Casa Marina Key West, Curio Collection by Hilton

Wedding Day

Ceremony

Reception

Our Wedding

Join us for a full weekend of our Key West Wedding Celebration!

Start your KW adventure off right!Meet up at SALUTE! a real Keys style bar/restaurant right on Higgs Beach just a few steps from Casa MarinaDrinks &amp; fresh as you can get it seafoodThe bride &amp; groom will be onsite at 5p and you need to join them for Happy Hour!Dinner reservations accepted if you want to keep hangin!https://saluteonthebeach.com/

Thursday, March 27

THE OFFICIAL WELCOME PARTY!SUNSET SAIL (AKA Booze Cruise) Join us for a 2 hour Private Land’s End Sunset Sail aboard the MARQUESA with live music, cocktails and light hors d’oeuvres. We will board at the Historic Seaport, at 6:05pm, sailing 6:15pm to 8:15 pm. Disembarking back at the Historic Seaport right across from Mallory Square the not to be missed experience for the nightly Sunset Celebration, a free, nightly performing &amp; arts festival that starts about&nbsp;two hours before sunset. This is one of the best spots on the island to catch the sun's last moments and revel in the end of the day.

Friday, March 28

Full Weekend Schedule

!! UPDATED 3/16/25 !!Glitches are corrected! If you tried to add a team &amp; could not try again it is now working!Also! freshly added...new ways to win!Load your favorite picture of story about John &amp; Patti togain more points!WEDDING WEEKEND CHALLENGE!!It’s time to play “Where’s John &amp; Patti ?”Played on your phone, Scavenger Hunt style, the goal is to take as many photos of yourself in the same Key West locations that John &amp; Patti are in the pic's.Whomever gathers the most points wins!Play in teams or go it alone and get all the glory for yourself!There will be a MAJOR AWARD for the winner who will be announced at the wedding receptionHERE IS HOW TO PLAY:1. Download the Goosechase app2. Enter the unique join code: VMLKVC or the experience name:John &amp; Patti’s Key West Adventure(No need to register - just stay on as a guest)3. Enter the Experience Password: Keylime Think of a creative name for you or your teamthen get out there and GO!Choose &amp; complete missions!PRO TIP : tap on the photos to see the most detailCompete for bragging rights and the TOP PRIZE!OR just be a spectator and follow thesubmissions on the activity feed A LOT of drinks had to be consumed to make this game so MAKE US PROUD!J &amp; P

Play John & Patti’s Key West Adventure!

Where's John & Patti?

So much amazing food (and drink!) and so little time!           Here are a few recommendations but don't be afraid to "get lost" in KW and discover your own favs!

Blue Heaven Patti's go-too! You cannot get more Keys than this. Outdoor dining under a canopy of trees, live music with great food and drinks. Not to be missed!Great spot for brunch too! <a href="https://blueheavenkw.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://blueheavenkw.com/</a>

Louie's Backyard Romantic dining overlooking the beach. Louie's has been touted as one of the best restaurants in Southern Florida for the last 41 years. Fancy but casual and YOU WILL LOVE IT! Make a Rez now! P &amp; J certified! <a href="https://www.louiesbackyard.com/our-story" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.louiesbackyard.com</a>

First Flight Hoppin spot with good casual food on Whitehead Street, First Flight's main level includes soaring trees that create a living canopy in the main garden. Off the main red-bricked garden lies the Southernmost Brewery in the USA. The famous Crash Bar, so named for the Sikorsky sea plane plunging through the ceiling, provides a unique drinking surface – an aluminum wing – and is located off the main garden. <a href="https://firstflightkw.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://firstflightkw.com/</a>

BO's Fish Wagon Talk about a diamond in the rough - what you see is what you get - and it's FABULOUS! Great for a mid-day lunch while you are wandering around! <a href="https://www.bosfishwagon.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.bosfishwagon.com/</a>

The Thirsty Mermaid It's a RAW BAR and it doesn't get any fresher! <a href="https://www.thirstymermaidkeywest.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.thirstymermaidkeywest.com/</a>

Little Pearl We have not been but hear it is amazing! Check it out and let us know!! <a href="https://littlepearlkeywest.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://littlepearlkeywest.com/</a>

915 Key West Another one on our list!We have not been yet but it is consistently rated one of the best restaurants in Key West. Let us know if you go!! <a href="https://915duval.com/gallery" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://915duval.com/gallery</a>

Fabulous Dining

Best of Key West!

