If anybody plans on marrying while at NIU and doesn’t want to go too far for the reception, the South Pointe Banquet and Conference Centre, 200 Gurler Road, is an option.

The banquet and catering facility is the largest of its kind in the DeKalb area.

It features four large banquet halls and four conference rooms that cater to almost any need or event.

The facility was built in 1968 by the Catholic Diocese and started as the Notre Dame Catholic School. A few years later, the school ran out of money and became Wurlitzer Hall.

It later became the South Pointe Centre, and in memory of its former title, gave the name Wurlitzer to its largest banquet hall.

The center’s chefs serve breakfast, brunch, hors d’oeuvres and dinner.

They also can prepare custom menus or serve themed meals such as high teas, Egyptian delicacies, the Titanic Final 7 Course meal and many more. Prices for meals range from $9.95 to $18.95 a person.

Featured entrees include Chicken Provencial, Prime Rib, Poached Salmon, the South Pointe Classic buffet and the Stockyard Cut Buffet.

The South Pointe Centre caters to weddings, class reunions, business seminars, fashion shows, bar/bat mitzvahs, entertainment events, trade shows and many others.

“We’ve had so many events here that it’s hard to pick just one that stands out among them all,” said Diane Watson, general manager of the South Pointe Centre since the first of June.

Starting at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16, the Family Service Agency Foundation will hold an art auction featuring artists from the northern Illinois area.

There will be 60 items in the silent auction and a 30-piece live auction beginning at 7 p.m. with art commentary by Jerry Meyer, former assistant chair of the NIU school of art.

Proceeds from the auctions will assist Big Brothers-Big Sisters, the Center for Counseling, Generational Care and the Senior Services Center in DeKalb.

Tickets are $35 a person. To make a reservation, call the FSA at 758-8616 by Monday.

For information about the center, visit www.southpointecentre.com.