How to Plan an Eco-Friendly Florida Wedding

By Kellilynn Hann                                                                                                                   

If you care about the planet, you’re probably asking yourself if there are ways to minimize the impact your wedding will have on the environment. Are there any eco-friendly venues? Can I find who uses local, organic ingredients? Is there a way my wedding can help animals, support small businesses or aid charity organizations?

The answer to all these questions is YES. From luxury resorts that are part of the Florida Green Lodging Program to glamping in the Everglades, here are some Florida businesses that will let you plan an eco-friendly wedding without sacrificing your vision of a beautiful celebration.

Miami & Fort Lauderdale

Venues

The Palms Hotel & Spa in Miami Beach is Beyond Green certified, meaning it adheres to rigorous, globally recognized sustainable tourism standards set by the United Nations. The Palms has also been awarded a Silver Level TripAdvisor Green Leader award and the Sustainable South Florida Award in the Green Practices category by the Miami Chamber of Commerce. The resort offers several venues, from the beach to tropical gardens and even a spectacular colonial verandah. The hotel also has a farm-to-table restaurant and environmentally friendly spa.
Listed as one of the top 10 eco-friendly hotels in the U.S. in 2023, 1 Hotel South Beach is a beachfront resort that offers Certified Sustainable Gathering wedding packages to ensure every part of your big day is as eco-friendly as possible. They’ll pair you with eco-minded vendors, plan a farm-to-table, low-emissions menu, keep waste to a minimum, and much more.

The Miami Beach EDITION is a luxury boutique hotel committed to sustainable practices. Proof that a resort can be both incredibly elegant and eco-friendly, EDITION is LEED certified “green building” that’s energy efficient, reduces water use, and protects nearby ecosystems with responsible practices. Mandarin Oriental is also LEED certified.

If you want to take advantage of the tropical plants that flourish in southern Florida, consider a wedding at Mounts Botanical Garden, Secret Gardens, Miami Beach Botanical Garden, Flamingo Gardens, Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden, Vizcaya Museum & Gardens, or one of the gorgeous Miami State Parks. You can also have a very memorable wedding at the Miami Seaquarium. Or opt for Villa Toscana Miami, promising a Tuscan-inspired, luxurious wedding venue and botanical garden. Encompassing 4 ½ lush acres, it’s made up of a tapestry of unique areas that include an Outdoor Garden, a Grand Venetian Laguna, a Piscina Pool Terrace and many more, inspired by themes like Wynwood Street Art and Alice in Wonderland.

Catering & More

Delicious, locally sourced food is not hard to find in sunny southern Florida, which makes farm-to-table menus easy to find. Eggwhites Catering plans a menu based on what’s in season and your preferences, including organic, vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free. Joy Wallace implements green initiatives such as energy efficiency and company-wide recycling. They also give back to the community by catering food during disasters.

In Pompano Beach, Peacock’s Pantry Boutique Catering, an award-winning farm-to-table caterer specializing in locally sourced ingredients. In addition to a commitment to green initiatives, they donate unused food to a local homeless shelter. Folklore Culinary sources sustainable food, reduces energy use, and is working toward being a completely zero-waste business.

Lia Terni is a Miami-based wedding jewelry designer who uses recycled and eco-friendly ECO GOLD, which is extracted without mercury or cyanide.

The Everglades & The Florida Keys

Venues

The natural beauty of the Everglades and Keys is the perfect stage for an outdoor wedding. In the Everglades, go to Flamingo Adventures in Everglades National Park where you can have a close-to-nature yet comfortable experience in safari-style glamping tents. Rent a houseboat for a romantic honeymoon on the water.

In the Keys, pure white sand and turquoise waters make Bahia Honda State Park a favorite for beach weddings. Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park also boasts three picture-perfect beach venues. Hold your reception in the historic fortress among the elegant brick archways, then dance in the courtyard under the stars. Prefer lush tropical plants as your backdrop? Try The Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden.

Baker’s Cay Resort in Key Largo is at the forefront of the eco-friendly movement, with over a dozen green initiatives that tackle everything from reducing waste to dolphin emergency response. They’ve completely eliminated single-use plastics, partnered with eco-friendly suppliers, and even offer environmental education. See a full list of their amazing efforts here.

In Key West, Casa Marina makes great effort to conserve water and energy and partners with conservation groups and environmentalists to protect the local ecosystem. The onsite restaurant uses local, organic produce and sustainable seafood.

These Florida Green Lodging Program designated resorts are also great locations for your dream wedding: The Marker Key West Harbor Resort, Southernmost Beach Resort, La Siesta Resort & Villas, Amara Cay Resort, Reefhouse Resort & Marina, and Old Town Manor.

Catering & More

Family-owned and operated in Key Largo for over 20 years, Key Largo Conch House sources ingredients from local farms and markets. In Islamorada, the Green Turtle Inn and Kayio Grill offers off-site catering showcasing the best flavors from land and sea by using seasonal, local ingredients. 

Great Events in Key West features sustainable, organic food and a full range of special diet menus including vegan, vegetarian, celiac-friendly, and low calorie. Just ask, they’ll create a menu around your dietary needs.

