The Sunset by Gulf Drive Cafe

are of all the details so we did not have to worry. The wedding and ceremony turned out amazing and the salmon we had for the main entree was a huge hit for all the guests. It's an amazing venue with amazing people who helped make our day awesome! We even planned the whole wedding from a distance. I would recommend Rachel and the wedding venue to anyone looking for a destination wedding spot.

re outstanding. My special day was everything I always dreamed of. Thanks guys!!! You rock

e. This place is beautiful and the food was ,staff were pleasant. Megan was very professional and made sure she went over every detail and always had many options and great recommendations. My wedding was the dream wedding I always wanted and it was completely STRESS-FREE. Thank you "Sunset Weddings"

n the reception. The planner should have anticipated this and advised the bride. There was NO music for the reception besides the random band playing at the very loud bar immediately behind where the reception tents were pitched. We were told the beach would be cleared for the ceremony. It was not, and the bride will have random people in bikinis in the background of her photos. No instruction was provided about how the recessional should occur after the shell ceremony. The cake was never even brought out. I was there for a couple hours before the bride and groom left to take sunset photos and the wedding cake sat inside the restaurant on the bar. During the rehearsal, a random bar customer seated at a tiki hut - angered at being asked to step to the side so that the bridal party could pass - made lewd, sexual gestures at the wedding party. The planner went to "talk" to him but did not make the man leave. When the MotB said she would speak to a manager about it, the planner rudely stated, "I AM a manager." An absolute farce. I strongly recommend you go for a classier place unless you are specifically looking for the public to be involved in a margaritaville wedding of poor planning and white trash hand gestures.

the whole planning process, touching on every aspect. It made my wedding planning experience so easy!! Words can’t even begin to describe how happy we both are that we chose this venue.

o much easier. She was always quick to respond to emails and wanted to make sure our day was everything we wanted it to be. We were also provided with a list of preferred vendors which proved to be extremely helpful. All the vendors we chose from their list turned out to be wonderful as well. The location is beautiful and having the sunset as a backdrop for our reception was amazing. The day truly exceeded our expectations and our guests had a great time. I would highly recommend the Gulf Drive Cafe for your dream beach wedding.

Stefanie, our wedding coordinator, we could not have felt more at home. Every moment leading up to the big day, was perfectly orchestrated & fun... No detail was left untouched. The actually big day? Perfect. Flawless. Beautiful. Fun. Also, perfectly orchestrated. How could you ask for a better experience than having your ceremony, happy hour, and reception all on a beautiful Florida beach? You couldn’t! Anna Maria Island? Also the best... Especially for a wedding with a lot of out of towners who are looking for the full vacation experience, with a beautiful wedding thrown in. It also must be said that Stefanie and her crew are the best at what they do. Of course, I don’t have any other experiences to go by either (Lol!) but we wouldn’t trade a single second of our wedding experience for anything different. I hope your special day is amazing as ours was.

oyalty! They work so hard to make everything as easy and stress free as possible and it shows. Our guests can't stop talking about "the most beautiful wedding they've ever been to"!

oned it. She upgraded us to the larger tiki on our wedding day (at no extra cost), because the weather was going to be less than desirable. All night, and days after, our family said that this was the most beautiful wedding they had ever been to. I couldn’t agree more! We were nervous about planning from so far away (Pennsylvania), but it really did turn out exactly the way I wanted. The PERFECT place to have a wedding/reception!!

ade so many recommendations and suggestions during the year long preparation process up to the last minute of the wedding provided a truly stress free flawless wedding. Even changes in the venue that inevitably arose were handled professionally with a caring attitude by Stefanie due to her prior experience and expertise. All of the staff at Gulf Drive Cafe were always helpful, friendly, and eager to help any way they could. Compared to the multiple other venues we interviewed with on Anna Maria Island the value was much better with no continual hidden charges at Gulf Drive Cafe plus most importantly the atmosphere and the view is literally second to none. If you want the "Best of the Best" this should be your first wedding stop.

