Reception Policies
Please take a moment to read the following rules and regulations for wedding receptions and special events.
Parking/Entry
- Parking is included with dinner or a minimum food purchase of $25.00 per person (after 5:00 pm) in the Vandenberg Parking Ramp, adjacent to the building. See a Club Manager for special requests. Parking is not included prior to the evening of the event; a discount is available.
- Parking spaces are guaranteed no matter what is taking place downtown. Parking is available on all three levels of the Fifth Third Bank ramp.
- The Fifth Third Bank entry doors are locked on weekends but will be open for your scheduled event. If you (or your florists, cake delivery, DJ, etc.) need to gain entry to the building prior to your scheduled reception time, please notify the Club at least one day before in order to make necessary arrangements with building security personnel to ensure ease of entry.
Guest Counts
- A tentative count must be given at least two weeks prior to the scheduled event. A final count must be given no less than one week prior. In the event you do not give us a final count, we will assume the number of guests has not changed from your tentative count and you will be charged accordingly.
Assigned Seating – table count and total number of guests seated at each table must be submitted with the final count. It is also helpful to know where special meals, highchair, booster and wheel chair placement are located at each table. Adjustments on the individual tables may be made any time the week prior. - Parties of 180 people will have use of the Main Dining Room and Fireside Room. Usage of the Front Lounges are not included for parties booked for fewer than 180 people.
- Additional space may be reserved for parties under 180 people for an additional fee. These rooms must be reserved and paid for upon booking your event.
- Parties over 180 and up to 220 are given the North and West Lounge automatically and parties over 220 automatically get the North, West and South Lounges at no extra cost (permitting there is a bar and sit-down dinner).
- Parties of 300 people, with a head table, will have seating on the dance floor.
- Additional room fees must be paid at the time of the initial deposit to hold these areas.
Dinner
- All sit-down dinner entrées include a starter, vegetable, starch, rolls, coffee, hot tea and ice tea. Vegetarian options and children meals are available upon request. Your choice and count for any specialty entrée(s) must be given 2 weeks prior to your event. Banquet menus can be found at the bottom of this page.
- Split entrée choices (not combination plates) will have a $3 per plate surcharge. Three entrée choices will have a $4 per plate surcharge, and so on. Vegetarian or childrens meal options are an exception. It is our recommendation that parties over 100 people do not have Split entrée choices. Individual counts on your selected entrees must be given with the final count. A place card must be at each place setting designating the entrée choice of each guest. Overages will be charged accordingly.
- Buffet options are available. Generally, the cost per person for a full dinner buffet will be the price of the most expensive entrée choice plus a $3 surcharge. Hors doeuvre receptions will be priced according to the cost and quantity of selected items. They may be replenished throughout the evening. Dinner buffets will be available for no more than one hour from the time the first person visits the buffet line.
- You must determine the time your guests are to be seated for dinner prior to the evening of your reception. You will be charged $100 for every ½ hour delay.
Bar
- There are no bartender fees other than exceptions described below in sections 8, 9, and 10.
- We will design the bar to fit your requests. You may choose different options of bar service for each time period (e.g.: before, during, after dinner). There is an after dinner bar beverage minimum of $500. Punch may be included in the bar service minimum. This is not an additional fee it is a minimum if you choose to use the Club more that one hour after dinner.
- House and call liquors and house wines are charged by the tenth of a bottle, not the full bottle.
- Keg beer is available in ½ or ¼ barrels. You will not pay for untapped beer, however, you will be billed for a full keg if tapped. Not all beers are available by the keg.
- There are no additional fees for staff to pass wine or beer prior to dinner.
- The Club will not serve alcohol to people under the age of 21 years of age. In the event that a person under 21 should somehow acquire an alcoholic beverage, we would very much appreciate it if you would report it to a manager on duty.
- To prevent over consumption of alcohol, it is the management’s recommendation that you or your DJ do not announce “Last Call”.
- It is the management’s recommendation that the bar be closed during a sit-down dinner and reopened after dessert. If you choose to have bar service during a sit-down dinner, there is a $100.00 per hour bartender fee.
- One bar will be available for the reception. If you choose an additional bar be open a fee of $100.00 per hour will be applied.
- The bar should close by 11:30 PM in order to vacate the premises by 12:30 AM. In the event that you choose to have the bar open later, there is a $100 fee for each additional ½ hour the Club remains open after this time.
- The Club has the right to not serve any person they feel has had too much alcohol.
Cake
- You are welcome to bring in a cake from any vendor. All cakes are subject to a service fee: Cut & Serve for $2.00 per person, or Cut Only for self service on a buffet station for $1.00 per person.
