Allison and Jerry had a beach ceremony planned at The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort, but with a storm approaching, they made the last-minute call to scrap the beach and move the ceremony to their room instead, right out on their gorgeous balcony with ocean and sunset views. When I got that call, I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect.

A Pivot That Became the Whole Story

Then I walked in. They had cleared every piece of furniture off that balcony and set the flowers up outside, and my jaw dropped. It was stunning, simple, and perfect, almost like it had been planned that way from the start. They had a small group of really great friends with them who jumped right in to help make the pivot happen, and you could tell how much this group of people cared about each other. Listening to them laugh, and watching tears roll down their faces during the ceremony, was something else to witness.

Vows on the Balcony

After some seriously heartfelt vows, we wrapped the ceremony and headed down to the beach for their sunset session. The rain never actually came, but the dark clouds rolling through were breathtaking, we caught a sliver of a rainbow and got gifted an incredible sunset to close things out. Dinner and their guests were waiting back inside to keep the celebration going, and it was just a wonderfully perfect day from start to finish.

Why a Small Elopement Made This Possible

I loved the pivot and the attitude of “we can make this work.” It’s a great story, and honestly, the view from higher up the building ended up being just as beautiful, maybe more. That’s one of the best parts of a small elopement: when it’s just you and a few people who matter most, you have the freedom to make quick changes without a hundred logistics standing in your way.

The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort is a stunner of a property, and their staff is top notch. I’d recommend it for proposals, elopements, and even larger weddings without hesitation. Longboat Key is beautiful, and it is absolutely not a bad place for big memories to begin.

Tips for Getting Married During Storm Season

Florida summers come with afternoon storms, and if you’re planning a wedding or elopement here between June and November, a plan B is non-negotiable:

Ask your venue about indoor or covered backup options before the big day, not the morning of. Allison and Jerry’s balcony pivot worked because the resort made it easy to say yes on short notice.

Keep your group small if flexibility matters to you. A smaller elopement can pivot locations in an hour. A 150-person wedding cannot.

Don’t write off a cloudy forecast. Some of the most dramatic skies, and the best light, show up right before or after a storm rolls through.

Trust your photographer to adjust the timeline in real time. Sunset doesn’t wait for weather to clear, so having someone who can move fast matters.

Remember that a storm isn’t a failure of planning, it’s Florida. Roll with it, and it usually turns into the better story anyway.

If you’re drawn to the idea of eloping somewhere beautiful with room to adapt, take a look at Ryan and Olivia’s storm-season proposal at The Resort at Longboat Key Club or Taylor and AJ’s wedding at The Resort at Longboat Key Club for more Longboat Key inspiration, and reach out if you’re planning your own elopement around whatever the Florida sky decides to do.