If you’ve been dreaming of a wedding with water views, fresh air, and unforgettable charm, this one’s for you. Forget the standard ballroom or barn—Historic Downtown Sanford is offering couples something entirely different.
On a breezy April afternoon, I Said Yes! FL PROS hosted its latest networking luncheon, “Beyond the Shore,” at one of Sanford’s most scenic and surprising wedding venues: The Sanford Galleon. Surprise! Guess what’s right next door? A literal riverboat venue: the St. Johns Rivership Co.
Tucked along the shoreline of the St. Johns River, the Sanford Galleon is a 5,000+ square foot indoor/outdoor event venue offering picturesque water views, a blank canvas interior, and the flexibility to host everything from weddings and rehearsal dinners to large social gatherings.
With dark interiors and oversized windows, the Galleon is perfect for couples who want to bring in their own flair while still keeping it classic and elegant…with the water just steps away, the vibe: all tucked in!
Just next door floats 1 of Central Florida’s most one-of-a-kind reception spaces: the St. Johns Rivership Co., a fully operational paddlewheel steamboat that hosts weddings, dinner cruises, and private events right on the river.
Couples can choose to dock-and-dine or set sail down the St. Johns River, giving guests a totally immersive wedding experience they’ll never forget. Whether you’re planning a welcome party or an intimate elopement, this is where coastal romance meets vintage charm.
Bonus? Both the Galleon and the Rivership are significantly more affordable than most private estate or resort venues, with no compromise on location, vibe, or amenities.
The April luncheon was beautifully brought to life by some of Sanford’s top-tier wedding professionals, making this event not only gorgeous but expert-approved:
Together, they curated a dreamy and nautical afternoon on the water!
Curious about Sanford’s walkable wedding scene and vibrant vendor community? Be sure to read our Historic Downtown Sanford Wedding Pub Crawl Recap from earlier this spring! It was an industry-first for I Said Yes! FL, where pros explored Downtown Sanford’s venues, distilleries, and glam teams on foot with cocktails, coffee, and whatever they wanted to sip as we crawled our way around Sanford’s finest!
When you’re ready to plan a Central Florida wedding that’s rooted in charm and rich in experience, don’t overlook Sanford. From scenic docks and paddlewheel cruises to mystical venues on the water, distilleries, and legendary restaurants, this hidden gem delivers personality, practicality, and unmatched waterfront vibes.
To tour the Sanford Galleon or the St. Johns Rivership Co., contact the venues directly.🎉 Stay tuned for more I Said Yes! FL luncheons, pub crawls, and creative showcases to give you a behind-the-scenes and insider discovery into Central Florida’s most inspired wedding creatives, event venues, and everything in between!
Venue
Capacity
Catering
Features
Sanford Galleon
200 seated / 300 cocktail
On-site & outside options
Indoor / outdoor, water view, private bar
St. Johns Rivership Co.
Up to 150
On-board catering
River cruise, dance floor, full bar
Downtown Sanford is known for its charming streets, riverfront sunsets, and vibrant creative community. It is quickly becoming one of Central Florida’s hottest hidden gems for weddings, and we toured some of the best during our historic downtown Sanford wedding pub crawl.
This spring, wedding and event professionals took over the historic Sanford district in style, thanks to I Said Yes! FL. They hosted a wedding-themed pub crawl, the first of its kind! The event kicked off at Awe Glammed Up, a full-service hair salon with a mobile glam team that travels to brides across Central Florida.
The goal? To spotlight Sanford’s thriving wedding and event scene through real-time experiences with local pros from Sanford pub to pub. Throughout the historic Sanford wedding pub crawl, guests explored everything that makes Sanford a dream destination for engaged couples. From venues like The Sanford Galleon to small-batch spirits from Loggerhead Distillery, and elevated catering by Hollerbach’s Upstairs, this event had it all.
We began with craft spirit samples from Loggerhead Distillery, served right inside Awe Glammed Up. Meanwhile, Sequoia Beats (aka DJ extraordinaire) set the tone with music, and Sigrid’s Savory Bites offered delicious grab-and-go charcuterie cups.
