Florida-West Coast

Advice!

Does anyone have any suggestions for venues in the Tampa area.  I am looking for somewhere affordable, but nice.  Everything that seems to be affordable is very "blah".  Any suggestions would help!  Thanks :)

Re: Advice!

  • dsm111509dsm111509 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    It depends on your personality and what you like. FI and I moved here to be in the warm weather and close to the beach - we LOVE the beach, so naturally we are getting married on the gulf of mexico.We wanted to reception to also be on the beach - that was huge for us. We are also on a budget. These are some of the reasons we chose the BeachHouse Restaurant on Anna Maria Island. :)
  • Savannah6783Savannah6783 member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    edited December 2011
    In order to help you better we need a little bit more information.... What price range are you looking for? Are you looking for an indoor or outdoor venue? Are you looking for a ceremony and reception venue or just reception? :)
  • funderbridefunderbride member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    We're hoping to stay under $90 a head after everything.  We'd like a place that we can have both the ceremony and reception.  I don't think either of us have a preference on indoor or outdoor for ceremony, but I'd like an indoor reception.  I also want to host the bar (which seems to be SO expensive)!!  We'll have around 125-150 guests so we need somewhere that can accomadate a decent crowd, some places we're finding are beautiful but so small!I am very picky about location only because if I have an open bar, I don't want my guests drinking and driving.  I'd like to do it in a hotel, but that seems to be much more expensive then anywhere else. Thanks for the tips :)
  • edited December 2011
    There are lots of options like that!  You are correct that the hotels tend to be a bit more expensive, but they also do alot of the stuff for you.  We are using the Boca Ciega Ballroom (pictures in my bio) but we had to bring in our own catering, decorations, etc.  BUT that also saved us quite a bit.  Other places like this are Davis Island Garden Club, Clearwater Beach Rec Center.  You  may also want to check out the Bilmar Beach Resort.  We liked it there, but had too many people!  Let me know if you have any other questions!
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  • Savannah6783Savannah6783 member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Check out the The Sunken Gardens in St Pete. They have a beautiful room overlooking the gardens and you can bring your own outside caterer (from their approved list). If the company you want to use isn't on the list, I think its fairly easy for them to be added (they just need the right lic & ins). They also have 3 or 4 beautiful locations that you can use within the gardens for the ceremony.  http://www.stpete.org/sunken/index.aspThe Beach House Restaurant you could have your ceremony on the beach. The reception would be outside but on a covered patio. http://www.beachhouse-restaurant.com/Davis Island Garden Club is very pretty, located on the water and has a building you can use for the reception. You are allowed to bring your own caterer and can supply your own alcohol. (will save you tons). A lot of girls use it because its a clean/bare canvas and you can do a lot to make it "your space"  http://www.digclub.org/Lange Farm in Dade City is also very pretty! http://www.thelangefarm.com/
  • lriggiolriggio member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    mines at tampa bay watch (www.tampabaywatch.org).  its a rental so you can bring in all your own booze which is such a money saver!  and it meets all your criteria except for the close to the hotel part.  i was concerned about that too, but it was too perfect for us to pass up!
  • edited December 2011
    I'm getting married at the Bilmar next June.  They have an indoor ballroom, i'm not sure about the capacity of that - i think it might be around 200...  we are having a much smaller group so we're actually using the beach bar, i think capacity for that is 120 (indoor/outdoor).  We are paying around $75 a person including open bar.  They have a food/bev minimum, but we were able to get that lowered by quite a bit.  I have lots of pics/info - email me at kellycommers@yahoo.com if you would like any :)
    Photobucket
  • mshendrixmshendrix member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Hi!  We are getting married in a church but having the reception in the Doubletree Beach Resort in N Redington Beach for around what you are requesting....check it out, because I visited there and met with Marie and tatsed the food and I am VERY pleased! (and we are very money savvy) Best of luck, let us know what you decide! 
  • edited December 2011
    Bilmar is only 160.... I know cuz we expected 200 (but are really ending up with only like 165) and I really liked it there, so i was sad.  I was trying to remember the double tree this morning too, but I think their capacity is only like 80.
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  • edited December 2011
    We're using the Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club and they actually have a hotel rooms on the 2nd floor of the building. They're very reasonably priced and were willing to lower their price with some easy negotiation.
  • edited December 2011
    Thanks Loskadoodle - I didn't pay too much attention to the ballroom at the BIlmar since we knew we didn't want a ballroom :)
    Photobucket
  • funderbridefunderbride member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Thanks so much everyone!  I'm looking at all of your suggestions now!!  I like the idea of providing the alcohal, seems like that's where everyone makes their money so I could probably save huge there!Thanks again :)
  • ebsweddingebswedding member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I'm in the Tampa area too, and we went all the way down to Sarasota to find a decent venue. We're getting married at the Crosley Mansion. If you have to stay in the Tampa area, are you in South Tampa or North Tampa? St. Petersburg has one nice venue that we looked at. It's the Vinoy Golf Club, they have a beautiful room called the Sunset Room. We wanted to bring in our own catering which is the only reason we did not book that place.
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