Florida Keys Newsroom

Getting a Marriage License in The Florida Keys & Key West

Wed, 06 Apr 2022 16:00:00 +0200

Applying for a marriage license in person is a relatively simple procedure in Florida's Monroe County, or the Florida Keys & Key West.

Applicants must be at least 18 years old to obtain a marriage license and must make an appointment before applying for the license in person. Couples under 18 should contact the county clerk's office for legal requirements.

A valid photo identification with date of birth - such as a driver's license, passport, student or military ID, or foreign registration card - is required.

Once obtained, the license must be used within 60 days. Couples marrying in Monroe County can obtain a marriage license anywhere in Florida.

Current cost of the license is $86, with a discount for Florida residents who show proof of premarital class attendance.

It takes about three to four weeks to receive a certified copy of a recorded Florida marriage license.

The Monroe County Clerk of Court has three convenient Florida Keys locations.

Offices are in Key West at the Key West Courthouse, 500 Whitehead St.; in Marathon at the Marathon Branch Courthouse, 3117 Overseas Highway; and on Plantation Key at the Upper Keys Government Center at 50 High Point Road.

For additional required details, contact the Monroe County Clerk of Court. Visit clerk-of-the-court.com or call 305-292-3458 in Key West; 305-289-6027 in Marathon; or 305-852-7145 in Plantation Key.

Florida Keys visitor information: fla-keys.com or 1-800-FLA-KEYS
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Fresh Seafood and Oh Yes, Key Lime Desserts

Wed, 06 Apr 2022 15:48:00 +0200

Food stations showcasing Florida Keys seafood are among top trends for wedding festivities. Creatively prepared cuisine is artfully - and organically - enhanced with fresh tropical lime and coconut, mango and papaya.

Couples often request "Floribbean"-themed menus that combine indigenous Keys seafood with rich, spicy Caribbean and Latin flavors. A Cuban-style pig roast is popular for a casual rehearsal dinner.

"Couples love the idea of interactive food stations, giving more customization to different palates," said Julie Shreck, owner-planner at Simply You Weddings in Key West.

Boat-to-table seafood - sweet Key West pink shrimp, succulent stone crab claws, fresh ceviche, yellowtail snapper or hogfish - is often requested.

"Custom paella stations, ceviche stations and whole fish carving stations allow our local fare to be prominently displayed," Shreck said.

Elegant beach menus also are in demand, said Liz Seligman, owner-planner of Island Life Events in Tavernier.

"Farm-to-table is popular, using local ingredients with food cooked on-site. Caterers literally build kitchens at our weddings," Seligman said.

Dessert trends include melt-in-your-mouth Key lime creations and metallic-gold cakes.

"Our most popular flavors are Key lime cake with Key lime mousse filling, Key lime cake with raspberry filling and coconut cake with Key lime mousse or mango filling," said Steven Sassano, owner of Key West Cakes.

Mini–Key lime tarts also are popular, styled after the island chain's famous signature Key lime pie.

Colorful desserts include hand-rolled, ganache-filled Key lime "cupcake sushi" cakes, served with rolling stations and chopsticks.

"Like sushi, our cakes are elegant, simple, delicious and a bit sexy," said Lori Shubert, owner of Cupcake Sushi in Key West.

So-called naked cakes, absent an outside layer of frosting, can be decorated with fresh orchids or other indigenous flowers.

These types of cakes are popular at outdoor venues such as The Hemingway Home and Museum, Audubon House &Tropical Gardens and Key West Garden Club.

Florida Keys visitor information: fla-keys.com or 1-800-FLA-KEYS
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Only-in-the-Keys Romantic Venues are Naturally Scenic

Wed, 06 Apr 2022 15:36:00 +0200

Weddings in the breezy, balmy Florida Keys can be romantically barefoot or dressy, more elegant affairs. Unique venues found nowhere else in the world are available for pre-event festivities, nuptials, wedding receptions and honeymoons throughout the island chain.

Unusual venues – historic forts, picturesque homes of famed authors and artists, and waterfront or underwater settings – reflect the Florida Keys' historic, literary, artistic and maritime heritage. Some examples:

In Key Largo, couples can enjoy an intimate ceremony aboard African Queen, the original vessel from John Huston's classic 1951 film starring Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn. Parties of six can cruise. Couples also can marry at the dock. Visit africanqueenflkeys.com or call 305-451-8080.

