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Alcohol is allowed on campus only if it is served by a company that provides Soka University with a day-of type 58 License to Serve Alcohol issued through Alcoholic and Beverage Commission. Vendor must submit a special request application to ABC in order to secure the day-of license. The license must be received by Soka University no less than five business days prior to the event, otherwise the event will be deemed a dry event. Alcohol service must be no longer than a six-hour timeframe. Alcohol shots are not permissible. Alcohol service must end one hour (or more) prior to the end of the event. No alcohol can be on-site other than that which is secured and served by the caterer or bartending service (this includes bridal preparation areas). Alcohol is not allowed in areas not referenced on the contract. Wedding/event planner (a.k.a. customer) is required to stanchion off areas to ensure that alcohol remains in designated areas and to monitor stanchioned off areas to ensure guests do not take alcohol outside the designated areas. Guests are not allowed to have alcohol in their vehicles, and/or other areas, and/or on their person during the event. Failure to comply with any/all of these restrictions could result in event venue being rendered unusable/unsafe and guests will be required to leave due to breach of contract.

Soka allows outside caterers on site provided they give all required information to the Events and Conferences department no less than three months prior to their event. Requirements include: 

• A list of the equipment and/or vehicles that cooking or food prep will have and use on site and a picture of all
• What food items you are proposing to prepare on site 
• The number of commercial fire extinguishers you will have on-site 
• Fire extinguisher(s) next to open flame, no overhead cover on top of open flame, etc. 
• A ground cover/tarp must be placed under any/all areas where food preparation is occurring. Please be certain that the ground cover is capable of capturing grease spills, as some tarps may melt if hot grease spills onto it. 
• Are you providing food only or will you also be providing/serving alcohol?
  • All alcohol that is on site must be secured/purchased by the caterer and served by that caterer only. In short, the only people that can touch the alcohol are the employees serving it and the person to which they are serving it. The caterer that does this must apply for, and receive, an approved day-of license to serve alcohol (type 58). In order to apply for the license, which everyone planning to serve alcohol must apply for and receive, Soka will need additional information from the wedding/event planner. We are happy to provide you with that additional information if, in fact, you will be the caterer that is responsible for the alcohol.

Soka University requires that all contracts for weddings be booked through a wedding or event planner. This means that the contract is between SUA and the wedding/event planner.

Rehearsals are allowed, however; they can only be booked no more than two weeks prior to the date of the wedding. Rehearsals must be held Monday through Friday between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. and they must be approved through the Manager of Events and Conferences in writing.

No flames are allowed on campus. This includes, but is not limited to: candles, fireworks, smoke bombs, incense, votives, tea lights, tandoors, Agni, and unity candle ceremonies. The only exception to this policy is the flame used under a chafing dish.

A certificate of insurance is required for all events for the date(s) of the event. The policy limit must be for one million ($1,000,000) dollars, per occurrence. Applicant agrees to provide an endorsement to its comprehensive general liability policy or policies naming Soka University of America and its officers, agents, students and employees as additional insured on a primary basis with respect to the named insured’s use of the premise, with a complete waiver of subrogation against the institution. This is required no less than 30 days prior to the event.

Customers are responsible for securing their own rentals for furniture, decorations, etc. Rentals must be delivered and picked up on the date of the event. Rentals can be delivered as early as 10:00 a.m. and must be picked up immediately after the contract end time.