4.9
Praised by couples for:
Amenities
Guests comfort
Unique aesthetic style
A Beachfront Paradise with Gulf Views
Holds ceremonies and receptions
Where do I even begin? Our wedding at The Sandbar was absolutely phenomenal, and we truly could not have asked for a better experience.
The venue itself is stunning. From the beautiful setting to the incredible staff, everything exceeded our expectations. Every person we worked with was professional, helpful, and genuinely invested in making our day special.
A huge shoutout to our day-of coordinator, Haley. She was absolutely amazing. Haley was organized, attentive, and handled every detail and last-minute change without ever seeming flustered. She kept everything running seamlessly while still allowing us to enjoy every moment of our day. My family and bridesmaids are still talking about how incredible she was. She struck the perfect balance of being there whenever we needed her without ever being overbearing. Every bride deserves a Haley!
I also have to recognize Carley, who was such a huge help throughout the planning process. Even though she wasn't our day-of coordinator, she went above and beyond to help get everything set up and answer our questions. She was always incredibly responsive, patient, and helpful—even when I was probably asking the same questions multiple times! Her communication and support made the entire planning process so much easier.
And then there's the food... WOW. We are still hearing about it from our guests. This was hands down the best wedding food many of our friends and family have ever had. The cocktail hour alone was incredible—lobster rolls, mac and cheese bites, coconut shrimp, chicken sliders, and so much more. Everything was delicious and beautifully presented. Months from now, I know people will still be talking about the food.
To the entire team at The Sandbar: thank you. You made our wedding day more perfect than we could have imagined. Your professionalism, attention to detail, and genuine care made all the difference. We are so grateful and would recommend this venue to anyone looking for an unforgettable wedding experience.
Catherine M.
5.0
We held our rehearsal dinner at The Sandbar on Anna Maria Island on 2-13-26, and the location truly is beautiful. Being right on the beach made it such a special place to gather with our close friends and family the night before our wedding. The sunset views and beach atmosphere created a really memorable setting for the evening.
The planning process was fairly straightforward, and the event itself went smoothly. While the experience wasn’t necessarily over-the-top in terms of service, everything we needed for the rehearsal dinner was provided, and the evening came together as planned.
Overall, The Sandbar is a great choice if you’re looking for a rehearsal dinner venue with an incredible beachfront setting on Anna Maria Island. The scenery alone makes it a really special place to celebrate with your guests.
Madi M.
5.0
AWARD WINNER (9X)
Thanks to recommendations from couples on The Knot
The Grand Pavilion at The Sandbar is a slice of paradise and wedding venue on world-famous Anna Maria Island, Florida. This beachfront venue is an idyllic spot for a waterside wedding, complete with Gulf of Mexico views and the sugar sands for which Florida’s west coast is famous. The open-air, canopied space can hold 135 guests comfortably, allowing you to invite all the friends and family on your list while maintaining an intimate atmosphere.
Facilities and Capacity
The Grand Pavilion at The Sandbar offers a variety of luxe locations, giving couples flexibility in their planning. Prior to the ceremony, the bridal party can relax in a plush getting-ready area in The Sandbar Restaurant. A beach ceremony on Florida’s sugar sands can be held in front of the restaurant, complete with an aisle, an arbor and chairs. Host your reception in the open-air pavilion’s covered event space. With room for 135 guests, this restaurant-adjacent space is a perfect way to enjoy the elements while also staying protected from them. Should inclement weather arise, The Sandbar offers a rain plan that maintains the beauty of a beach wedding, including weather screens to shield your guests while allowing them to remain beachside.
Services Offered
The team at The Grand Pavilion at The Sandbar is dedicated to making each wedding a memorable one. This team of professionals will be by your side from start to finish, helping to coordinate venue and catering details for your big day. The venue also offers a signature gift: a sand ceremony with a glass heart filled with some of the same white sand on which you’ve just said your vows. Beach ceremonies also include a bamboo arbor, ceremony chairs, and beautiful aisle décor selections. The space is also available for birthday parties, corporate events, family reunions, holiday parties and other special events.
Cuisine
The Grand Pavilion at The Sandbar offers fresh ingredients and second-to-none service. From farm-to-fork produces to freshly-caught seafood, The Sandbar is committed to serving the highest quality foods in stellar presentations. During cocktail hour, there are four varieties of hors d’oeuvres to set the stage for an extensive buffet selection that couples can personalize to their own tastes. The Sandbar’s friendly bar staff will keep the cocktails flowing for up to four hours, and a celebratory champagne or non-alcoholic toast will capture the festivity of the evening.