Certified divers can exchange underwater vows at the Christ of the Deep statue, located in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and adjacent to Key Largo's John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. Couples also can marry at fascinating Pennekamp, the nation's first undersea park. Visit floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/john-pennekamp-coral-reef-state-park or call 305-676-3777.

In Islamorada, Morada Bay's Pierre's Restaurant & Lounge and The Beach Cafe are island-style settings known for delicious cuisine and scenic sunsets. Pierre's is a two-story colonial plantation-style venue and Morada Bay Beach Café fronts a palm-lined white beach overlooking Florida Bay. Nearby is the Moorings Village, an 18-acre resort. Visit MoradaBayKeys.com or call 305-664-3225.

The 300-acre Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park, at mile marker 84.9 in Islamorada, includes land formed by fossilized coral known as Key Largo limestone. The park's quarry was used to produce Keystone, a decorative stone, until the 1960s. Visitors can walk among ancient picturesque 8-foot-high coral walls and learn about the park's role in Florida history. Visit floridastateparks.org/WindleyKey or call 305-664-2540.

In the Middle Keys, couples with a love for marine mammals can marry at the acclaimed Dolphin Research Center on Grassy Key. During a "Private Dolphin Encounter," a dolphin can serve as a wedding attendant or deliver the ring for an unforgettable proposal. Visit dolphins.org or call 305-289-1121.

At Florida Keys Aquarium Encounters in Marathon, couples can schedule an event amid natural mangrove hammocks and the aquarium's grounds that extend to serene waters of Vaca Cut. Visit floridakeysaquariumencounters.com or call 305-407-3262.

Bahia Honda State Park in the Lower Keys is a picturesque beach setting, where couples can marry in the park or on the Bahia Honda Rail Bridge, originally built by magnate Henry Flagler as part of the Florida Keys Overseas Highway. The $2.96 million Sandspur restoration is on the park's north side, with completion targeted in 2022. The park is located at 36850 Overseas Highway. Visit floridastateparks.org/park/Bahia-Honda or call 305-872-2353.

In Key West, literary aficionados can speak their vows outdoors on grounds of the Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum. Famed author and Nobel Prize winner Hemingway lived in the Spanish colonial villa, a registered National Historic Landmark, and wrote famous works there during the 1930s. Up to 100 guests can be accommodated. Private evening house tours can be arranged. Visit hemingwayhome.com or call 305-294-1136.

The Harry S. Truman Little White House, Florida's only presidential museum, offers lush palm-framed gardens and three lawns that span an acre. It can host rehearsal dinners. President Truman spent 11 working vacations at the sprawling West Indian–style residence during his administration from 1945 to 1953. A ride in one of Truman's presidential limousines – a mid-century, mint-condition Lincoln Cosmopolitan stretch with about 33,000 odometer miles – is included on the museum's White Glove Tour. Visit trumanlittlewhitehouse.com or call 305-615-4704.

Florida Keys visitor information: fla-keys.com or 1-800-FLA-KEYS
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Florida Keys Resorts Create Wedding Memories

Wed, 06 Apr 2022 15:28:00 +0200

Weddings at Florida Keys resorts and hotels are memorable affairs. Planners can assist couples with all event elements - including dramatic wedding arrivals by boat, helicopter, seaplane or even parasail.

All types of resorts are found throughout the Keys, but here are just a few for celebrating destination weddings and honeymoons:

In Key Largo, the 12-acre "luxury inclusive" adults-only 135-unit Bungalows Key Largo features a "Florida chic" design with 800-square-foot bungalows and outdoor plunge pools or tubs, Tiki-style boats and 1,000 feet of shoreline. Several venues, full catering, yoga classes and spa services are on-site. BungalowsKeyLargo.com.

In Key Largo, the 13-acre Baker's Cay Resort Key Largo, Curio Collection by Hilton has 200 rooms, 17,000 square feet for weddings, a 10,000-square-foot ballroom and 7,000-square-foot lawn; two pools, waterfall grotto, nature trail with secluded beach nooks, and pet programming and fresh culinary offerings. bakerscayresort.com.

The 14-acre, 178-room Playa Largo Resort & Spa in Key Largo offers an 8,600-square-foot lawn, wedding gazebo and 4,760-square-foot ballroom for 360 guests. The Autograph Collection Hotel has 10 secluded bungalows, three-bedroom beach house, full-service spa and a 6,000-square-foot beach. playalargoresort.com.

Key Largo's six-villa Dolphin Point Villas hosts weddings for up to 125 in an open-air pavilion or lawn. The two-story three-wing Nautilus House villa has five bedrooms, five baths and private pool, sleeping 16. dolphinpointvillas.com.

