The Venue is without question a premier location to have a wedding! The organization and…read moreprofessionalism of Suzy Hunt and Kristine Nelson made for a very memorable experience for my daughter and our family. We had great support from the beginning to end to ensure a pleasant and memorable experience. Would not hesitate to have another event at the Venue.

From the owner: Welcome to The Venue, where coastal charm meets chic elegance in the heart of downtown Fort Walton…read moreBeach. Nestled along the waterfront, our unique and fresh event space offers a captivating blend of modern sophistication and laid-back coastal vibes. Picture your dream wedding or special event set against the backdrop of our stunning manicured lawn, with the gentle breeze from the nearby waters adding a touch of romance. At The Venue, we pride ourselves on flexibility, striving to bring your vision to life seamlessly. Whether it’s an intimate gathering or a grand celebration, our commitment is to exceed your expectations. Step into a world where every detail is perfected, and every moment is unforgettable. Let The Venue be the canvas for your extraordinary memories.

Our son recently married his beautiful bride at this magical location and it was breathtakingly…read morebeautiful! From the wonderful accommodations for the bride and her bridesmaids (large home with complete access to kitchen/sitting areas and bedrooms to accommodate a large wedding party getting hair and makeup), to the open chapel and later to the reception courtyard and inside seating, it was one breath taking site to another! The 3 water fountains and large fire feature in the open courtyard were soothing and the bar and appetizer area was spacious. Dinner and dancing inside the reception dining area was temperature controlled, clean, tastefully painted, and there was plenty of space for the 120+ guests. *One recommendation might be to provide bathroom facilities for the groomsmen: perhaps an upscale porta-potty and maybe even an outdoor shower. The barn hangout was perfect for their gathering before the wedding festivities (complete with couches, pool table and refrigerator). **Another idea would be to provide some sort of seating for grandparents who were waiting to be escorted during the ceremony. It was challenging getting them to the chapel in a timely manner (they waited in their cars until just before the music started). All in all, I highly recommend this place as a consideration for your future wedding!

Though the venue is beautiful, the venue owner, Robin, was extremely difficult to work with from…read morethe start. As the bride, getting the venue booked with Robin was my greatest stressor, and she only caused more stress from there. I first was interested in Bella Sera because of how beautiful it looked on Instagram. I looked up the Google reviews, and they were mostly positive. The few negative ones I saw, I laughed at her "clap backs" and assumed that they were from the occasional unreasonable guest that the service industry sees now and then. I wish I had read Yelp reviews as well, or asked on Facebook groups, because now I know that Robin is completely unpredictable and you have no idea if you'll get the Robin who wants to make your day special, or the Robin who won't respond to your messages and raises her voice at your family. She was terrible at communicating promptly, and often had to be called or texted multiple times for an answer to one question. Vendors were waiting on the information I needed from her, but a quick response time from her was one week. I've attached message screenshots showing the reply gaps. I messaged Robin on April 14th, the day after I got engaged, to confirm that I wanted to book. Because of her delays in communication, she did not send the contract to me until June 2nd. For a month and a half, I texted and called and asked questions, and tried to get a contract, because I wasn't comfortable with being "pencilled in". We were allowed, by contract, two hours the day before to rehearse and set up the reception. Robin scheduled a tour for another bride during our rehearsal. She became agitated when we approached her and asked about venue decorations that she had offered us the use of months before. When we had questions about the set up and availability of the items, she snapped at my family and friends in front of the touring bride and said that we worried too much. While getting ready the morning of the wedding, the bridesmaids, mothers, and I were freezing. We had our hair and makeup done in our coats. I texted Robin and asked for her to turn the heat up, and she never answered me. There was a case over the thermostat. During the post ceremony photos, the photographers would arrange my dress and position a certain way, and Robin would come up and adjust it to her own wishes so she could take pictures on her phone. She also was obtrusive in photos of our dance. In a response to the review my mom posted, she said it was fine that she was in the way because "any professional photographer is highly capable to photoshop a staff member...." I had assumed that in the contract where she said that she would be allowed to photograph for her own advertising purposes, that she would be a background figure and not hamper my own photographers' work. We were on an especially tight schedule post-ceremony because of the sun setting and the photographers had to take extra time to undo the adjustments she unnecessarily made. Robin also responded to my mom's review accusing us of being late with making payments. In fact, she did not send us the final invoice until the night before the wedding, requiring me to pay it while getting ready the morning of my wedding day. I've attached a screenshot of the email sent on 11/10. This venue photographed very well, but the stress that it took to book it, the unavailability of the venue owner, and the shadow she cast over the celebrations were very unfortunate. If I had it to do over again, I would choose another venue where I felt valued and treated like someone who spent thousands of dollars to be there.

Hoping to find a gift shop. The trail at the estuary was really peaceful. Really coolread more

We picked blueberries with our small children. Blueberries were perfectly tart, and the staff was…read moreincredibly friendly and gave my daughters some zinnia flowers to take home (which they loved).

Great little B&B. Quiet and secluded yet minutes from everything. The hosts thought of everything,…read moreeven the hotel style endless hot water.

From the owner: Fairhope Farm is located 2 miles from beautiful downtown Fairhope…read more We are a full time small farm that can cater to all-occasion out door parties and events. The new addition of our pergola offers a unique place for small and large functions. We offer a peaceful getaway in our farm stay from life while being minutes from Fairhopes fine shopping. We offer various farm items for sale. Fairhope Farm is not USDA-certified as organic but we do adhere to many organic farming principles. We want our life and the life of our animals to be as happy and healthy as possible.

