Sweetwater Weddings and Events

2011 Brides Choice Award!

2011-05-01T12:30:00.000-04:00

Wedding Scavenger Hunt, How Fun!

2011-02-11T17:24:00.004-05:00

Our friends at Photography 35 have invited us to be a part of the first ever wedding scavenger hunt! Super exciting!

Go see all of the premier wedding vendors in Gainesville and receive a special prize from each!

-L

Our Menu is Set!

2011-01-25T13:27:00.001-05:00

Our menu is set for the Solution's Bridal Expo this Sunday, January 30th:

Sherry Cream Sauce & Toasted Pine Nuts over tender Chicken Cutlets
Tomato Focaccia Bread
*Marinated Asparagus and Haricot Verts in a Balsamic Vinaigrette

Please stop by our booth and say hello!
-L & K

Gainesville Wedding Expo this weekend!

2011-01-04T13:54:00.005-05:00

We look forward to seeing many old friends and meeting new friends at the Gainesville Wedding Expo this weekend...Sunday, January 9th, noon-4pm at the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. Our wonderful chef has selected our menu for the day. We will be serving:

*Goat Cheese Lollipop Truffles rolled in Pistachios or Sun-Dried Tomatoes (wait til you try these, they will knock your socks off!)

*Skewered London Broil with Orange-Barbeque Glaze

*Wild Mushroom Ravioli with Sherry Cream Sauce & Roasted Pine Nuts

Please stop by our booth and say hello. We can't wait to see you!

-L

American Eagle Ribbon Cutting

2010-10-05T11:07:00.005-04:00

We were so excited to be a part of the ribbon cutting at the Gainesville Regional Airport to welcome American Eagle to Gainesville! They are now providing non-stop flights to Miami. We provided an international menu of hors d'oeuvres to commemorate the occasion.

-L

Jay's Bridal Wedding Expo

2010-09-08T10:38:00.009-04:00

We had such a great time meeting everyone at the Jay's Bridal Wedding Expo! Thanks for coming out to see us!

-L

Visit our Gift Shop!

2010-07-14T13:22:00.000-04:00

We have revamped our Gift Shop for our local and out of town guests! Looking for a unique wedding gift? Come visit our gift shop which features Sweetwater wine glasses, coffee mugs, jewelry and much more.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

-L

Awards!

2010-06-10T09:09:00.003-04:00

We would like to take a moment to thank all of our amazing clients for helping us win these great awards! We are so lucky to have such wonderful clients and friends.

Thanks also to The Knot and Wedding Wire!

-L

Check us out on KB Kakes Blog!

2010-04-20T09:38:00.006-04:00

What a great way to start off the week!

Another of our fabulous vendor friends has featured Sweetwater on their blog. The mother-daughter team at KB Kakes does fantastic and quality work. If you are looking for a unique and decedent treat for your wedding guests, you must meet with Kathy and Erika! We were honored to be part of their new blog and website, as KB Kakes selected Sweeetwater's McKenzie House for their photo shoot.

Visit them at kbkakes.com and see for yourself how breathtaking KB's Kake Kreations really are!

Blogging Bride: Kate Bringardner

2010-04-19T10:37:00.008-04:00

We have the pleasure of announcing our first ever bride-blogger. Kate and Ryan got married on February 28, 2009 and held their reception here at the Sweetwater Branch Inn. Kate volunteered to write a blog post for us and we can't be more excited! She had some amazing details including dancing shoes and late night pizza! Check out her post complete with photos, great advice and tips from her big day:

Our Love Story:

Ryan and I met when we were students at the University of Florida in May 2004. I was finishing graduate school and had accepted a job teaching in Atlanta a week before I met him; the cliché that you meet someone when you are least looking was true for me! After a great summer together, I moved to Atlanta as planned, and we had a two-year long distance relationship before I moved back to Gainesville. December 2007, Ryan proposed on a ski lift in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. We were married February 28, 2009.

Why the Sweetwater Branch Inn?

When I first started planning, I knew I wanted our reception to have a classic simplicity; I wanted guests to feel relaxed and comfortable as if they were at a dinner party at our home. The Sweetwater provided a gorgeous, intimate venue. From my first visit, I could imagine McKenzie hall decorated exactly as I wanted with white hydrangeas and our friends and family laughing underneath the lights on the patio.

More practically, everyone at the Sweetwater was so gracious. That really confirmed my decision, which was absolutely the best wedding decision I made.

Favorite details:

Ryan and I wanted the reception to be very “us.” In lieu of wedding favors, we gave a donation to the Susan G. Komen foundation, which is very personal to me because my mom is a breast cancer survivor. Macaroni and cheese has been my favorite food my whole life, so I insisted on having it at my wedding (Ryan contributed the idea of having bacon in it); it was delicious! Ryan wanted milk served with our incredible carrot cake by Jenny. We gave flip-flops as dancing shoes for when women’s high heels because uncomfortable. At the end of the night, we had pizza delivered as a late night snack.

