The Island, by Hotel RL

their venue, I was sold and put at ease. The staff is so welcoming, inviting, and happy. They make wedding planning so much fun and I could not be more thankful for their help. Megan, Brooke, Brandy and everyone at the Island could not have been more kind. I was in a unique position where I had already planned an entire wedding in another state, and I was shocked with how fun and communicative the team at the Island was when comparing to my last venue. They are so great at getting back to you quickly with any question you may have whether it was through email or phone. They provide a wide variety of packages for your budget and they were super flexible when choosing the menu and flowers. Not to give away any fun surprises, but when we had our final meeting the week of the wedding and when we checked into our hotel, there were so many fun surprises and sweet, thoughtful “extras” that made us feel so special and thought of. They have so many options for getting ready the day of including a bridal suite and several other rooms to rent. The bridesmaids lunch when getting ready the day of the wedding was so stunning, we were all joking that we should just take it and use it for the wedding! All of the girls involved with the wedding were present and available when needed that week and during the entire planning process; I never felt out of the loop or nervous about anything with planning. They took care of all of my needs and concerns and I was fully confident in their ability to fulfill my dreams and wishes for my wedding day! Trusting a company with your wedding is a huge deal and something that you should not take lightly. I could not recommend the Island enough to trust in your big day! People always warn you that something will go wrong the day of your wedding, but our wedding day was perfect! We can’t wait to go back and visit all of the staff that we became friends with and spend more time on their beautiful property.

ry member on her team including Megan Chafin (Director of Communications), Sarah Harris (Event Coordinator), and Brandy Heuer (Wedding Concierge) take pride in making sure that every need for your special day is met with complete personalization. They truly make your wedding vision flawlessly come to life! My initial wedding plans were unfortunately cancelled due to COVID-19. Brooke was so supportive during this time and scheduled a meeting with my family to discuss options on how we could handle the situation. What I admire most about Brooke is her honest business practices that are built with a customer focus. She understands how to help resolve problems and is committed to creating a climate of trust and establishing a relationship with her all brides. The way she handled the situation and the support she provided me caused me to make the decision to continue to work with The Island Wedding Company until it was safe for me to have my special day. During the planning process, Megan, Brandy, and Sarah were ALWAYS optimistic, organized, and knowledgeable. As a full- time PhD student and working professional trying to plan a destination wedding, these ladies made the planning process an absolute breeze and stress free. They took care of every detail for the wedding. They even went above-and-beyond to make sure that I did not have to deal with vendors and they even contacted Simply Elegant Bridal to deliver my dress to the hotel so I had nothing to worry about on my wedding day. If you are looking for an elegant and relaxing location to have your wedding, I highly recommend The Island Wedding Company. All their venue options are beautiful, the food is delicious, and the customer service is top notch. Trust them and let them work their magic!

every way. From the moment that we first met Brooke in the lobby of the resort for our tour of the venues to the day we checked out after our week-long wedding, she was always there with a genuine smile, willing to do whatever she could to make us happy. Throughout the wedding planning process, Brooke was the one person we had full faith in; she gave my husband and me a sense of calm, and we knew that she had everything under control for our wedding. Brooke's advice was most appreciated, and I wish I even took more of it when it came to vendors; she truly knows what is best and always has her bride and groom's best interest at heart. Brooke, as a person, quickly became someone we loved and cared about. The wedding team at the Island was on top of everything going on at all times. Megan was also exceptional and there for us when we needed her; you can tell she loves her job and will do whatever it takes to make her brides and grooms happy, and we very much appreciated her. I would highly recommend getting married on the Island, not just for the fantastic venues but also because of the incredible wedding team that works hard to make all of your dreams come true.

e coronavirus, but they made sure our new date was just as special. Our guests loved the Island Green and Maui Ballroom venues and the food was on point. I highly recommend this place for your special day.

checked on me numerous times and were so organized!

