Not every important wedding decision is a glamorous one. Long before you choose your flowers, your music, or your attire, there’s a quieter choice that shapes how your entire planning experience unfolds, and it starts with your venue’s wedding package.
Some venues only have one option when it comes to what’s included when you book your big day, while others offer multiple packages. If you do have a choice, the direction you choose shapes everything that follows. It affects your planning timeline, stress levels, vendor communication, and, ultimately, how you experience the months between your engagement and your wedding day.
The Lightner Museum offers two distinct options: the Custom Wedding Package, built for couples who want creative control and the freedom to assemble their own vendor team, and the All-Inclusive Intimate Wedding Package, designed for couples who want a streamlined, low-stress experience with trusted vendors already in place. Both give you access to the same extraordinary venue. What changes is the planning experience.
This guide walks through what each package includes, who it’s best suited for, and the questions worth asking yourself before you decide. Here’s everything it covers:
- The two approaches to planning your wedding
- A detailed breakdown of each package at the Lightner Museum and what’s included
- A side-by-side comparison table
- How to figure out which package is the right fit for you
- Answers to questions couples commonly ask
Kelly and Mackenzie’s ceremony setup inside the Lightner Museum’s Historic Pool | Photo: Angelita Esparar
Two Approaches to Planning Your Wedding
If you’ve started researching wedding venues, you’ve probably noticed that packages vary a lot from one venue to the next. Some bundle everything together so you’re not managing a dozen different vendors. Others hand you the keys and let you build your day exactly how you want it. Most fall somewhere in between. Here’s what the two most popular wedding venue packages generally look like:
All-Inclusive
An all-inclusive package brings your most essential vendors together under one roof–typically the venue, catering, bar service, and coordination, plus additional perks depending on the property. The biggest draw is how much simpler it makes planning. Fewer contracts, fewer emails, a clearer sense of what everything will cost. The trade-off is that the vendors are already chosen for you, so there’s less room to hand-pick each one.
Custom or Venue Rental Only
A custom package gives you the venue and select amenities, and from there, you build your own team. You choose your caterer, your photographer, your florist–every vendor is yours to research and book. It’s more planning work, but it also means more creative freedom. For couples with a specific vision or vendors they already love, this is often the route they prefer.
One thing to keep in mind as you compare venues: the same package name can mean very different things depending on where you’re looking. Two venues can both call something “all-inclusive” and have almost nothing in common. Always ask for a full breakdown of what’s included (and what isn’t) before you start comparing prices.
Cocktail hour in the Lightner Museum’s Grand Lobby | Photo: Nikki Golden Photography
Now that you have a sense of the landscape, let’s get into what each package actually looks like at the Lightner Museum, and how to tell which one might be the right fit for you.
The Custom Wedding Package
The Custom Wedding Package is the Lightner Museum’s “venue rental only” option, and it’s built for couples who want to be in the driver’s seat when it comes to vendors. You get the full venue, everything that comes with it, and then you build your team around it.
What’s Included
The Custom Package includes venue rental for your ceremony and reception (11 hours total) or reception only (10 hours). For the duration of your event, you’ll have exclusive access to the Historic Pool, Mezzanine, Outdoor Terrace, Otto Lightner Lounge, and Maria Jefferson Lounge. The Grand Lobby is included when you’re hosting your ceremony on-site. If your ceremony is taking place off-site, it can be added on as your cocktail hour location for an additional fee. For larger guest counts, adding the Grand Lobby is required in order to ensure your event flows smoothly.
Also included are venue amenities like tables, chairs, and specialty lighting, along with venue staffing and bar staff on your wedding day. At the Lightner Museum, alcohol is provided exclusively through the venue. Couples choose from a selection of bar packages to find the right fit for their celebration.
As part of your planning experience, you’ll also enjoy a complimentary bar tasting, typically scheduled about three months before your wedding, where you’ll meet with the bar team to sample options and finalize your selections. It’s one of the more enjoyable milestones in the planning process!
What You’ll Handle on Your Own
Everything beyond the venue itself is yours to plan. That includes catering, wedding coordination, cake, DJ, florals, photography, videography, and any other vendors that are part of your celebration.
Two things worth knowing: couples booking the Custom Package are required to choose both their caterer and their wedding coordinator from the Lightner’s preferred vendor list. This makes sure the people managing food service and day-of coordination already know the venue well and understand how events flow here. Beyond those two, every other vendor decision is yours, as long as your vendors are licensed and insured.
Availability and Pricing
The Custom Package is available on all open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday dates and can accommodate weddings from 40 to 225 guests, making it the only Lightner package that works for larger celebrations. Pricing varies based on the date you choose, and a bar minimum applies. For current pricing, visit our wedding packages page. Current bar pricing is available on the Lightner Museum’s bar packages page.
Who This Package Is Best For
The Custom Package is a great fit if you want hands-on creative control and the freedom to choose vendors whose style, personality, and offerings feel right for your wedding.
It tends to work especially well for couples with a guest count above 100, couples who already have specific vendors in mind or relationships they want to bring with them, couples who want Saturday availability, and couples who genuinely enjoy the process of building a team that reflects exactly what they’re envisioning.
