Weddings

Shangri La Springs Is The Perfect Bonita Springs, Florida Wedding Venue

July 9, 2020

Every time I capture a Shangri La Springs wedding I fall more in love with the beauty and intimate feel of this venue.

If you’re planning your Shangri La Springs wedding, keep reading as I share more about the history, the grounds, and what a wedding day at Shangri La Springs looks like.

The History of Shangri La Springs

Shangri La Springs is located in Bonita Springs, Florida and was built in 1921. Throughout its many owners, Shangri La Springs has become known as a spa, restaurant, organic garden, wedding venue, and soon to be hotel.

Shangri La Springs is most commonly known as a health spa with a desire for bringing serenity and peace into the lives of its patrons.

If you’re looking for a venue that encompasses peace, wellness, and serenity, then a Shangri La Springs Wedding might be perfect for you.

The history of Shangri La Springs in Bonita Springs, Florida

Grounds on a Wedding Day

The entire grounds of Shangri La Springs are set perfectly for a romantic and intimate wedding scene.

The lush gardens, the ornate statues and fountains, old oak trees and beautiful architecture, and even a river with an elegant bridge offers endless couples photography locations.

Each time I thought we had reached the end of the property, there was another archway, pond, or path guiding us further!

Kai and Emma held their ceremony in front of the oak tree in the front of the property, but if you’re hosting a Shangri La Springs wedding you may also have your ceremony at the gazebo at the back of the property, or the “long house” in front of the pool and pool deck.

If you’re looking to do your wedding mostly inside, your guest list will need to be around the 100 mark, although if you’re open to having some parts of your reception and ceremony outdoors, the venue can accommodate up to 500 guests.

One of my favorite features of the venue was the privacy that could be felt all around the grounds. The “getting ready” space for the bride was a bedroom with multiple doorways and blinds that allowed light in without being seen by guests.

One getting ready room attached to the main bedroom had gorgeous light where Emma & Kai both read their letters to each other. This room was pretty small, but it was big enough for myself and the videographer, Erikson Corbin, to get around and get the photo and video we needed!

After the ceremony, the guests were able to head to the cocktail hour while we walked the grounds. The many winding paths led us all around the venue where we were able to take countless couple’s portraits without running into guests.

If you’re looking for an “all in one” venue, I found that from the “getting ready” space, to the outdoor ceremony site, to the indoor ceremony site/reception space, everywhere was “picture perfect”!

The Wedding Food

Kai and Emma opted for Crave Culinaire by Chef Brian Roland as their caterer, which is one of Shangri La Springs preferred vendors. The meal was served buffet style and consisted of chicken, sautéed vegetables, and a Caesar salad, and the guests all loved it.

Another option for couples hosting a Shangri La Springs wedding is Harvest & Wisdom, the Springs very own farm-to-table restaurant. Harvest & Wisdom offers an organic menu with selections from local farms and the Springs very own organic garden.

As mentioned above, the organic garden is one of the pillars of Shangri La Springs history, so serving your guests from the garden is a wonderful way to tie in and honor the history of the grounds!

Shangri La Springs also has in house options for hors d’oeuvres and for your bar. They offer a full bar selection as well as bartenders!

They do not offer cake services, but if you’re looking for a local bakery, I would recommend checking out LadyCakes Bakery for your pastry and cake needs!

The Wedding Day

On the Mauga’s wedding day, the ladies got ready in the bridal suite as the guys hung around the main entrance/gift shop which we used for the men’s “getting ready” space. They arrived at the venue mostly ready with the exception of putting on their suits.

Kai and Emma opted out of a first look, but as I mentioned above, the areas for a first look are endless, and if you take a few minutes to look around the grounds you’ll be sure to find a place that speaks to you for where to have your first look!

Emma and Kai’s wedding planner and coordinator, Anna Corbin, was super helpful in keeping the timeline on track and helping us around the best locations at the venue.

Their ceremony took place in the front of the property under the oak tree to allow for proper social distancing given the circumstances. If you’re having more than 150 guests, this location will probably be most ideal for you as the “long house” and gazebo space are both a bit tighter!

As their cocktail hour ensued at the long house, we took pictures all around the grounds and found that we did not have to go far to capture all the locations we needed! You won’t need a golf cart or escort around the property as it is compact enough, while still having privacy!

Once their reception began, the couple and their wedding party made their grand entrance into the long house from the pool side, with half their guests being indoors and half being outdoors to encourage social distance.

The rest of the festivities of the evening, from first dances, to speeches, cake cutting, and garter and bouquet toss, were all carried along by the DJ Josh Delasant with White Tie Affairs.

The events of the reception all happened inside of the long house as well! Their sparkler exit was down the path next to their ceremony space, although a sparkler exit could be beautifully done from the main entrance/exit of Shangri La Springs.

Wedding sparkler exit at Shangri La Springs in Bonita Springs, Florida

Summary

Overall, I found that Shangri La Springs was a perfect location if you’re looking to get married in Bonita Springs or Naples, Florida! The timelessness of the venue and the friendliness of the staff will be sure to make your day go perfectly.

If you’re planning your Shangri La Springs wedding, I would love to chat with you and see if we would be a good fit for your day!

meet kenna

BEHIND THE LENS

Photographer, dreamer, traveler.
Inspired by the beauty our natural world offers and the people we get to share it with.

My approach on a wedding day is to turn your moments into art which you’re proud to display in your home and pass down to generations. We strive to be in the balance between capturing moments as they’re happening, and stepping in to direct and pose when needed. The end result is a gallery that feels like fine art and brings you right back to the best day of your life.