t, Brooke had everything organized with vendor meetings set up with the resort for that weekend and the chef to prepare delicious foods for our tasting. After looking at all of the space options, Brooke was able to shift some things around and ensure all of the space my client was looking for become available so that we could make our Bride's vision a reality. As a wedding planner, it's important to work with a venue that is accommodating and flexible. Brooke definitely is awesome to work with and I look forward to working with her soon with my future clients!

venue each time, which was awesome especially for a multi-event wedding spanning over multiple days. Brooke was my first contact through the hotel and she is just THE BEST!! She listened to my ideas, offered even better ones, and when I went for my site visit went above and beyond! Everyone I met there made me feel like it was going to be all about my wedding and every girl wants that feeling for her special day. If you're looking for a beautiful venue with a responsive and caring coordinator and staff who will make your imagined wedding day come to life, THIS. IS. THE. SPOT!!

ce you are one of her brides, she’s got you. She made our planning process so stress-free which is a blessing during wedding planning. We originally planned a three day wedding weekend with Brooke and her team and planned to have over 200 guests in attendance. When I tell you she went above and beyond for me that is no exaggeration. She had tons of ideas to make sure both our guests and my husband and I had a memorable weekend together. Unfortunately, we had to cancel our November 2020 wedding due to COVID but Brooke and her team were helping us plan the most magical weekend and I am so grateful to them for that. Brooke was honestly made to do this type of work and if you want someone to bring your vision to life and help take care of every detail along the way, book with her at The Island and you won’t be disappointed. Though our wedding weekend didn’t happen, we are already excited to plan more events with her and can’t wait to be back at the beautiful Island hotel!

nement. New date comes along and we have to postpone it our wedding to 2021. I can’t give enough praise to Brooke and The Island for making our wedding planning the easiest thing in 2020. If you’re wanting a beach wedding this is the place to have it!!! We can’t wait for our wedding day and will write another review then!

staff go up and beyond to making your wedding planning experience so much easier and smoother then I could have ever imagined. There is nothing I don't think they wouldn't do or try to find to make your wedding dreams come true. The ambience, staff, and definitely the food is fantastic. Every person you work with along the way is truly excited to be apart of your wedding experience and makes things as easy and stress free as possible for you. What bride doesn't want that!

t The Island. Brooke and the entire staff were so supportive during this time and were a huge help with our change of plans! They were by far the best vendor at handling this unexpected change of events and we are so grateful. I would highly recommend them and we will definitely be back to visit!!!

hout the whole planning process. Everything was set up perfectly and just how I imagined it. She was there on the wedding day through the entire process. Brooke arranged a private area for me where I could get dressed and ready before the wedding. I would highly recommend the Brooke Wheeler with The Island Wedding Company to anyone looking for a gorgeous wedding venue with professional and friendly staff. I love how the greens and palm trees overlook the beach and the Gulf! Just beautiful!

n’t even built when I booked my wedding. It turned out to be the best decision I could have made. The space was gorgeous and my vision was made reality.

r Brooke was so amazing to work with she made my wedding our dream wedding! We ended up having our reception in the Maui Ballroom which was absolutely perfect! The food was amazing! On top of that everything was absolutely perfect from the cake, to the DJ (DJ30A) , our coordinator Kristie from Kiss the Bride, our photographe- taygrayphotography! I would like to truly thank Brooke and her staff for making this day unforgettable!

rust in Brooke. At the time we booked our wedding reception was only half way complete and Brooke promised me her vision would come true and would be finished in time for my wedding. And she was right her vision literally made my heart so happy and it construction was complete well before my wedding. Brooke sent me pictures of the place as soon as it was complete but man pictures didn’t do this place justice it was absolutely stunning. Brooke came to check on me on the day of the wedding and boy she was the sweetest thing on earth. Now for Sarah the worlds best wedding coordinator omg!!! I can’t tell you how many times I emailed her at 3am with a panic attack trying to plan my wedding in only six months and she would respond immediately or by the next morning with words of encouragement and solutions to any problems I was having. She is an absolute gem. The day before the wedding she was a boss which was everything I needed and more. I dropped everything off with her and she told me to go get in the pool and she would make all my dreams come true and she most certainly did..... she was the best thing we could ask for. She was there for me every step the day of solving problems putting things together or just making sure there was nothing I needed. She was absolute perfection!!! And lastly the island omg can you say stunning!!! This place was a beauty every where you turned there was something beautiful to look at. The island green just absolutely made the wedding just amazing every picture taken just came out perfect. Literally my wedding day was a dream come true and I literally teared up the whole way home just playing back all the memories over and over again and falling in love with the day over and over!!!!