For guests looking to skip the cocktails? KINEO Coffee stepped in with a pop-up espresso bar that stole the show, and The Cookie Jar Orlando joined us as a Member Gallery pro and served CAKE. From there, we were OFF!
Throughout the crawl, we mixed and mingled with photographers, planners, DJs, caterers, florists, and more. All of our sponsors and pub crawl hosts came together to highlight the creative powerhouse that is Historic Downtown Sanford. This pub crawl was a celebration of local talent, walkable charm, and the collaborative heart behind Sanford’s growing wedding community.
Located in the heart of Historic Downtown Sanford, Awe Glammed Up is a premier salon and mobile beauty team specializing in personalized glam for weddings and special events. With a commitment to making every client feel radiant and confident, Awe Glammed Up offers both in-salon experiences and on-location services throughout Central Florida.
Awe Glammed Up provides comprehensive bridal beauty packages tailored to each bride’s vision. Services include:
NEXT on the Pub Crawl?!
A private showing of Loggerhead Distillery was our first stop on this historic downtown Sanford wedding pub crawl, and it was a true hidden gem. Their exquisite tasting room (complete with a view of the actual distillery) is nestled right in the heart of Historic Downtown Sanford.
Moreover, this boutique craft distillery is known for its small-batch, Florida-inspired spirits. It was founded by two Florida natives who share a deep passion for both the ocean and their community. Additionally, Loggerhead infuses locally sourced ingredients—like sugar cane, citrus, and botanicals—into every handcrafted bottle of vodka, rum, gin, bourbon, and even moonshine.
Final stop with ALL ATTENDEES?!
Up next?! Hollerbach’s Restaurant and Lodge, where we toured their upstairs event spaces and enjoyed complimentary Jagermeister shots! Thank you again to Sebastian & ENGLISH DAVE!!
If there’s ONE establishment Sanford is known for, it’s Hollerbach’s German Restaurant + Lodge (they have the entire block + offer catering!) affectionately known as Hollerbach’s Willow Tree Café. They offer an authentic German dining experience infused with warmth, hospitality, and a Bavarian flair. Beyond its renowned cuisine, Hollerbach’s provides versatile event spaces perfect for weddings, rehearsal dinners, corporate gatherings, and private celebrations. This was by far one of our favorite spots along our historic downtown Sanford wedding pub crawl.
Choosing Sanford for your wedding isn’t just about location, it’s about soul. With its vintage architecture, eclectic local businesses, and mossy oak walkable downtown streets, Sanford offers couples an intimate, customizable wedding experience. Historic downtown Sanford feels worlds away from traditional ballroom weddings and the chaos that can surround Orlando! It’s unique and all its own!
This wedding-themed pub crawl wasn’t just a blast; it was a celebration of collaboration. It reminded us that planning your wedding isn’t just about finding wedding vendors, it’s about the community that brings your vision to life.
Your wedding dream team is only a few historic blocks away in Sanford, Florida.
When planning your wedding, don’t just settle for the obvious options. Instead, take time to explore the local businesses tucked into historic neighborhoods—you might be surprised by what you find. For example, the Sanford Chamber of Commerce, located right in Historic Downtown Sanford, is an incredible resource. Whether you’re just getting started or fine-tuning the details, they’re ready to provide electronic, print, and in-person support to help guide your planning process.
You’ll find:
Looking for wedding professionals in Sanford and can’t find what you need? Review the I Said Yes! FL online directory to find YOUR FLORIDA wedding team! Explore the I Said Yes! FL blog for MORE inspo! Additionally, don’t miss the NEXT blog post: Sanford Weddings BEYOND THE SHORE and subscribe to our wedding newsletter to never miss a giveaway, sale, Central Florida wedding blogs, and more!
Wedding Planners in Orlando will help you plan your perfect wedding day. Singularly so you can spend time creating memories.
Leave the planning to the experts. Because you deserve to sit back and enjoy your wedding day. Admittedly, that can be hard to do when you’re busy checking on the caterer, the photographer and the DJ. Or the random wedding guest who didn’t get their vegetarian meal. For all of those reasons, we suggest hiring a wedding planner to handle all of this for you.
