Is your wedding in the Washington DC area? If so, congratulations! On your engagement and upcoming nuptials, of course, but also on making a great choice of setting! By getting married in the Nation’s Capital, you have picked an international city that has everything you need to organize the wedding of your dreams. Washington is home to some of the best hotels, wedding planners, DJs, bands and caterers in the world. It goes without saying that the tourism and entertainment options for out-of-guests are without equal. The city’s wedding photographers consistently rank at the top of our industry. And of course, its locations that host weddings are among the top you’ll ever find. The best wedding venues in DC can stand toe-to-toe with any location in any city in the world!
Best DC Wedding Venues: Everything You Could Want!
The best part, by far, is the diverse range of options available to you. The Washington metro area is a pretty big place. It goes from the outskirts of Baltimore to the foothills of the Appalachian mountains. It runs from the horse farms of southern Maryland to the parks near the Potomac River. Somewhere in that area is a wedding venue that fits your exact tastes and budget. Want a seaside wedding venue? Maryland’s Eastern Shore is not far away! Looking for barn wedding venues in Virginia? There are tons! Dreaming of celebrating your nuptials at a swanky club? Nearby Alexandria has a great one!
But you do not even need to leave the confines of the District to find the wedding venue you want. Again, Washington DC is a major city. It has just about every kind of location within its borders. Luxury hotels? Check. Historical buildings? Obviously. Trendy art galleries? You bet. Massive ballrooms? Naturally. There is almost nothing you can’t find!
The 10 Best DC Wedding Venues
The range of options in Washington can be so dizzying, though, that it can be hard to choose the right venue for your specific needs and wants. There are so many opulent hotels, for example, that you might not be able to narrow your list down much. Not without help, anyway. And that’s where we come in! As wedding photographers, we have had the good fortune to document marriage celebrations at most of Washington’s best wedding venues. We know them quite well and are always happy to share any thoughts we have with potential clients. With that in mind, here are the 10 best DC wedding venues:
Best Wedding Venues in Washington DC: Omni Shoreham Hotel
Type of venue: Luxury hotel
Maximum capacity: 350
Bridal suite: Yes
Defining feature: Back terrance and garden
Best spot for couples portraits: Top of the stairs overlooking the back garden
Pricing structure: Site fee plus per-person catering/bar fees
Pricing information: https://www.omnihotels.com/-/media/images/hotels/wassho/weddings/menus/wassho-wedding-menu.pdf
Contact information: https://www.omnihotels.com/hotels/washington-dc-shoreham/weddings/rfp
Why It Is Among the Best Wedding Venues in Washington DC
The Omni Shoreham Hotel is a beautiful, upscale hotel set on 11 acres in DC’s tony Woodley Park neighborhood. It is a perfect location for couples looking for a complete, all-in-one wedding experience. You can get ready in the venue’s gorgeous bridal suite, which overlooks Rock Creek Park. Then you can exchange your vows under a gazebo in the Omni Shoreham’s lovely back garden and in sight of a beautiful cascading fountain. Your dream day can then come to a close as you and your guests party in one of the hotel’s three ornate ballrooms that are each a part of DC history. The best part? You and your new spouse can then spend your wedding night in a complimentary luxury suite and wake up to breakfast in bed the next morning.
Best Places to Get Married in DC: City Club of Washington
Type of venue: Private club
Maximum capacity: 300
Bridal suite: No (getting-ready space only)
Defining feature: Fountain and curving staircase just outside the front door
Best spot for couples portraits: Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center (one block walk)
Pricing structure: Site fee plus per-person catering/bar fees
Pricing information: https://clublifeweddings.com/calculator/?entity=00715
Contact information: Sherasa Russell, Private Events Director, 202-347-0818 x4978
Why It Is Among the Best Places to Get Married in DC
The City Club of Washington is a unique wedding venue that offers a pleasing mix of contradictions. It is a private club, giving your nuptials an upscale and exclusive feel. But it is open and accessible to non-members for wedding events. The club sits in the heart of downtown DC, just steps from the White House and National Portrait Gallery. But it is tucked away from the hustle and bustle, which means your wedding will feel cozier and more private. The City Club of Washington is a large venue, capable of seating 300 wedding guests for a ceremony by its huge fountain and sweeping staircase with an ivory balustrade. But its twelve exclusive private event rooms are perfect for more intimate gatherings. In short, you get exactly what you’re looking for, no matter what your individual tastes are!