one star because the driveway leading to the Green was no blocked off with cones as it was supposed to be, and thus there were cars blocking/in the background of some photos. I also had difficulty reaching some of the wedding staff sometimes, but everything got sorted out one way or another and it was perfect. The staff working at the front desk and throughout the hotel were so nice and knew who we were, making sure to congratulate us whenever they saw us. We felt so special! I would choose the Island Green for our wedding every time!

l in advance. We found that working with Brooke and Sarah of SLH events absolutely no detail was too small. They both took great care to make sure we delivered our daughter’s dream. We entertained 90 guests at the Island with a welcome bonfire on the beach Friday evening; the beach ceremony on Saturday afternoon and then danced the night away at the tavern on the island event space. It truly was a dream come true; the food was divine, the décor simply perfect, the service non-stop. Many of our guests stayed several nights and enjoyed their rooms; the pools, the beach café and food truck, even the housekeeping and front desk staff was attentive. The moment they turned to be introduced as Mr. and Mrs. Peter Rola, the reaction – priceless. A moment you dream of as a mother. Much love Brooke – God blessed us the day we met !

er @theislandweddings welcomed us with open arms and a BIG VISION for what she knew The Island FL “WAS GOING” to be. At the time of the venue visit…. There was No ISLAND GREEN (instead, cinder blocks and sand), NO MAUI BALLROOM, NO TAVERN ON THE GREEN (just orange lines drawn on the ground), and NO FIJI ROOM. We could hear and see the wedding passion and design determination in Brooke Wheeler. She was glowing with pride in what she knew this one day would be. So we jumped, we took the “Leap of Faith,” and 7 months later - we had the Most Incredible Beach View Wedding on the Island Green July 26. Our Reception was in the Maui Ballroom and it was absolute PERFECTION for our 130 guests. Our entire wedding party got ready with hair/makeup and fellowship in the FIJI Room. It was such a joyful & unique experience being able to watch @destinmobilemakeupbox transform our family and friends into wedding day beauties in the perfect location of the FIJI Room. Brooke was such a pleasure to work with, she certainly helped us weather even some figurative thunderstorms ( bridal meltdowns do happen sometimes), but Brooke is calm, cool, and collected when it comes to her brides. She will even go to the ends of the “aisle” make sure her clients get every single detail they anticipate. The Island FL venues BEAUTY is UNPARALLELED, but Brooke and the rest of the Island Staff are the BEST IN THE BUSINESS!!

ul set up. The reception was on The Island Green. I highly recommend The Island Green! It was perfect and to the side of the hotel. I had so many guests make comments on the food as well. Everyone there goes above and beyond to make sure your day goes perfect! The hotel is under renovations at the moment but don’t let that stop you from having your wedding there because our weekend was perfect! I can’t stress enough how amazing Brooke Wheeler is. I feel like I could reach out to her anytime even after my wedding! I highly recommend The Island and you definitely won’t regret getting married there. We’re all still talking about how much fun it was and how the location is perfect!

h their new game plans. The wedding itself was an absolute dream! The Island venue is so unique! I would definitely recommend this venue and team to anyone!

