is the ultimate tropical paradise. It offers an excellent secluded paradise, world-class scuba diving, and luxurious resorts. Visitors love the spa treatments, fine dining, sparkling pools, and the incredible sunsets over the Gulf of Mexico.

A popular wedding resort in Key Largo is The Sands & Tiki at Zen Beach because it offers a private beach, houses up to 150 guests, and has various luxurious amenities.

Weather and climate

The Florida Keys are a set of islands based in the tropics that offer an all-round yearly tropical climate. Although, The Florida Keys gets cooler during the winter months – the summer temperatures routinely get up to 99 Fahrenheit (33 Celsius) daily.

Culture and etiquette

The Florida Keys offer a relaxed and artistic culture, where many famous creatives visit and live. To match the artistic culture of the islands, the Florida Keys are home to over 50 galleries. For centuries, the islands have been home to poets, artists, and political pundits who have impacted the culture. Ernest Hemmingway frequented the Florida Keys, as did singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffet.

The islands also offer a mixture of Hispanic culture because of the proximity to Cuba and Mexico.

Food & Drink

The Florida Keys offer a mixture of international cuisine, and Mexican style cuisine is very prominent on the islands. Visitors tend to love the fresh fish and seafood offered in the restaurants and markets, including the famous Key West pink shrimp dish. Another popular delicacy is stone crabs, which you’ll only find in Florida.

Cost of wedding Florida Keys

Is it expensive to get married in the Florida Keys?
The average cost to get married in the Florida Keys varies, depending on the number of people and the resort standards. The average Florida Keys wedding is between $15,000 and $30,000 dollars, but there are budget destination wedding Key West packages under $5,000.

Legal requirements for marrying in the Florida Keys

Getting married in Florida is not a complicated process. You must get the State of Florida Marriage License. However, if you’re a Florida resident, there must be a three-day waiting period between the application and the marriage license starting. If you’re a non-Florida resident – this does not apply.

How to get your permit to marry in the Florida Keys

You must apply for a marriage license at a nearby Clerk of the Circuit Court. When you pick-up your marriage license at the local government office, couples must bring valid government I.D. Divorced applicants must provide the divorce certificate of their former marriage. Once you have the Florida license, you have 60 days to get married.

All couples getting married in Florida must read the state-published book -  “Family Law Handbook,” and you can find this in various places online. Here is a link to the Family Law Handbook.

The Official Visit Florida website has a detailed guide on the legal requirements to get married in the Florida Keys.

Regions in the Florida Keys

The Florida Keys are home to four main islands: Key Largo, Marathon, Key West, and Islamorada.