The Citadel Beach Club Reviews

The citadel beach club has a beautiful well maintained venue, but from day 1 of planning Micheal, the property manager was so helpful, flexible and accommodating to assist with making sure the day went great! Even helping guests with umbrella when it rained right before the ceremony, above and beyond!

The Citadel Beach Club was exactly what we were looking for in a venue for our relaxed southern backyard wedding dreams. Michael was professional and helpful throughout the entire process. The CBC coordination with our vendors was seamless and made the process as easy as possible. Our guests had the best time in one of our favorite spots! We are so grateful to have celebrated our day at the Beach Club and are recommending them to everyone we know!

We couldn't have had a better experience at the Citadel Beach Club. The site was absolutely gorgeous for an outdoor wedding and dinner and the service was great. Michael was helpful and kind to us throughout the entire process including standing by through out entire ceremony to make sure that no beachgoers accidentally interrupted us.

So happy with the whole experience of the Citadel Beach Club!!! Not only was the venue stunning and everything I dreamed of for a beach wedding, but Michael was so kind and helpful throughout the process. He always answered our questions and let us stop by the venue when needed so we could plan everything. He helped recommend vendors and went above and beyond what a wedding venue normally does. The staff did a great job setting up the indoor tables & chairs for us on the day of, and everything was just perfect. I can't say enough great things. Thank you to Michael and the Citadel Beach Club for making our wedding day the best ever!!!

We loved the citadel beach house the moment we did our first tour! The venue is absolutely gorgeous with lots of options. You can get married on the sand, lawn, or indoors. Michael was extremely helpful and easy to work with from day one. We can’t thank him enough for helping make our dream wedding come true. The venue is affordable including all the table and chairs inside. They also set everything up and break it down, which is huge! I highly recommend the CBH for all future brides!

Great space for our son’s rehearsal dinner. The room was beautiful after decorating. Weather was so cold and rainy we had to move the bar inside and ended up being very convenient. Plenty of room for bar, tables, buffet and 3 piece band. Sixty-five people attend. Michael was helpful and very easy to work with. Would use this venue again!

We are so grateful for the fabulous day we had at the Citadel beach club! Micheal was so kind and knowledgeable through the whole process. Our family and friends were thrilled with the whole day!

I can’t imagine a more perfect place for my daughter’s wedding than The Citadel Beach Club. She and her fiancé wanted a Charleston area destination wedding, but she was adamant she did not want to get married directly on the beach. Since the wedding was in July, we wanted to avoid spending several hours outside in the heat and humidity.
With wedding venues costing thousands of dollars, I wanted: 1) tables and non-plastic chairs included, 2) a built-in plan B for the outdoor ceremony and 3) ample time on property. We did have to rent ceremony chairs (because indoor furniture cannot be moved outdoors) but otherwise, The Citadel Beach Club provided everything we wanted and more.
They have a huge lawn, so we were able to have an outdoor ceremony without actually being on the beach. We used the patio for cocktail hour, but in cooler weather, it would be a great place for dancing. For an evening wedding, I do recommend springing for café lights. Not only is there no other outdoor lighting for guests who venture down to the patio after dark, but the lights look amazing from inside!
The ballroom and porch provided a built in Plan B if it had rained or been unbearably hot. The ceremony would have been in the ballroom (with a cathedral window frame on the mantel) and the cocktail hour would have been either inside or on the covered porch.
The clubhouse is beautiful, with gorgeous ocean views, both inside and out. The wrap around porch offered many advantages: 1) Our photographer took the majority of pre-ceremony pictures on the porch, with stunning results. This option would be a huge bonus in rainy weather – everyone could stay dry while still getting scenic outdoor pictures. 2) Our early arriving guests enjoyed the rocking chairs, shade, ocean breeze and the view before the ceremony. 3) Once dancing started and the music turned up, guests who wanted to converse had plenty of room to sit on the porch, while still being able to hear the music and watch the dancing through the large windows.
Unlike many venues, the ballroom was built to host events, so it’s size, shape and flow are easy to work with. The hardwood floor and blue-gray walls provide a neutral background and the two walls of windows make the walls almost irrelevant. We had a head table along the ocean wall, which meant the guests’ attention was directed towards the panoramic ocean view throughout dinner.
Michael, the property manager, was great to work with. Even though he’s not an event planner by trade, he’s overseen enough events to know what works and doesn’t work regarding guest numbers, event flow, etc. Our wedding fell within the pandemic, which added lots of uncertainty and stress. Michael always returned emails promptly and was very patient throughout, even as our calls and emails became more frequent and anxious.
I highly recommend The Citadel Beach Club to anyone who wants to create a memorable experience for themselves, as well as their guests.

