The Centre at Bluffton

Event Planning

In an effort to help you further plan your event, we have created a list of questions or concerns that you may not have addressed. While reviewing this list, you may come across something you haven't thought about.

Is your deposit paid to hold your date? What size hall do you have? Have you discussed hall size with The Centre? Hall size is very important. If you do not book a hall big enough, your event may suffer. Please discuss your hall size needs with us at the time you book. If you book the large hall and find out later you needed the whole hall and we have already rented out the small side we cannot kick those people out to help you. Getting the proper size hall in the beginning is crucial.

A prepayment is required 180 days before the event. It is $1000.00 and is non-refundable. This prepayment is applied to your final bill. Your contract has a “prepayment due date” if we have not received your prepayment by the due date we will charge the prepayment to your credit card. Failure to pay this prepayment will result in cancellation of your event.

Hall hrs. are from 8 am to midnight. We do not mind if you come in the day before your event to decorate, provided the hall is not rented out. We are a business, and if we can do another function the day before we will. I do offer a system that lets you lock out anyone trying to rent the hall the day before your event for $300. It rarely happens and you only have to pay the $300. if you want to lock them out so you can decorate. I do not recommend you pay the $300. unless, you have too, as I stated, this rarely happens.

For any event with 200 people or more when you use the china pkg. the $3.00 cost includes linens (napkins and tablecloths) round tables and full service staff, such as clearing tables, serving drinks, cake cutting etc. For groups of 199 or less the china pkg. cost is $4.50 per person. When not using the china package it is up to you and your guests to clear the tables. We will provide enough trash receptacles to take care of this.

When is your meal to be served? Is it buffet or sit down (plated)? Plates will be on the buffet line? We have water glasses, but if you want goblets they are 25 cents each.

Do you know your table layout? When you tell us how many guests you are expecting and we determine the number of tables that you need, we will place the correct number of tables and chairs in the hall. Chairs will remain stacked . We will set up the hall for you but the chairs will remain stacked. It is your job to then place them at the tables.

STATE LAW MANDATES YOU CANNOT BRING IN ANY ALCOHOL PRODUCTS. ALL ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES MUST BE PURCHASED THROUGH US.

We have a soft drink machine here using Pepsi products with nine different choices. You may not bring in your own pop The Centre at Bluffton is a total event planning facility and will cater your event from start to finish. Do not ask us to allow you to bring in your own hors d’ oeuvres and snacks. That is like walking into Burger King and handing them a pound of hamburger and say fix this for me. We provide all the food except your wedding cake, nuts and mints.

Do you want linens? If so, what color? All linens must be through The Centre. Tablecloths and napkins are a part of the china pkg. Do you want skirting on certain tables? Do you want round tables or banquet, or both? Round tables will seat 8 and banquet tables will seat 8. Banquet tables come with the basic hall rental, round tables DO NOT.

The Centre at Bluffton is a total event planning facility. We are event planners. We will plan your event from start to finish if that is what you wish. We can make recommendations and refer cake people, florists, decorators, limo services, horse and carriage people, motel accommodations, and DJ's or a live band. A DJ can make or break your reception. You get what you pay for and if you like we will help you in selecting one.

We decorate too. Have you considered decorations and centerpieces? We do not require you use our decorations but we can do that for you. We have a wide variety to choose from. We can be your one-stop-shopping-place. Please ask to look at our pictures and ask about coming in and viewing other people’s receptions. We want you to be comfortable with your choices.

Will you need a stage? It comes in 4x8 ft. sections. Total size would be 8x16 ft., that is enough for 2 banquet tables and chairs.

What do you want done with any extra food? If you want any extra food that's left over you will need to bring containers and the staff will put it in them for you to take home. Once the food leaves the Centre we are not responsible. It is the clients responsibility to refrigerate and store food properly. Freezer bags, zip lock bags and such are not acceptable.

We recommend you use RSVP’s in order to keep a somewhat accurate track of you guests and how much food you will need and how many people to set up for. Please discuss with us how to handle unresponsive guests. We need to know how many people to expect about 1 1/2 weeks prior to the event in order to order food, drinks etc.

After your event, we take care of the clean up. We ask that you stack the chairs 8 high around the room. You do not have to move the stacks. It is your responsibility to clean up or remove anything you brought or that was not dealt with through The Centre . Everything you brought must be removed after the event unless previous arrangements have been made. This is a good time to use our “Walk Away” service.

Please do not use tabletop confetti; it is very difficult to clean up. Bubbles and sparklers are not permitted inside The Centre at Bluffton due to the safety factors involved. Real Rose petals are discouraged because they stain the tablecloths and floors. Replacing a tablecloth will cost the renter $28.00 per tablecloth.

When we are catering our servers wear white dress shirts with black dress slacks along with black shoes and tuxedo style aprons. Servers will clear tables, pour water, keep the buffet line moving, cut the cake, pour champagne for the head table etc. Special serving options are available upon request.

How much work do you want to do? How much time do you have? Are you organized enough to stay on track with all the details? Ask us about our Presidential Package. We do it all. You show up, have a great time, and walk away. No fuss, no muss.

**Celebrity Walk Away Plan

You leave your function and walk away. We take down all the decorations and pack them up for you. You pick them up later. We can even deliver them to you. No hassle.

WE WANT TO GIVE YOU THE BEST BECAUSE YOU DESERVE IT! OLD FASHIONED SERVICE THAT ADDS ELEGANCE TO YOUR LIFE.