The Rusty Pelican is a Tampa-based tropical wedding venue that offers a classic atmosphere and elegant banquet hall. Because it sits along Tampa Bay, the space has breathtaking scenic views and picture-perfect backdrops for coastal celebrations. Your guests will be enchanted by the sophisticated design, local marine life and the soothing sound of crashing waves.
Facilities and Capacity
Couples can enjoy multiple event spaces at The Rusty Pelican. The Grand Ballroom, which accommodates up to 250 guests, is the largest banquet room. With floor-to-ceiling windows, family and friends can take in the spectacular view of the water. Both the Pelican Room and Coral Room can comfortably fit up to 100 people, complete with front row seats to a beautiful tropical sunset. For more intimate weddings, the Bay Room offers a stunning fireplace and stained-glass windows for 50 guests. The Tampa Room can also host up to 50 guests and has its own private entrance. Outside, the Wedding Gazebo has a private garden setting for sweet outdoor ceremonies with up to 250 guests.
Services Offered
To help the day run smoothly, The Rusty Pelican has various wedding-related services. These offerings include:
Cuisine
The venue has various menus to please your palate. Their extraordinary dining experience is casual yet elegant, ensuring that your day is memorable. Meals can be served as buffet, hors d’oeuvres, plated and stations. Additional catering and bartending services include:
Other Services
The Rusty Pelican will gladly host your wedding-related festivities. These occasions include:
History
In 1978, the coastal wedding venue was founded. It has a reputation for being a popular landmark and exotic escape for both locals and tourists.
Location
Based in the Rocky Point District of Tampa, The Rusty Pelican is just eight minutes from Tampa International Airport. It is about 20 minutes from multiple tourist attractions, including Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, Adventure Island and Museum of Science and Industry.
Recommended by 92% of couples
13 User photos
Asia · Married on 11/03/2018
On top of amazing location, stellar service!
My husband found the Rusty Pelican while looking for wedding sites and boy are we grateful! Don made the entire planning process so seamless and he provided an outline of every step along the way. They take on a majority of the tasks and we literally did not have to lift a finger on our wedding day. From the time I stepped out of the limo to walk down the aisle to the gazebo, to when my husband and I made our exit, Don and Carlos and their crew catered to any and everything we as well as our guests needed. All of the guests raved about the service as well as the food and were extremely impressed with the layout of the ceremony and the reception. They made our day truly unforgettable!
Sent on 11/07/2018
The Rusty Pelican's reply:
Moriah · Married on 03/09/2019
Wonderful, perfect place to get married!
Getting married at the Rusty Pelican was by far the best decision we could have made! Don Valente is absolutely amazing at what he does. He is super responsive and extremely detail-oriented, and he truly made us feel at ease throughout the whole process. We originally wanted to have our wedding outside at the gazebo, but when we saw the weather report and learned how hot it would be, Don assured us that it would be no problem to move the ceremony inside. And let me tell you...the ceremony was more gorgeous than we could have ever imagined! It was just beautiful. After the ceremony and photos, we were introduced to our catering manager for the night, Norma. She was fantastic and handled the rest of the details for the entire night. We were taken to a private room before the reception, where Norma served us glasses of champagne and brought us some food from our cocktail hour. She even wore a flower in her hair that matched the flowers in our decor, which I thought was just a lovely touch. Bottom line: If you want to relax on your wedding day and have everything handled for you with grace and style, book at the Rusty!
Sent on 04/10/2019
MAYLINN L AVILES · Married on 02/22/2019
Amazing Venue! Amazing location! Amazing Staff!
We held our wedding ceremony and reception at the Rusty Pelican on 2/22/2019. Don Valente and his team were incredible. Our special day was one we'll never forget. Our guests are still sending us their wonderful comments on the event. Again thank you all at Rusty Pelican! Would highly recommend this venue for your special occasion.
Sent on 02/26/2019
The Rusty Pelican Price Rates
15 Endorsements
Alessi Bakery has been celebrating making beautiful wedding cakes for Rusty Pelican couples for over 5 years. The Rusty Pelican provides couples the perfect romantic setting on the water. Mixed with a great location, experience and attention to detail they excel in making your event fabulous!
One of the best waterfront venues for your wedding and reception--Don and Jill are both great people to work with for all your needs and wishes. I heartily endorse them Joe Braccio Spcollege
The Rusty Pelican is such a gorgeous facility for any type of event in the Tampa area. The view is spectacular, the people are wonderful, and the food is delicious. We love working with the Rusty Pelican and love the location!
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