We held our son's rehearsal dinner party at the Citadel Beach Club March 13, 2020. We had a seated meal for about 135. We had plenty of space and porches to provide guests a chance to enjoy appetizers and drinks while looking at the ocean prior to being seated. We also had room to show childhood slides of both the bride & groom. It was a wonderful event that I will remember always. Highly recommend this venue.

We had a wedding and reception at the Citadel Beach Club on February 29. The staff was responsive and accommodating to our needs and the needs of the vendors. The venue has an excellent view and great facilities. The bridal room upstairs was perfect. Ample parking is available. Great value.

The beach club was beyond perfect for our wedding day. Not only is the venue beautiful, but Michael, the Manager, is incredible. Michael was so helpful and responsive from even before we selected the venue for our day. Michael also proved to be such a nice supporter the week and the day of - even in the moments before walking down the aisle (when I was by myself inside) - he definitely helped me keep my calm. My sister was married here almost exactly 11 years prior. We tried to find another venue, but there was truly no other choice for us. Since my sister was married here, the venue has opened up to allow you to choose everything you need for your event, and having a manager as wonderful as Michael ensures everything is run smoothly throughout. If you are trying to choose between this space and another one, we can honestly say that if you choose the Citadel Beach Club, you will not be disappointed.

Michael is a pro! Leading up to the event, we were VERY worried about the weather. Michael reassured us that the weather would be perfect. And it was! Loved having the beach to be able to take pictures on. Thank you Michael!

We loved having the beach club as our wedding venue! It is so beautiful! The coordinator Michael did an awesome job and was patient answering my endless questions. I would definitely recommend!

The Citadel Beach Club is a BEAUTIFUL location on Isle of Palms, and was perfect for our wedding ceremony and reception! Michael, the property manager, was great to work with and was very accommodating. He is quick to respond to email and was always very kind and helpful. We had such a positive experience and highly recommend The Citadel Beach Club to anyone!!

We had a blast at our wedding! Michael was very easy to work with - from coordinating vendors to meetings. The venue was beautiful from the inside and out. Would recommend to everyone!

Our two Citadel grads celebrated their wedding here, and not only was the venue beautiful, everything about the process, from booking to communication, to setup/coordination, and the day of was as smooth and carefree as you would hope for something that could have been very stressful. We cannot recommend this venue enough. Perfect day!

Not only is the beach club beautiful inside and out, it provided us a chance to get married next to the ocean and then host our reception without having to shuttle people around. Michael was a great help with any questions we had, and very accommodating with any requests or issues we had. It was very affordable, and a bargain in my opinion. There are several hotels nearby to accommodate any traveling guests. You will have to use the catering company that is tied to the beach club, but they provided everything we were looking for and I'd imagine what anyone is looking for. They were super easy to deal with, and very friendly. We couldn't have asked for anything more.

The venue was absolutely perfect for our wedding ceremony and reception! The food, atmosphere, and views are incredible! Michael and the staff are very nice and easy to work with! Highly recommend!

This was the most beautiful beach venue for our son's wedding. The staff was very professional and accommodating. Thankfully the rain held off for the ceremony and made a beautiful sky for pictures.

PERFECT. Our reception was absolutely breath-taking and truly a dream! The staff at Citadel Beach Club were welcoming, friendly, and made you feel like family during the planning process. Our guests (us too!) were blown away by how stunning everything was -- the beach alone in the background made for the BEST scenery. We love the Citadel Beach Club and would recommend it to anyone!