Need rings, bridal party gifts or even a crown? Neptune Designs is not only a small, family-run jeweler, it’s the longest continually operated business on historic Duval Street.

Naples

Venues

Thanks to its signature blend of breathtaking nature and top-tier accommodations, Naples is an amazing choice for a glamorous wedding that’s also eco-friendly.

La Playa Beach & Golf Resort is an eco-centered luxury resort that’s certified as a Green Business by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Their commitment to the environment includes using earth-friendly cleaning supplies, low VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) flooring, sealants, paints and adhesives, reducing plastic waste, conserving water, and much more.

Located on 23 acres near a mangrove sanctuary in the Everglades, Naples Grande Beach Resort is deeply committed to protecting the indigenous Florida ecosystem. As partners with The Everglades Foundation, they use eco-certified cleaning products and take action to conserve water and energy. Learn more here.

Other area resorts recognized by the Florida Green Lodging Program include Ritz-Carlton Naples, Ritz-Carlton Naples Tiburón, Hilton Naples, and Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa in Bonita Springs.

Catering & More

Cooked on the grill at your venue, Sullivan’s Catering & BBQ embraces southern hospitality and flavors by making every effort to source ingredients from local farms and small, family-owned businesses.

Seed to Table gets their produce from their nearby 3,500-acre farm. While primarily a farm market, they cater small and large events. If full-service catering isn’t on your menu, you can pick up prepared foods curbside.

Jardin Floral Design is an eco-friendly florist that minimizes waste, supports responsible farming, and gives back to the community.

Tampa & Clearwater Beach

Venues

Show your love for each other and for animals with a ceremony and reception in ZooTampa at Lowry Park or The Florida Aquarium. While celebrating, enjoy animal experiences, catering, and the knowledge that your wedding will support animal conservation. The Humane Society of Tampa Bay also has several lovely wedding venues-- adoptable pets can be included in your event, and 100% of the venue fee goes to rescue animals.
Florida Green Lodging hotels nearby include Barrymore Hotel Tampa Riverwalk, Renaissance Tampa International Plaza, The Westin Tampa Waterside, and Hilton Garden Inn, which has six locations in the Tampa area.

In Clearwater Beach, Sandpearl Resort takes conservation so seriously, they have a designated Recycling Steward who opens every bag of garbage to separate out recyclables. In addition to water and energy saving technologies, the resort uses green cleaning products, and unused shampoo and soap is donated to Clean the World.  Learn more about Sanpearl’s efforts here.

Other Clearwater Beach resorts minimizing their environmental impacts are Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach Resort and Spa and Sheraton Sand Key Resort.  

Catering & More

Fat Beet Farm is a closed-loop coastal farm that produces fish, vegetables, honey and microgreens for their restaurants. Food waste is then fed into their biodigester to create organic fertilizers for the next growing season. Supporting them does so much more to protect and conserve the environment; learn more here.

Naked Farmer is also on a mission to support sustainable practices; they do this by partnering with small and medium local farms to ensure the vegetables and meats in your meal are fresh and ethically produced.

For more casual outdoor weddings, you can’t go wrong with a food truck. In addition to offering healthy and colorful Sustain-a-Bowls, 360 Eats is zero waste and 100% of proceeds from your event go to programs designed to end hunger and food waste in the Tampa Bay region.

William’s Wildflowers is an eco-friendly florist in Sarasota offering sustainably and locally grown floral arrangements featuring Florida native plants and wildflowers.

Pensacola & Destin

Venues

Considering the famous sugar white sand found on Florida’s Emerald Coast, it’s no surprise that Pensacola Beach is a destination wedding hot spot. The Portofino Island Resort, located within the Gulf Islands National Seashore, was built to minimize environmental impact, with 64 percent of the 28-acre resort left undeveloped. Another eco-friendly hotel in Pensacola Beach is the Hilton, a designated Florida Green Lodging resort with everything you need for your special day in one easy package.

Gorgeous State parks that are popular for weddings are Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park, Henderson Beach State Park, Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park, and Eden Gardens State Park, which has a 600-year-old oak tree draped in Spanish moss and hundreds of camelias and azaleas that explode with color in the cooler months.

If you’d like a sea-themed wedding, consider the Gulfaruim Marine Adventure Park. The park offers several wedding venue rentals to support their research and conservation efforts, including their Living Sea Aquarium Room where one entire wall is an aquarium.

Catering & More

Family owned and operated, Grayson Bay Oyster Company is a tide-to-table oyster farm in Pensacola Bay that uses sustainable aquaculture methods. The farm also improves water quality and acts as a natural nursery for young fish and crabs.

Classic City Catering in downtown Pensacola works with a local gardener to cultivate heirloom vegetables to use in their cuisine, including the wild, native Florida Everglades Tomato. It’s a great way to enjoy locally-grown produce and get a taste of history. Rare seeds are donated to Seed Savers, a non-profit seed bank.

If you’re in Destin, consider a day trip to Southern Grace Lavender Farm. Family owned and dedicated to organic practices, it’s an eco-friendly choice for bridal party gifts and wedding favors.