The Grand Pavilion at The Sandbar is the quintessential “beachy” wedding venue, nestled on Anna Maria Island on Florida’s West Coast. White sand beaches, world-famous sunsets, and multiple event spaces make this venue ideal for couples looking to tie the knot in their own private piece of paradise.
Amenities + details
Amenities
Ceremony Area
Covered Outdoors Space
Dressing Room
Handicap Accessible
Liability Insurance
Outdoor Event Space
Reception Area
Wireless Internet
Ceremony Types
Civil Union
Commitment Ceremony
Non-Religious Ceremony
Religious Ceremony
Second Wedding
Vow Renewal Ceremony
Settings
Beach
Waterfront
Restaurant
Venue Service Offerings
Bar & Drinks
Cakes & Desserts
Cupcakes
Other Desserts
Destination Weddings
Destination Wedding Packages
Destination Wedding Planning
Food & Catering
Planning
Destination Wedding Planning
Rentals & Equipment
Service Staff
Awards and Affiliations
9-Time 'Best of Weddings'
2023.2022.2015.+6 more.
Best of Weddings
The Knot independently assesses vendors for this award—it’s never self-reported. We base it on firsthand experiences from real couples and guests, and they must have a 4.5-star average across 7+ reviews in the qualifying year.
Hall of Fame
Earned by winning 'Best of Weddings' four or more times.
Join couples who chose award-winning vendors for their wedding
Meet the team
Showing slide number 1 out of 2
- Isabella MolinaSales CoordinatorIsabella joined our team in Spring 2023 after moving to Florida from Williamsburg, Virginia. She has a love for the beach and a passion for event management and sustainable hospitality. She is excited to bring her creative, analytical, and organizational skills to the team! In her free time, you can catch her reading a book or traveling.
- Carley JohnsonSales ManagerBorn and raised in Bradenton, Florida, Carley graduated from Florida Gulf Coast University with a Bachelor’s in Business Management. She began working in the hospitality and service industry while simultaneously running her own online store for fashion clothes and accessories. She joined the Chiles Hospitality Events team in 2022, is full of energy and passionate about the event planning process and making dream weddings for her clients. In her free time, she is hanging out with her her furry little corgi.
Reviews
4.9
out of 5.098 reviews
Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help
you make those big decisions with ease.
Review Summary
This AI-generated summary is a snapshot of this vendor's ratings and feedback.
The Sandbar is a stunning beachfront venue on Anna Maria Island with memorable sunset views. Reviewers praised the attentive, organized staff and easy planning process, including vendor recommendations and help rescheduling after storms. Guests raved about the outstanding food and described their weddings as dreamlike, highly recommending the venue.Review photos
Showing slide number 1 out of 9
Catherine M
5.0
5/31/2026
Where do I even begin? Our wedding at The Sandbar was absolutely phenomenal, and we truly could not have asked for a better experience.
The venue itself is stunning. From the beau...
tiful setting to the incredible staff, everything exceeded our expectations. Every person we worked with was professional, helpful, and genuinely invested in making our day special.
A huge shoutout to our day-of coordinator, Haley. She was absolutely amazing. Haley was organized, attentive, and handled every detail and last-minute change without ever seeming flustered. She kept everything running seamlessly while still allowing us to enjoy every moment of our day. My family and bridesmaids are still talking about how incredible she was. She struck the perfect balance of being there whenever we needed her without ever being overbearing. Every bride deserves a Haley!
I also have to recognize Carley, who was such a huge help throughout the planning process. Even though she wasn't our day-of coordinator, she went above and beyond to help get everything set up and answer our questions. She was always incredibly responsive, patient, and helpful—even when I was probably asking the same questions multiple times! Her communication and support made the entire planning process so much easier.
And then there's the food... WOW. We are still hearing about it from our guests. This was hands down the best wedding food many of our friends and family have ever had. The cocktail hour alone was incredible—lobster rolls, mac and cheese bites, coconut shrimp, chicken sliders, and so much more. Everything was delicious and beautifully presented. Months from now, I know people will still be talking about the food.
To the entire team at The Sandbar: thank you. You made our wedding day more perfect than we could have imagined. Your professionalism, attention to detail, and genuine care made all the difference. We are so grateful and would recommend this venue to anyone looking for an unforgettable wedding experience.