sionally. Every Guest commented related to how amazing our Wedding was. Give Stefanie a call, and get the same results we did. See you soon under the HUT

and one skype meeting and by the time we arrived everything was taken care off, no worries, stress free! The team works very hard and they do it all. We all enjoyed it and are extremely happy. Thanks so much!!

out from our wedding date but Stefanie never made us feel like we weren’t a priority because our wedding was far away when we reached out with questions. Because it was destination, we knew it was going to take extra effort planning and the Sunset Wedding staff was incredibly accommodating with quick response emails, Skype meetings, and being flexible when we were able to make trips to have meetings in person. Now to the good stuff, I am a perfectionist designer so I needed to be pretty hands on with everything and I’m sure that can get annoying but I never ever was treated that way. Stefanie welcomed all my ideas with open arms and we worked exceptionally well together. As the date got closer, the weather was looking scarier and scarier. We communicated our plan b and brainstormed different ways to keep it magical and it honestly turned out perfect regardless of what the weather was doing. I had all the faith in the world that Stefanie and McKenna would be able to pull off absolutely anything, and they did. They listened to our vision of all the handmade decorations and where they should go and when we showed up to the venue, I cried because they did such an incredible job setting everything up. Those two girls will have a special place in my heart forever! The backdrop of the beautiful beach with the large tiki hut and mini tiki’s is unmatched. We also did the caribbean taco bar as our dinner and people were raving about how unique, fun and delicious it was. If you’re a big fan of the beach, working with people that genuinely care about you and making your day perfect, I HIGHLY recommend getting married here, you won’t be disappointed!!!

nger. They made EVERYTHING happen and because of that, it still feels like a fairytale. When I first started looking for venues, I was lost in a sea of decisions (no pun intended), but as soon as my then fiancé and I met Stefanie and toured Gulf Drive cafe we knew we had found our venue! Stefanie and McKenna go through every single detail with you to make sure everything is perfect—what I really loved was that if I couldn’t decide what I wanted or some other little detail, they gave advice and helped us come to decisions based on our vision. I cannot say enough about how amazing this venue and the ladies that helped make our dream wedding a reality were! If you are looking for a local Florida feel w/gorgeous sunsets and amazing people, look no further!!

l details in our centerpieces — was perfectly executed. Being from the Midwest, we were reliant upon Stefanie and her team to help us make our wedding day just the way we pictured it, and they did not disappoint! Stefanie is a master planner and communicator, which is a godsend for us brides. She is kind and outgoing and always keeps your best interests at heart. We could not have hosted 100 guests on the island without her guidance! The ceremony setup was so simple and beautiful. We did 30 chairs for those who needed seats, but had the other 70 or so guests stand for our 20-minute ceremony. Stefanie made sure the bar was open prior to the ceremony so that our guests could enjoy the ceremony with a beverage, which was exactly the vibe we were going for. The venue itself was gorgeous — they low key have the best beach views on the island. The food was delicious (as many of our guests commented on it) and the bar service was impeccable! Geoff was an absolute blast behind the bar — we definitely kept him busy! If you’re planning a destination wedding on Anna Maria Island you would be remiss not to book The Sunset Tiki. Their wedding planning staff and the venue itself are next to none. It was everything we hoped it would be!

itial booking, to the wedding day, was 100% stress free! My husband and I could not be any happier with how or big day turned out. It truly felt like a dream wedding. I highly recommend the Gulf Drive Cafe for both ceremony and reception.

r 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.

ger are the best. The Sunset Weddings Event Team Gulf Drive Café | The Kokonut Hut

keeping wedding crashers out :), and making sure we enjoyed the day. If you are looking for a beach wedding this is the venue I would recommend. I had a day that I will never forget. Thank you to everyone at the Sunset by Gulf Drive Cafe.