The Best Place To See The Sunset In Key WestThe iconic phrase “See you at Sunset!” has embodied the spirit and history of Key West since the nightly event took off in the late 1960s!&nbsp;The nightly festival hosts visitors from all over the world who come to take part in the magicians, jugglers, clowns, psychics, local musicians, artists, and food vendors that combine for an incredible cultural experience.&nbsp;

Mallory Square / Nightly Key West Sunset Celebration

If you have ever tasted Papa’s Pilar rum, this tour is nirvana. The rum named in tribute to Ernest Hemingway and his boat the Pilar, is a fine sipping rum of which you will have an opportunity to sample on the tour. The distillery is housed in an old brick tobacco warehouse with lots of character. The retail store has plenty of temptations and know a good portion of the proceeds are donated by the Hemingway Family to charities focused on conservation.

Papa's Pilar Rum Distillery Tours & Tastings

Open every day 9a-5p for walk-ins the Ernest Hemingway House was the residence of American writer Ernest Hemingway in the 1930s. The house is located at 907 Whitehead Street, across from the Key West Lighthouse, close to the southern coast of the island.The Cats! Ernest Hemingway was given a white six-toed cat by a ship’s captain and some of the cats who live on the museum grounds are descendants of that original cat, named Snow White. Key West is a small island and it is possible that many of the cats on the island are related.

The Ernest Hemmingway Home & Museum

Originally constructed in 1890 as naval officers housing. Important visitors have included inventor Thomas Edison and scientist Edward Hayden and it has been used by six American presidents. Its most important usage was as the winter White House of&nbsp;Harry S. Truman who spent 175 days of his presidency here from 1946 through 1952. Harry Truman faced the rebuilding of Europe, the Palestine question, issues of Civil Rights and labor unrest changes in foreign policy and our response to the Cold War.Other presidents have included William Howard Taft in 1912, Dwight Eisenhower in 1955-56, John Kennedy in 1961 and 1962 and former Presidents Jimmy Carter in 1996 and 2007 and Bill Clinton in 2005. All have found it a restful place to restore body and mind as later presidents have used Camp David. It was the site of international peace talks between the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan in 2001.

Harry Truman Little White House

Major photo op! The Southernmost Point Buoy in&nbsp;Key West&nbsp;is an anchored concrete buoy marking the southernmost point in the continental United States, the lowest latitude land of contiguous North American states. From the Buoy it is only 90 miles to Cuba!

Southermost Point Buoy

Treasure hunter Mel Fisher spent over 16 years searching for treasure of the Spanish galleon Atocha with its priceless artifacts and treasures. Today the museum is filled with the gold, silver and jewels of his discovery along with exhibits about the maritime history of shipwrecking. Learn about New World courage and exploration while engaging with exhibits. A must Key West must see!

Mel Fisher Maritime Museum/Atocha Shipwreck

Sunset in Key West is world famous and Key West sunset cruises are the best way to experience it. The colors are incredible, changing minute by minute and different day to day – it never disappoints. Seeing it from the shore is special, and experiencing it aboard a stunning sailboat&nbsp;is nothing short of amazing.

Danger Charters Sunset Cruises

The current lighthouse opened in 1848 with a woman as its keeper; nearly unheard of during the 19th century.&nbsp;Today, this sentinel of the sea stands as a museum dedicated to Key West’s maritime heritage and to the men and women who bravely kept the light burning through the threats of war and weather.&nbsp;

Key West Lighthouse & Keepers Quarters

This is probably the most famous bar in Key West. Favorite spot of Ernest Hemingway, it never disappoints ! Live music and an always colorful mix of tourists and locals.

Sloppy Joe's Bar

The "oldest bar in Florida" has a colorful history. Favorite watering hole of such legends as Ernest Hemingway, Truman Capote, Tennessee Williams, Shel Silverstein and Jimmy Buffet, who got his start playing at Capt Tony's in the early 1970s and was often paid in tequila. Buffett immortalized the bar and Capt. Tony Tarracino himself, in his song "Last Mango in Paris": <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DB69RPP2LT9U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjVwNSz_6mKAxUum4kEHR4QKXEQwqsBegQIChAF&amp;usg=AOvVaw1X8NzvIr4kuIST0tOPtsuL" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Jimmy Buffett “Last Mango in Paris” LIVE in Key West, Florida ...YouTube · Gentry AllenFeb 12, 2023</a> In the 1930s, a local named Josie Russell owned the business and created Sloppy Joe's Bar. This was where Ernest Hemingway spent most of his evenings between 1933-1937. In 1938, when the building's landlord raised the rent $1 per week, Russell and his customers picked up the entire bar and moved everything to&nbsp;Sloppy Joe's current location at 201 Duval Street.

Capt Tony’s Saloon

Hog’s Breath Saloon has been a popular “Key West Watering Hole” with locals and visitors for nearly 25 years.Have a cold one or dine in an outdoor tropical setting. The Hog’s Breath features daily live entertainment with the very best in local and national bands!HOG’S BREATH IS BETTER THAN NO BREATH AT ALL!