Madi M
5.0
3/04/2026
We held our rehearsal dinner at The Sandbar on Anna Maria Island on 2-13-26, and the location truly is beautiful. Being right on the beach made it such a special place to gather wi...
th our close friends and family the night before our wedding. The sunset views and beach atmosphere created a really memorable setting for the evening.
The planning process was fairly straightforward, and the event itself went smoothly. While the experience wasn’t necessarily over-the-top in terms of service, everything we needed for the rehearsal dinner was provided, and the evening came together as planned.
Overall, The Sandbar is a great choice if you’re looking for a rehearsal dinner venue with an incredible beachfront setting on Anna Maria Island. The scenery alone makes it a really special place to celebrate with your guests.
Any questions?
Kyle K
5.0
8/18/2025
As I've grown up going to AMI every summer, it's been my dream to have my wedding at The Sandbar. My dream finally came true and it did not disappoint. The Sandbar team was incredi...
ble - they truly understood my vision, were attentive to my requests/questions, and overall really cared about my experience. The wedding was everything I dreamed of and more - the food, incredible, the decorations, also incredible, and the team, the absolute best. Haley was my day-of coordinator and she was by my side every step of the way, making the day seamless and fun. I can't recommend this team and place enough. Thank you so so much for the perfect day!
Emily D
5.0
6/26/2025
Recently just got married in Anna Maria, FL. Our venue was with Beachside Hospitality Events at The Pavilion at the Sandbar. Everything was absolutely perfect. Our venue was beauti...
ful and every detail was perfect for our special day. It was such an easy process of touring it (virtually), communicating with the team and booking it so quick. The wedding planning process was easy because of the help we received on choosing vendors from a list of top vendors in the area. Our DJ was on that list and we couldn’t have picked a better one!(DJ Kenwa). It was nice, since we are from Maryland and not familiar with the area or any vendors. The Sandbar events team communicated with us often to make sure we were on top of planning and making sure we had every detail secured well in advance to our wedding date. Everyone who worked the wedding was beyond nice, Haley our coordinator was the sweetest and made sure everything was perfect. Carley and Lisa who helped with touring and booking the venue and figuring out details of what we wanted, were super nice and made the process so easy. My husband, our family, friends and myself wish we could go back to that day to relive it. The beautiful scenery, the weather, the tables/center pieces were all gorgeous and perfect! Loved it all! Can’t speak highly enough!
Elisabeth F
5.0
4/14/2025
Beachside Hospitality, Sandbar and especially Carley, our coordinator made our dream wedding come true. Our wedding was postponed due to the hurricane in October and Carley helped ...
us make the easy decision to reschedule to March. She supported us and was fully transparent about the damage to the venue and how to proceed following the hurricane. This was a destination wedding for us and we had over 100+ people traveling from Massachusetts to be there for our special day. We put full trust in Carley, Sandbar, and our vendors and they completely passed our expectations. Our wedding was so beautiful, the staff were amazing, and the food was SO good. Especially the chicken and waffles appetizer. Carley made sure to put together a plate of apps for us while we were mingling with guests and taking photos. Carley was commutative, easy to work with, and let us ship multiple boxes of items to her personal house. Our guests are still talking about our wedding 6 weeks later. It was truly a dream and we couldn’t recommend beachside hospitality and their staff more. Especially Carley. Thank you for everything!
Chandler W
5.0
1/03/2025
Carley, Lisa, and the whole team at the Sandbar helped make our NYE destination-style wedding dream into a reality! From the planning process, helping find vendors that fit our vis...
ion, providing amazing communication, and creating an stress-free wedding day, we cannot recommend them enough! I would choose the team at the Sandbar over and over again, if I could. We are so grateful for them!!
Rachel B
5.0
11/25/2024
Carley and Shawn were a blessing on my wedding day. These ladies went above and beyond to make sure we had a beautiful event, even given the recent hurricanes in the area. They del...
ivered everything we expected and more! From the very first time I reached out to inquire pricing, I was impressed by their quick responses , professionalism and kindness.
Even in unprecedented times, Carley and Shawn delivered a 5 star experience for me and my (now) husband. Do not hesitate to book with them, I cannot recommend this venue and their staff enough! You will be in the best hands.
Sarah S
5.0
2/21/2024
My wedding was an absolute dream come true due to the work of everyone at the Sandbar. I wanted a boho, chill, vibe and they more than delivered. From my day of coordinator (Kelly)...
to the event captain (Jessica), and Tara (sales manager) - my wedding was my dream! The food was great and the recommended vendors were awesome. They were incredibly flexible and made the whole process easy.