Happiest memories:

My happiest memory of the whole day was actually saying my vows! I loved dancing my first dance with Ryan and the Father-Daughter dance with my dad. We actually had 96% attendance rate, which was higher than anticipated; Ryan and I were very touched that so many people wanted to support our wedding. We really felt loved, both by one another and all our guests.

Before the wedding, I had the most fun morning with my mom, mother-in-law, sister, and sisters-in-law at Mode Salon.

Advice for future brides:

Enjoy this time! Your wedding should be unique to you and your future husband. Planning a wedding takes a lot of time, but don’t lose focus on your future marriage.

Consider the vendors you will actually spend time with on your wedding day thoughtfully. It is one of the most important days of your life, and you want to feel as comfortable as possible. Try to talk to former clients about their experiences.

Late night pizza!

-L

Featured Vendor on Verve Studio Blog

2010-04-16T09:16:00.006-04:00

Want to kick off the weekend by discovering a fabulous wedding photographer? How about 2? Our friends over at Verve Studio are just the couple you need to meet. Matt and Krystal Radlinski make up the talented and dynamic team that we love to work with.

Sweetwater was selected to be Verve Studio's featured vendor this week and we're so excited! Please take a minute to check out their brand new blog and find out what makes Verve Studio so awesome! You'll be happy you did. : )

-K

Sweetwater Has a Colonnade!

2010-02-23T16:03:00.006-05:00

We've been dying to announce our new addition for so long. Well, here it is!

We have added a new ceremony spot to our gardens! Along with our classic gazebo, our couples will also have the choice to get married at a larger spot complete with 10 foot Corinthian columns. We can't wait to see what our brides and florists will do! Betsy from the Plant Shoppe was our pioneer.

Lindsey looks gorgeous! The whole family was such a pleasure to work with and we can't wait to post again about their whole wedding and reception soon.

Special thanks to Stewart and Susan Powers from Powers Photography for the awesome (and super quick) shots!
Flowers by the Plant Shoppe
Lindsey's dress from Solutions Bridal

-L

Sweetwater Photo Ops-The Vintage Bride

2010-02-23T01:05:00.000-05:00

Although Sweetwater has all the the amenities a modern bride could ask for, we also offer a unique location to capture some classic, vintage bridal portraits. Make sure your photographers take advantage of our lovely Victorian homes!
-K

JS Photography

Construction!

2010-02-04T14:08:00.005-05:00

What are we doing with a forklift? We're always doing something new. Come back soon to see it all finished!

-L

Bridal Shows are coming soon!

2010-01-08T11:37:00.002-05:00

We will be participating in both the Jay's Bridal Show on January 17 and the Solution's Bridal Show on January 31. Come see us, sample some food and chat with us. We are looking forward to it!

-L

Pictures say a 1,000 words

2010-01-06T13:26:00.008-05:00

We've been busy lately with our awesome new brides and clients, but wanted to take a moment and share a few images we've taken at our holiday parties. Enjoy!

-L

Garden Lights!

2009-12-11T13:02:00.004-05:00

We are proud to announce a new addition to our garden! Check out our garden lights...our pictures do not do them justice. Love them!

-L

The holidays are sneaking up on us!

2009-11-04T17:34:00.002-05:00

Don't forget to book your holiday party!

Whether you are hosting a small get-together for your family or a large dance party for your company, we are happy to help! Dates are booking up fast. Check out some pics of a previous holiday party we have hosted.

Talk to you soon!

Special thanks to Dana at Photon Studio for the pics!

-L

Chloe and Brent

2009-10-28T14:00:00.010-04:00

We had such a great time working with everyone for the Chloe and Brent's October 3 wedding! You couldn't ask for nicer people to work with. They had a beautiful wedding in the garden, cocktail hour on the patio to follow and a sit-down dinner in the McKenzie Hall. The Hall looked gorgeous with their lovely accents and colors. Thanks everyone! -L

Photographer: Russell Martin Photography
Entertainment: Gosia and Ali
Florist: Joan Prange
Cake: Ms. Debbie

It's All Greek to Me...

2009-10-19T13:30:00.000-04:00

A Ladies Lunch is always fun. What better a place to gather than a garden?! Sweetwater has hosted several Mother/Daughter, Family Weekend and Sisterhood luncheons over the years. We offer a quaint location for making memories and taking lots of great photos! Our events team would love to help your sorority or student organization create a delicious and unique function! The images below are from the lovely ladies of Alpha Delta Pi. Thanks girls, we had fun working with you! -K

We Love our Staff 2.0

2009-10-06T12:23:00.000-04:00

Just a few images of our wonderful staff!