Hogs Breath

Live music! The Rick's entertainment complex is home to some of the island's most talented musicians. Music 7 days a week on 2 stages!

Rick's Bar

"I CAME I DRANK I DON'T REMEMBER"Since July of 1998 Irish Kevin’s Bar has been inviting guests to “come on in”!There is something for everyone at Irish Kevin’s. Full bar with unique cocktails and an array of beers on tap. Live entertainment 7 days a week from early in the morning until closing time. All are welcome to sing-along and maybe even become part of the show!&nbsp;

Irish Kevin's

Leave your cash on the wall of this historic and epically fun bar/eatery/music venue right on Duval Street. Such a fun place to people watch and enjoy!

World Famous Willie T's AKA The Dollar Bar

Things to Do

Many people have asked.While growing up my parents always had a place in the Keys. It is very special to our family and some of my favorite childhood memories are of time spent there with my parents and brothers as well as memories of my children, and my nieces and nephews.A few years ago John and I came down for my first time in forever. He kindly indulged me as I spewed some tears and a million memories. We had a fabulous time and I was so happy he loved it there too. When we got engaged the whole family said "Get married in the Keyes, get married in the Keyes!" so here we are. We hope you love it as much as we do!

Why Key West?

Up to you and any before / after travel plans but totally not necessary. Many streets are very narrow and hard to navigate, but there is a good amount of paid parking lots. Lyft &amp; UBERS are plentiful and fast. Wait times are usually less than 5 minutes.

Do we need to rent a car?

Chickens were brought to Key West by early settlers in the 1820s.&nbsp;In the 1860s, Cuban immigrants brought cockfighting to the island.&nbsp;After cockfighting was outlawed in 1986, the cockfighting fans were angry and in retaliation released their roosters into the city.&nbsp;Hurricane George spread the chickens throughout the island in 1998, and they have been multiplying ever since.

What's with all the chickens?

Writer Ernest Hemingway was known for many things, including his love for cats. At his home in Key West, he kept a colony of cats, many of which were polydactyl, meaning they had extra toes. These cats, known as Hemingway's six-toed cats, have multiplied and become a beloved attraction at the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum but can also be found all over the island.&nbsp;One of the most fascinating things about Hemingway's six-toed cats is that they are all descendants of a cat named Snow White, a gift from a ship's captain to Hemingway in the 1930s.&nbsp;The six toed cats were said to be better climbers and mousers so many ships kept them on board.

What are Hemingway cats?

&nbsp;“Conch” (pronounced “konk”), said incorrectly, is the very first indication that you are a fish out of water when it comes to visiting the Keys. Any mispronunciation of one of their most sacred words is a dead give away that you’re an out-of-towner tourist in need of a sunscreen reapplication. The “ch” sound, though used in the chowder it’s commonly served in, should never be said in relation to the beloved sea snail!

How do you pronounce "Conch"?

DUVAL STREET IS A MILE LONG PUB CRAWL!Lined with more bars than you can count, a Duval crawl is a must during a visit to Key West. Duval Street is also home to many restaurants and shops.

Where to go for the famous nightlife?

Forty two! The Overseas Highway is one of the most beautiful drives in the country. Completed in 1938, it connects a string of keys and coral rock with 113 miles of concrete roadway. The aptly named Seven Mile Bridge is the longest and most scenic.

How many bridges does it take to get down to Key West? 

As it’s famously stated on the&nbsp;Southernmost Buoy&nbsp;at the end of Simonton Street, Key West is 90 miles to Cuba. Closer than the 150 mile drive down the Overseas Highway to Key West from Miami!

How far is Key West from Cuba?

Q + A

It was July of 2020 in the thick of the pandemic. Our world had been turned upside down. It was an unexpected time to find new love.Walking out of the Pittsford Pub after a girls night my long-time / since 4th grade bestie Patty Davis told me she had someone she wanted me to meet. She was hosting a meatball truck party in her driveway in a few weeks and said she'd invite us both...no pressure and she would not tell me his name for fear I would google him...the night arrives and when I walked in Patty was in a tizz because her 90 year old neighbor had fallen in her kitchen. So I wandered around looking for men without wedding bands. There were not many and there were some I was happy DID have wedding bands on - haha ! I was hanging with Patty's husband Jeff who was also in on the plan, but Jeff was having way too much fun and kinda forgot about the plan, so at the end of the night when Patty asked him "where is John Costello?" she was not happy with Jeff when he said he had gone home! To try and make amends, and unbeknownst to me he took my pic and texted it to John 😂. Fortunately John was still interested and so we went to Plan B. Patty and I would be conveniently having dinner the following Wednesday when John would be coming off the course after men's golf night. So we finally met and he asked me out during a brief two week reprieve when one could actually see live music IF you kept a mask on until you were seated. I think you had to order something to eat too 🙄 Any way the band we saw was Junkyard Field-trip who will be playing at our wedding!The rest is history and we cannot wait to welcome you to Key West for our best day ever!Thank you for reading our story ❤️