Rylee D
5.0
1/12/2024
Our wedding at the Sandbar was everything we hoped it would be and more! The staff there are so helpful, organized, fun, professional and overall just amazing. Our wedding was a de...
stination, prior to our wedding we never saw this place in person, it was everything you could hope for for a beach wedding. Communication was quick and efficient. THey made my wedding planning stress free. I can not say enough good things about them.
Donna B
5.0
11/04/2023
From the minute my daughter and I met with the sales manager, Carley Johnson we knew this was going to be the only venue for us! Carley was genuine , friendly and professional. ...
She made us feel like we were the most important wedding happening and that she was going to help us create our daughters dream wedding.
Well, that happened- last weekend exceeded our expectations. The day of coordinator, Shawn was unbelievable. She was on top of everything! We didn’t have to worry about a thing. She had it covered. Throughout the day she made sure everything was exactly in place and people were where they were supposed to be.
The food was absolutely delicious, every guest commented on that as well as how friendly each server was.
Without Carley none of this would have happened. We thank you so much and hope our paths cross again.
Denise C
5.0
10/10/2023
We had our wedding at The Grand Pavilion at the Sandbar (10/6/2023) and it was AMAZING!!! Everything from the planning price to the day of was handled with urgency and professional...
ism. I highly recommend having your wedding here. The event staff were very friendly and made our day perfect! I had a stress free experience working with them. They provided a list of preferred vendors and this made the planning process so nice as the vendors were awesome at communicating as well! Superb experience!
Abigail S
5.0
3/16/2023
Cannot say enough good things about The Sandbar! My fiancé and I knew that we wanted to do a destination wedding in FL, but undecided which part. We knew we wanted more intimate an...
d definitely beach, not golf course or hotel. Google just kept taking us back to AMI and specifically The Sandbar. We had never even heard of AMI and on a hope and a prayer that social media and the internet wouldn't let us down, we booked the venue and all our vendors based on the venue's vendor list. Several months later we went to check it out and we were blown away at how stunning this venue (the whole island) was! Shawn was our point of contact and she was AMAZING. You could not ask for better communication. And the vendors off their vendor list...also amazing. We were so happy with everything and thank you Shawn and Bailey and your whole team for such an amazing wedding day and full on experience! We will be back to visit you!
Taylor P
5.0
3/03/2023
The staff at The Sandbar were FABULOUS! They made sure everything went smoothly and that I had everything I needed for the perfect day.
TESSA S
5.0
11/19/2022
I have been a wedding photographer in Philadelphia for 13 years and have photographed over 400 weddings. The question I have gotten countlessly over those years is “what would YOUR...
wedding be like?!” I always told people I would either elope or have to do something super special and a bit more unconventional.
I have been vacationing in Anna Maria with my family for 18 years, it is our home away from home! So when we began planning our October '22 wedding, I knew the destination had to be AMI. We were so excited to share this corner of the earth with our friends and family. The goal was to plan a four day weekend for our 85 guests, with the highlight being wedding day.
There’s no better place to get married on the island than The Grand Pavilion at The Sandbar. We noticed several years ago when a new wedding venue was built right by one of our favorite restaurants but we hadn’t looked into it much until we booked the venue. It was absolutely the right choice.
Samantha was accommodating from start to finish. She answered all of my questions promptly as well as doing a venue walk-through during our yearly visit. We flew out some vendors but chose our DJ, Florist and Hair & Makeup from their suggested vendors and they were amazing! We brought quite a few decorations from PA and were able to drop them off at their office a couple of days before the wedding so we could enjoy the weekend.
River was our day of coordinator and I honestly didn’t know what to expect. I have worked with many day of coordinators in the past and they typically are hit or miss when they are only involved in one day. But River was a hit! We went over the run-down of the ceremony right before rehearsal and she helped to execute it seamlessly. I quickly could tell she was assertive, take charge and knew what she was doing. The BEST kind of coordinator. After rehearsal, she took the time to go over my decoration list and assured me everything would be set up accordingly.
The day of our wedding could not have gone more smoothly. The ceremony started right on time. We had an abbreviated cocktail hour, since it was very important to me to do our first dance at sunset. We did our intros before the first dance and it went off without a hitch. If you’ve been to AMI before you know their sunsets are EPIC. We were gifted one of the most amazing sunsets that went on for what felt like hours! Our guests migrated to the beach to take photos and take it all in. My favorite moment of the day. It put us slightly behind schedule but The Sandbar was quick on their toes and allowed for the moment to happen while getting us back on track.
