The Lodge at Wakulla Springs Reviews

Wakulla Springs is one of our most favorite places to go and I'm so happy that we got to have our wedding here! The scenery is breathtaking and the staff are AMAZING! They really make wedding planning easy to do with all of their help! We had our wedding during covid, but everything turned out beautifully! The food was great and everything was exactly how we wanted it to be. We couldn't ask for more.

Wakulla Springs is a GREAT place for a unique wedding. We had a very small ceremony and dinner. Everyone I spoke to to coordinate the event was helpful and responsive. This venue is very easy to work with. Our ceremony ended up being very cheap, but that's mostly because of how small our wedding was (less than 20 people total). A larger wedding was happening the same weekend and I could tell it was really nice, too. You have a lot of flexibility I think. Anyway, the people here are great, and any time of year it's just beautiful. I recommend 100%!

We got ready for our wedding as well as hosted our reception at the Wakulla Springs Lodge. It is a wonderful place to celebrate at! The venue is very charming and romantic, and is a great place for a vintage feel to your wedding. They were extremely accommodating with every part of the process. It also made the planning simpler on our end because linens, tables, place settings, silverware, and chairs are all things that Lodge provides when you have your event there. The food was delicious and it received many compliments. The event coordinator Sarah, is terrific at her job and went above and beyond to make our day exceed our expectations. We are forever grateful for her and the team at Wakulla for the excellent service and for helping make our most special day possible. Thank you!
Sincerely,
Nate & Jillian

Loved loved loved this venue we chose for our wedding! It is such a beautiful area and had the "Old Florida" look we were going for. We held the ceremony outside on the lawn behind the lodge and had the reception in the terrace and lobby inside the lodge. Jodi did an awesome job as the site event coordinator as well as the chef. She was very responsive to e-mails and texts and she helped me not only with typical venue details, but also helped with suggestions on my day-of timeline and other little things I was unsure of. Her food was absolutely amazing!! We had steak medallions with caramelized onions & au jus, citrus herb chicken, bacon & brussels sprouts, green beans, roasted sweet potatoes, and a salad. It was all really good, but the steak was out of this world. I had people commenting on how amazing it was all that night and for a few days after!! The balsamic dressing was one of the best I've ever had too. The wait-staff and bar staff were all very attentive and so kind and professional.
We also blocked off the rooms at the lodge for family and friends to reserve. Most of the people staying there were there for both Friday and Saturday nights, which made it a fun getaway weekend for everyone. We moved up to the conference room upstairs off rooms 101 and 102 and got to catch up with everyone on Friday after the rehearsal dinner (which we held off-site) and after the reception. Because we had all the rooms reserved for guests at our party, they were okay with us staying up and hanging out much later than the reception went. The rooms are very nice and I just love the antique feel and there are no TV's, which I love since it encourages everyone to hang out. During the day, a lot of the guests that were staying on-site went on the boat ride or went swimming.
I would recommend this venue in a heartbeat. We and our guests had an awesome time and it all went just perfectly!

I was very pleased and happy with all my wedding planning and services! The lodge was so welcoming, flexible with my requests to arrange seating in the main lobby, and we basically were allowed to just relax and take over the hotel lobby and reception area after our reception was winding down. The setting is so unique, and perfectly matched our romantic, "old school" wedding style.It was our second marriage, but my first wedding. Asari and the staff made me feel as though being an older bride was perfectly natural, and made our entire weekend special. They treated us, our wedding party, family and guests like VIPS. They arranged and served a wonderful rehearsal dinner in their private party room Friday night for about 25 guests, and the food was excellent with a great menu options.The reception catering and service was also excellent- we had hot and cold Hors D'oeuvres passed among the guests ( the spring rolls were home made and divine) while the reception buffet was set out. The bar service was great-wine and beer, and the acoustics, beauty of the lodge, and open spaces made it feel very elegant and grand.I especially loved spending time in the lobby with our out of town family and guests- dancing with nieces and nephews, chatting with friends. It was perfect for all ages. The best part was the very good pricing for rooms, and wedding location services. I couldn't have been more pleased or happy with our entire stay. Oh-pictures were gorgeous , and the manatee's kept everyone entertained-from toddlers to seniors. It was perfect.I highly recommend the lodge for a beautiful and unique wedding venue.

Very nice place for a small ceremony on the patio overlooking the springs.