- The University Club offers various in-house dessert options with the exception of wedding cakes. Please ask the Club’s Event Coordinator for details.
- All other dessert options, not provided by the Club, are subject to $1.00 per person fee for use of a table, plates, silverware and napkins, as well as items being cleared and cleaned.
- To ensure a timely dinner schedule, the ceremonial “cake cut” should take place prior to dinner service. If you would prefer to cut the cake after dinner there will be a $100 surcharge. Some exceptions apply.
- We will box any leftover cake and place on the gift table for your convenience.
- The Club is not responsible for cake parts left overnight.
- Please advise us if we need to provide a knife/server for your cake cutting ceremony.
Decorations
- You may bring your own flowers, candles, and favors. You are responsible for the set-up, removal, boxing, clean-up, and returning of your items including the lighting of the candles. An additional cleaning fee will be applied if excessive clean-up is necessary.
- For your convenience, you may bring your decoration items the day before your event. Please note that often the tables and rooms are on their way to being set up the day before or the morning of your reception but we do not guarantee complete set-up until one hour prior to the arrival of guests.
- Votive candles, vases, mirrors, and many other items are available through the Club. See the “RENTAL ITEMS” category for prices and details.
- Included with your event are a white table cloth and a variety of colored napkins for you to choose from. There is an extra $6.00 charge per table if you wish to have ivory or black overlay or underlay cloth.
- All skirting is provided at no additional fee.
- The gift table, guestbook table, and entry tables are complimentary.
- Confetti and sparkle dust are prohibited. A $200 cleaning fee will be applied if these items are used.
Miscellaneous
- The Club is guaranteed at 4 PM on Saturday evenings. In some cases, however, access is granted the prior day or morning of the event. Please be aware that the rooms, table settings and their condition will not be completed until one hour prior to your event.
- In the event that you are able to decorate the day prior, the University Club does not pay for the parking.
- Food and beverage, other than that supplied by the Club, is not permitted without management permission. Handling fees will be determined accordingly. Drinking wine/liquor/beer items not provided by the Club will result in additional fees.
- There are additional fees for any food, nuts, mints, etc, brought into the Club.
- Assigned seating is easily accommodated. We will be happy to arrange your place cards on a table in the entryway. Please have them in alphabetical order.
- The University Club is not responsible for lost or stolen items.
- All price quotations are subject to change. Food and beverage pricing will not be locked in until three months prior to the event.
- The Fifth Third Bank building is a non-smoking environment; the University Club does not allow smoking.
Rental Items
- Votive candles with glass holders are available through the Club at a cost of $1.00 per unit. We will place, light and clean up candles and holders. If you should choose to use you own, we are not responsible for placement, lighting or collecting them at the end of the evening.
- Mirrors are available for $3.00 per table
- A stage is available with a $20.00 per section fee. (i.e. A head table of 10 people will need 5 sections.)
- Dance floor fees range from $200 – $300.
- Audio Visual items: LCD projector with screen and cart: $100. Screen and AV cart only: $20.00. Laptop: $100.00
- Silver mint julep cups may be rented for $3.00 each
- Chair covers: please inquire about availability and pricing.
Deposits
- A short-term tentative hold may be accommodated on a particular date.
- Upon securing the date, a confirmation letter will be sent along with a copy of our reception policies. This letter must be signed by you and the member sponsoring your event. See below on “Membership”.
- The signed confirmation letter is returned along with the first $1,500.00 non-refundable deposit and any additional room charges that may apply together with the membership application. (See “Membership”). Room charges or minimums do not apply if you stay within the counts allocated. See “Guest Count” for rooms automatically included with specific counts.
- A second $1,500.00 non-refundable deposit is due six months prior to the event.
- A third $1,500.00 non-refundable deposit is due 30 days prior.
- These deposits will be deducted from the final bill.
- The final payment must be received within 30 days after the reception to avoid finance charges.
- All deposits are non-refundable.
- All major credit cards are accepted with a 2% courtesy fee for members and a 3% courtesy fee for non-members. Checks are accepted with no extra charge.
Membership
- In order to have an event at the University Club, you or a close relative must be a member or have a member sponsor. If you or a parent are not related to the member sponsor (i.e. are not paying the bill), the service charge is 25%.
- A special “trial membership” may be easily obtained for a flat rate of $480.00 for one year. Your service charge (gratuity) will then be reduced from 25% down to 20%.
- A member of one of our many reciprocal clubs may also have a function or sponsor a function at the University Club. The service charge is 25%.