Amelia Island, Jacksonville & St. Augustine

Venues

The Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island is a gorgeous beachside resort that reduces energy and water use, utilizes environmentally safe cleaning products, promotes recycling, and offers organic local food and sustainable seafood options. You can also arrange an Impact Experience to plant grasses for dune preservation or work with the hotel’s culinary team to prepare ingredients for a local hunger relief organization.

Another environmentally responsible luxury resort on Amelia Island is Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa, located on the grounds of TPC Sawgrass, home of the Player’s Championship. You can learn more about the Marriott’s commitment to sustainability here.

In Jacksonville, Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront is a designated Florida Green Lodging Program hotel with stunning views of the St. Johns River and downtown Jacksonville. Venues with a view can also be found on the 120-acre Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens and Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens where part of your venue rental fees go towards wildlife conservation programs.

St. Augustine Beach boasts the Guy Harvey Resort which was founded by Guy Harvey, a marine scientist passionate about ocean conservation. Educational art lines the hallways, and “ECO IS ON” labels point out conservation-related information and activities. A stay here supports their environmental advocacy.

Built in 1888, Casa Monica Resort & Spa in St. Augustine’s Historic District is glamorous vintage Moroccan style amid lush tropical gardens. A Florida Green Lodging Program designated hotel, it’s taken steps to reduce waste, conserve water and energy, and improve air quality.

Two area state parks popular for weddings are Anastasia State Park, and Washington Oaks Gardens State Park where you can have a garden or beach wedding for fewer than 50 people.

Catering & More

Mai Oui! Catering & Event Planning is truly committed to making your event as eco-friendly as possible. They use locally sourced ingredients that are organic, fair-trade and cruelty-free. Food waste is composted; excess food is donated. If you opt for their full wedding planning services, Mai Oui! coordinates with local, environmentally conscious vendors, and can even coordinate electric vehicle transportation to your venue. Learn more here.

East Coast Catering & Events  is a farm-to-fork catering company in St. Augustine. Their menus are inspired by local farms and artisan products and showcase everything fresh, local, and in season.

One Bridal in Jacksonville carries Laudae wedding gowns, a “design and sustainability obsessed” company that makes every effort to minimize their carbon footprint.

Orlando

Venues

Good news– all Universal Orlando and Walt Disney World^® hotels and resorts are part of the Florida Green Lodging Program.

Universal Orlando Resorts have some of the highest green rankings in Orlando, with luxury Loews Portofino Bay Hotel and Loews Royal Pacific Resort earning top marks. With a goal of becoming carbon-neutral by 2035, Universal Orlando properties continue to find ways to utilize clean energy, conserve water, and reduce waste. Other Universal Orlando Resorts with popular wedding venues include Hard Rock Hotel and Loews Sapphire Falls Resort. 
 

Walt Disney World® Resorts are continuing to develop eco-friendly practices, including composting, eliminating plastic straws, and adding more solar power. They have dozens of venues to spark your imagination; favorite places for weddings are Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Polynesian Village Resort, and Wilderness Lodge.

Grande Lakes Orlando resort sits on 500 acres and is home to two hotels— The Ritz-Carlton Orlando and the JW Marriott Orlando. As Florida Green Lodging program members, both hotels prioritize waste reduction and water and energy conservation. In addition, the resort has 33 acres of protected habitats and the golf course is a certified Audubon sanctuary. The complex also features Whisper Creek Farm, a 7000-square-foot farm with garden, apiary, and chicken coop that provides food to the onsite hotels. Hold your wedding at the farm or the farm can cater to one of the hotels on site.  

Located along Shingle Creek at the northernmost headwaters of the Everglades, the breathtakingly beautiful Rosen Shingle Creek resort is as eco-friendly as it is beautiful. Part of the Florida Green Lodging Program, they have eliminated plastic straws, reduced single-use plastics, introduced solar-powered guest shuttles, and recently put in a 9,500 square-foot farm that provides produce to the resort’s two restaurants.

Catering & More

Two Chicks and a Pot specializes in custom-created menus for events up to 1000 guests using local, organic produce. Plate Above Catering also sources from local farmers and donates a portion of profits to the Culinary Training Program at Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida.

Not only does John Michael Catering and Weddings use only all-natural or organic ingredients, they consult with O-Town Compost to make your event as zero-waste as possible. O-Town Compost ensures service ware is compostable, food scraps are composted, and recyclables are sorted and sent to the proper facility. They’ll even give you a report on your event’s positive environmental impact, such as pounds diverted from the landfill.    

Other Orlando caterers who partner with O-Town Compost for near zero-waste events are Puff ‘n Stuff Events and Catering, 4 Rivers Smokehouse, Premier Events, and Latin Raices Catering.

Support a local, family owned and operated farm by picking your own wedding flowers! Southern Hill Farms outside of Orlando has u-pick sunflowers and zinnias when in season. It’s also a meaningful experience to share with your wedding party.

Excited to start planning your big day? Don’t miss this guide to getting married in Florida.