Venue Policies

Reservation Process: The Beach Club Ballroom and the Blue & Grey Pavilion are available to outside groups as well as to The Citadel Family. Complete the Reservation Request Form for more information and availability. A signed contract and non-refundable deposit are required to confirm the reservation.

Vendors: All vendors providing services are required by the Isle of Palms to possess a business license. Visit www.iop.net for more information. Vendors must possess proper insurance coverage and that information must be included with the Venue Worksheet 14 days prior to the event.

Catering & Bar Service:  We work with a list of preapproved caterers and bar service providers that can handle all the arrangements for catering for the venue. Alternate catering options are also available.

Alcohol Policy: Outside alcoholic beverages and cash bars are not allowed. Alcohol may not be served to minors or anyone appearing to be intoxicated. Alcoholic beverages may not be taken beyond the front or side lawns of the property or onto the beach. 

Security: If alcohol is being served we require a minimum of one officer for up to 100 guests and additional security will be required for larger events. Security must be scheduled from the start of the event until 30 minutes following the event end time. The Citadel reserves the right to require additional security if the event is deemed to be high risk. 

Rental Times: The Beach Club Ballroom is available for rental from 10am – 11pm. Standard rentals include 7 hours, and additional time may be purchased. Nothing may be set-up earlier than the contracted time and the event must be fully broken down by one hour following the event end time. 

The Blue & Grey Pavilion is available for rental all day, 10am - 9pm, or as a half-day rental, from 10am – 3pm or 4pm – 9pm.

Noise Ordinance: The Isle of Palms noise ordinance is strictly enforced and includes music and any other noise. Quiet is required Sunday through Thursday from 10pm to 10am and Friday and Saturday from 11pm to 10am. A violation of these requirements may subject you, your vendors and your guests to a fine and court costs. The Citadel reserves the right to end events prior to the contracted end time in the case of warnings or violations.

Peak Season: The months of April, May, June, and October are considered to be Peak Season at the Beach Club. During that time, weekend rental requests of the Beach Club Ballroom will be given priority over the Blue & Grey Pavilion. All day rentals of the Pavilion without rental of the Ballroom cannot be confirmed until 60 days prior to the scheduled event date.

Set-Up and Clean Up: Standard banquet tables and chairs are included with the rental of the Beach Club Ballroom. Additional indoor and/or outdoor furniture can be rented through a rental company. The event will be set per the approved floor plan submitted with your event worksheet. There is a $100 flip fee charge if you require different set-ups in the Ballroom during the event (example: ceremony to seated dinner). Any requests made on the day of the event to change the approved floor plan could result in overtime set-up fees.

All rental items, decorations or other personal items must be removed at the conclusion of your event and nothing can be stored overnight. Anything left behind will be discarded and overtime cleaning fees could apply.

Decorations: Rice, sparklers, flower petals, bird seed & confetti, fog machnies, open flames (candles are permitted in glass containers) are not allowed inside or outside on the property. No items are allowed to be stapled, nailed or glued to the walls. The onsite coordinator or facility manager must approve any decorations attached to the walls in advance of the event.

Glassware may only be used inside the Ballroom. Glass containers, breakable items, ceramic, china, wine glasses, coffee cups and other containers are not allowed on the patio, front lawn or in the Pavilion. There will be a charge of $250 per instance if broken glass must be cleaned up outside.

Event Planning & Coordination: To ensure things run smoothly on the day of your event, we require:

• A qualified event planner to serve as the main point-of-contact and decision maker on the day of your event. 
• A scheduled final walk-through with our onsite coordinator at least two weeks prior to your event.
• A completed Venue Worksheet and Vendor Contact List, required at the time of your final walk-through appointment or at least two weeks prior to your event. 

Parking and Beach Access: All vehicles must be removed from the Beach Club property at the conclusion of the event. Vehicles that remain on property after the conclusion of the event are subject to towing at owner’s expense.

The Beach Club grounds offer beach access and parking for Citadel faculty, staff, students, Life Members of the Alumni Association and members of The Citadel Foundation and The Citadel Brigadier Foundation. The beach access cannot be blocked and access will continue to be available for The Citadel Family, regardless of the event booked in the Ballroom or Pavilion. The parking lot and facilities are not open to the general public at any time. 

Weather: Rentals are confirmed rain or shine. The Citadel reserves the right to cancel events upon receipt of a National Weather Service advisory indicating a potential threat to the South Carolina coast. We will stay in contact with you in the days leading up to your event if there are any indications of potential weather threats. In the extreme case of cancellation by The Citadel due to a weather emergency, all efforts will be made to reschedule the event and accommodate your preferred date and time.

Additional Policies: The use of tobacco and smoking products of any type is strictly prohibited. This policy applies to all areas, indoors and outdoors, including the parking lot and lawn. Guests in violation of this policy may be removed and barred from the property. Violation of this policy may result in forfeiture of the security deposit, additional fees, and/or termination of the event. 

Lifeguards are not provided; guests swim at their own risk. Persons in wet bathing suits will not be allowed in the Beach Club Ballroom.

There are a limited number of lockers in the dressing rooms. In order to protect valuables, it is recommended that this service be used. No responsibility is assumed for the loss of any valuables or articles whether under lock and key or not.

Pets are not permitted on the Beach Club property.