The servers and food alike were amazing! They took care of us but weren’t over bearing. The buffet lined moved quickly so we could get to speeches and DANCING.
Truly, a dream come true. From both a wedding professional and now a bride, The Sandbar is superb.
Joy R
5.0
8/18/2022
I'd give more stars if I could! We planned a destination wedding and the entire staff at the Sandbar couldn't have been better! Communication from the first to the last person was ...
terrific. They all kept everything low stress and helped with all the planning along the way. The scenery is AMAZING at the sandbar. Wedding on the beach, and the reception in their pavilion just behind the sea oats. It was the wedding I imagined. I just wish it could've lasted longer. The food was delicious and I received so many compliments from family and friends.
Jennifer E
5.0
8/04/2022
My husband and I renewed our vows for our 25th wedding anniversary a few weeks ago on the beach in Anna Maria at the Sandbar. Samantha and her team were amazing to work with and m...
ade us feel so special on the big day. Beautiful venue with the best back drop ever! Out pictures turned out amazing. Everything turned out better than we could have ever imagined, despite a little rain. We hated for the day to end. Thank you Samantha, the Sandbar and the whole crew!
Alyssa H
5.0
7/13/2022
Loved this location for our ceremony and reception. Everyone who helped us was incredible. I worked with Samantha to set everything up from a distance and she was able to get every...
thing that I wanted and made everything look beautiful. Everything looked incredible on the beach with our alter and the chairs. We booked an officiant and photographer through our package. The pavilion looked incredible with a beautiful chandelier and a table set up just the way we requested. Both Jess and our Bartender did an amazing job at keeping things on schedule as well as incredible service offered. I could not give a higher recommendation to this place and the people who helped us!
Beata M
5.0
5/27/2022
Where do I begin? Absolutely best choice hands down for a down to earth but yet stunning venue! Our wedding day was perfect. Shawn is AMAZING! Planning our wedding was so seamless ...
with her. We did most of if living 1000 miles away and it was easy. Shawn recommended fabulous vendors! The day of the wedding was beautiful, she brought our vision to life along with the day of planner. Don’t hesitate, just book your wedding here!
Leanne P
5.0
5/19/2022
We had a beautiful wedding at the Sandbar on 11/13/21! Such a beautiful site.
Molly was our event director and was such a pleasure to work with. She was there for us as our wed...
ding got postponed due to being scheduled in the middle of the original COVID outbreak and helped us transition to our postponed date. She was always so helpful and provide us with recommendations for various vendors.
I don’t know how she keeps up with all of the emails and communications but she was always there for us to answer all of our questions and concerns as we approached the big day. I am SO thankful to have had her!
Bailey was our day of planner and was outstanding. She made sure everything went smoothly and keeping us on track of time. I highly recommend a day of planner bc I couldn’t imagine our wedding without her.
The only thing that would make this venue even better is availability of more bathrooms on site - or bathrooms specifically for venue guests so they don’t need to wait in line with restaurant customers
Jessica D
5.0
3/27/2022
Fantastic experience with The Sandbar! They are a “one stop shop” venue that knocks it out of the park. They have recommendations for every vendor you’d need (florist, transportati...
on, officiant, DJ, dessert, photography, videography, rentals, photo booths, etc), but offer a lot themselves. The managers were phenomenal through the entire process. They take care of set up, take down, food, beverages, everything - I cannot say enough about this venue. It’s also in a gorgeous spot and has the ability to be customized in so many ways to personalize it to a tee.
Amanda B
5.0
3/21/2022
do not have enough wonderful things to say about my experience with the Sandbar. I thought planning a wedding would be stressful and they made everything so easy for me. Not only w...
ere the people amazing and attentive but the venue was stunning and our wedding was perfect. The food was delicious and everything was organized and timely. Thank you to everyone at the Sandbar that made our day special. Especially.. Amanda, Molly, Samantha, River, and Jessica.
Janelle O
5.0
2/21/2022
Highly recommend the Sandbar! Everything exceeded my expectations. We planned the entire thing never being there. I also would get the day of coordinator again. I was going back an...
d forth on that, but it was well worth it! We will forever be grateful to the Sandbar and all our vendors for making our wedding the best day of our lives! (emvbeauty, celebrations24, cakes by ron, flowers by fudgie, igotshotbylisamarie)
Brittany B
5.0
10/18/2021
The Sandbar was exactly what I pictured for my beach wedding! Everyone loved the venue and having the beach steps away. The staff was absolutely amazing and my day of wedding coord...
inator, Bailey, went above and beyond!! Also, would love to mention Shawn, who helped me plan everything. She was so helpful and made the planning process so much more enjoyable!
