Shared Stories

In 2019, in the candle-lit halls of The Biltmore Hotel, I asked the woman I loved to spend her life with me. What made it unforgettable wasn’t just the grandeur of the chandeliers or the romance of the moment—it was the sense that we were standing at the beginning of something far bigger than ourselves.

Since that night at The Biltmore, our “yes” has unfolded into a story we never could have imagined. We planted a church from the ground up. We opened our home and our hearts to a 12-year-old boy and became his parents—he’s now 16 and teaching us daily what love, patience, and perseverance truly mean. I stepped into my father’s business, carrying forward a legacy built by the previous generation, learning to lead with faith, courage, and integrity.

The Biltmore marks the moment our future began. Every milestone since—marriage, ministry, adoption, leadership—can be traced back to that sacred, beautiful starting point. It wasn’t just a proposal location. It was the threshold of our calling, our family, and our legacy.

One hundred years of history surround its walls, and in 2019, The Biltmore became part of ours.

Castles in the Sky: A Biltmore Love Story

For a boy from Boston, the Biltmore Hotel always felt like something out of a dream—a castle in the sky imagined long before it was ever seen. When I first arrived in Coral Gables, its tower called to distant places: Sevilla, La Giralda, the Spanish poetry I loved, and the romantic vision George Merrick once carried. Merrick came from nearby Duxbury, Massachusetts, not far from where I grew up.

Years earlier, I studied in Sevilla, near La Giralda, which inspired the Biltmore’s tower a century ago. I never imagined the hotel would become the backdrop of our lives.
I came once. Then again. And again—each visit revealing something new, something familiar, something that felt like home.
I proposed to Florencia at the Biltmore.
We were married there in 2007.
In a way, the Biltmore married itself to us.
We found a 1925 home nearby, and our children grew under its shadow—First Communion celebrations at Fontana, family pancake breakfasts at the 19th Hole, golf lessons, and countless moments woven into our family story.
In a hundred years, a building survives because of its architecture.
But its soul survives because of its stories.
Ours is just one.
But for us, the Biltmore isn’t a hotel.
It’s where our poetry lives.

Happy Centennial!

May 28, 2022, was the happiest day of my life—the day I married my best friend. It had always been a dream of mine to spend our wedding night at the Biltmore, and it remains one of my favorite memories. From getting ready and taking photos before the ceremony to knowing my husband was just a room below me, the Biltmore made our day feel truly magical.
I love this photo our photographer captured—me looking down while my husband looked up. This moment happened just before the ceremony, and though we didn’t actually see each other over the balcony, we both felt an undeniable connection. Each of us was alone on our own balcony, yet somehow we were together. It was one of the few quiet, private moments of the day, and I’m so grateful it was preserved. This memory, small yet profound, will always be one of my favorites from our wedding day.

Our relationship with The Biltmore Miami began in 2013 when our daughter joined the elite University of Miami (UM) Swim and Dive team. We were told that once we stayed at The Biltmore, we wouldn’t want to stay anywhere else, and that was true for four wonderful years of visits, swim meets, and football games. We were pampered & comfy, and I loved discovering the historical ties between UM and The Biltmore, both part of George Merrick’s 1920s vision. It felt like we were part of that legacy! And what a fantastic pool for a swimming family—once the largest pool in the world.

We got to know our favorite reservation person, Beatrice, and encouraged other parents to connect with her through the Friends and Family program. We even hosted fans from rival FSU, trying to “chop our U”. Our swimmers grew up at UM and celebrated 21st birthdays at the Biltmore Brunch and Bellini bar. Throughout our Miami experience, the exceptional UM Athletics and Swim & Dive staff supported our girls, helping them qualify for Olympic trials, while we cheered and celebrated at The Biltmore.

Even as our children start their own families and we gather for special occasions, The Biltmore remains a cherished part of our family’s story. Happy Centennial to The Biltmore!

