General Information
Harborside’s prices are very affordable and your personal banquet manager will guide you through the entire process.
To download a copy of the below text and Acknowledge Agreement as a PDF, please click here.
Payment Schedule
The non-refundable ‘room rental payment’ is required to confirm your room(s) and date, and this amount will be applied to your event. We do not allow any holds or temporary reservations. A signed contract, accepting all conditions and room rental payment are required to confirm your event day and time. A non-refundable ‘progress payment’ of 50% of the estimated remaining balance is due sixty (60) days prior to the event. The “final payment” is due ten (10) days prior to the event, along with the confirmed guest count. If progress or final payment are not received prior to the due dates, the event may be canceled. Any additional charges incurred during the event will be collected in full, using the credit card on file.
Food and Beverage Selections/Guest Counts
All food and beverages must be purchased through our venue and consumed on premises. Food may not be taken off premises after it has been prepared and served. The exceptions are cakes or desserts prepared outside of Harborside, and those desserts must have their own serving trays and utensils. A cake cutting fee will be applied to all outside cakes.
The ‘guaranteed guest count’ must be received ten (10) days prior to the event, which is the number of guests Harborside will prepare for. If a ‘guaranteed guest count’ is not received ten (10) days prior, we will use the original estimated attendance for food preparation and final billing. The guest count cannot increase without additional charges being incurred.
For all plated meal events, selecting two or more entrées requires a meal indicator card that is prepared and placed by the client or coordinator prior to seating time.
Outside Catering
Harborside does not allow outside caterers, with the exception of two (2) pre-approved cultural caterers listed in the section ‘Outside Catering Wedding Reception Package’. Included in this outside catering package are all the things you will need for your special event.
Banquet Facilities
Harborside has two (2) adjacent banquet rooms (Catalina and Lido) with a maximum capacity of 250 persons each, or the entire Grand Ballroom for up to 500 persons. Depending on the configuration of tables, dancing, podium, entertainment or wedding reception, the capacity will decrease. All rooms have an outstanding waterfront view of Newport Harbor, and the Catalina room has an outside deck for about 20 extra guests or other uses.
The regular time frame for a day event is four (4) hours and for night events is five (5) hours. All nighttime events must end by 11:00pm without incurring additional charges. Extended or altered event hours (day or night) will be billed at $250 per quarter hour. Business conferences only occur on Monday through Thursday for a maximum of six (6) hours not to exceed 4:00pm
Food and Bar Minimums
Food and bar minimums are listed under Event Fee Schedules to clearly illustrate what the client will need to meet or exceed the required food and bar sales for the event.
Bar and Beverage Service
Harborside has a full liquor license and will provide all beer, wine and alcoholic beverages. No outside beer, wine or alcoholic products may be brought onto the premises, which is strictly prohibited by law. Special requests for Harborside to serve certain bar products can be made through the banquet manager. Only prepaid special requested beer and wine products may be removed from the premises after the event ends. Harborside retains the right to shut down any event when guests are intoxicated, consume outside alcohol or cause unsafe conditions for other guests or staff.
Harborside will provide bar service with a ‘hosted’ bar which can be a guaranteed dollar amount, or an hourly package listed in the contract, or a ‘cash’ bar sales which requires a bartender fee of $250. If the cash bar sales (including food) do not meet the minimum for the event, the credit card on file will be charged the difference. Our normal bartender ratio to guests is usually 1 to about 125 guests. Multiple bartenders out of one bar may occur for events over 125 when using the entire ballroom. All guests must be able to provide a valid photo ID if asked for by the bartender, otherwise no bar service will be provided for those guests. The bar service will stop fifteen (15) minutes prior to the end of the event.
Amenities
Harborside provides all tables and chairs, white floor length linens, black or white napkins, plateware, silverware, serving dishes, Wi-Fi connection, access to Harborside audio/visual equipment and all set up and breakdown of Harborside equipment. Colored napkins, colored table overlays, linens, chargers, centerpieces, pipe and drape, and Chiavari chairs are available to rent.
Parking
Harborside can provide valet service at all events at a cost of $25/car and is very limited. Prepaid or hosted valet parking is available if contracted in advance. Public parking lots are located only 2 blocks away with a capacity of over 500 cars (depending on the time of day and season). The Balboa pier lot charges by the hour or a maximum daily rate. Remote permitted street parking through an app is located all around Harborside with hourly rates but after 6pm those charges are free. For current rates see the City of Newport Beach website or download the ‘parkmobile’ app on your cell phone. Complimentary area maps are available upon request.
Event Coordinator
Harborside Grand Ballroom requires any wedding, reception or bar/bat mitzvah to provide a professional day-of event coordinator. The coordinator must be someone who is not attending the event and is experienced as a meeting/wedding planner. We offer excellent referrals, if needed. Your wedding coordinator is responsible for orchestrating the rehearsal for the ceremony (if applicable), along with the decorations or other items not contracted through Harborside.
