Choosing Philippe Park for your intimate wedding is one of the most beautiful ways to say your vows in the Tampa area, and this guide is going to walk you through everything you need to know before you book your date. Like ceremony spots in the park, a full day sample timeline for your intimate wedding, and where to eat once the celebrating starts.
Hi, this is Mandy, the photographer who is in love with nature, and I’ve packed this guide with everything I wish more couples knew before planning their day here.
If Philippe Park isn’t quite the vibe you’re going for, I’ve also got a guide to other beautiful intimate wedding venues around Central Florida worth checking out.
My Top Tips for Having an Intimate Wedding at Philippe Park
- Plan your ceremony two hours before sunset, or more. The oak trees here are massive, and they block light fast. Want to know the exact time for your wedding date? Use my golden hour calculator right here. GOLDEN HOUR CALCULATOR
- Bring mosquito repellent. This park sits close to the water, and once the sun starts going down, mosquitoes come out hard.
- Use the picnic areas and less crowded spots. The famous spots like the staircase get busy, especially on weekends. Some of the quieter areas in the park are just as beautiful, sometimes even more so. A good photographer who knows this park will guide you to the hidden gems.
- Make it a full-day experience for your elopement, not just the ceremony
Is Philippe Park Right for Your Intimate Wedding or Elopement?
Philippe Park in Safety Harbor has this grounding, calm energy that you just can’t manufacture indoors. Between the waterfront views, the greenery, the moss-draped trees, and the open sky, it wraps around you in a way that makes everything feel more present and more real
Here’s who tends to fall in love with this spot:
- Couples who feel connected to nature and the outdoors
- Couples planning a Tampa elopement who want it to feel personal, not performative
- Anyone who wants intimate wedding photos surrounded by trees, water, and greenery
- Couples looking for a small wedding in Tampa that feels calm and grounded
- People who want the day to feel simple, meaningful, and genuinely theirs.
The Best Ceremony Spots at Philippe Park
Honestly, one of the best things about this park is that there’s no wrong spot. One of my couples literally just walked around until they found a place by the water surrounded by trees that felt like them, and that became their ceremony spot. That’s the beauty of Philippe Park. It’s free to enter, free parking, and the whole park is yours to explore
Here are some of the spots worth knowing about:
- Oak tree and Spanish moss — the most iconic spot in the park.
- Stone staircase and historical elements — add texture and character to your photos, perfect for a more editorial feel
- Hidden shaded spots — there are a few tucked away areas only certain photographers know about; ask your photographer about those
If you want to set up chairs, an arch, or any kind of decor around it, you’ll want to make a reservation through Pinellas County first. You can find all the info for that right here.
PINELLAS COUNTY RESERVATION PAGE
For a simpler elopement with just a few guests, just show up, find your spot, and let nature do the rest.
Make It a Full Day — The 8-Hour (or 12-Hour!) Experience
Here’s something most couples don’t realize: your elopement doesn’t have to start when the officiant shows up.
It can start when you wake up.
But here’s the thing to remember: it doesn’t matter if your wedding is intimate, small, or just the two of you. Maybe you’re keeping it tight for family. Maybe you’re saving where you can. Whatever the reason, you only get married once, to this person, on this day. So it deserves to be the most authentic version of itself.
You don’t need two hundred guests to make it remarkable. You need a day that reflects the two of you. Something that feels like you. Something that, when you look back on it, makes you say. This was the best day of my life, because it should be. It’s your wedding day.
Morning! Fun Things to Do Before the Ceremony
This is the part most couples skip, and it’s honestly the most fun. Do something that gets your hearts pounding before the ceremony even starts. There are a few ideas:
- Skydive — nothing says “I choose you” like free-falling together at 120mph
- Rent ATVs on the beach or off-road trails
- Go horse riding along the coast — slow, dreamy, and stunning to photograph
- Take a helicopter tour — see the whole coastline from above
- Hit the water — sailing, paddleboarding, or white water rafting if you want the adrenaline
- Try something unexpected — glass blowing is genuinely one of the most romantic things I’ve ever witnessed a couple do together
You don’t have to pick the wildest thing. You can just have the morning that feels most like you.