Honeymooning divers can sleep at Jules' Undersea Lodge - the United States' only submerged recreational hotel. Fresh pizza can be delivered to the underwater resort in the Key Largo Undersea Park. The lodge has hosted over 10,000 overnight visitors. jul.com.

In Islamorada, the 214-room, 27-acre oceanfront Cheeca Lodge & Spa has several pools, 4,600 square feet of versatile space and a Tahitian-style Spa Island. Its Bougainvillea Ballroom has 12-foot ceilings and 2,100 square feet for 120. The Casitas at Cheeca Lodge, with personalized butler service, has one- and two-bedroom units from 750 to 2,100 square feet. Ten villas offer large furnished porches, full kitchens and bathrooms with rain showers and large soaking tubs. Guests have access to all the resort's signature amenities and exclusive access to the Casita area's private beach, pool and tennis courts. The resort's 1,870-square-foot Sunrise Ballroom, with Atlantic views and open-air terrace, hosts up to 100. cheeca.com.

The Moorings Village in Islamorada is a luxurious 18-acre resort with private cottages, including the 950-square-foot Honeymoon Cottage, and homes made famous by the popular Netflix thriller-drama series "Bloodline" that ended in May 2017. Weddings for up to 50 can be booked. Larger events are hosted at Morada Bay Beach Cafe and Pierre's Restaurant & Lounge, bayside across the Overseas Highway. themooringsvillage.com.

The 25-acre oceanfront, palm-fringed Islander Resort in Islamorada offers contemporary cottage-style units and screened-in lanais, a 6,000-square-foot lawn with event space, two pools: a freshwater and a saltwater, and a jacuzzi; onsite water sports, two dining venues: Tides Beachside Bar & Grill and Elements Lounge & Restaurant; 114 oceanside villas and 25 two-story, two-bedroom bayside townhomes at the nearby Bayside Villas by Islander Resort. IslanderFloridaKeys.com

In Islamorada, Casa Morada, a luxury boutique hotel with private island, hosts intimate wedding ceremonies and packages with a two-hour ceremony and reception, honeymoon suite, photographer, cake, champagne toast, fruit and cheese platter and other amenities. Weddings for over 20 guests require booking of all 16 guest suites for a minimum two to four nights. Private space for guests is offered. casamorada.com.

Hawks Cay Resort on Duck Key has 20,000 square feet of waterfront space and two spacious ballrooms. The 60-acre property, promoted as the most expansive resort in the Keys, features opportunities for group outdoor events, receptions and pool parties and fishing and boating excursions. The Preferred Hotel Group Lifestyle Collection resort underwent a $50 million renovation in fall 2018 and offers 250 two- and three-bedroom villas and 177 guest rooms. hawkscay.com.

The 24-acre, 199-unit Isla Bella Beach Resort at mile marker 47 near the foot of the Seven Mile Bridge in Marathon, offers more than 20,000 square feet of function space, including a 3,800-square-foot Hibiscus Event Center and 16,000 square feet of outdoor space, a mile of shoreline, a 4,000-square-foot spa and oceanfront event area. On-site amenities include five pools and several food and beverage venues, including the newly opened Mahina, with upscale Pacific Rim cuisine. islabellabeachresort.com.

The 125-room Faro Blanco Resort & Yacht Club, with Marathon's landmark Faro Blanco Lighthouse, offers wedding packages for 200. Options include a waterfront jetty ceremony, plush reception lawn, plated or buffet dinners and a "dock-tail" marina party. There's 1,820 square feet of flexible indoor function space and a waterfront restaurant. faroblancoresort.com.

In the Lower Keys, the ultraluxe Little Palm Island Resort & Spa, billed as "America's only private island resort," is located on a secluded private island off Little Torch Key. The exclusive adults-only resort offers 2,480 total square feet of oceanview event space including the 1,080-square-foot Sunset Terrace, 450-square-foot Sunrise Terrace and 950-square-foot Great Room. Venues can be one space or separate. Visitors can arrive by seaplane or the resort's private boat, The Truman. littlepalmisland.com.

Oceans Edge Resort & Marina near Key West features an outdoor venue and expanded outdoor space for casual weddings and ceremonies for 10 to 150 guests. The resort offers 175 water-view suites and rooms, six swimming pools, scenic harborwalk and open-air bar and grill. An on-site marina has 111 wet and 52 dry slips for access to Gulf and Atlantic islands. oceansedgekeywest.com.

