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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 the 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

C
Courtney 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 💗
B
Beth Sent on 10/26/2021
5 out of 5 rating

Great venue, assistance and food!

This venue is great. Rachel is easy going and very helpful. They were very accommodating with the decorations we brought in, offered guidance and assistance and helped us make the wedding a wonderful event. The location was amazing! Beautiful beach, great Tiki hut and everyone loved the food. Thank you all so much for helping to make this a joyful occasion.
L
Laticia Sent on 10/29/2020
5 out of 5 rating

They are amazing

It was so perfect it was better than I imagined❤️❤️❤️
G
Ginny 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.
Michael
Michael Sent on 06/15/2020
5 out of 5 rating

A lifetime of memories in one day

The venue was amazing and the staff made everything so easy. Weddings can be very fast paced and everything was coordinated so well that I don't think we could've missed a beat if we tried. They made the process feel effortless on our end.
D
Debra Sent on 01/12/2020
5 out of 5 rating

Wedding Ceremony and Reception

The Gulf Drive Cafe team did an amazing job in helping us plan our dream wedding! Everything was set up on the beach for the ceremony and the reception dinner and it was incredibly beautiful. They did a great job of keeping the ceremony private. And when it started to rain during the reception dinner, they quickly adjusted so that we could stay outside under the hut, serving us in the rain. The food was also outstanding! We would highly recommend the Gulf Drive Cafe, as they really went above and beyond to make our wedding and reception perfect!
G
Ginny Sent on 01/09/2020
5 out of 5 rating

Breathtaking

Megan went above and beyond to make sure everything was exactly how we wanted it!
C
Chris Sent on 12/24/2019
5 out of 5 rating

Beautiful and Special in Every Way

All the staff at Gulf Drive Cafe were more than helpful and courteous throughout the process, from planning through our wedding day. The venue is like no other, with a perfect setup for a ceremony and reception all on the beach. We couldn't have had it any better on our special day. Thank You Gulf Drive Cafe for being an integral part of such a significant part of our lives!
C
Cindy Sent on 10/24/2019
5 out of 5 rating

Cindy Silverman

THIS PLACE WAS AMAZING!!! Could not recommend enough. They really made sure everything went perfect!!!!!
bvnmrn
B Sent on 09/24/2019
5 out of 5 rating

So easy to work with for a destination wedding.

Rachel, Megan, and the rest of the crew at Gulf Drive Cafe were an absolute DREAM to work with. My (now husband) and I had a small destination wedding; they asked all the right questions in order to understand the vision we had for the big day, and worked with us to have a sit-down dinner rather than a formal reception. We planned together via phone/email and had an in-person meeting the day before to go over last minute details. Everything was set up and ready to go day-of, and they helped with coordination, timing, and making sure everyone was taken care of. Couldn't have done it without them!
We're all about trust. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.

Awards

106
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2021 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2020 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2019 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2018 Winner

Professional Network & Endorsements

1 Endorsement
Barefoot Weddings Barefoot Weddings Wedding Officiants

Newly remodeled beach venue for ceremonies & receptions!

Map

The Sunset by Gulf Drive Cafe frequently asked questions

The Sunset by Gulf Drive Cafe includes the following items and services for wedding events in its starting site fee:
  • China
  • Clean Up
  • Event Planning
  • Flatware
  • Glassware
  • Parking
  • Set Up
The Sunset by Gulf Drive Cafe includes the following items and services in its wedding catering costs:
  • Cake Cutting
The space offered by The Sunset by Gulf Drive Cafe for wedding events is known for:
  • Banquet Hall
  • Beach
  • Restaurant
  • Waterfront
The Sunset by Gulf Drive Cafe offers the following indoor/outdoor options for weddings:
  • Covered Outdoor
  • Uncovered Outdoor
The Sunset by Gulf Drive Cafe offers the following types of wedding events:
  • Ceremony
  • Reception
  • Bridal Shower
  • Engagement Party
  • Elopements
  • Rehearsal Dinner
The Sunset by Gulf Drive Cafe offers the following services for wedding events:
  • Bar Services
  • Catering Services
  • Clean Up
  • Event Planner
  • Event Rentals
  • Outside Vendors
  • Pet Friendly
  • Wifi
The Sunset by Gulf Drive Cafe offers the following furniture and decor items for weddings:
  • Aisle Markers
  • Altar/Arch
  • Audio Equipment
  • Centerpieces
  • Chairs
  • Chair Covers
  • Dance Floor
  • Decor
  • Drapery
  • Lighting
  • Photo booth
  • Tables
The Sunset by Gulf Drive Cafe is recommended by 94% of couples who have used their services. Their overall rating is 4.7 out of 5 with the following breakdown: 4.8 in quality of service, 4.8 in flexibility, 4.7 in professionalism, 4.7 in value and 4.6 in average response time.
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