-L

Jay's Bridal Show Recap

2009-10-06T11:35:00.007-04:00

Bridal Show Round 2!

We hope everyone had a great time at the Jay's Bridal Show last weekend. We know we sure did. We met some wonderful people, sampled some great food and got to do what we love!

It was great to see everyone and we can't wait until January!

Special thanks to Dan Hathcock from Unforgettable Events for the Beautiful Linens and Floral.

-L

Habitat for Humanity Fundraiser

2009-10-06T10:00:00.006-04:00

We were so very lucky to host the September 2009 Habitat for Humanity Fundraiser. It was a pleasure working with them to create a wonderful, successful event. There were food, drinks, music and even a visit from Albert! Thanks to everyone!

Special thanks to Amy Kauper for the photos!

-L

Solutions's Bridal Show Recap

2009-09-14T15:49:00.010-04:00

We were delighted to meet so many wonderful brides (and grooms and parents and friends and sisters and children...) at the 2009 Fall Solutions Bridal Expo over the weekend. Our booth, which was decorated by Dan's Floral, hosted samples of our delicious catering along with our brand new brochure. I hope everyone got to try our Caprese Skewers, made of grape tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese and basil, all seasoned with olive oil and salt and pepper, as well as our Roast Pork Crostinis, which are mini herb toasts topped with sliced pork, caramelized onions and Boursin cheese. Travis was passing these treats throughout the room.

It's always fun to see all our fabulous fellow vendors and Solutions put on a great event! Fortunately, we had a nice view of the fashion show where we swooned over the incredible dresses their girls were strutting down the runway

Thanks for visiting us at the show and hopefully we will see some of you again in 2 weeks! If you have any questions about the information we gave you or would like to come see the Sweetwater property, call Lauren or Katie at (352) 373-6760 or email us at events@sweetwaterinn.com.

Until then, Happy Planning! -K

A Black Tie Affair!

2009-09-10T20:01:00.009-04:00

This past Spring, we had the pleasure of working with two of my favorite people ever. Sondra and Michael had their ceremony at the Baughman Center on campus, with their Reception here at Sweetwater to follow.

Sondra decorated with white lanterns, black and white linens, silver platters, mirrors and candles for an upscale, gorgeous look. She even lined the pathways with luminaries!

I feel truly blessed to have met this couple and have been a part of their special day!

Photography by Powers; Cake by Jenny Wagner; Flowers by Crevasse's; Sondra's Dress from Meredith's Bridal in Melbourne; Michael's Tux from Jay's Bridal; DJ Pat Burkett

-L

Another Food Post

2009-08-11T08:03:00.010-04:00

I know we talk about our food all too often, but can you blame us? Yum...

-L

It's all in the details!

2009-08-03T12:18:00.003-04:00

A sure fire way to create a one-of-a-kind wedding is to create your own look with your special details! Francesca and Rue’s big day in April 2009 was highlighted by several amazing ideas that added their own touch to our McKenzie Hall, Patio and Gardens.

Guests enjoyed a large spread of hors d’oeuvres during cocktail hour on the patio. Francesca had white Chinese Lanterns hung on the patio which were a clean and simple way to enhance the patio.

After some cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, guests were seated inside the hall for a served dinner. Francesca’s details in the hall made the space her own! From the gorgeous linens and uplighting from Party Time Rentals, the silver charges borrowed from a friend and floral centerpieces by Prange’s, these elegant touches added quite a bit of personality to the space.

Francesca even joined the younger guests playing catch in the garden!

-L

Photos: JS Photography; DJ: Jay's Entertainment; Florist: Prange's; Linens, Uplighting and Lanterns: Party Time Rentals; Cake: KB Cakes

A Garden of Love

2009-07-23T10:44:00.000-04:00

There's no denying the magic of Sweetwater's lush gardens. Our colorful flowers, trickling fountains, brick paths and cherub statues create a backdrop for the perfect event. Our gazebo ceremonies have hosted countless weddings, setting the mood for romantic love stories. Jennifer and Ashley found the perfect way to incorporate a garden theme into their Spring wedding. Jennifer grew her own wheat grass in mini-galvanized buckets for centerpieces (which looked adorable) and they gave favors of plant-able paper. How cool! The couple was so so so much fun to work with and we wish them nothing but the best! -K

Photo: K-Gallery, DJ: Jay's Entertainment, Flowers: Joan Prange, Cake: Jenny Cakes

A Bit of a Change for the Banquet Hall

2009-06-05T13:40:00.007-04:00

After years of successful and beautiful weddings and events, we decided we needed to change with the times. We have always been known for our gorgeous pink banquet hall and our clients and guests have loved it.