ng we never thought of, with the patience of a saint! We had one on one meetings with the chef to get exactly what we wanted food-wise. We could not have been more pleased. They took all of the extra steps needed to ensure our happiness. Not a single special detail was missed. Thank you Gulf Drive Cafe!

peakers. We created a special playlist for the day. We went from being able to cancel the band, to not being able to cancel the band, but they would find a band that fit our musical taste, to no band that night and having a DJ instead. Our style - acoustic folk rock. The DJ's music drowned out our music. It wasn't until my sister complained that we finally got the music turned down.

ly and friends on the beach. Stefanie brought our dream to reality. The beautiful sand, tiki huts, and the arch in which we were married provided such a stunning background and magical day. We couldn't of had a more perfect day! Upon booking our destination wedding, we were given a preferred list of local vendors, photographers, etc to contact (which did help being so far away). Unfortunately, Mother Nature brought the red tide our way and a Plan B was made just in case the smell was too bad (thank goodness our wedding day had no issues) but it made me feel much better knowing a back up plan was thought of by Stefanie and her team. The wait staff made sure drinks were in hand for all our guests at all times. Stefanie and her team had everything covered – guests, seating, our cake / cupcake table, decorations ... everything was BEAUTIFUL!! The FOOD was amazing! Everyone LOVED it! Thank you to the entire team at The Sunset by Gulf Drive Cafe!!! Kelli & Frank

on from five states away; it was smooth and easy! The venue is absolutely perfect for a beach wedding...the views are amazing. Thank you so much for everything!

ut of town so it was nice to have them both as they were so helpful and quick to respond through emails and phone calls during the planning process. I didn’t have to worry about a thing! Also, Sarah was a rockstar the day of!! She was a key role in making our wedding day run smooth and perfect! Multiple guests came up to me and said it was the best food they have ever had at a wedding. I have 3 sisters and they all have their sights set on getting married at the Gulf Drive Cafe. We HIGHLY recommend the Gulf Drive Cafe!

! She made what can be a stressful time for a bride so worry-free by helping you plan everything and giving great suggestions! The food was great, the photographer was great, and we enjoyed a gorgeous sunset the night of our wedding! We couldn't have asked for anything better!

wer all my questions and help with everything! The day of the wedding both Stefanie and Sarah our wedding coordinators were by my side and my husband serving us like we were royalty. These women are amazing at what they do and have done a fabulous job.i can also say the servers did an amazing job checking on all the guests and tending to all their needs! I received so many compliments from my guests about the whole wedding and staff on how attentive they were. This is one of mine and my husbands favorite places to go and will continue to go there. As our family and friends come to visit we will take them back too. Thank you everyone who was involved to make our day a dream wedding! 💕

as responsive, open to anything we suggested, and a pleasure to work with. Leading into the wedding weekend, we had our Rehearsal Dinner at Gulf Drive Cafe, and the wait staff was beyond attentive and the food was fantastic. Our family and friends had a wonderful time. For the wedding day itself, I was able to enjoy my wedding day prep as Stefanie, Sarah and team worked to set up our reception and ceremony site. They never lost their smiles and were always there to keep things on track, but most importantly, making sure that my husband and I were enjoying ourselves. Thank you to Stefanie, Sarah, and the entire Sunset by Gulf Drive Cafe staff for making our wedding day such a wonderful experience!

aving a great time. The views were great and everything was so beautiful.

way. There was no stress and that’s all we truly wanted. The elegant white linens and starfish hanging from the arch were perfect along with the sand ceremony she helped give some great ideas on! I highly recommend whether it’s a simple ceremony like ours or a wedding party of 200 you’ll be in great hands! Thanks for all Stefanie and everyone at Gulf Drive Cafe!

