The lakeside island at Simpson Lakes is the reason to book it, and it is the part couples plan for last. Labif Filmhouse has filmed on the property, north of Dade City.
Simpson Lakes covers 120 acres of woodland and lakes near Trilby. Beyond the lodge, the outdoor settings are a lakeside island, a pavilion under the oaks, an open-air barn and the surrounding fields — four genuinely different environments on one property.
How it actually films
Four settings is a lot for one wedding, and the temptation is to use all of them. A film that visits every environment for two minutes has no spine. Choosing two and shooting them properly produces a stronger result than covering the whole property thinly.
The island is the one that cannot be replicated elsewhere. Water on more than one side means a couple can be framed with nothing behind them but surface and sky, which is the closest thing to a beach that inland Pasco County offers.
What to protect in the timeline
- Time to reach the island. It is a walk, and walks are where schedules disappear.
- The oak pavilion for shade portraits. Open fields at midday here are unforgiving.
- Pick two settings, not four.
Morgan + Ronnie
Filmed at Simpson Lakes near Dade City in April 2022. Their film is below.
Filmed at Simpson Lake. See more of our Tampa wedding film work.