So... last fall, after much discussion, we painted the hall. This creates a neutral palate for our clients to create the theme of their dreams! We have many clients who are raving about the new paint and the possibility to do a vast array of color schemes. Of course, we have still retained the architecture that makes our Hall so unique!

-L

Images by Powers Photography

We Love our Staff!

2009-06-01T20:11:00.012-04:00

We are super lucky here at Sweetwater to have amazing and wonderful co-workers and staff! Here are a few shots hard at work and a few at play.

Izzy strikes a pose.

Paula is a punch and soda bar expert.

Kyle gets ready for some thirsty guests!

Holly, Bridget and Paula waiting for the festivities to begin!

Travis gets fancy behind the bar.

Robin, Lauren, Noel, Katie and a very pregnant Cornelia at the Jay's Bridal Show.

More to come!
-L

Hors d'oeuvres Are In!

2009-06-01T19:23:00.024-04:00

As the busy wedding season winds down, I wanted to take a moment and reflect on some of the highlights of our hors d'oeuvres spreads! We truly are grateful to have Joe, our amazing and wonderful chef.

Please bear with our amateur photography. This is why we love our professionals! :)

Some of you may have gotten to sample our cream cheese torte from this January's Solutions Bridal Show. It looked fabulous, but tasted even better!

Francesca and Rue had a fabulous spread of hors d'oeuvres before a formal served dinner.

Janeen and Wes's guests in May enjoyed some delicious In-Season Fruit, Tomato Bruschetta and Sausage and Cheddar Stuffed Mushrooms before their sit down dinner.

Erin and Nick had an awesome spread of Skewered Tomato and Mozarella Caprese, Prosciutto Wrapped Melon and Pot Stickers with Thai Chili Sauce before their served dinner.

Sondra and Michael's after wedding brunch featured ham and cheese as well as vegetarian strata, Sweetwater's crepes, french toast casserole and many more! As a Bed & Breakfast, we sure do love our breakfast!

Our fabulous Noel carved an amazing Roast Beef for guests at Sondra and Michael's reception. It featured two types of rolls, au jus and horseradish sauce.

Theresa and Joe's French Themed Wedding had an exquisite array of goat cheese and carmelized onion puff pastries, salmon mousse puff pastries, brie, fruit and vegetables.

Lindsey's Sweet Sixteen featured all sorts of sweets, including this fondue station.

Michelle and Sam's heavy hors d'oeuvres buffet included items such as this Julia Salad with Hearts of Palm and Roasted Red Peppers. Yum!

Of course these are just a few of our amazing options. Too bad writing this has made me very hungry!

-L

A Unique Twist

2009-04-07T12:00:00.000-04:00

I love originality. It's always exciting to see a bride and groom make the wedding their own. Adding vibrant colors, tying in your interests or sharing something special with guest are guarantees to make your wedding memorable. In November of 2008 we had a couple who did just that. Lindsey and Steve Ziegler 's special day was filled with happiness and surprises. Not only did Lindsey walk down the isle in a hot pink wedding dress, but the couple rode off on a tandem get-away bike. How fun! -K

Photo: K-Gallery, DJ: Jay's Entertainment, Decor: Unforgettable Events, Cake: Publix, Dress: Solutions Bridal, Coordinator: Masterpiece Weddings

Is Butterscotch on the Guest List?

2009-04-07T10:51:00.003-04:00

Many of you know him from touring the property as he strolled by to say hello, or some of you even enjoyed his presence at your wedding ceremony. Either way, Butterscotch has become a gentle and sweet part of Sweetwater Branch Inn. This endearing orange cat roams the property and occasionally makes an appearance at Sweetwater Events. He normally watches from a distance, but if you call him over he will gladly welcome a pat on the head. Butterscotch happily watches over the garden and all it's guests. Be sure to look for him when you're here. :) -K

Photography by Footstone

Sandra and Jorge's January Nuptuals

2009-03-13T11:03:00.017-04:00

We had the pleasure of working with the sweetest couple as 2009 rolled around. Sandra and Jorge Sanchez put together a very classy black, red and white wedding in January. Family and friends came into town from all over the state and even out of the country. Sandra looked beautiful as the party went on into the night. With perfect weather and a lively crowd, this wedding proved to be everything Sandra and Jorge dreamed it would be. -K

Photo: Robert , DJ: G-nys Entertainment, Cake: Julie, Dress: Solutions Bridal, Coordinator: Lindsey Hunter

Welcome to Our Blog!

2009-02-18T14:48:00.001-05:00

We have finally joined the blogging community. Stay tuned for all the latest and greatest information on Sweetwater Branch Inn Weddings!