The Don CeSar Reviews

If you are looking to get married on St. Pete Beach- look no further! We had our wedding at the Don Cesar and could not be more happy with how everything went- it was truly a perfect day and we are so grateful that we chose them. From the moment we checked in- we were treated like royalty and every single staff member truly went above and beyond for us. On our wedding day, our wedding coordinator, Jennifer Guidry, ensured everything was on time and perfect. She is an incredibly kind and personable woman, but also makes sure everyone is doing what they need to be! We had our ceremony in the courtyard - which was absolutely beautiful and protected from the overall hotel (it feels private and intimate, even if the pool etc may be nearby). Our guests were in absolute awe about cocktail hour in south terrace- which was STUNNING with the sunset. Their wedding dinner service was also incredibly prompt + delicious - our guests couldn’t stop talking about it! Every serving staff and staff member was truly so kind, accommodating, and efficient in what they did. We couldn’t have asked for a more perfect day or a more hard working group of staff members.

If you are getting married here you NEED to work with Jennifer Guidry. She was the most special part of our day and we will remember her dedication to our big day forever!!!! We love you Jenn!!!

Thank you so much to everyone at The Don for making our day amazing - we cannot wait to return soon!!!! Xoxo - The Jones

We had an AMAZING wedding at the Don Cesar and would 10/10 recommend them as a venue for couples looking for a high quality experience for themselves and their guests!

Our coordinator, Jennifer Guidry, made our planning process a breeze. She was so responsive and flexible with our many “out-of-the-box” requests for DIY decor and unique elements.

Our guests had an incredible time hanging out at the hotel before and after the events — raving about the pool and beach. Guests also highlighted the other vendors we chose — most of whom came from the Don’s preferred vendor list!!

We had our sons "Rehearsal Dinner" there. My wife and I had ours there 30 years ago and it is was very special to be able to recreate the party. While it was officially the rehearsal dinner it was actually for 64 guests. We had an amazing dinner, watched the sunset on the private balcony and the staff and team at the Don were absolutely perfect. They made the entire process extremely easy and I am sure we will be back soon when planning my daughters wedding!

We had the wedding of our dreams at the Don on 4.20.20. We held our rehearsal dinner and farewell brunch on the 5th floor terraces, ceremony in the courtyard and reception in the Grand Ballroom and it was all what we imagined and more. The entire Don team is amazing. Kasey Bussell was our main point of contact for the event and she was incredible to work with throughout and make us feel so special along the way! Leo Haskell at the front desk was amazing and took great care of us and all our guests. So was Jamie at Society Table - she even learned our names and was so accommodating. Amelia was so wonderful at both the tasting and setting up our lunch on Saturday - she is so sweet! And Victoria was so helpful transporting all of our luggage. Sheldon was our awesome banquet captain and made sure things were perfect. We couldn’t have asked for more. Our guests had an incredible time and were blown away by the hotel. The food was also delicious. If you are considering having your event here - do it!!! Thank you to the entire Don team!!

Wow! Where do I begin?
Last year, our first wedding was cancelled 5 days before due to Hurricane Ian (scheduled at a different venue) and we were absolutely crushed. Luckily, we were able to plan an “I do, Take 2” ceremony at the Don and it did not disappoint.

Kasey worked with us to create an unbelievable and meaningful event to celebrate our love and marriage. We had our ceremony in the courtyard during golden hour then guests were ushered to the north terrace to watch the sun set as we took some photos on the beach.

Then it was party time as 100 of our closest family and friends joined us in the King Charles Ballroom.

Having planned two weddings now (at different venues) I can honestly say everyone at the Don Cesar was friendly, professional and so invested in our vision. It was a stunning backdrop and a day we will remember for the rest of our lives.

Highly recommend !!