What an amazing experience! This venue is magic. The staff…read moreis professional, but not stuffy. They all worked so hard to make our daughter's wedding a day to remember! We were blown away by this experience and HIGHLY recommend this venue to ANYONE who wants to experience a stress free, lovely day with all the perks!!

Our daughter was married at this magical venue this past week. We had elected to let their staff…read morehandle everything based on the bride's and groom's choices and wishes. They handled everything! I was NEVER stressed about a thing. Everything was perfect and the timeline was flawlessly executed without a hiccup. We heard nothing but praise for the entire event--location, weather, decorations, music, ambiance, just everything. Donna and Nikki anticipated every need and made the whole experience a joyous and memorable one. I wish I had more events to hold there. Would I recommend Live Oak? ABSOLUTELY ‼

A family home built in 1882 by a local fisherman on the Bon Secour river. A beautiful estate well…read morekept throughout the years. Offering tours for $5 or come in to look around. Now available as a wedding venue as well. With various rooms being used as a Bridal and Groom suite. A large outdoor backyard with a pavilion in construction. This place is gorgeous, offering a glimpse at old life in the south. Improvements are constantly being made to keep the legacy of the Swift-Cole family living on.

Swift-Coles Historic Home, in Bon Secour, AL, initial construction was in1882, is a 6000 sq ft…read morestunning old home with 3500 sq ft of porches with swings and fans, love it. It's filled with beautiful period antiques, some which are familiar to me from my granny's home, that immediately transported me back my childhood. The grounds are beautiful with large Magnolia trees and 120 yr old Live Oak trees with Spanish moss everywhere and there's Azaleas, Hydrangeas and a variety of other plants and shrubs. The grounds all around are meticulously maintained giving the property vibrant look and appeal. Originally it was the home of Charles and Susan Swift and their 11 children, it was purchased in 1976 by Nik Coles. Before his death in 2007, he bequeathed the home to the Baldwin County Historic Development Commission. In 2009 the home was opened to the public and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A debt of gratitude is owed to Mr. Nik Coles for his contributions in saving one of the most colorful and outstanding examples of the turn of the century Gulf Coast architecture in our community. The Swift-Coles Historic Home is now open to the public for summer tours. The guided tours leads visitors through the 16 room historic tidewater mansion and grounds to experience how life along the Bon Secour River would have been nearly 100 years ago. There's lots of legends and lore about this place being haunted, many about the deceased displeasure with the renovations. I have been here several times and the last was recently with #1 son and my neighbor Claudine for a late night paranormal investigation with Panhandle Paranormal Group. It indeed was very cool! For more information about tours and current events call (251) 949-5550 or visit their Facebook page at: https://facebook.com/Swift-Coles-Historic-Home-544364585730248/ Bottom line: A lovely piece of history, it's not Mount Vernon but it's lovely.

Whoa! This space is beautiful in downtown Fairhope! I attended a birthday event here, and fell in…read morelove. The possibilities are endless and it's a blank canvas. The outdoor view (from the wrap around balcony) is great also-- and rightfully so, being that it's the name-sake and all! If you're trying to "WOW" your guests, check out Balcony on Church Street for your next event.

Came here for a family wedding reception. Beautiful place with beautiful view of Fairhope over the…read morebalcony! I would love to come here again.

Finding a venue for an outdoor wedding can be a challenge especially if you want an indoor backup…read moreplan in case it rains. This place has a sophisticated country air with all the modern conveniences. I have toured the property several times and would suggest it to anyone looking for a beautiful setting. There are countless photo spots. There is a main barn that will comfortably hold 300 people. It is air conditioned and has concrete floors. It can be heated in the winter if you want a December ceremony. So if it happens to storm you can move the ceremony inside. I love the silo lined patio. Owner, Chad Turner has converted one of them into an outdoor "watering hole". I think there are at least 5 different outdoor settings that brides use for the nuptials. Pricing is very reasonable considering the fact that you can use all the buildings and grounds. Chad told me people even go fishing in the pond before the wedding. I was looking at using it for a business holiday event and plan to grab a date in December. I suggest you book a tour. I didn't take enough pictures to do it justice. Website is www.tripletfarm1910.com

Another stellar meal was had at Hotel Magnolia Restaurant last night! We try to do at least one…read morelunch and one dinner per month at this top-notch restaurant! We tried a few new things that we hadn't tried before. Myself, the Aged Hand Cut Filet Mignion (I usually go for the Ribeye) ordered Pittsburgh Medium Rare, It was cooked to perfection! It's one of the best Steaks I've ever had, and that's saying a lot! My grandson had the Snapper Orleans covered in the Shrimp & Crawfish Cream Sauce with Caesar Salad. He didn't leave a morsel. In fact, I got the last bit of sauce on my spectacular Sour Dough Bread Loaf that we shared (my first time trying this, awesome). My wife made a meal of the Crab Claw Appetizer, with a Garden Mixed Salad and side of Red Potatoes. The sides of Okra, Fries, and Green Beans were all homemade and delicious.I also treated myself to a Peanut Butter Bushwacker, and we shared two Apple/Peach Beignets for dessert. As is normal, we left with two to go boxes and meals for tomorrow.

Inconsistent food quality. First time we went food was very good. Second time was for Valentine's…read moreDay and food was horrible. Seems they can't handle large crowds.