A La Carte Pavillion--Tampa

bluebug1726

Hey everyone! I'm new to this board and I'm not sure if any of you live around Tampa. I was wondering if anyone has found any information about the A La Carte Pavillion. Maybe planned a wedding there or are looking into it for planning purposes. I think it looks nice but I would like some first hand opinions

ufsweetiebear

I checked into them for my wedding! It's a beautiful all-in-one-space with a water-front terrace and gorgeous rooms (we got married in a church so the location wasn't ideal for us). It was a little high in price but you get the expertise and the ability to have different locations for each part of your wedding (i.e. a separate room for the ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception).

Christinab22

I toured A La Carte, and I did like it, but I felt that it was quite expensive to get the room to look how it looks in the pictures you see of it.

cjohnsen2010

We looked into this location, but you have to use their vendors - period.  They charge extra for everything...very expensive.

bananafanafofashley

i looked at it too. it was really expensive. the price to rent the space with catering is a llittle hight.. but if you want to use their decor and stuff its ridiculous.

Kristin789

The nicest wedding I've been to was at A La Carte Pavilion -
it was on the SUNDAY of MLK weekend in January, and I understand it was NOT expensive.
And the bride was really pleased that the Pavilion is owned by the Shriners, who do really good works and help hospitalized kids, etc. - so that the venue wasn't a pure profit place.

bluebug1726

Thanks everyone for the great comments! They are really helpful!!

Kristin789

Here's more info:

"Hooper's Hollow, a waterfront picnic area behind the Egypt Shrine Temple and A La Carte Pavilion on Dana Shores Drive, actually honors William Hooper, who served as the Shriners' potentate in the 1980s. For all you non-Shriners, that's president, but doesn't potentate sound so much cooler?

Longtime residents know that before A La Carte Pavilion blossomed into one of Tampa's premier event destinations, that spot belonged solely to the Shriners.

In fact, A La Carte continues to lease space from the Shriners and they share Hooper's Hollow."

that's from this article:
http://www.sptimes.com/2007/05/11/Hillsborough/Two_ways_to_stock_up_.shtml

FutureMrsJT

I am probably getting married there on 9-4-11 and so far I couldn't be happier.  Their decor price is pretty darn ridiculous, but our planner made them amend the contract so that we can use outside vendors for everything except food, alcohol, and and decorations that hang from the ceiling.  I still have all of the pricing info that they sent me if you'd like to PM me I can forward it to you. :-)