I had my fairy tale wedding at the Don Cesar. It was an incredible experience. Vianka and Nicole who are in charge of weddings at the don were absolutely wonderful. Nicole helped me select the best options and was very accommodating with my timeline. Vianka went above and beyond to make sure everything was perfect. Not only with everything regarding the hotel, food options, photo locations, etcs. She actually cared about every detail and helped me through the entire process when it came to selecting other vendors. She answered every single one of my calls and helped me in every way possible. On the day, that truly goes as fast as people say, she even helped me fix my dress to hide my train so I could make my entrance while my bridesmaids had to rush in. Honestly I wish I could give them even more stars but I hope this review can at least do justice to the amazing personalized service the don offers.
We also stayed there for a few nights and everything was absolutely wonderful. My husband and I can’t wait to go back and celebrate many anniversaries together at the wonderful pink palace where we got married. Thank you to all the staff and all the people involved on my wedding day at the Don CeSar. You guys truly helped it be the fairy tale I always hoped it would be! - Almy

After expending much time effort and money on our initial wedding plan that was canceled due to Covid we were looking to elope. The Don Cesar had the perfect package for an intimate wedding on the beach. We did not have to plan anything. Everything was included in the package. All we did was show up and enjoy the moment.

The Don Cesar provided a wedding day that was beyond our original vision and surpassed our dreams. Nicole and McKenna were our coordinators, and were very professional and went above and beyond for us again and again. We were so impressed and thankful for them! They supported us in our million questions, requests, and changes. They were all seen through. Beyond that, the Don provided the most incredible experience for our guests. We could not see our day being as unique, beautiful, and memorable anywhere else!

We had a destination wedding at the DonCesar. It was a perfect choice. Everything turned out to be perfect! Kasey was our point of contact. She was very professional and friendly. Highly recommend!

Thank you Darcie and your team for making our rehearsal dinner a great success. The food was delish and service from the entire staff impeccable! Darcie was always available for any help and questions.Thank you again for making this event absolutely perfect!!

Our wedding day was perfect from beginning to end! Nicole and Wendy, our coordinators at the Don, as well as the additional staff involved, were so responsive and easy to work with. They went above and beyond to make sure everything was exactly what we wanted. The food and cake were phenomenal, and our beach ceremony set-up and ballroom for the reception were beautiful! We received so many compliments from our guests, and couldn't have asked for a more perfect experience!

Like many girls, I was also planning a wedding during the pandemic. We decided to have a small ceremony at The Don CeSar in October 2021. It was the most wonderful and special celebration that surpassed all expectations. Nicole and Wendy are the most supportive, responsive, and kindest wedding professionals. Since our first visit in February, they have made me feel like the most important bride despite our small ceremony. This resort is gorgeous and obviously in such demand but it's the personal touch and high level of communication Nicole and Wendy provide that sets it apart. They were able to connect us to the most incredible vendors, truly creating a customized experience for us and our guests. One of my favorite memories is the two of them coming up to my parents' suite and hand delivering the bouquet and other arrangements. It was a stormy morning and they immediately put me at ease and reaffirmed that I chose the right place to say I do. Starting our happily ever after at The Don Cesar was such an amazing experience and I highly recommend them if you're looking for a truly special experience from booking to I do!

I can’t even begin to tell you how amazing and perfectly seamless my wedding day was at the Don thanks to Nicole. Every single aspect of my wedding that I had hoped for she brought to life. Planning from a far without seeing the area or destination was somewhat overwhelming for me and she took my ideas and ran. She kept telling me everything would be taken care of and it was. I have not stopped reminiscing on my day since we returned. We are looking forward to an anniversary trip to The Don next June!

