Help for a Gainesville reception site?

fam1820

I'm hoping to get married Oct 25th but will do Oct 18th or Nov 8. My church was supposed to decide on whether we can have a reception there serving alcohol, but they are dragging their feet and I realized that it may take too long and then I will be up a creek if they say no.

I want alcohol. I am inviting about 240, but I could pair that down if I needed to get in a site that only fit 150. Nothing smaller than that. 
I've called Sweetwater Branch Inn, Paramount Plaza, and Hilton. Only Sweetwater got back to our many calls, and they are not available on those dates. I am expanding my search to any hotels or sites I can think of in the Gainesville area, but if any of y'all are familiar with other good places please let me know. I just don't want to have to put off my wedding several months because I can't find a reception site. 

thanks!
Frances

fam1820

awesome, thanks so much!

Chipmunk415

Check out the Thomas Center. Also, UF has event space available at the Reitz Union and the Natural History Museum. A friend of mine got married there in December, and it was awesome. She had wine and beer at her wedding. I would avoid the UF Hilton on 34th- they never got back to me, my mother went twice to try and get info, they blew her off, and then wanted to charge ridiculous rates.  Also an issue with Haile- there's no real indoor wedding space. Florida=rain, so keep that in mind. Gainesville Women's club was in the running for us as well.

Keep in mind, the time frame you are wanting is smack dab in the middle of football season. October 18th is the homecoming game against Missou. Below is a link to the Florida Football schedule. You need to keep this in mind when planning.

http://www.gatorzone.com/schedule.php?sport=footb

fam1820

that's why I picked the date- Florida football schedule. oct 25th is the bi-week. I did look at the natural history museum, but it didnt have my date and the venue is really... not me. So I've got it narrowed down to a couple places- Jolie and Paramount plaza. Hilton UF we've been talking to, but I've heard bad things and bad prices. Thanks everyone for the suggestions, I definitely called a lot of them and appreciated knowing there were more choices than I had imagined.