the beginning they were very helpful with every aspect of the planning. A few months before our wedding the coordinator we had been working with moved on to another job and I was very anxious at first. But then after Stefanie stepped in, I was put at ease. She worked really hard to make sure everything about our day was perfect. All my ideas and decorations were put up and taken down by the staff and it looked amazing. From the moment I stepped into the sand to walk down the aisle, Stefanies attention to every last detail was evident. She made sure we had everything we needed and more! I would recommend this venue to anyone. We had guests tell us it was the best wedding they’d ever been to, including their own. Thank you for making mine and Richards dream beach wedding a reality.

recommend it for those wanting to show their loved ones the beautiful beaches of Bradenton!

rive Cafe and they were able to work with us on very short notice. The cost was over our original budget but it came with a wedding coordinator, Stephanie who took care of all the details that we didn't have the time to handle. When the weather forecast kept getting worse each day leading up to the wedding Stephanie and Gulf Drive Cafe were wonderful, they came up with a great solution to move our guests inside for dinner. And on the day of the wedding when the weather still wasn't cooperating for a beach ceremony they were able to move the ceremony inside too. Stephanie was great to work with. She got back to us within minutes of every phone call with answers to our questions and requests. She also emailed us immediately after conversation and kept us informed of the costs the entire time. You can't control mother nature but Gulf Drive Cafe did everything in their power to make it a memorable evening for the Bride and Groom and all their guests. We highly recommend using them!

one was by far the best. The tikki hut looked amazing with our decorations and the ocean as our backdrop was magnificent. We received so many compliments from our guests saying it was the most beautiful wedding they had ever attended. The staff was amazing and so friendly....And then there is Laura. Oh my goodness she is the BEST coordinator EVER. She not only saved us money, but was able to pull off a very difficult wedding! We had an Indian/American fusion wedding. Laura was able to coordinate with our vendors which is very difficult, because there were a ton! When some of our vendors went over time and showed up late she was able to build in time into our schedule and save us about an hour! She was so incredibly accommodating I could not believe it! I truly believe this is her passion and calling. Her job is not an easy one! She is so warm-hearted and truly wants to best for her customers. What an amazing venue and staff!!!!

ing about the wedding planning experience. She was thoughtful and thorough and really easy to work with. She thought of things that I would not have thought of myself. She really understood what we were looking for and made everything about our wedding day perfect. We also enjoyed the food, location and service. The beach was clean and set up beautifully for our ceremony and the tiki pavilion was perfect for the size of our wedding. The menu choices we made were enjoyed by all of our guests. Thank you Gulf Drive Café for our perfect wedding day!!

ng married here to anyone interested in a stress-free destination wedding.

as perfect for us. A special thanks to Laura, who helped us in every way to make everything possible. You were always there for us! You did such a great job by managing everything! To have our reception at the Gulf Drive Cafe was the best decision! Thank you a lot and I can warmly recommend the Gulf Drive Cafe for a reception to everyone!

helpful and patiently answered my millions of questions beforehand. This was a destination wedding for me so I was a little nervous, but everything came together perfectly. Reading another review, yes, there was a service charge added to the total, but that's not uncommon at all. Laura was willing to make as many adjustments to the contract as we wanted and everything was very clearly laid out before we signed - there was nothing hidden or unexpected that popped up at the end. Back to Laura - wow. I had plenty of friends and family ready and willing to set up the reception location but needn't have bothered - we dropped everything off in the morning, gave her a general idea of what we wanted and by the time a couple of people went over to set it up it was already done and beautiful. Whether it was handing us our first cocktail as a married couple, snapping some unique shots with her phone that the photographers didn't catch, or delivering our dinner to our table so we could relax instead of going through the buffet line, she made everything so easy and effortless that I was truly able to enjoy the evening without worrying about anything at all. When we decided on a flower girl at the last minute and didn't have a handled basket, she made one by tying a little strip of burlap onto a basket for her. I never felt like I had to compromise on anything that I wanted - she made it all happen without exasperation and seemed happy to help the entire time. After the blur of the evening I tried to think back to anything that had gone wrong or anything I would have done differently and honestly could not. I am so glad that I chose this venue.

een more pleased with the entire process and our day was everything we had hoped!!