We had such an incredible experience having The Don CeSar as our wedding venue and would not change a single thing. The hotel itself is beautiful with so much character and class. It also has so much to offer by way of options to create the perfect setting for any event. We had our rehearsal dinner, wedding ceremony, and reception all at The Don CeSar, and each location perfectly fit with what we had envisioned for our wedding weekend. From the start, working with Beth Clark and Devin Walter was a first-class experience. They were both extremely helpful and amazing throughout the entire process of initial venue tour, answering our seemingly endless questions about the wedding packages, securing our date and contract details, and everything leading up to and during the wedding weekend. Devin especially helped make the final month before the wedding much less stressful for us as she was extremely organized, thorough, and accommodating as we worked through all of the final details and timelines for our weekend. She was also on top of communication and coordination with our vendors as we approached the week of the wedding to ensure everyone was on the same page and all important details were covered. Now for the wedding weekend itself….everything was flawless. The courtyard setting for our ceremony and cocktail hour was gorgeous and our guests were so impressed with how picturesque the venue was. The food was definitely top-notch. We’ve received many compliments from our guests about how delicious the food was and that it was the best food they’ve ever eaten at a wedding. The hor d'oeuvres and gnocchi station during the cocktail hour were definitely crowd favorites. All of the staff were so gracious and on top of everything the whole night – we’ve received a lot of positive feedback from guests regarding the amazing level of service from all of the staff at The Don. The grand ballroom was also a stunning and picture-perfect location for our reception. Our favorite things about the layout of the grand ballroom are the built-in stage (this was very important to us as we had a 9-piece band and wanted to make sure the room still felt very open with plenty of space) and the two-tiered levels. The multiple levels make the room look even more grand, but it was also great for guests to have the ability to hangout on the second tier overlooking the dance floor when they needed to take a break but still wanted to feel like they were part of all of the dancing and excitement. The team members at The Don also offered so many nice, thoughtful touches throughout the weekend that helped make everything even more memorable and special. I cannot thank Beth, Devin, and the entire staff at The Don CeSar enough for exceeding our expectations and making our wedding weekend better than we could have imagined. The Don will now forever be a very special place for us and we are so excited to come back often for weekend stays to enjoy all this beautiful hotel has to offer.

My husband jokes that he was always afraid of bringing me to the Don CeSar when venue hunting because he knew I’d fall in love and there’d be no other option. And well, that happened exactly. I’m not even sure where to start with this incredible venue – first, it’s just sheer beauty being a monumental pink castle sitting on the #1 beach in the U.S. It really doesn’t get better than that! From the moment we stepped foot inside, we were treated like absolute royalty and felt so special and well-respected. We first met with Charles Kaval and were then later paired with Nicole Johnson when we decided to move forward with the Don as our venue. Nicole and Charles both held our hands every step of the way and helped us make our big decisions. We opted for a brunch-wedding and had unique requests in terms of our food and drinks and without question, they always, always accommodated our requests. Nicole would invite us to every bridal expo, and welcomed us and our Confetti Events coordinator 2 months before the big day for our tasting. We had a BLAST – Nicole truly felt like a friend to us, and we just so enjoyed working with her. At the tasting, we met the chef who was also incredible. It seemed every single team member we met was just top-notch, so kind, and so excited for us. I can’t say enough amazing things about the Don’s staff. Week/day-of, Nicole made sure everything was prepared for us and that we felt comfortable and happy again, making us feel so important and valued. The day was just perfect, literally in every sense of the word. There’s not a single thing the Don didn’t do right and we felt as if we were living in our fairy tale. Amelia was our catering manager for the day and also just so, so sweet. She and her team made sure that my husband and I were never without food or drinks and personally catered to us for the entirety of the day. And to top it all off, when all of our guests left and my husband and I wanted to enjoy a special moment together, their team brought out 2 chairs for us at the edge of the terrace, and champagne glasses, so we could just enjoy what had just been the best day. I can honestly say I will miss our wedding-planning team at the Don, and we look forward to stopping in yearly for our anniversary (and more!). Thank you, Don CeSar, for the wedding and memories of a lifetime – we’ll always cherish our special time with you!

