Tallahassee Garden Club rents its historic Rutgers House for business meetings, receptions, weddings, memorial services and other private events. The ballroom holds about 100 people, and the rental also includes a parlor, a dining room, a sunroom, a trophy room, a kitchen and several outdoor areas. The house stands in the Gold District of downtown Tallahassee, Florida.
Seminars and company events
Business meetings are listed among the private functions the club hosts. The ballroom has a stage, which suits a presentation, a talk or a small conference for up to about 100 people. The club states that the arrangement of the rooms allows more than one activity at the same time, so a plenary in the ballroom can run alongside a working lunch in the dining room or a break in the parlor. Tables, chairs and china come with the rental. The house has central heating and air conditioning, and a private parking lot serves guests. Rental hours run from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. from January to November, and until midnight in December. These times include set-up and clean-up, so plan the schedule with that margin.
Weddings and receptions
Weddings are a main use of the house, and the club has won the Tallahassee Democrat's DEMO Award for best wedding venue two years in a row. The ceremony can take place in the garden by the gazebo, built in 2015, and the reception in the ballroom. The brick Arvah Hopkins Patio, the deck and the front lawn extend the space outdoors. The remodeled kitchen is used by caterers for plating. Gold Chiavari chairs can be set up anywhere inside the house, but not outside.
Rooms and capacities
The rental includes the ballroom (the original auditorium, enlarged in 1969 to hold 100 people), the parlor, the dining room, the sunroom, the trophy room, the kitchen, the gazebo, the deck, the patio and the outdoor areas. The upstairs and the stairs are closed to clients. A floor plan can be downloaded from the club's website.
Catering
The club does not run catering. Clients bring their own caterer and bartender, and the club asks that they receive a copy of the house rules. All food must be prepared off site. The kitchen can be used to keep food at temperature, plate it and assemble drinks, and an ice machine is provided. Outdoor frying and cooking are allowed in the rear parking lot, at least 10 feet from the building. Bars inside need a waterproof floor covering, and drink stations are not allowed in the parlor. Dinnerware, silverware and glasses are included and must be washed and returned at the end of the event.
History and setting
The house was built in 1848 for Henry Rutgers by George Proctor, a free Black man who built many early homes in Tallahassee. The doors and woodwork are mahogany, and much of the other lumber was hand-hewn from local trees. The Tallahassee Garden Club bought the property in 1954 as its clubhouse. Later additions include the stage and climate control in 1969, the patio in 1987, the gazebo in 2015 and a renovated kitchen in 2016. A Florida historical marker stands on the front lawn. The grounds follow a parterre plan with boxwood beds, crepe myrtle and southern magnolia.
Getting there
The house is near downtown Tallahassee, with hotels nearby according to the club. There is no accommodation on site. Guests arriving from out of town should book a hotel in the city. Contact the venue manager for a tour and for availability.