The beach house was the perfect location for our wedding. There is plenty of parking, and I was allowed to use the upstairs apartment to dress which was very helpful.
Some couples center the ceremony around the large palm on the lawn. However, we set up the ceremony just to the left of the flag poles using the ocean as a back drop. The sea birds that surrounded the ceremony were magical.
The wrap around porches, loft area, and ballroom were the IDEAL layout for the reception. We wanted to have plenty of room for dancing so only used 6 round tables in the ballroom. With the porches and loft, there was still PLENTY of room for our 140 guests to sit down and eat.
I would advise couples who use this venue to hire a caterer and coordinator who is familiar with the beach house rules.
If we had the whole thing to plan again, I would choose this location over and over.

This location was absolutely beautiful! I always wanted to get married on a beach and when I saw it I knew I wanted my wedding to be there. When I checked availability 8 months ago it was completely booked up every Saturday, by switching to a Sunday we got the venue and it fit better in our budget! The day was great and the venue was perfect, I definitely recommend it for future brides. We were also lucky to have perfect weather that weekend :)

My now daughter-in-law and son had their rehearsal dinner at The Citadel Beach House where my wife and I played host to approximately 130 people who enjoyed a live music band, games on the lawn, and an open bar followed by a delicious buffet dinner. The September weather that Friday night could not have been any better. The venue could not have been any more beautiful and the beach house staff, especially Michael, could not have been anymore courteous, accommodating and professional. Guests from as close as Sullivan's Island and as far away as Okinawa, Japan, were completely "blown away" by the whole experience, as evidenced by the repeated compliments paid all through the course of that evening, and the following day when the marriage took place in downtown Charleston. As a 1975 Citadel graduate, I took extreme pride and pleasure in showing off The Citadel Beach House that night, and those memories will remain with me for the rest of my life.

Beautiful, open Hall. Lots of windows and space for 150 guests.

We contacted The Citadel Beach Club a few days from our wedding, because our wedding at the Cottages on Charleston Harbor had been double-booked. The Resort next door booked a national touring, indie rock band at the same time as our wedding. We were destroyed, panicked and Jason (my fiance and Citadel grad) called the Beach Club immediately. They had our date available and held it for us without a contract or deposit due to our situation. It took a week to be released from the awful situation we were in and immediately moved all of our vendors, guests and ceremony to the Beach Club. We were so thrilled with our experience, we felt like we were meant to be there all along!! They even did their best to match what our previous wedding venue was charging us. They were very, very considerate. We did have to cut our cigar bar as the venue is tobacco-free and we switched to LED candles because they don't allow open flame. But these were so minimal compared to the welcome we received in such a late notice. Thank you very much, Citadel Beach Club!

The Citadel Beach House was the perfect beach venue for a reception! It is spacious and beautiful on the inside and has easy access to the beach out back. Don, the caretaker, was great to work with and made sure to inform us of everything we needed to do. My wedding reception was perfect in this venue.

This venue is so perfect from the beautiful lawn to the gorgeous inside with the bank of windows overlooking the ocean. Michael was so easy and great to work with.

I loved this venue for our reception! A lot of the larger venues we were considering required everyone out by 10pm due to neighborhood ordinances, limited you to specific vendors, or parking was a concern. At the time we reserved the Citadel Beach House we were able to pick our own caterer, bar service, event design, etc. I loved the flexibility. Instead of of 5 out of 5 stars for flexibility, I selected 4 because I believe now they are requiring use of their personal caterers. They have a kitchen for food prep area, clean and large bathrooms, tables and chairs included in rental!, free parking for your guests, and just a beautiful setting with beautiful outdoor furniture and a great place for outdoor cocktails if the weather is nice. I also wanted a venue with a room large enough to keep everyone together and have a dance floor in the center. Setup was exactly how I imagined it. I am so happy we chose this location for our reception, perfect!

The site is gorgeous. We were able to have our wedding outside on the lawn and the reception inside. The only minor issues are ones the Beach House is in the process of resolving. New chairs are on the way, which will save in what you have to rent. And there is a new managerial staff that is great to work with. This location was the perfect compromise for a bride who wanted a beach wedding and her mom who could only see chairs in sand and lots of people walking by in the middle of the ceremony. Both of us were happy!