During COVID era I worked as a travel nurse in Miami. I stayed at Biltmore hotel for one weekend as a gift to myself before leaving back to Massachusetts. My favorite moment was doing paddleboarding in Biltmore waterways by golf course and getting to relax a little:) Biltmore is a beautiful place and I love the pool and gym !!! I would love to visit Miami again!

For my quinceañera, I didn’t have the celebration I dreamed of because it was canceled because of the pandemic. I wanted to at least have a photoshoot & I knew I wanted it to be at The Biltmore Hotel. I first visited The Biltmore about a year or two before for brunch with my family & I fell in love with the architecture & history. I remember thinking even then, “Why don’t more girls take their quince photos here?” It was the perfect fairytale place. When the day of my shoot came, the hotel made it so special. They gave me a changing area & a place to store everything which made the experience so much easier. Even during COVID, the staff was unbelievably kind & welcoming. I remember taking a photo in front of the bar area where the staff encouraged us to move a chair to get the perfect shot & everyone was happy to make space for us. That kindness meant the world to me especially during such a difficult time. We took photos in the lobby, by the pool, the main fountain, & the garden. It wasn’t the quince I originally planned, but it became something just as memorable because of the warmth & beauty of the hotel & its team. The Biltmore will always hold a special place in my heart for its architecture & how it made me feel during a moment when I really needed something magical.

Labor Day before last, the sun was going down on the back 9. You were gorgeous in that orange afterglow. The greatest DJ and bartender and caddy any golfer could ask for. My golf cart buddy.

We had just had enough transfusions, but I knew for a fact even if we hadn’t had anything but water that I wanted you to be my girlfriend. I asked you if I drove the ball onto the green on 12 if you would be my girlfriend. You laughed, smiled, you got quiet, you looked up, and you said yes.

I sliced my 3 wood right, completely missing the green. We laughed and laughed. I had to ask again on 14. You gave me a second chance. My gap wedge hit the green. You said yes. We ran around the tee box, we kissed. You became my girlfriend!!!

Every Labor Day, even though we live 5 minutes away, we celebrate our relationship together by having a staycation at the Biltmore. We play golf, swim in the pool-even in our fancy outfits after fancy dinners (sorry pool mgmt). We’ve devoured cherry ice cream in the bakery downstairs. We feel like we’re on top of the world at the Biltmore.

I’ve been to three weddings, countless family reunions, and a graduation ceremony in my life at the hotel. I’ve never felt happier, more alive, or in more in love than being at the Biltmore with Bri.

The Biltmore will forever hold a special place in my heart. My husband and I spent our wedding night there after postponing our ceremony three times during the pandemic, and it was everything we dreamed of and more. I still remember the night before—heading out for our rehearsal dinner, full of anticipation—and then the morning of, sitting at the restaurant overlooking the fountain, feeling at total peace before walking down the aisle. That calm, that joy, that beauty—it all felt like The Biltmore’s magic surrounding us. The next morning, we woke up as newlyweds, had breakfast in bed overlooking the golf course, and felt like the world had finally opened back up for us. It was the perfect start to our marriage—and it all began at The Biltmore.

My husband and I got married at the Biltmore hotel on February 21,2025. It was just the perfect day. The weather, the atmosphere, everything. I remember visiting the biltmore when I was a little girl and my dad jokingly said maybe one day you’ll get married here. And then another time I was across the street at the church just fantasizing that day. And years later, I got married at the biltmore hotel! Dreams really do come true!

On March 13th, 1925, George E. Merrick along with John McEntee Bowman and city officials officially broke ground on what we know today as The Biltmore Hotel and Golf Course. Ten months later, on January 15, 1926, The Biltmore opened to the public in grand style.

We are proud to be an important and enduring part of Mr. Merrick’s vision and legacy for Coral Gables, The City Beautiful.

From opening during the height of the Florida land boom as one of the nation’s most fashionable resorts, to serving our country as a military and VA hospital, to being the early site of The University of Miami’s School of Medicine, and then ultimately returning to a luxury hotel and National Historic Landmark in 1996, we have a unique and rich story to tell.