Danielle J
5.0
10/14/2021
We had our wedding at the Sandbar in early September. Molly was our event director and she was wonderful! We felt like the communication was always open and she was extremely helpf...
ul with making decisions and keeping us on track with planning the entire day. She went above and beyond to make our day feel special and tailored to our wants & needs. Bailey was our day-of coordinator and she was very responsive and definitely brought my vision to life, even though she only had a week of communicating with me and a couple hours to go over all my decor! I gave her creative freedom when setting up my decor and I love the way everything turned out! Our guests could not stop talking about the food, a month later and they still mention our wedding dinner and dessert! We will be going back to the restaurant for our one year anniversary because we loved it so much! When planning a destination wedding, you always worry about booking a place you haven't seen, but we could not have picked a better venue to bring our beach elopement to life!
Thank you, Molly & Bailey!
Heidi B
5.0
9/12/2021
Planning a wedding from out of state can be stressful. We were lucky enough to meet at the venue a couple times beforehand. Amanda was very knowledgeable and helped us book our w...
edding. Shawn was awesome! She answered all of my millions of questions and requests. She always made sure I understood and was accommodating. She even met with us to check out the venue when we came into town before the wedding.
Bailey, our day of coodinator, made sure everything was spot on for our wedding. She put my mind as ease and made sure all things would be in place. She had everyone coordinated and the wedding ran so smoothly! Our guests can't stop talking about how amazing our wedding at The Sandbar was. We surely thought it was THE BEST DAY EVER!!!
I would highly recommend The Sandbar at Anna Maria Island for your perfect beach wedding! You will not be disappointed!
Lacie B
5.0
6/15/2021
Throughout the planning process, we felt like we made the perfect decision on choosing The Sandbar. We booked The Grand Pavilion without ever having seen the venue and we could not...
have been more pleased. Our wedding day was amazing and more than we ever imagined. Everyone involved was excellent, but Molly, the event coordinator, went above and beyond to help plan our better than perfect wedding. Amanda was the first person that we spoke to when booking the Sandbar. She was kind, informative, and even went out of her way to say hello on our big day. The entire event ran very smoothly and our day-of-coordinator, Bailey, put us at ease. Bailey handled things that we did not even know about, but we told by our wedding party. Being a same sex marriage, we felt very comfortable and felt like we deserved to be celebrated which was important to us. The ceremony and reception are right on the beautiful beach of AMI, which is great for a destination wedding. They provided a list of preferred vendors and we were very pleased with the ones we chose. All of our guests keep commenting on how the food “wasn’t typical wedding food” and was delicious and how beautiful the venue was. We were able to tailor our food selections to what we wanted and they were very flexible in honoring our requests for appetizers to pass, Brussel sprouts to add, combine two tiers of food, and have our beverage preferences at the reception. We wish we could host another event at The Sandbar. Book your wedding there now!
Sally D
5.0
3/28/2021
The Sandbar was an amazing venue for our beach wedding! Everyone was amazing from Amanda to Shawn to Jess! They answered all of my questions promptly and without hesitation. My wed...
ding day went smoothly and was stress-free thanks to this professional team! They even brought hors d'oeuvres down to the beach so the wedding party could enjoy them between pics! The food was awesome! If you are planning a beach wedding, I definitely recommend the Sandbar!
Jill S
5.0
10/30/2020
We had our daughter's wedding at the Sandbar this month and it was spectacular! The Events team and staff at the Sandbar were so extremely helpful and attentive throughout the enti...
re process. We had so many guests and even strangers come up to us to say they thought the wedding was "staged" that's how perfect it was....thank you Sandbar for making our wedding so magical. It was truly a night to remember.
Brooke C
5.0
3/22/2020
Words can’t express how grateful I am to The Sandbar and their staff for making my wedding day beyond my wildest dreams PERFECT. Shawn Rhoton truly loves her job and it was obvious...
throughout the whole planning process all the way to the day of the wedding. She is professional, fun, energetic, and promptly answered my 8,000 daily questions. My event coordinator Bailey made me feel completely at ease the day of the wedding getting every detail perfectly in place. I felt stress free since the day I began planning my wedding at beautiful Sandbar restaurant bc of these people. The venue was gorgeous, the food was amazing, drinks were great, the recommended vendors were on point, and people are still reminiscing about our wedding day 3 weeks later. I would HIGHLY recommend this place for any occasion not only because it’s beautiful but because of the staff you will work with. I honestly felt like family. I felt like my wedding was THEIR wedding and they made making it perfect their priority. I’m forever grateful.