One thing worth saying clearly: choosing the Custom Package doesn’t mean you’re on your own. The Lightner Museum’s event management team is involved in all venue-related logistics throughout your planning process. You’re in charge of vendor selection, but the venue team is still very much in your corner.
The All-Inclusive Intimate Wedding Package
The Intimate Wedding Package is the Lightner Museum’s all-inclusive option, and it’s designed to take most of the vendor-heavy lifting off your plate. If the Custom Package is about assembling your own team, the Intimate Package is about showing up to one that’s already assembled, already vetted, and already deeply familiar with the Lightner.
What’s Included
The Intimate Package includes the full venue rental and all the amenities that come with the Custom Package (tables, chairs, linens, specialty lighting, venue staffing, and bar staff), plus the major vendors bundled right in.
On the vendor side, the package includes a full open bar (Silver Bar Package), catering with butler-passed appetizers during cocktail hour and a buffet dinner for the reception, day-of wedding coordination (beginning 90 days out), a wedding cake credit, DJ and MC services for up to five hours, table décor including linens, chargers, centerpieces, and votives, on-site security, and day-of liability insurance up to $1 million in coverage.
The package also includes the Lights, Camera, Action upgrade, which includes string of lights over the Historic Pool, a three-hour digital photo booth with electronic photo delivery, and floor projection in the Historic Pool.
As with the Custom Package, the venue spaces included are the Historic Pool, Mezzanine, Outdoor Terrace, Otto Lightner Lounge, and Maria Jefferson Lounge. The Grand Lobby can be added on as your ceremony or cocktail hour location for an additional fee.
A complimentary bar tasting is also included with the All-Inclusive Package. You’ll have a chance to sit down with the bar team, sample your options, and make everything feel a little more real.
What You’ll Still Choose on Your Own
The Intimate Package keeps your remaining to-do list short. You’ll still be selecting your photographer, florist, and any other personal vendors or details beyond what’s bundled. Those decisions are entirely yours; the package handles the major logistics, while the personal touches stay in your hands.
Availability and Pricing
The Intimate Wedding Package is available for select weekday, Friday, and Sunday dates through 2027, with holiday weekends excluded. It accommodates 40 to 100 guests, with base pricing starting at the 40-guest minimum and a per-person rate applied for any guests above that. For current pricing, visit the All-Inclusive Intimate Wedding Package page.
Who This Package Is Best For
The Intimate Package is a great fit for couples who want a more streamlined, lower-stress planning experience. It works especially well for couples with 100 guests or fewer, couples who are flexible on their wedding day (a weekday, Friday, or Sunday), and couples who are planning from out of town or working with a tighter timeline.
Destination couples in particular often find real value in the all-inclusive model. Coordinating vendors remotely for a venue you may have only visited once adds a lot of complexity to the planning process. Having a trusted, experienced team already in place, all of whom know the Lightner well, removes several layers of that challenge.
Not sure which package fits your situation?
Take the 3-question Wedding Package Quiz on the Lightner Museum’s packages page to get a quick recommendation.
A reception setup in the Lightner Museum’s Historic Pool | Photo: Walls of Jerico
What Is Included: A Side-by-Side Comparison
The table below gives a quick overview of what each package includes. Use it as a reference alongside the detailed package pages on the Lightner Museum website.
| Custom Package | Intimate Package | |
|---|---|---|
| Venue Rental | Included | Included |
| Venue Amenities (tables, chairs, lighting, etc.) | Included | Included |
| Venue Staffing | Included | Included |
| Bar Staff | Included | Included |
| Bar Package | Bar minimum | Included |
| Catering + Catering Staff | Not included | Included |
| Day-of Wedding Coordination | Not included | Included |
| Wedding Cake | Not included | Included |
| DJ | Not included | Included |
| String Lights + Additional Rentals | Not included | Included |
| Liability Insurance | Not included | Included |
| Security | Not included | Included |
| Guest Count | 40-225 | 40-100 |
| Available Days | Fri, Sat, Sun | Mon-Thu, Fri, Sun through 2027 |
One thing worth keeping in mind as you compare: the Custom Package has a lower starting venue rental price, but your total cost will grow as you add each vendor independently (catering, coordination, DJ, and so on). The Intimate Package has a higher starting price, but most of your major vendors are already folded in, so you get a much clearer picture of what everything will cost from the beginning. Neither package is automatically the more affordable choice. They just approach the budget differently.
Hannah and Christian celebrate their status as a newly married couple in front of the Lightner Museum | Photo: Angelita Esparar
How to Decide Which Package Is Right for You
Once you understand what each package includes, the decision usually comes into focus pretty quickly, especially when you ask yourself a few questions. Here are the ones that tend to clarify things most.
What is Your Guest Count?
This is often the first filter. The Intimate Package is designed for 100 guests or fewer. If your guest list is larger than that, the Custom Package is the way to go. If you’re under 100, both packages are available to you, and the decision comes down to the other factors in this list.