The legendary 311-room Casa Marina Key West, Curio Collection by Hilton, has hosted generations of tycoons, artists and dignitaries. With more than 11,000 square feet of event space including the 3,080-square-foot historic Flagler Ballroom offering an outdoor covered patio, and 1,100 feet of private beach, the resort boasts Key West's largest event space. Venues for weddings include the Grand Ballroom & Patio, Flagler Beach and East Beach. Elegant rehearsal dinners and farewell breakfasts and brunches can be booked. The iconic resort celebrated its centennial in 2021. casamarinaresort.com.

The 100-room The Perry Hotel & Marina at Stock Island Marina Village accommodates weddings with waterfront event space for 50 to several hundred. It offers 20,000 total square feet of indoor and outdoor space, and 11 venues, including outdoor space with an event lawn with raised stage and two pools. The resort offers harbor-view accommodations, three dockside restaurants, water activities and on-site boarding for yacht excursions to view Key West sunsets. Visit perrykeywest.com/meetings-and-events or call 305-269-1717.

On a 27-acre island just off 500 yards off of Key West, Sunset Key Cottages has 40 cottages, private beach, zero-entry pool and two whirlpools, spa, two tennis courts and the upscale waterfront Latitudes restaurant.Sunset Key, easily accessible by ferry service - a seven-minute cruise - from the dock at sister resort Opal Key Resort & Marina. A three-bedroom Paradise Cottage is ideal for boutique weddings. sunsetkeycottages.com.

In Key West, the 18-room, oceanfront Victorian-style The Southernmost House offers 5,000 square feet of space and heated infinity pool. It's adults-only for those 18 and older. The Historic Hotels of America property can be booked exclusively for up to 300. southernmosthouse.com.

Florida Keys visitor information: fla-keys.com or 1-800-FLA-KEYS
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Unique Weddings and Honeymoon Offerings Abound in the Florida Keys

Wed, 06 Apr 2022 15:15:00 +0200

FLORIDA KEYS – Florida Keys weddings are memorable affairs for a wide variety of people exchanging vows: mainstream couples, golden-age sweethearts, pairs with blended families, and gay and lesbian duos.

The naturally romantic and picturesque Florida Keys, a 125-mile-long chain of islands known as "America's Caribbean," are a top U.S. wedding destination with a subtropical climate ideal for ceremonies and honeymoons virtually year-round.

Richly historic venues, casually elegant resorts, scenic waterfront locations and beach parks, fiery sunsets and pastel sunrises all add to the island chain's appeal.

Honeymooners and wedding parties can savor their time spent in the Keys, whether staying in a luxury oceanfront resort, an intimate island retreat or a restored historic guest house.

Distinctive activities during a wedding or honeymoon trip can include sailing on a tall ship or commandeering the wheel, chartering a sailboat, planting coral underwater or even mingling with flamingos

Couples can marry while diving underwater or on paddleboards, on a beach at sunrise or sunset, backdropped by a Civil War–era fort, or at the historic homes and gardens of former full- or part-time residents such as author Ernest Hemingway or President Harry S. Truman.

They can charter a sailboat to the remote Dry Tortugas National Park, swim with dolphins or soar in a seaplane above the pristine waters of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

The Keys – framed by the azure waters of the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Gulf of Mexico to the west – are cherished for their stunning, simple beauty.

In past years, wedding accolades have included TheKnot.com's citing of the Florida Keys as a Top 50 Destination Wedding Spot, and a "laid-back tropical island setting with all the allure of the Caribbean at a domestic price – and a more convenient location for guests."

Destination Weddings & Honeymoons magazine also has named the Florida Keys a top U.S. locale among its "Best Wedding Destinations."

Key West, the southernmost city in the continental United States, is just 159 miles southwest of Miami and 90 miles from Cuba. Driving there is a romantic experience in itself: the scenic 110-mile Florida Keys Overseas Highway soars over 42 bridges.

Nonstop domestic flights are easily available into Key West or to mainland South Florida cities.

Finely elegant and casually funky dining is available throughout the Keys for bridal luncheons or rehearsal dinners. Craft breweries, rum distilleries and lively nightlife offer a spirited backdrop for bachelor parties.

A variety of brew, rum and food tours also are growing in popularity for wedding parties.

Because of the Keys' year-round subtropical climate, couples – a bride and groom, two brides or two grooms – and family members and guests can experience and share never-to-be-forgotten adventures.

Throughout the Keys, professional wedding planners are available to assist with attire, flowers, music, rings, catering, cakes, photographers and videographers, transportation and officiants.