Hire this service for your entire wedding planning journey or for just your big day. Unquestionably, wedding planners truly complete your wedding day. I Said Yes! FL has brought the 8 best wedding planners in Orlando directly to you (on no particular order). Click their links below to learn more. Then email them by clicking Request Pricing, to schedule a phone call, meeting or receive pricing. Let them do the hard work, so all you have to do is say I DO.
Celebrate with Socialite Events – A Modern Planning Company. This full-service modern wedding planning company serves Central Florida, Melbourne, Tampa and St. Pete areas. In addition to wedding planning, Brittany and Stephanie are experts in design, production and logistics and believe executing events flawlessly is an art.
Seas Your Day, Your Way. Whether you’re at the start of your wedding planner journey or just wrapping up the final touches, Seas Your Day Events is your one-stop-shop for all things weddings and events. As a result, our mission is to give you the wedding of your dreams, the way you deserve to have it. For the night of a lifetime or a day you will never forget, we believe nothing should be out of reach for anyone looking for their perfect event or wedding.
See them Celebrate Love and History with a Wedding 226 feet above the ground.
The best kept secret in weddings! – Central Florida’s Premier Complete Wedding Package Company
That is to say, the professionals at Weddings, Inc. have perfected the all-inclusive wedding model. Further, our distinguished reputation of combining quality with affordability enables us to provide our clients with the wedding of their dreams. And within their budget! So, let one of our professional coordinators create a personalized complimentary proposal for you. As always, there’s absolutely no obligation.
Luxury Planning & Design
You’ve dreamed of this day your whole life. And we’re here to make sure that your wedding day is as precious and memorable as the love that you two share! Designer Weddings by Carly Rose is by your side from the first kiss to the final goodbye. Singularly, we make sure your wedding is a vision of perfection and a day that no one will ever forget. Therefore, we custom create every detail so that this most special day, becomes an unforgettable event.
Interview with the owner of Designer Weddings by Carly Rose.
Creating Memories – Let’s Plan Your Special Day
Do you have an upcoming event that needs planning? At A Moment In Time Events, we are professional wedding planners in Orlando with experience organizing a wide range of event types. Moreover, we are here to help you decide what your budget should be and to advise you about how to spend it wisely. Henceforth, we work with the best vendors in Central Florida and offer some of the most gorgeous venues around. For all of those reasons, give us a call so we can start planning together!
Life is built on dreams and carried out in love. Let’s Celebrate.
At J. Closs Events, we are here to guide you in the wedding planning process and to carry out your vision on the event day. Additionally, we have endless resources to find the most reliable vendors in the industry, plan the perfect day and the most spectacular locations.
Assuredly we will search for the perfect venue, find great vendors and orchestrate every single detail. Also, we will bring all the magic needed to make your event memorable and unforgettable. Because every one of our couples are so incredibly unique, we customize our packages just for you!
Timeless – Elegant – Chic | Certified Florida Wedding Planner
Hey everyone! I’m Candace, the lady behind the The Event Company brand. I’ve been in events for just about 20 years. And it’s all I’ve ever known. In fact, I literally live and breathe everything events.
When I became a certified planner in 2013, I knew the events industry was my passion. Above all, I love to help clients, family, and friends, find their creative voice through the event planning process. Every event is unique because no client is the same and that’s what I love.
See a styled shoot created by The Event Company – A Remarkable Moody Romantic Wedding In Orlando.
Making Dreams Come True
Lauren is the lead event designer/coordinator at Encore Event Company. She has been involved in the planning and production of Weddings, Bar/Bat Mitzvah’s and Corporate Events for the past 10+ years. Certainly her favorite part about wedding and event planning is getting to see the look on the clients face during a room reveal. Seeing a bride tear up because her ceremony/reception look exactly as she imagined makes it all worth it. Unquestionably, we truly believe in making dreams come true!
Meet some of these wedding planners in Orlando and more at the next I Said Yes! wedding expo and/or I DOs and BREWS wedding planning date night. Then pick your perfect wedding planner for your big day.
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