Early Afternoon — Pre-Ceremony Portraits
Before everything kicks off, we carve out a little time just for the two of you, just us finding the best light and the best spots. These are the photos you’ll hang on your wall.
Philippe Park is magical for this. The old oaks, the water, the Spanish moss — it does half the work for us.
The Ceremony
This is the moment. Keep it short, keep it real. Your words, your people (or just the two of you), the trees around you. It doesn’t need to be elaborate to be unforgettable.
Golden Hour Portraits
Right after the ceremony, we chase the light. This is when everything goes warm and golden and a little soft, and honestly? Every single photo looks incredible. We’ll wander, you’ll laugh, I’ll capture it.
Plan for about 45–60 minutes here. It goes fast and you’ll want every second of it.
Evening! — Celebrate the Way You Want
Now the night is yours. Some ideas for couples who want to keep going:
- Head to the beach for a bonfire and dance party under the stars
- Gather your people for a sunset dinner somewhere unforgettable
- Pop bottles and watch the sunset
- Keep it quiet — just the two of you, somewhere beautiful, with good food and no to-do list
- Head to a Restaurant with your family and friends to celebrate
The vibe is yours to set. Earthy, wild, fancy, low-key.
Sample Timeline: The Full 8–12 Hour Day
Time | What’s Happening |
8:00 AM | Morning adventure (ATV, sailing, glass blowing — your pick) |
11:30 AM | Freshen up, get ready |
1:00 PM | First look |
1:30 PM | Solo/Couple portraits at Philippe Park |
3:00 PM | Ceremony |
4:30 PM 5:00 PM | Golden hour portraits Head to the celebration |
6:00 PM | Dinner, dancing, bonfire, or whatever your version of a perfect evening looks like |
8:00 PM | Day wraps, memories made |
Where to Eat After — Restaurants Near Philippe Park
Once the vows are said and the photos are done, you’ll want somewhere good to celebrate. Safety Harbor and the surrounding area have a genuinely great little food scene, all within about ten minutes of the park.
Italian:
Mediterranean
American
Seafood
Why You Need a Photographer Who Knows This Park
I fell in love with Philippe Park the same way you probably did, walking under the oaks and feeling like the whole world got quieter. I’m drawn to couples who feel most like themselves outside, and I built my work around parks like this one because that’s the kind of love story I want to tell.
That love comes with knowing the park, not just visiting it. I know which trees turn gold at sunset and which ones just look shaded and flat. I know the quiet corners where nobody’s asking you to hurry, and how to time things around Florida’s mosquitoes and afternoon heat so the day feels easy instead of rushed.
Your elopement only happens once, and the person behind the camera shapes how it feels, not just how it looks. I’d love to be that person for you.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)
- Is there an entrance fee for Philippe Park?
No. Philippe Park is free to enter and parking is free too, which is part of why it’s such a wonderful, low-pressure spot for an elopement.
- Can we bring our dog to our Philippe Park elopement?
Yes. Philippe Park is dog friendly, as long as pets stay on a leash no longer than six feet and you clean up after them. Plenty of my couples have included their dog in the ceremony, and honestly, it’s some of my favorite footage to capture.
- What’s the best time of year to elope at Philippe Park?
Fall through early spring gives you the most comfortable temperatures and an earlier, more manageable golden hour. Summer is still beautiful, just hotter and buggier, with golden hour landing much later in the evening.
What happens if it rains on our elopement day?
Florida weather changes fast, so we always have a plan B. Depending on the forecast, that might mean shifting your ceremony time, moving to one of the park’s covered picnic shelters, or simply working with the rain since some of the most romantic photos I’ve ever taken happened in a light drizzle. We’ll talk through your comfort level ahead of time.
Do you help plan the whole day, not just take the photos?
Yes, and honestly, that’s my favorite part. From the morning adventure to the ceremony spot to where you eat afterward, I love helping couples build a day that actually feels like them, not a copy-paste version of every other wedding. Reach out and let’s talk through what your version of this day looks like.
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