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Weddings

About

The Sunset by Gulf Drive Café is a waterfront-wedding venue located in Bradenton Beach, Florida. Exchange vows with your feet in the white-sand beach while gazing out onto the true blue hue of the Gulf of Mexico. The landscape of this venue creates the ultimate backdrop for any wedding event or photograph. This venue offers multiple spaces to gather family and friends for a ceremony and reception of your dreams.

Facilities and Capacity
The Sunset by Gulf Drive Café accommodates beautiful wedding events along the coast of Anna Maria Island. Large gatherings of up to 150 people are suited for the Sunset Tiki. Customize the layout of this open-air space with surrounding wood architecture. Enjoy the view of the white-sand beach and Gulf of Mexico along with access to a private beach and the Sea Star Sands equipped with seven small tiki huts. The Seaside Tiki is a space for an intimate gathering and the picture-perfect location is right on the white-sand beach. An extended wooden table within the Seaside Tiki fits 25 people.

Services Offered
This venue provides five ceremony packages along with décor packages for both ceremonies and receptions. Possible event items include altar/arches, audio equipment, centerpieces, chairs, chair covers, tables, a dance floor, décor and lighting. An event coordinator collaborates with you to ensure each part of your wedding event is planned to fit your vision. The Sunset by Gulf Drive Café provides full-service catering with multiple menu options. Host a rehearsal dinner, bridal shower, elopement, ceremony or reception, each offering the following services:

  • Event planning
  • Event rentals
  • In-house bar
  • In-house catering
  • Outside vendors
  • Pet friendly
  • Setup
  • Wireless Internet

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Frequently asked questions

Do you have a site fee for wedding receptions at your venue?

Yes

Do you have a site fee for wedding ceremonies at your venue?

Yes

Which of the following are included in starting site fee?

China
Clean Up
Event Planning
Flatware
Glassware
Parking
Set Up

Which of the following are included in the cost of wedding catering?

Cake Cutting

How many event spaces or rooms does your venue offer?

3

Describe your venue:

Banquet Hall
Beach
Restaurant
Waterfront

What kind of settings are available?

Covered Outdoor
Uncovered Outdoor

Which of the following wedding events does your venue service?

Ceremony
Reception
Bridal Shower
Engagement Party
Elopements
Rehearsal Dinner

What event services do you offer?

Bar Services
Catering Services
Clean Up
Event Planner
Event Rentals
Outside Vendors
Pet Friendly
Wifi

What catering services do you offer?

Buffet
Cocktail Reception
Dessert
Family Style
Hors d'oeuvres
Outside Cake
Plated
Server(s)
Stations
Tastings

What bar services do you provide?

Bartender(s)
Cash Bar
Champagne Toast
House Beer
House Liquor
House Wine
Limited Bar
Liquor License
Open Bar
Premium Liquor
Signature Drink
Specialty Beer
Specialty Wine

What event items are available?

Aisle Markers
Altar/Arch
Audio Equipment
Centerpieces
Chairs
Chair Covers
Dance Floor
Decor
Drapery
Lighting
Photo booth
Tables

What food and beverage items are available?

Barware
China
Chocolate Fountain
Flatware
Glassware
Linens

What transportation and access is available?

Parking
Shuttle
Wheelchair Access

What months are included in your peak season?

February
March
April
May
October
November

What months are included in your off-peak season?

January
June
July
August
September
December

Reviews of The Sunset by Gulf Drive Cafe

We're all about trust. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.
4.7 out of 5 rating
4.7 out of 5 rating
106 Reviews
94% recommend it
  • Quality of service
    4.8 out of 5 rating
  • Average response time
    4.6 out of 5 rating
  • Professionalism
    4.7 out of 5 rating
  • Value
    4.7 out of 5 rating
  • Flexibility
    4.8 out of 5 rating
C
Courtney S. Sent on 07/09/2024
5 out of 5 rating

The BEST night

Wow. Gulf Drive truly helped put on the wedding of our dreams. It was even more perfect than we imagined. The BIGGEST shout out to Julie and Ben.. they were phenomenal to work with and we are forever grateful for them. They had their work cut out for them with us (somehow?!) getting 98 guests to come celebrate our wedding!! Not only that, but we rolled in with a trailer full of stuff (I opted to create everything decor wise for a boho vibe bc I’m crazy, they do have decor you can rent!!) and they set it up/ took it down and it was absolutely perfect😍 everything ran flawlessly. When we booked it, they connected us with so many preferred vendors which was super helpful being out of state! We were able to freely communicate with them in a timely manner whenever there were questions and had 60 and 30 day check in meetings to make sure everything was ready and on track. (Which we loved!) They were incredibly flexible and moved MOUNTAINS. We were able to bring our golden retrievers to be a part of the ceremony which meant the WORLD to us. We were able to have a s’mores bar. They made a special marshmallow martini per my special request (and was one they were not familiar with, but figured it out!💗) and heavens. The staff. They were PHENOMENAL. Special shout out to Brandon and Sasha too!! We heard about how incredible the staff were and how beautiful the venue was for the entire next month! Everyone loved them and Gulf Drive just as much as we do and we could not be more thankful to have chosen them to help us for the biggest day 💗
Michellee
Michellee G. Sent on 11/14/2018
5 out of 5 rating

It was my everything!

Firstly we had the awful task of locating a venue without the opportunity to see it first hand as we are from Massachusetts. Making everything much harder than it already was. After looking at dozens of venues online we came across The Sunset by the Gulf Drive Cafe! The pictures looked incredible, such a beautiful location and such a beautiful venue. We both fell in love with the look and feel of the venue over pictures alone. We got in contact with Stefanie and WOW words aren't enough to explain how professional, nice, enthusiastic she was. She is the TRUE definition of a wedding planner. She really put our minds at rest and we knew even though we hadn’t seen the venue it was definitely the right place for us. During all the months leading up to the wedding we were in contact with Stefanie and McKenna- we obviously had so many questions and requests through not being able to be there physically, but they were there and quickly responded to all our emails and give helpful friendly advice for everything. Stefanie and McKenna were there for us EVERY step of the way. People often ask us what was the best part about our wedding day and for both of us the best part about the day was that we didn’t worry about anything. If we had any advice to couples looking to plan their wedding- I think we would both advise that preparation goes such a long way. Always listen to the advice the venue has to offer, they will know best! They’ve seen many weddings so they know what will work and what may not come off as well as you’re thinking. Thank you guys for everything my wedding was truly a fairy tale.
G
Ginny M. Sent on 06/23/2020
5 out of 5 rating

Highly Recommend!!!

We wanted a simple small ceremony and everything turned out perfect! I would highly recommend! Megan was wonderful to work with, from making sure everything was set up as needed to making sure we had LOTS of pictures to go through after.

Professional Network & Endorsements

1 Endorsement
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