Choosing The Don Cesar as our wedding venue was the perfect decision. We were originally supposed to get married at Disney, but with the pandemic we decided to switch venues. The Don couldn't have been more flexible. We originally estimated 120 people but ended up with 60. They didn't try to make us pay more than we needed to. We struggled to meet our minimum but they gave us options to make it work (like hosting a breakfast and rehearsal dinner). It was perfect. The team there is so professional. I was amazed at how calm our coordinator (Devin) was. I highly highly recommend The Don for your events!

The Don Cesar elopement package worked out perfect for us. Nicole and Heidi both were extremely helpful, any question I had they would respond immediately and took care of pretty much everything for me. They made our reseverations for our room, even made reservations for where we were going to dine after the ceremony. The only thing I had to do was find a dress, clothing for my groom. We also had a sand ceremony and they came to our room, picked up our stuff and had it all put together for us. The most important thing I was concerned about was my dad being able to get to the sand. They made sure he had a wheelchair ready and when he got to the sand, they had a big sand wheelchair for him. It was a perfect day and I couldn't have asked for anything more. Our officiant Rev. Rick was awesome, and he made the ceremony very special for us. Tammy our photographer was wonderful. Also, thank you Heidi and Nicole for our special treat that was sent to our room the night before.

The Don CeSar team went above and beyond to make my daughter’s fairy tale wedding a dream come true! The setting is incredible and the entire team made sure everything was perfect for the three day event!! The guests were so impressed with the food and service and we are just so thankful to the entire team!! It truly is the perfect venue!!!

We flew in from Texas to have a beach wedding and the Don and I cannot say enough how incredible it was. Everything was perfect and the staff at the Don were so so helpful!! Nicole and Amelia knocked it out of the park with everything we requested !! Our day turned into everything we dreamed of and more !! If you’re considering the Don, I highly recommend it!!!

I planned a wedding in 9 days!

It was an incredible experience! I highly recommend Nicole & her team were fantastic! I can’t NOT thank them enough!

I don't know where to start. The entire experience was AMAZING, from our initial visit with Heidi Thixton to our walk down the aisle only 2.5 months later. We started with 25-30 people and ended up with 65. Heidi accommodated all of my changes and indecision along the way and never flinched. She was incredibly patient and responsive, even the day I sent 10+ emails about the linens :) The hotel itself was spectacular - every single thing you would expect of a luxury hotel and so.much.more. We felt like royalty from the moment we arrived and our guests commented that they knew they were about to be part of something special as they made the walk to the South Terrace. We chose The Don Cesar for the memories-of-a-lifetime that we knew only a venue like this could provide and we were not disappointed. We're already looking forward to coming back for our 1st anniversary!

Exception service and quality, family and friends loved it. we loved it.

great location but the best part is the people; they really made this day happen. thank you for working with us.

The Don CeSar..The feeling you get when you walk through these doors is so romantic! It's simply stunning to walk around the beautiful grounds it makes you just feel amazing. We had such a wonderful experience with The Don CeSar and with our sales manager Quinn. She was very accommodating and helpful with any request we had.

From the moment we first arrived over a year ago to check out venue we fell in love with the feel. She took the time to show us each and every amenity that The Don CeSar had to offer. Quinn was simply a pleasure to work with from the beginning, I must have e-mailed her on a daily basis, and each time she was just as quick as the first time.

The wedding day was executed perfectly, they really know how to run an event there. We felt so taken care of by the banquet managers, bartenders, bellhops.. EVERYONE!!

My wedding day was so special because of this venue and all of the wonderful people that work there.

We look forward to spending each anniversary there!!

I cannot believe how amazing the wedding was from start to finish! Kasey is my girl! So happy to have her throughout the process and on our wedding day!! The food was spot on! They took care of all of the food allergies for myself and our guests! They were so grateful for that! The key lime cake was to die for!! No one ever knew it was vegan!! Amanda is incredible!! The whole staff at The Don was so nice and we loved the whole crew! We were sad to leave.