Wedding Blog

In just a couple of weeks, Mr. Yorkie and I will stand on this beach shortly before sunset and pledge our lives and love to each other before 120 of our family and friends.

If it doesn’t quite look like the flashy, fast-paced scenes of Miami Beach that you’ve come to know from shows like Miami Vice and CSI: Miami, there’s a good reason. This isn’t Miami Beach. It’s Matheson Hammock, Miami’s very first park and best-kept secret.

As a little girl, I used to visit the park just about every Sunday afternoon with my family. You would usually find me waist deep in the lagoon, with a net in one hand and a pail full of critters in the other. On the rare occasion that I’d emerge from the water, it was almost always to run up to the concession stand for a delicious vanilla cone. So many of my childhood memories are set here!

Not much has changed since those days, save for the fact that the limestone building that once offered up ice cream and hot dogs is now home to the upscale Red Fish Grill, which will serve as our reception site.

The Red Fish is offering us a wonderful package at a flat rate for up to 130 guests. (Having flexibility like that with our guest list size is awesome!) Included in the package are passed hors d’oeuvres during the cocktail hour with an open bar serving beer and wine, three plated entrées for our guests to choose from, champagne toast, cake cutting, coffee service, and gratuities. Another great benefit is that you can hold your ceremony there for no additional charge.

While the restaurant does not provide liquor, if we’d like to bring our own, they will gladly mix and serve. Bring on the mojitos!

Seating is available both indoors and outdoors, with the spaces tied together by several French doors that open onto the patio. The indoor seating will be great for our older guests who will benefit from the air conditioning. The patio area is naturally cooled by the gentle breezes that come in off of Biscayne Bay!

The views from the Red Fish are breathtaking, especially at night with the Miami skyline lit up in the distance. With most of our guests flying in from out of state for the wedding, I know that the atmosphere out here will be well worth the trip!

Here’s a fun bit of Matheson Hammock/Red Fish trivia for you. A couple of scenes from There’s Something About Mary were filmed at the park and inside of the restaurant. Check ’em out!

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Did you choose your venue for sentimental reasons?