A COVID Romance

Full transparencyIn the past 2 years Casa Marina has undergone a $79,000,000 facelift. It is still ongoing.The focus thus far has been on the lobby, banquet rooms, grounds etc. It is an amazing space for a wedding!The hotel rooms are recently re-done and very nice. Casa boasts having the largest beach in Key West and it is spectacular. There are not many beaches in Key West so this is a real amenity.1/9/25 UPDATE: We are happy to report many of the Hotel's previously reported issues have been resolved and with more to happen in time for the wedding! We hope you will love Casa Marina as much as we do!

Very cool funky hotel in walking distance to the heart of Key West. We have secured a limited number of rooms at a discounted rate!To reserve a room call the hotel and ask for Abraham or Luiza, mentioning you are with the Hoffend&nbsp;wedding group. and they will assist you. Please call between the hours of 10am and 5pm when one or both of them will be on property.. Please see available rates and availability&nbsp;as of today (2/24/2025) below:SORRY - SOLD OUT!

The Saint Hotel Key West

These property's are all "classic Key West" - charming and unique! Peruse the website for deals - they always offer something!

Key West Historic Inns 

Hotels

Registry

Originally opened on New Year's Eve in 1920, Casa Marina was conceived by American railroad tycoon Henry Flagler. The resort was intended to accommodate wealthy customers of Flagler's Overseas Railroad, connecting Key West to the Florida mainland and the final branch of Florida's East Coast Railway.Casa Marina Key West was designed by architects Thomas Hastings and John M. Carrere, who designed New York’s Metropolitan Opera House, New York Public Library and the Senate and House of Representatives office buildings in Washington, DC.Flagler's Overseas Railway was the final branch of Florida's East Coast Railway.&nbsp;It took seven years, over $50 million, and 17 million cubic yards of material to build.&nbsp;Construction of the Overseas Railway began in April 1905 and the extension broke ground in Key West in November 1905.&nbsp;The Overseas Railway was completed on January 22, 1912.After the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 destroyed sections of the Overseas Railway, the State of Florida built the Overseas Highway using much of the remaining infrastructure.&nbsp;Three days after the resort’s grand opening, President Warren G. Harding came to visit, establishing Casa Marina as an exclusive destination.During WWII through eminent domain, the United States Navy bought the resort in 1942, converting it to officers’ quarters until 1946.In the 1950's it reemerged as a luxury hotspot, but then underwent multiple ownerships until 1962. That year, the military commandeered the resort, surrounding it with barbed wire during the Cuban Missile Crisis and installing missiles aimed at Cuba, just 90 miles away.The Casa Marina sat empty from 1967 to 1976, with only its Birdcage Lounge and outdoor patio open. Beginning in 1976, various owners oversaw the Casa Marina for the next 41 years.&nbsp;In 2022 Casa Marina transitioned to a collection of unique hotels, each with its own history and character in cities across the globe: Curio Collection by Hilton.Casa Marina has played host to VIP's and celebrities such as Herbert Hoover and Harry Truman; writer Ernest Hemingway;&nbsp;band leader Guy Lombardo; actor and singer Rudy Vallee; composer and conductor John Philip Sousa, Gregory Peck, Ethel Merman, Ezio Pinza, Rita Hayworth and Gary Merrill, James “Jimmy” Hoffa, poets Wallace Stevens and Robert Frost, Donald Sutherland, Helen Mirren, the late Aaron Spelling, and TV personality Ozzie Osbourne.Casa Marina is now most famously known as the site of John Costello and Patti Hoffend's marriage and the BEST PARTY EVER. If you got this far tell Patty Davis when you arrive in KW and you get a prize!

HISTORY OF CASA MARINA

History of Casa Marina

Fly direct to EYW (Key West) via American, Delta, Jet Blue and United.You may also fly into Miami or Fort Lauderdale and take the 4 hour drive down via the Overseas Highway / Route 1. It is a breath taking drive over 42 bridges with the Atlantic on your left and the Gulf of Mexico on your right.

By Airplane

Take the Key West Express Ferry from Fort Meyers or Marco Island! The trip is approximately 3.5 hours long. You’ll enjoy air-conditioned interiors, exterior sun decks, plus a variety of seating options. There’s even a full-service galley,&nbsp;bar, and flat screen TVs with satellite television to watch during the duration of the ride!Go to: keywestexpress.net for more details.

Patti & John

Patti & John

Fabulous Dining

So much amazing food (and drink!) and so little time! Here are a few recommendations but don't be afraid to "get lost" in KW and discover your own favs!