“We had our wedding at this venue and cannot say enough wonderful things about the entire experience. From the very beginning of the planning process to the final moments of our big day, everything was handled with such care, professionalism, and attention to detail.
What truly set this experience apart, though, was working with Tamara, the Events Coordinator. She was nothing short of exceptional. Tamara is incredibly organized, responsive, and always one step ahead, which made the entire planning process smooth and stress-free. She took the time to understand our vision, respected every detail, and made sure our wedding reflected exactly who we are as a couple.
What stood out the most, and something that meant the world to us, was Tamara’s cultural awareness and sensitivity. We incorporated several cultural traditions into our ceremony and reception, and Tamara not only welcomed them with enthusiasm, but knew about our traditions with depth. We are Palestinian from the Middle East, and for comparison, nearly every other venue in Orlando would send us the "Southeast Asian" package when they hear we are Palestinian. At Gaylord, after correcting the Event Sales rep multiple times (she kept referring to us as Pakistani versus Palestinian even though we corrected her 3-4 times), and at 2-3 times the cost, it was a no-brainer that we needed someone who was culturally aware. Tamara worked closely with our families to ensure every tradition was honored respectfully and authentically, and she did so with such grace and understanding. It was clear she genuinely cared about making everyone feel included and celebrated.
Our tradition is a Henna and a Wedding Reception (a 2 day event). We initially wanted 2 different locations, one for each event. My wife was set on one or two specific locations. I "shopped around" and almost jokingly called Margaritaville (alcohol themed resort for a Palestinian culture that prohibits alcohol) to see what other venues offered to do comparisons. Not only was Margaritaville less expensive, the meal options were better, the ballroom was nicer than every other ballroom we saw in person (we saw about 15 other ballrooms), the resort was better, and the Team there actually ensured every little nuance to our vision was attainable without more than an inquiry to their team where we had an almost opposite experience everywhere else. Margaritaville made us feel like they were lucky to have our business, while other venues made us feel like we were lucky that they took 15 minutes out of their day to see the resort and ball room. In the end, we hosted both events at Margaritaville AND the price for both days came in less expensive than most competitors for a single day event.
Our guests are still talking about how beautiful and seamless everything was—and we know that wouldn’t have been possible without Tamara’s leadership and dedication.
If you’re looking for a venue that not only delivers stunning spaces and top-notch service but also has a true professional like Tamara at the helm with her dedicated team, look no further. We are so grateful for everything Margaritaville did to make our 2 day event unforgettable!”