nue - you & your guests can stay there for the weekend, the food is incredible & very reasonably priced, they provide all the tables, plates, glasses, & linens that you need. In addition to all this, they have an incredibly helpful staff. The green-space has breathtaking views and made for a perfect backdrop as we said I Do. The ballroom was stunning and the sunset views from the ballroom were incredible. Not only is the view stunning, but the food and service is outstanding. As much as I can go on about The Island, I just have to stop to applaud Brooke because she is the orchestrator that made everything run smoothly. I cannot thank Brooke enough for taking in my vision and making it reality. She is so kind and will do ANYTHING to make sure your day is perfect. Our guests are still raving over our wedding saying that "it was the best wedding we have ever attended!". Thank you so much Brooke and The Island for making our wedding the most beautiful evening of my life.

ds live in other states. It was important to have all of our guests stay in one location, but also be in a location that has beach access (why else would you ask all your friends and family to travel so far?!). Which, come to find out, is difficult to do when you live in a beach town that is made up of predominately condominiums and beach houses. We were also taking into account the fact that some family would be flying and would not have vehicles here. Therefore, we wanted to try and eliminate as much travel within the city for everyone as possible. We looked at 3 venues total. The first two were not really our “style”, but, finally, we did a tour with Brooke at The Island Weddings. Our tour was in October of 2018. The Island had recently been purchased by a new owner and the entire development was undergoing renovations. For those that do not know, The Island Hotel has been around since the 60’s. My parents vacationed there in high school and my brother vacationed there in college! So, we know the hotel and the area well and we were very excited that it was undergoing renovations prior to our wedding. When we did our tour, some of the wedding venues had not been renovated, yet. But we could tell that the venues that had been renovated were beautiful and we could see that the renovations were going to take The Island to a whole new level! From there, it was an easy decision. The Island had the beach front view, the beach access, the ability to have everyone stay in one location, and the option of several different beautiful venues for us to have different events. So, we booked with The Island Weddings! (Also, it was an added bonus that, for anyone who did want to get off the Resort for a bit, there were lots of different restaurant [everything from seafood to Italian to burgers] and right across the street is Island Times where people can rent pontoons and other watersports – and they also have really good food!) Throughout the wedding planning, Brooke kept us to date on the renovations by sending us pictures of all of our venues. It was exciting to see how our venues evolved from a 60’s vibe to a modern, chic look! We know the typical tradition is to have all of your out-of-town guests to the Rehearsal Dinner, but with have a 200-person we wanted to do something smaller, more intimate for the Rehearsal Dinner. Therefore, we decided we would have the Rehearsal Dinner in the Bali Room with our immediate families and the Wedding Party, and a Karaoke Party/Welcome Party in the Fiji Room immediately after the Rehearsal Dinner. (SIDE NOTE: Anyone debating doing a Karaoke/Welcome Party, I HIGHLY recommend! It was so much fun and a great way to get everyone on both sides of the family acquainted with each other!) We had 28 people total for the Rehearsal Dinner and the Bali Room was perfect for this. It felt exactly how we wanted to: Intimate. The food for the Rehearsal dinner was AMAZING. Chef Trevor is an awesome chef and the presentation was spectacular! Everyone was invited to the Karaoke/Welcome Party, which we had in the Fiji Room. It was the perfect size. Everyone had so much fun! (Seriously… even if you are not considering a Karaoke Party, consider it! SO. MUCH. FUN.) Brooke had the awesome idea to use The Fiji Room the next day (wedding day). Brooke helped turned it into a Bridal Suite, which was gorgeous. It is an all-white room, which screams Bridal Suite and furniture was brought in to give a feel of comfort. There was plenty of space to move around and get comfy, get your makeup done or eat. I can’t wait to see the pictures from here! Brooke really has a vision with the different venues and it’s amazing how she can turn one venue into something totally different the next day! We were married at St. Mary Catholic Church in Fort Walton Beach (just about 5 minutes down the road from The Island). Upon our return guests were greeted and guided towards the Island Maui Ballroom and the Island Capri Room. These Ballrooms are on the 6th Floor of the tower and there really are not any other words to describe them other than: GORGEOUS. Both have been beautifully renovated. The best part to us was that it didn’t look like just any other hotel ballroom (you know the ones I am talking about – they have the yellow, reds and greens in the carpet and long yellow curtains…). It was so much better! Hayley Odom, the interior designer for The Island, definitely knows what she is doing. The combination of the beautiful blues, greys and whites, with stunning chandeliers just make the room pop! Both Ballrooms have balcony access which was really nice at night with the breeze. And during the day, it has the most beautiful view of BOTH the Gulf and the Bay. I have never been to a wedding before with such a beautiful view! We had the band, tables and bars in The Island Maui Ballroom and the food and a few extra tables, as well as, a seating area in The Island Capri Room. And, yet again, Chef Trevor killed it! The food was SO GOOD! (For anyone who likes re-stuffed baked potatoes, Chef Trevor’s a must try! He served them in smaller sizes, so, you can even pass them as an appetizer!) Everyone truly seemed to have an awesome night and we could not be happier that they did! Overall, I could not be more thankful for Brooke and The Island Weddings. Weddings can be stressful, and Brooke truly helped us every step of the way and made it so much easier on us. Brooke pulled off an amazing weekend for us, our family, and our friends, and we cannot wait to make many more memories at The Island in the future!