Ceremony Rehearsals usually occur on Thursday or Friday afternoon (based on room availability), which is preapproved by our banquet manager and limited to one (1) hour in length and a maximum of 25 guests.
Rehearsal Dinners are available in our downstairs Harborside restaurant or our sister restaurant within walking distance; both of which include a 15% discount on all food items.
Outside Vendors
All outside vendors who are hired by the client and will work at the event must provide a certificate of insurance, with a minimum of $1 million for liability insurance, naming Waterfront Enterprises Inc. as an ‘Additional Insured’ sixty (60) days prior to the event, this includes DJ’s, and Bands. The client must inform all its’ outside vendors that the handicapped elevator, by law, is for disabled persons only, and not for any equipment or items to or from the second floor. Your vendors must understand we have back and front stair access only to the banquet rooms and our staff is not allowed to assist vendors in carrying anything up or downstairs due to insurance liability. Unloading for vendors will be accommodated in the white loading zone in front of the building or just outside the valet parking lot, but additional vendor parking instructions can be provided by the banquet manager. Harborside is not responsible for equipment left behind after the event, unless arrangements with the banquet manager are made in advance.
Entertainment
Harborside ballroom allows the addition of a DJ, live bands/musicians or live performances. All entertainers and their equipment are to set up all their equipment no more than two (2) hours prior to the start time of the event. All entertainment must cease ten (10) minutes prior to the ending of the event and equipment must be entirely removed one (1) hour after the event is concluded. Live entertainment requires the booking of the entire ballroom and prior approval from the banquet manager. Outside entertainers must supply a certificate of insurance sixty (60) days in advance and must be made aware of the stairs only access to the second-floor ballroom, no access to the ADA elevator is allowed.
Accessibility
Harborside banquet rooms are located on the second floor of the Balboa Pavilion which offer the most unique harbor views anywhere. Most of all guests will enter via the grand staircase and can access the Catalina, Lido or entire Grand Ballroom. The building is equipped with a handicapped lift for the disabled person and limit one guest and one helper at a time. The lift may not be used for any vendor supplies or equipment by order of the State. Please inform your banquet manager in advance if you anticipate any guests who may need use of the lift, so that we may have a greeter to welcome and assist your guests in operations of the ADA lift.
Staffing
Harborside will provide, at no additional charge, adequate staffing based on a buffet event of one (1) server per 30-39 guests (about 3-4 tables), and for a sit-down event of one (1) server per 20-29 guests (about 2-3 tables). A banquet manager will be present to oversee the event for the entire duration. A banquet captain may also be present for events larger than 100 guests.
Security
Some schools and other special events require clients to hire a security company approved by Harborside in advance for purposes of legal drinking verification. Security is there to ensure the safety of the guests, the facility will not be damaged, and the event runs smoothly.
Decorations
Harborside allows outside vendors or personal guests to decorate the room(s) two (2) hours prior to the start of the event unless an earlier setup is approved by the banquet manager. All decorations including balloons and flowers, candy, and streamers must be removed after the event concludes or a $250 disposal fee will be charged. Absolutely no staples, nails or tape may be used, and nothing may be hung from the ceilings or walls. Absolutely no bubbles, sparklers or fog/smoke machines are allowed to be used, for it will set off the fire alarms and disrupt the event. In addition, no glitter or confetti are permitted at the events, or a $500 cleaning fee will be added to the credit card on file. All decorations must be removed within one (1) hour after the event ends. Any open-air flames or fire-related decorations require the client to obtain an approved fire permit from the City of Newport Beach and to be given to the banquet manager thirty (30) days prior to the event. No candles or open flames may be lit without a fire permit on file.
Harborside, upon request, can provide some easels for display of clients’ posters, pictures or signage. Any table decorations supplied by the client will be the responsibility of either the event coordinator or guests to set up and remove.
Floor Plan/Seating Schematic
Harborside will provide the suggested design of the tables and seating arrangements for approval by the client prior to the guaranteed guest count timeframe of ten (10) days. Table number holders can be provided, but seating arrangements and place cards must be coordinated by the client.
Service Charge/Sales Tax/Cleaning Fee
The service charge is 22% for all events, which will be based on all food, bar, room rentals, hosted parking and all other charges. Service charges are mandatory and are used to pay our staff a premium hourly rate to service your event. Service charges are not a gratuity or tip because they are not voluntary. Sales tax will be added to all charges, including service charge, as required by law. Cash bar prices are higher because they include sales tax for cash convenience only. Staff’s gratuities are at the discretion of the client. All events are charged a $200 cleaning fee per room.
Cancellations
Harborside will not refund the initial payment after it has been made. Once the sixty (60) day progress payment of 50% of the estimated event sales is paid, it also becomes non-refundable. If progress payment or the final payments are not paid on time, the event may be cancelled, and all prior payments will not be returned.
Acknowledgement/Agreement
Confirmation of the general information and conditions are required through our portal via e-signature. This is required along with the initial room rental payment to reserve your date and
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