Florida Keys visitor information: fla-keys.com or 1-800-FLA-KEYS
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From Shrimp to Key Lime Pie, Florida Keys Cuisine Pleases

Sat, 26 Mar 2022 14:53:00 +0100

It's spicy conch chowder. Savory Cuban pork. Succulent pink shrimp dipped in a tangy mustard sauce. And Key lime pie, sweet and creamy with a hint of tartness. It's Florida Keys cuisine - as unique and appealing as the 125-mile island chain itself.

The Keys' location and heritage played a big part in the development of the islands' cuisine. Their remoteness and saltwater surroundings meant residents historically relied on the ocean's bounty for food, and the multicultural settlers brought the recipes and flavors of their homelands with them.

As might be expected in the seafaring island chain, many restaurants rely on fish and seafood for inspiration and menu staples. Commercial fishing, in fact, is the second-largest industry in the Keys. The fresh fish that graces a restaurant table at night was probably unloaded at the docks that morning.

Popular "eating fish" caught in local waters include yellowtail, grouper, mutton snapper and mahi-mahi. Fish might appear on the menu sautéed, broiled or blackened, prepared with a sauce containing mango or other tropical fruit, or fried and served as a sandwich on warm Cuban bread.

Shellfish are at least as popular with Keys diners as finfish - and Key West pink shrimp rank among the island chain's most popular "natural resources." Generally considered sweeter than other types of shrimp, "pinks" can be sautéed in scampi, battered and fried, nestled atop salad or pasta, or simply steamed and served with savory sauces.

Stone crabs, renowned for their sweet and succulent meat, also are a popular delicacy. Because nearly all of the crab's meat is contained in its claws, they are the only parts of the crustacean that are harvested.

Once the claws are removed, the crab is returned to the sea where over the course of up to two years the claws regenerate. For that reason, stone crabs are considered a renewable resource, and the Florida Keys are responsible for about half of the state's overall harvest.

Stone crab claws are most commonly served warm with drawn butter or chilled with mustard sauce. The meat of the claws also can be used in crab cakes, fritters and stuffing. Florida's annual stone crab season runs from Oct. 15 to May 1.

Unlike stone crabs, lobsters found in the Keys are clawless. Known as spiny lobsters, they offer sweet and tender meat. Local restaurants often serve them steamed or boiled with drawn butter - or their meat might be made into salad or served with exotic sauces. Lobster season runs Aug. 6 to March 31 each year.

The mollusk conch is as impossible to pass up as other Keys seafood. It's pronounced "konk" and, while it's no longer harvested in the Keys, it's a traditional favorite on restaurant menus.

Conch can be found in spicy tomato-based chowder, deep-fried fritters, salad with a hint of hot pepper and lime, and even breaded and fried as conch steak. No two restaurants prepare conch quite the same way, which makes it fun to sample in several establishments to compare flavors and cooking techniques.

The most popular ethnic food in the Keys is Cuban, brought to Key West by the cigarmakers and their families who fled their homeland in the 1800s. Cuban delicacies include ropa vieja, or "old clothes," a dish of shredded beef in red sauce; picadillo, a seasoned ground beef; and pork chunks marinated in a garlicky mojo sauce. Almost always, Cuban entrees are accompanied by black beans, yellow rice and a side of sweet plantains.

When it comes to a lighter Cuban meal, the Cuban mix sandwich is the biggest crowd-pleaser - a blend of meats and cheeses served on Cuban bread flattened in a press that looks like a waffle iron.

Tropical fruits are a favorite accent used by island chefs. Passion fruit, mango, sour oranges and carambola find their way into many recipes, alongside the more common lemons and limes. For renown and popularity, however, nothing beats the tiny yellow Key lime - the vital ingredient in the Keys' signature dessert, Key lime pie.

Some Key lime pies are topped with meringue and some with whipped cream. Some are nestled in a graham cracker crust, while others rest in a chocolate crust. No two Key lime pies are alike - a fact that has prompted many visitors to undertake dedicated taste tests to discover the finest.

As rich as Key lime pie is, however, it can't compare to the richness of experience awaiting travelers to the Florida Keys. Whether feasting at a water's-edge seafood shack or a gourmet emporium, visitors will find a warm welcome, an easygoing atmosphere and a unique and memorable dining experience.

Florida Keys dining information: fla-keys.com/food-drink/
Florida Keys visitor information: fla-keys.com or 1-800-FLA-KEYS
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