Chelsea G
5.0
3/18/2020
My husband and I weren't initially planning a destination wedding, but after "attending" a wedding one night while we were dining at The Sandbar, we fell in love.
Molly made every...
thing easy. She answered all my questions, quieted my fears and anxieties, made sure that nothing was forgotten or left out.
Bailey, our day-of coordinator (hired through The Sandbar) took all the pinterest photos I had passed along to Molly, and all our decor that we brought and turned the pavilion into the most amazing, picturesque reception venue I could have ever imagined!
The food, as it always is at The Sandbar, was incredible (and one of the things my husband and I were most excited for). The bartender was incredible.
I never really wanted a beach wedding but The Grand Pavilion at The Sandbar confirmed I was, indeed, wrong in every way. They truly made our wedding day absolutely us and absolutely perfect.
Corinne C
5.0
3/18/2020
The sandbar is the best! They made every step of my wedding planning very easy- from selecting vendors, to creating the perfect timeline, and a beyond expectations execution on the...
day of! Shawn Rhoton was incredible!
Amy O
5.0
6/22/2019
Picking The Sandbar for our wedding venue was an easy choice! It's on a pristine beach with white sand & clear blue water and they are also one of the most highly rated restaurants...
in Flordia!
What I didn't expect was how incredibly wonderful their staff would be! We worked with Molly, who is their wedding coordinator, and she is phenomenal!!! We were truly blessed to be able to work with Molly. She was quick to respond, checked in with us often and knew every answer to every question we had about The Sandbar and also about weddings!!!! Every vendor she recommended was perfect (which is very helpful when planning out of state)! We can honestly say that without her expertise and skillset our wedding would not have been the amazing day that it was! Everything ran so unbelievably perfect it was truly a magical day!
Sara C
4.0
5/25/2019
Location was great! Everything was amazing on the day of the wedding! Planning and schedule was a bit difficult and stressful.
Paula D
5.0
4/24/2019
What a great venue. Everything was perfect. Venue, decor and food. Molly was easy to work with even on a shorter time frame (3 months).
Madison M
5.0
1/27/2019
The Sandbar was such an easy venue to work with! Molly Powers was our coordinator. She was so attentive and great to work with! I would HIGHLY recommend this beautiful venue!
Tim S
5.0
12/20/2018
We held our daughter’s wedding at the Sandbar on 12/8/18 and it was amazing. First of all Molly was a pleasure to work with through the entire process, she accommodated all of our ...
wishes and offered suggestions where we needed them. Then the venue was absolutely stunning on the day of the wedding. Molly and her team took care of everything we needed, even a few last minute minor changes. The food was incredible, the drinks were terrific, everything went just perfectly and everyone had the best time. I couldn’t be happier. I can’t imagine a better place for a beach wedding
Jess C
5.0
11/07/2018
The Best Wedding Ever!!!!
We cannot thank Molly and her team at The Sandbar enough. Our wedding was the most perfect day and was all we could have wished for and more.
Molly help...
ed our vision come to life for our relaxed and beautiful day.
She was great at communication, even though we live in Australia it never felt like we were organising miles apart.
On the day everything went perfectly, all the staff went above and beyond to ensure we were happy.
A special thank you must go to the chef! The food was incredible!!! so tasty, fresh - totally delicious. All our guest were amazed with the quality and the amount!
If we could do it all over again we wouldn't have changed a thing!
Thanks again Molly & Team!!
Beth S
5.0
6/20/2018
This is a great place for a beach wedding and dinner following. We all loved it!
Aaron W
5.0
5/31/2018
This is the best place to get married in the whole of Florida. Fantastic venue with amazing vendors who helped plan the day perfectly. All staff on the day were so helpful and trul...
y amazing. The food was incredible. It honestly doesn’t get any better than this.
Marissa G
5.0
5/14/2018
My husband and I had the absolute best experience. Kathy and the Sandbar staff truly helped to make our night a dream come true.
