Clearwater Beach
Sandpearl Resort
Clearwater Beach's polished grande dame — 700 feet of private sand, a chandeliered ballroom, and wedding rules written down like they mean them.
Up to 400 guests Inquire
Inn / Resort · Beach / Waterfront
Photos: courtesy of Clearwater Marine Aquarium (www.cmaquarium.org)
Clearwater Beach · Unique
Clearwater Marine Aquarium
249 Windward Passage, Clearwater, FL 33767
Planning your whole weekend here? →
the short version What sets it apart
A working marine-rescue aquarium on the Intracoastal where the ceremony witnesses include resident dolphins.
- The venue's own pitch is unrepeatable anywhere else on this coast: a ceremony held near resident dolphins.
- Buyouts scale from a few rooms to the entire aquarium.
- Every event dollar supports a rescue-rehabilitate-release mission — a favor line for the program, not the registry.
- Island Estates sits between the mainland and the beach — five minutes to either.
Clearwater Marine Aquarium is the region's conversation-stopping venue: the working rescue aquarium on Island Estates — home of the late Winter the dolphin of Dolphin Tale fame — whose event program opens its waterfront rooms, terraces, and dolphin-side ceremony sites to weddings, from a few rooms to a full-facility buyout. The setting does the theming; the animals do the cocktail-hour talking points.
The aquarium runs food and beverage through its own catering office with an approved vendor list, and publishes the small print that matters here and nowhere else: proposals can book a dolphin meet-and-greet ($249, twice daily), a buoy can deliver the ring for $50, and rings stay clear of the pool decks for the animals' safety. Capacities and wedding pricing come by inquiry — the private-event request form is the front door.
deals Current offers & packages
No current published offers. Check with Clearwater Marine Aquarium directly — and tell them Clearwater Weddings sent you.
prices What's it going to cost?
Wedding packages on inquiry. Published à la carte: Dolphin Meet & Greet proposals at $249 (15 minutes, twice daily), with a $50 add-on for the ring delivered by buoy — though rings stay off the pool deck for animal safety.
guest capacity How many can you bring?
| Max guests (any configuration) | Not published — ask the venue |
|---|---|
| Seated ceremony | Not published — ask the venue |
| Seated reception | Not published — ask the venue |
| Standing / cocktail | Not published — ask the venue |
options Ceremony & reception spaces
- Waterfront event spaces
- Rooms and terraces through the working marine-rescue aquarium — book a few rooms or the entire facility
- Dolphin-side ceremony sites
- Ceremony locations near the resident dolphins' habitat
food & drink Catering, bar & lodging
- Catering
- In-house food and beverage through the aquarium's catering sales office, with an approved vendor list (updated 2025).
- Alcohol
- Policy not published — confirm with the venue.
- Lodging on-site
- No on-site lodging — see our stay guide below.
style & views What will you and your photos see?
Worth knowing: Approved vendor list applies (updated 2025). Rings are not presented poolside, for animal safety.
Facts verified June 2026 against: www.cmaquarium.org, www.cmaquarium.org. Details change — always confirm directly with the venue.
the lay of the land
What's Nearby
21 guide spots within 25 miles of Clearwater Marine Aquarium — everywhere we'd point your guests to eat, play, and stay.
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Distances are straight-line; drive times are rough estimates for beach and causeway roads, not directions. Venue pin approximate.
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More venues near Clearwater Beach
Clearwater Beach
Carlouel Beach & Yacht Club
The old-line private club at the beach's quiet north tip — a members' world of gazebo lawns and private sand that opens its gates for weddings.
Up to 250 guests Inquire
Beach / Waterfront
Clearwater Beach
Opal Sands Resort
The curved glass resort where every room faces the Gulf — contemporary art inside, cotton-candy sunsets off the event lawn.
Up to 450 guests Inquire
Inn / Resort · Beach / Waterfront
Build the weekend around it
Marrying at Clearwater Marine Aquarium? Here's where we'd point your guests next.
Clearwater Beach
Palm Pavilion Inn
Boutique inn steps from the north beach — rooftop terrace, beach chairs included, and studios with real kitchens.
for the weekend The characterful block for the inner circle: quiet north-end sand, a rooftop for sunset, and no resort-tower anonymity.
Read the full guide →
Clearwater Beach
Barefoot Bay Resort & Marina
A 1950s bayside motel-resort with a heated pool, its own 24-slip marina, and published nightly rates.
for the weekend The budget-honest block two minutes from the sand — with boat slips for the guests who arrive by water.
Read the full guide →
Clearwater Beach
East Shore Resort
Eleven apartment units on Clearwater Bay — full kitchens, a heated pool, a big fishing dock, and zero resort fees.
for the weekend Eleven kitchen-equipped units is a wedding-party buyout waiting to happen — the whole crew under one roof by the dock.
Read the full guide →
The full Clearwater Marine Aquarium weekend plan → Build the full weekend itinerary → Find your vendor team →