Wakulla Springs Lodge is a beautiful, well maintained Spanish style lodge built in the 1930s. They have gorgeous areas indoors and out for a ceremony, and are very flexible about setting up last minute if there are weather concerns. There is room for about 100 guests in the reception area. It was really nice to have the ceremony, reception, lodging, and weekend activities all in one place. The staff is amazing, and their prices can't be beat. There is a curfew for the end of the party(so the dj had to stop), but the staff let us sit around the tables, talking and drinking wine, until the wee hours off the morning. I could not say better things about Wakulla; they made our wedding day so enjoyable!

The Lodge at Wakulla Springs was absolutely perfect for our Florida "destination" wedding. Our families, who traveled long distances, were comfortable in the historic hotel. They appreciated the 1930s charm and the park features including the spring, soda fountain and boat tour.
The staff was absolutely wonderful. Besides some initial communication issues with sales, the staff was totally willing to go above and beyond to take care of us. And they were very friendly to our guests too. We felt like we got to know them over the weekend. Sarah wears many hats at The Lodge, and she was super responsive to all my needs and questions.
Our guests are still talking about the food – prime rib and rosemary chicken. It was not your average wedding buffet! Chef Reshard and his staff impressed everyone. We had a lovely brunch the next morning in the Cypress Room.
My husband and I stayed in the Ed Ball Suite. It was spacious for dressing and styling before the ceremony, and the bed was plenty big and comfortable. The Lodge itself has a large lobby with hand-painted ceilings, and plenty of couches and chairs for socializing. Pianist Bob Carey played tunes in the lobby the night before the wedding, the bar was open, and our families enjoyed an evening dancing and getting to know each other.
Our wedding photos taken around the park property turned out wonderfully. It was a perfect weekend.

I must first apologize on how long it took me to provide my positive feedback on the services iof Asari Fletcher. She was flexible, offered good guidance, and was constantly professional and absolutely pleasant to deal with. This treatment began from day one and continued all the way through the event. The wedding party had the entire hotel the day of the wedding and just about every room the day before.

I have recommended Wakulla Springs Lodge to numerous people base on her treatment and performance.
I would like to add the the food was absolutely great. The service and interaction by every single employee we encountered was fantastic and every employee made us feel welcome. This was a one in a lifetime event for my daughter and we were treated as such by Asari and every other employee no matter how brief the interaction. This ranged from a simple request, to breakfast or an item at the snack bar, to the planning and actual wedding and reception.

I had my wedding reception at Wakulla Springs Lodge after having my wedding on nearby Shell Point Beach. The reception was on the glass terrace and it was beautiful watching the sunset over the springs. The food was amazing! Everyone complemented me on how wonderful the food was. We had a buffet and they kept the dishes fill until everyone had what they want, which included firsts, seconds, and thirds. The wait staff was excellent and so helpful before, during and after the reception. They helped set-up and take down my decorations so I didn't have to worry about a thing. Ms. Fletcher, the event coordinator for the Lodge, was extremely helpful with any questions and requests. Although it seemed expensive at the time I was writing the check, the overall cost was a good value. My package included food, drinks, tables, chairs, plates, glasses, silverware, wait staff, additional staff and a room in the lodge to change for the event and stay for the night. I would love to have any future events here. I had an excellent time with great memories.

I highly recommend the Lodge at Wakulla Springs! Their event planner, Michelle, and all of the other staff were a pleasure to work with. They went above and beyond to make my wedding day absolutely amazing! I thought the food was great, and my guests enjoyed it too. They were super accommodating to my requests for vegetarian and vegan alternatives for some of my guests. The bartender and food service was excellent. Wakulla Springs State Park is a stunning venue, and it was the most perfect setting for our outdoor wedding. The lobby is so gorgeous that I didn't have to spend too much time or effort on decor for the reception. My guests loved staying at The Lodge and took advantage of the boat tours; they got to see manatees and alligators. If you want a unique old Florida experience, the Lodge is the way to go. Many of my out of town guests said that they were planning to come back and bring their friends and family.

The staff was very friendly and kind.

My dad's ninety birthday party was held here in the Spring of 2010!!! We had an amazing time and everyone enjoyed Wakulla Springs Resort and Lodge!!!! Thanks for all the terrific memories!!!!

I have always loved this place they are amazing. The location and the people make it a uniquely unforgettable place and such a pleasure to be there. Its the perfect mix of nature and comfort. Always the right choice.

Working with the lodge so far has been amazing. They work well through e-mail and generally get all questions answered within a timely manner. My only thing was that they had changed the rates for the venue and catering when I was putting down deposits. Other than that, they're amazing.

Wakulla Springs Lodge is a beautiful setting for a wedding. The staff was very helpful and courteous throughout the event. I highly recommend this facility.