Lindsay B
5.0
9/16/2017
I can't say enough positive things about the sandbar! Everything was perfect! I got married 9/1/17 and it went so smoothly. This was a destination wedding so all planning happened ...
through email and phone calls with Luis. He was very quick to respond. The food was absolutely amazing!!! Picture perfect view, great staff. Would definitely recommend to anyone!!
Kristi P
5.0
9/07/2017
Luis and his team were great! Luis accommodated us without any problems. The sandbar is such an amazing place to get married at. I had zero issues. Everything came out exactly the ...
way we wanted it too!!
Cubby S
5.0
3/07/2017
I am so glad we chose the Sandbar for our wedding venue! Patti, the coordinator, is so fantastic! She was always quick to return emails, was incredibly accommodating to any chang...
es we had to make (including moving our date!), and was really easy to work with. We just gave her a general idea of what we were hoping for, dropped off some decorations we had decided to make, and they took care of the rest. It was beyond anything we could have imagined! As an out of town bride, I was so thankful that Patti and her staff were all so kind and made the whole process really easy!
Crystal N
5.0
2/02/2017
We had our dream beach wedding and it was all I hoped for. Patti and Luis were very helpful every step of the way anytime I had a question or concern. For our reception we went to ...
the art studio on gulf and pine. It was perfect for our party of 60. I was able to get ready in the bridal suite all afternoon. The food was outstanding the service was terrific and the cake we got from hometown desserts was amazing. If you want a beach wedding and I can't imagine who doesn't, the sandbar is everything you could ask for. Sincerely a very happily married new couple Crystal and Dan
Yleana S
5.0
1/15/2017
Loved having our wedding here! Patti was amazing to work with. She always emailed me back within 24 hours and always answered all our questions with details. It was such a perfect ...
day and beautiful place!
Deb M
5.0
11/16/2016
I have always loved going to the Sandbar Restaurant and I knew it would be the perfect setting for our wedding. Patti was very helpful with all of our requests and everything was a...
mazing. When I first walked in to the pavilion, prior to guests showing up, it took my breath away. The staff was very friendly and attentive. The food was delicious (especially the ice cream sundae bar, yummy!) And of course, you can't beat the setting. We have some of the most beautiful sunset wedding pictures I have ever seen. Thank you Sandbar (and Patti)!
Anonymous
5.0
10/28/2016
great
Lindsey Z
5.0
10/27/2016
Patti and Luis were so attentive and helpful before and during our wedding. Everything turned out exactly as I imagined and so much more. If you are looking for a beautiful and rel...
axing beach wedding, check out the Sandbar Restaurant!
Noelle T
5.0
10/23/2016
We had an amazing experience with our wedding here. They were budget friendly and very accommodating. Patti was awesome at helping us with vendor suggestions. I would highly recomm...
end this vendor.
Jessica S
5.0
10/22/2016
I can’t say enough great things about Patti and The Sandbar!! A hurricane hit the east coast of FL on my wedding day and Patti and the Sandbar still managed to make our wedding eve...
rything I had ever dreamed of!!! We had a destination wedding (from Michigan) and didn’t get to visit the Sandbar, or meet Patti until the day before our wedding at the rehearsal. Both the venue (beach pavilion) and Patti surpassed all of my expectations!!! Patti was incredibly prompt answering emails and returning calls, and had no issues making changes right up until the wedding day! We had 10 or so guests cancel right before the wedding (as in the day before) due to the hurricane, and Patti and The Sandbar actually refunded for those guests!! Something we didn’t expect!! Patti was just very easy to work with and straightforward, and having all of the options and pricing on the website made it pretty easy for us to budget everything. Patti made me feel confident that everything was going to be taken care of, and on our wedding day she left it up to us whether to have our wedding on the beach despite the wind or to have it inside, and we chose the beach of course. It was a beautiful (but windy) beach wedding and everything I had ever dreamed of! The food was incredible- lots of our guests told us they’d never had better food at a wedding. The BBQ shrimp and NY Strip Steak were the hands-down favorites. If you want a beach wedding you won’t find a better place than The Sandbar!!
Want to book a visit?
Start the convo
*=Required
Use this secure form to reach out and share your wedding vision.
Wedding vendors in Anna Maria
The Grand Pavilion at The Sandbar
Why use The Knot to message vendors?
Messaging our verified vendors on The Knot is free, safe and secure. Conveniently track vendor messages and planning details all in one place. Our mobile apps make it easy to stay in touch with vendors while you're on‑the‑go. For personalized pricing and package details, sending the vendor a message is the fastest way to get info.