Photo credit: Snapshots by Gabriela
Finding the perfect venue for your wedding is not the only important thing when planning a wedding; we feel that it is also important to choose a location that has lots of opportunities for your guests to turn it into a little getaway. My saying has always been “We get 1 life” and the night of my first date with Jason, I will forever remember where we were sitting when he said that with the upcoming new year- this was the end of 2017- his plan was to have “More Experiences.” Looking back, I know without a doubt that this man was put into my life for specific reasons; what I did not know then was that one of them would be so that together, we would create a space for families and our community to have more experiences. When Jason found this place and came home to tell me that he thought he had found “the spot,” I had no idea just how perfect it was until I stood here. It’s a feeling and I know that sounds crazy, but it just IS. This is the place for our families to create more experiences before, during, and after the wedding. Not only is LOTL a great lakeside location, but we are within such close proximity to so many things, that we can’t help but share some good ideas with you.
We recommend staying in Lake Nona at The Wave or Courtyard by Marriott Lake Nona which both are located about 25 minutes from Lavender on the Lake and are within walking distance from wonderful restaurants.
If you are looking for a great family friendly spot near these hotels, try Park Pizza Brewing Company which not only has a variety of delicious pizzas to select from- my personal favorite is the BlueBird- but also has great wings- try the reverse Buffalo! and house salad. If you are feeling a little fancier, try Chroma for tapas and shareables which happens to be the spot for my first date with Jason. Within minutes walking, Boxi Park is the perfect place to hangout with family and friends because it has something for everyone from gourmet quick service, ice cream, adult beverages, live music, beach volleyball and more! For brunch, we love Canvas because you have the option of sitting down for a more leisure brunch, or if you go early enough you can grab a gourmet coffee and breakfast sandwich and sit in the adorable seating lounge in the front of the restaurant. Canvas is a 3 minute drive from our recommended hotels or just a 10 minute walk which is a great way to start your day, but both Starbucks and Foxtail Coffee are both within a minutes walk from both of these hotels which is always a good option.
If you are feeling more adventurous, we highly recommend heading to Winter park for the day. You can start off by taking the peaceful and beautiful boat tour of Winter Park’s Chain of Lakes. Tours leave every hour and it is an indescribable experience as you gently cruise through what feels like people’s backyards. The Elephant Ears are absolutely gorgeous, so much so, that I literally could not stop thinking about them, and when Jason and I were shopping we saw some Elephant Ear bulbs and he let me buy two which are growing gloriously here at Lavender.
After your tour, if you feel so inclined for a shopping and lunching kind of day, we love Prato or Boca for yummy eats and beverages. OR Briar Patch! How can I forget Briar Patch? You cannot go wrong with any of these options. Don’t forget to walk over to the park so that you can stroll through the roses and flowers, and if you are interested in art the Morse Museum is a delightful, quaint museum which is a comprehensive collection of work by Louis Comfort Tiffany. If you stay long enough we love Armando’s for dinner which is a delicious, romantic spot. (Armando’s also has a location in Lake Nona not too far from our recommended hotels.
For all of our beach loving people, Cocoa Beach is a mere 1 hour and 20 minutes from us and is an easy drive from Lavender. If you are an early bird, Florida sunrises do not disappoint here; so schedule a family photo shoot with an adorable and fun couple The Deans Photography prior to your trip. Afterwards, you can scoot over to 4th Street Fillin’ Station for a Bloody Mary and a bomb breakfast. If you are in a hurry, I am not gonna lie, this is not your place as they have a little kitchen, and it can take a while. But if you are the kind of person who loves good food and can be chill, this is worth the wait. Right next door is Drift House rad, locally owned skate, surf, and sneaker boutique where you can grab a craft beer here and shop brands like Birkenstock, free people, Oakley, Ray Ban, Vans, Nike SB dunks, and more. Beachside you can hit a local spot called Coconuts, get your toes in the sand and ride the surf.
There is always the obvious- Disney or Universally the parks are always a fun and magical time as a family whether you have kiddos or not. It’s a hard place to be in a bad mood. If that’s your thing, this is the perfect time to take the opportunity to explore the parks!
And last but not least, because we are located just 7 minutes from the charming downtown of Saint Cloud, we would be remiss if we did not share all of our favorite things to do here locally. Our venue is located on Lake Tohopekaliga which is known for its Bass fishing tournaments. But Bass are not the only living things here; the wild life is absolutely incredible so we strongly recommend that you reach out to Marsh Landing to take an airboat tour so that you can see alligators- yes we have two 9 foot alligators who live right off our dock in Goblets Cove and you may just get to see them yourself! Not only will you feel like you are flying over the water, but you will also learn about and see a lot of Florida wildlife such as Bald Eagles, Great Blue Herons, Sandhills Cranes, and more! After your tour, head over to the state streets to grab a bite at The Breeze in downtown Saint Cloud; they have an extensive menu from burgers, to fish tacos, to ahi tuna nachos, to flavorful hanging bacon strips- you truly cannot go wrong here. Or perhaps you may decide to grab a sandwich or salad from the 10th Street and Deli or some pizza from Phyre Gen X Pizza and Brewery. If you did not take the airboat tour and you are in desire of a leisurely morning with brunch, mimosas, head over to Loading Gastrobrunch, and then shop the local boutiques. If you stay long enough for a special coffee beverage, go grab a coffee from Madilyn’s as you head back towards the venue.
There is obviously SO much more to do and discover here in Orlando, but as a foodie and a seeker of positive experiences, I just had to share some of my personal faves in City Beautiful-which I recently learned we got this nickname in 1908. Saint Cloud was founded in 1909 as a retirement community for Civil War Union Veterans who paid $50 per 5 acres at the time. Just think! Back then, our 10 acre property could have been purchased for $100! We love learning, and we are thrilled to be sharing our space with our couples and community. These are just a few of my favorite things and places, but please feel free to share your favorite experiences with me!
Thank you SO much for stopping by this blog; I hope that you found this information fun and helpful. Throughout our journey, we have built strong connections with various venue owners and would like to continue to bring awareness and support to locally owned venues like ours. We are a small, family owned business with a strong desire to add value to our community, and we know that other locally owned venue owners feel the same. Below is a shoutout to locally owned venues from around the country!
Dripping Springs Wedding Venue
XO
Shelley