The Citadel Beach House is one of the best venues in Charleston. It is hard to find a venue right on the water in this coastal area! The venue is pristine! The floors are buffed consistently, windows washed, and outdoor areas are very well-kept. The furniture outside is great! We have had nothing but great feedback from our guests on how nice our reception venue was. The openness really just makes everything come together and the balcony is an added benefit. One nice thing is that they have plenty of tables at the venue which is included in the rental. The chairs are a bit dated so we chose to bring in different ones that were better looking & more comfortable.

There are a lot of rules around using this venue but none of them seemed outlandish. It is all done to keep the property at it's best and to keep people safe. I would be happy to recommend this venue to anyone looking for a beach front venue.You can bring in your own catering which is great. A few additional items... They do not have a kitchen on site so make sure your catering company can handle that. Anyone that is a part of the reception must have an IOP business license. If you have to contract a police officer if you serving alcohol... keep in mind for your budget. No glass allowed outside. All music must be shut off by 11:00PM and everything must be cleaned up by midnight.

It is truly one-of-a-kind! You will not be disappointed!

I love the location of this venue. The venue itself is amazing and was everything we could have asked for. The only thing I have a slight issue with is they reserve the right to change any contracted information such as rules. They change the contract twice on us and threw us for a curve ball. First time they changed the contract stating we must have an event planner. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise even if I wasn't planning on this in our budget. Secondly they changed where the bar area could be a few weeks before the wedding. Luckily I had an amazing planner and figured out another plan at the last minute. Other than that the venue is great. Be advised that no cooking whatsoever is allowed in the kitchen... strange I know but this helps eliminate any potential fires seeing that they had problems with this in the past. No worries -- they have an elevator and all food was made below the house in a portable kitchen. They do allow outside vendors for food and bar which were key for us. We were able to have homebrew for all our guests which was a difficult to find a venue that would allow this.

The beach house is beautiful, and it's nice that tables and chairs are included. Responsiveness improved over the course of our engagement due to a change in management. Be prepared to follow lots of rules when working with the beach house. It's a bit frustrating, but with some creativity you can figure or ways to decorate as you like.

The citadel beach house was beautiful (for both our wedding ceremony and reception). Everything was perfect! The rules at the citadel are very strict... I was so thankful for an awesome team of people that helped advocate for what I wanted on the day of my wedding. All of the vendors did a great job mediating issues as they arose with Don at the citadel. I was a little disappointed that the citadel beach house tended to be abrasive and not too flexible on certain things. I completely respect the need for rules, but the way they present them to their paying customers should be tweaked.

The Citadel Beach House was a beautiful place to have our wedding, but all the rules is a bit much. Cant have glass outside. Have to have a cop on duty if serving alochol. Etc. Etc. I am glad that I had my wedding there, because of how beautiful it was. I just wish the place was a bit more flexible.

I knew renting the Citadel Beach House for our recption was going to make my life difficult with the horror stories I have heard about the property manager Don, but man it was so much worse than I expected. Granted this venue is just stunning, and we looked for venues for several months and you are just not going to find anything like this ballroom right on the beach. Being on the beach was important enough to us that I decided to take on the battle with Don. At first it wasnt so bad, yes the "rule" book is long and ridiculous but I made sure we followed every single one. The most frustrating part of all though is that he changes his mind and makes up new rules on your wedding day!!! How can someone do that? It is almost like he gets a kick out of having the "power" to control what happens on your wedding day, he even threatened to shut my event down...honestly who says that to a bride on her wedding day? It's just sick and twisted. My coordinator said after his ridiculous behavior, deciding not to allow certain things we had already received his approval on, she will never work there again. As beautiful as this place is, I would never allow a fellow bride to have her reception there, and my friend who was consdering it is already looking elsewhere.

The location of this venue is excellent. Dealing with the staff was awful. There was 0 flexibility and the staff was rude. I would not pay the money for this venue. It is not worth the stress.