Beautiful location! Would recommend

Venue and food were excellent, There were some minor communication issues that had to do with lodging more than the venue or this review would be 5.0. The setting was lovely and the service was friendly. The value was very very good. I'd recommend this venue to anyone. Father of the Bride.

My wedding at the Wakulla Springs Lodge was perfect, beautiful, and everything I wanted. However, there were a few snafus. The coordinator that I had been speaking with for seven months was let go the week before my wedding, and at my rehearsal I discovered that my reception was moved to the Cypress Room from the Veranda, without my knowledge, and that the time for my wedding was scheduled at 4, and not at noon. However, Megan, the previous coordinator's replacement, stepped in and got us back onto the Veranda and worked hard within 48 hours to make sure we had the time and place and everything correct. Our food was absolutely delicious, thanks to the chef. We had a small wedding, but the staff at Wakulla Springs worked hard to make sure it was everything we wanted. My only other comment would be that my wedding was outside, and people attempted to walk through right before I came down the aisle. But other than that, it was wonderful.

Good venue. Our only problem was that event coordinators kept changing and we had to start over each time. But once Asari came on board, we felt she met our needs.

Amazing venue for a wedding! The staff were helpful and provided quality service!!

The Lodge was a beautiful place for our wedding, and we were definitely glad we chose this location. The staff we decent, but not over and above or anything. I think the "wedding coordinator" there was pretty new, because when we would ask her questions, she never seemed to really know the answer, but instead would always just say she'd have to get back to us on it... Overall, we were still very happy with the venue, and how everything turned out.

Only big downside is that you *must* use their catering services. I was definitely a budget bride, and this wasn't the most budget friendly catering I could have found. Wish we would have been able to bring in outside catering services, but other than that, it was gorgeous!

Wakulla springs is hands down beautiful!!!! It is a well maintained Spanish style lodge built in the 1930s. They have many gorgeous areas in/outdoors to hold the ceremony/reception etc. A great feature of theirs was having the ceremony, reception, lodging, and weekend activities all in one place. The majority of the staff is amazing! They can be pricey but they work with you in other areas. There is a curfew, the dj had to stop by 10p, unless you book the lodge completely out, 27 rooms. A few negatives were, we had a change in event coordinators 4-5 months prior, obviously not their fault, but they were defiantly understaffed, or at least at one point the newest event coordinator stated she had already worked 60+ hours prior to our fri-sun event. We had continuously communication problems with both coordinators. Which leads to our main issue with Wakulla lodge, email and leaving messages didn't seem to work for either my mom or myself....I'm not one to complain, and usually can find the good in all situations, but I did want people to be aware that they may need to be on top of things with the Lodge. If you have patience, use the Lodge/Wakulla Springs it can be magical.

The venue is beautiful! Unless you have a very small guest list, like 25 or under, I would recommend having a wedding planner to use this venue. The event planner is hard to get in touch with and forget emailing them. For my wedding this past February (2017) there was a lot of disconnect with what I wanted to happen with certain things. Like the bar. Instead of asking me with all the confusion they just asked whoever, a groomsman in this instance, and went with the incorrect information from him. Had I had a wedding planner they could have went to them for all the question and I think everything that went wrong would have been made smoother.

Had my wedding at the lodge on April 8th, 2017. Started out great and over the course of the year while planning it quickly went downhill four months before my event. There was a complete breakdown of communication as emails and phone calls would go unanswered. It took on average over 8 to 11 days just to get a return call. The current coordinator Leanne is non-responsive and whenever I could speak to her, her attitude came across as if I was bothering her. The day of my event, there were not enough chairs for my guest during the ceremony. At the start of the reception the parents were stationed in the gift shop so they could start the procession from there, the cashier informed them they had to get out and the gift shop was closing. After they left she locked the doors behind them. At the reception one of my guest found a meat thermometer in his pork. During the cocktail hour, the servers would not serve the children any of the appetizers and an adult had to request they be served. (these children were teenagers)
Upon checking out and collecting our things from the night before I was informed that the kitchen lost my bakers cake plates. The Food and Beverage manager was very prompt and apologized and promised they would either replace or reimburse the cost. I received an email from Leanne inquiring about the cost of the lost items and I email her back stating I had already reimbursed my baker. I provided them the amount and even after 2 weeks I still have not received any response as to when I will be reimbursed. (I had to call the GM just to get an answer) This is the first review I have ever written. Had I had these problems in the beginning I would have found a different venue, but given everything broke down in January there was no time to find a new location. If you decide to use the lodge for your wedding venue please be aware of the issues. The GM is really the only responsive manager.