Do You Want Creative Control or a Streamlined Experience?
This is often the most revealing question, and it’s also the simplest. Think about the vendor side of wedding planning: researching caterers, comparing DJ options, reviewing coordinator styles, and sitting through menu tastings. If having the freedom to hand-pick each vendor based on your vision and priorities sounds exciting to you, the Custom Package is built for exactly that.
If, on the other hand, you’d rather hand those decisions off to a trusted team and focus your energy on the personal elements of your day, the Intimate Package was made for you. The vendors included have all worked at the Lightner before, the coordination is already built in, and the planning load is significantly lighter.
How Flexible Are You on Your Wedding Date?
The Custom Package is available on all open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday dates. The Intimate Package is available on select weekday, Friday, and Sunday dates through 2027, with holiday weekends excluded. If a Saturday wedding is a must for you, the Custom Package is your only option at the Lightner. If you’re open to a Friday, Sunday, or weekday date, both packages are on the table, and choosing a non-Saturday date can come with some meaningful cost advantages too.
How Do You Prefer to Manage Your Budget?
These two packages reflect two pretty different approaches to budgeting, and it’s worth being honest with yourself about which one fits the way you think about money and planning.
The Custom Package gives you control over what you spend with each vendor. Want to invest more in photography and pull back on florals? Prioritize a specific caterer even if they’re not the most affordable option? That flexibility is yours. The trade-off is that your total cost is harder to predict up front, since you’re building it across multiple contracts.
The Intimate Package gives you a bundled number that covers most of your major vendors from the start. It’s easier to understand where you stand early in the process, which a lot of couples find genuinely reassuring. The starting price is higher, but the full picture is a lot clearer from day one.
Are You Planning Locally or From Out of Town?
If you’re coordinating a destination wedding from a distance, the Intimate Package often has practical advantages that go well beyond convenience. The vendors included have worked at the Lightner many times—they know the spaces, the team, and how the day flows here. That built-in familiarity takes a real layer of complexity off your plate when you’re managing details from afar. For destination couples, knowing the essential pieces are already in place with people who know the venue well is often worth a great deal.
Ready to talk through which package fits your celebration?
Fill out a contact form, or reach out to the Lightner Museum team at 904-217-0077 or info@lightnerweddings.com.
Schedule your Lightner Museum venue tour today.
Still Have Package Questions? Here’s What Couples Usually Ask
Can I customize or upgrade either package?
Yes. Both packages have room to grow. The Lightner offers a range of upgrade packages that can be added to either option, including the Lights, Camera, Action Package, Lounge Poolside Package, Dance the Night Away Package, Twilight on the Terrace Package, and Gilded Hour Package.
The Intimate Package already includes the Lights, Camera, Action upgrade (string lights over the Historic Pool, a photo booth, and floor projection), but any of the additional upgrades can be layered on top. Bar upgrades are also available on both packages, with Gold and Platinum tiers above the included or base Silver level. You can browse the full list at the Lightner’s upgrade packages page.
Do I need a wedding coordinator for the Custom Package?
Couples booking the Custom Package are required to hire both a wedding coordinator and a caterer from the Lightners’ preferred vendor list. This isn’t a bureaucratic hoop to jump through; it’s genuinely there to protect your day. Having a coordinator and caterer who already know the venue, the logistics, and the event team means everything runs the way it’s supposed to. The Lightner team is happy to help you narrow down the preferred vendor list and find coordinators and caterers who feel like a good fit for your vision.
What if I’m not sure which package is right for me?
A couple of good starting points: the Lightner’s package page includes a short three-question Wedding Package Quiz that gives you a recommendation based on your priorities. It takes about two minutes and is a great way to get your bearings. You can also download the Wedding Packages and Pricing Guide directly from the packages page for a detailed look at everything each package includes.
If you’d rather just talk it through, the Lightner team is always happy to walk you through both options based on your guest count, date preferences, and vision. They can give you exact pricing based on your specifics and help you figure out which path makes the most sense for your celebration.
It’s time to party in the Historic Pool at the Lightner Museum. | Photo: Sarahdipity Photos
Start Building Your Wedding Day at the Lightner Museum
There’s no wrong choice between these two packages, only the right fit for your celebration. The Custom Package gives you maximum flexibility and vendor control for up to 225 guests on any open Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. The Intimate Package gives you a streamlined, all-inclusive planning experience for up to 100 guests on select weekday, Friday, and Sunday dates through 2027.
What stays the same across both is the venue itself: the Historic Pool, once the world’s largest indoor swimming pool, and the surrounding spaces that have made the Lightner Museum one of the most distinctive and beloved wedding venues in St. Augustine.
When you’re ready to take the next step, the Lightner team would love to hear from you. Tours are available seven days a week, and virtual tours are available for couples planning from out of town.
Contact the Lightner Museum:
- Phone: 904-217-0077
- Email info@lightnerweddings.com
- Or, simply fill out a contact form, and our team will reach out to you!
Schedule a tour of the Lightner Museum today
See why this historic St. Augustine venue has been the setting for so many unforgettable celebrations.
