Wedding
Siesta Key Beach
Bridal Party
Groomsmen
SIESTA KEY:
- Siesta Key Beach
- Crescent Beach
- Turtle Beach
- Kokomo Charters: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g34636-d8704313-Reviews-Kokomo_Charters-Siesta_Key_Florida.html
- Key Life Charters: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g34636-d10399202-Reviews-Key_Life_Charters-Siesta_Key_Florida.html
- Siesta Key Fishing Charters: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g34636-d5994295-Reviews-Siesta_Key_Fishing_Charters-Siesta_Key_Florida.html
- Parasail Siesta: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g34636-d6027718-Reviews-Parasail_Siesta-Siesta_Key_Florida.html
- Siesta Paddle Sports: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g34636-d3947963-Reviews-Siesta_Paddle_Sports-Siesta_Key_Florida.html
- Siesta Key Watersports: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g34636-d1549325-Reviews-Siesta_Key_Watersports-Siesta_Key_Florida.html
- Point of Rocks: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g34636-d117355-Reviews-Point_of_Rocks-Siesta_Key_Florida.html
- Siesta Key Jet Ski: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g34636-d1520068-Reviews-Siesta_Key_Jet_Ski-Siesta_Key_Florida.html
- Gilligan’s Island Bar & Grill: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g34636-Activities-c20-t99-Siesta_Key_Florida.html
- The Beach Club: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g34636-d6748756-Reviews-The_Beach_Club-Siesta_Key_Florida.html
- Ophelia’s on the Bay
- Daiquiri Deck
- Solarzanos Pizzeria
- The Hub Baja Grill
- Big Olaf Creamery
- Ciao Gelato
- Toasted Mango Cafe
- The Cottage Restaurant
- A Taste of Germany
- Another Broken Egg Cafe
- Bonjour French Cafe
SARASOTA:
- The Ringling Museum of Art: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g34618-d117349-Reviews-The_Ringling-Sarasota_Florida.html
- Marietta Museum: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g34618-d3611613-Reviews-Marietta_Museum_Art_Whimsy-Sarasota_Florida.html
- Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g34618-d131503-Reviews-Mote_Marine_Laboratory_and_Aquarium-Sarasota_Florida.html
- Sarasota Classic Car Museum: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g34618-d246824-Reviews-Sarasota_Classic_Car_Museum-Sarasota_Florida.html
- Myakka River State Park: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g34618-d105479-Reviews-Myakka_River_State_Park-Sarasota_Florida.html
- Marie Selby Botanical Gardens: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g34618-d105478-Reviews-Marie_Selby_Botanical_Gardens-Sarasota_Florida.html
- Ca d’Zan Mansion: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g34618-d199890-Reviews-Ca_d_Zan_Mansion-Sarasota_Florida.html
- Sarasota National Cemetery: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g34618-d4288289-Reviews-Sarasota_National_Cemetery-Sarasota_Florida.html
- Big Cat Habitat and Gulf Coast Sanctuary: http://vacationidea.com/florida/big-cat-habitat.html
Siesta Key is the area we will be in for the wedding, which is right off the coast of Sarasota. Some of you coming from out of state may be looking to spend more time in Florida and may want to see other areas. If that’s the case, let us know and we can give you more information as needed. Tampa is about 65 miles from Siesta Key, and Orlando is about 140 miles from Siesta Key. The closest airport to Siesta Key is the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport, and it is about 30 minutes away. The next closest airport would be the Tampa International Airport, which would be approximately 1 hour 15 minutes away. If you are planning to extend your trip and come to Orlando before or after the wedding (Disney World or Universal, perhaps?), you may consider flying into/out of Orlando International Airport depending on if that is more convenient for you. The drive from Orlando to Siesta Key is about 2 1/2-3 1/2 hours depending on where in Orlando you’re leaving from and the traffic.
Introducing the Murtolas...
Public Service Announcement:
While I have spoken to some of you, I cannot rely on my memory or communication skills to relay this information to everyone personally. It is important to know though because the assumption that Jennifer Bushnell will become Jennifer Richards is false. In fact, the assumption that I will stay Craig Richards is also false. We will instead be taking my mother’s maiden name and become Craig and Jennifer Murtola. The short version of the story (because reading/writing the long version would take too long) is that the relationship I had with my father was complicated. He fought a lifelong battle against alcoholism and ultimately lost. Since his passing, I’ve made peace with the fact that, despite his addiction, he was a good man. Unfortunately, I never got a chance to get to know that side of him. My mother raised my brother and I, sacrificed for us, and gave us all the opportunities she never had as a child. I’d like to think she did a pretty good job. Therefore, it is my desire to carry her maiden name and pass that name on to our children. I recognize that changing my name doesn’t erase my father from me and I wouldn’t want to anyway. I’m keeping my middle name, which was his first name. For all his faults, I would not be the man I am today without him. He was an example of what not to do, and while that was not a preferred way to learn, it was effective. I owe my mother everything though and taking the name Murtola seems like a good way to express my unending gratitude. Also, Murtola is an incredibly unique and amazing last name, so that helps!