ing story is anything but typical. I live in Panama City Beach and had my entire wedding planned in my neighborhood there. But, Mother Nature had other plans… 4 months before “I Do,” Hurricane Michael devastated our town, our venue and life as we knew it for us and many of our friends. Without wasting time, we set-forth to find a new venue, which was much harder the second time… Until I saw The Island and met Brooke, The Island Wedding Company Owner/Operator. I think my Mom and my planner questioned my sanity at the mention of wanting my wedding at The Island. When we toured, the GORGEOUS green space (The Island Green) over-looking the Gulf was a kiddie splash-pad… but I saw the vision, and if you looked at my Pinterest, you could see, it was everything I ever wanted but couldn’t find anywhere else in the area. I put A LOT of blind faith and trust in Brooke (and her team) to have my venues (one which was new construction and the other being totally renovated) ready by the big day, and they delivered. At that moment, I realized that everything happens for a reason and that, while the hurricane may have cursed us and our town in more ways than fathomable, it was also a blessing which led me to the wedding venue I dreamed of having. Brooke and the designer did an amazing job creating venue spaces fit for any theme. Brooke is SO kind and accommodating. She truly wants to please her brides, making sure all of their wedding dreams come true, and she will do just about anything to make that happen. In fact, Brooke had a baby ON OUR WEDDING DAY, but was at The Island just a day or two before advocating and making sure everything was taken care of for us. On the day of, she was texting with my planner to check in, all the while in labor with her first child. Although, not ideal to have the venue coordinator absent, Brooke made the effort to be as present as she could. Throughout the rushed process, Brooke advocated for us and never hesitated to call or meet with us when we needed her. There were certainly bumps in the road, as is true anytime construction is involved, but the venue spaces exceeded my expectations, and Brooke always made an effort to present any problems with a solution. The Island was the perfect wedding destination, allowing my guests to stay and PLAY all in one place. We had our rehearsal dinner/welcome party just across the street at Island Time/Dock on The Island, which was also AMAZING – SO MUCH FUN (Chef Tommy is killin’ it and was an awesome host). Our ceremony took place on The Island Green overlooking the Emerald Coast, and the reception was in the 6th floor ballrooms with beautiful views of the bay AND the Gulf. Soon, they’ll have another venue constructed (The Tavern on The Island – the plans sound and look DREAMY) and many more renovations to the property, which will continue to make The Island unbeatable as a wedding venue destination. I wish I could relive my wedding weekend over and over and over again! -- Just a short side-note ... Take EVERY CHANCE to be FULLY present on your wedding day. It goes by SO fast and is a very overwhelming day. Before you know it, you'll be on your honeymoon or living married life and wishing you could go back in time.

booking with the Island for your big day!!