Top DC Wedding Venues: The St. Regis Washington D.C.
Type of venue: Luxury hotel
Maximum capacity: 400
Bridal suite: Yes
Defining feature: The Astor Terrace, an outdoor patio space adjacent to the hotel
Best spot for couples portraits: The main lobby
Pricing structure: Site fee plus per-person catering/bar fees
Pricing information: https://www.marriott.com/meetings-events/rfp/event-profile.mi?erfpSignInOverlay=true
Contact information: St. Regis Wedding Specialist, 202-879-6903
Why It Is Among the Top DC Wedding Venues
Locations for marriage celebrations do not get much more luxurious than The St. Regis Washington D.C. From the moment you step into its European-inspired lobby, the hotel will dazzle you. Every new space will leave you picking your jaw up off the exquisite flooring. You’ll gasp when you notice the beautiful natural light streaming into the bridal suite (and guaranteeing you gorgeous portraits of yourself in your dress). You’ll marvel at the Palladian windows and crystal chandeliers in the stunning Astor Ballroom. Finally, you’ll fall in love with the venue’s unique outdoor space: The Astor Terrace.
The latter is a rare gem in the downtown DC area. It offers you the possibility of a wedding ceremony outside, just steps from the White House. At the same time, its hedges give you privacy and separation from the traffic of 16th Street Northwest. And the best part, its new Astor Pavilion allows you to use the terrace any time of year. A customized wooden tent with cathedral windows and a canopy, this feature makes outdoor winter wedding celebrations in the heart of DC a reality.
Best DC Wedding Venues: Kimpton Hotel Monaco Washington DC
Type of venue: Boutique hotel
Maximum capacity: 300
Bridal suite: Yes
Defining feature: The domed Paris Ballroom, a former library created for the Postmaster General
Best spot for couples portraits: The circular marble staircase
Pricing structure: Per-person catering/bar fees
Pricing information: https://cdn0.weddingwire.com/solic/3/4/0/4/2/0/pricing-35d13deab0d858_weddings-by-hotel-monaco-proposal.pdf
Contact information: Buddee Clinton, 202-449-7021, buddee.clinton@hotelmonaco.com
Why It Is Among the Best DC Wedding Venues
It is not often that you can combine the amenities of a luxury hotel with the personality of a smaller establishment. But the Kimpton Hotel Monaco Washington DC does just that. It has all the resources of a major chain. You will not lack any creature comfort during wedding celebrations there. At the same time, it occupies a historical landmark building that its designers have turned into a unique tribute to Washington’s history. So when you get ready in the stunning Robert Mills Suite, you’re not getting dressed in some nondescript hotel room. The pictures of you putting on your dress will have a specific Washington look and feel thanks to the elements that echo the designs of many DC government buildings.
Another of the Hotel Monaco’s selling points is its location. Set in Penn Quarter in what was the original General Post Office, the venue is just steps from Washington institutions like the American Art Museum. That gives you the possibility of taking gorgeous couples portraits in quintessential DC locations without having to travel far.
Best Wedding Venues Washington DC: St. Francis Hall
Type of venue: Historic banquet hall
Maximum capacity: 225
Bridal suite: Yes (but not available for overnight stays)
Defining feature: Soaring ceilings and huge windows
Best spot for couples portraits: Gardens of the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America next door
Pricing structure: Site fee
Pricing information: https://www.stfrancishall.com/ratesandavailability
Contact information: stfrancishall@gmail.com
Why It Is Among the Best Wedding Venues in Washington DC
Many DC wedding location are unique. St. Francis Hall, though, really offers you something one of a kind. It all starts with its design. The location’s romantic Renaissance architecture is a nod to classic buildings in the Old World. Coupled with the interior decor (stone walls, high ceilings, romantic lighting and big windows), it gives you the feel of a wedding in a medieval castle or church. Those windows, though, let in lots of natural light during the day. Along with the warm hardwood flooring, that keeps the atmosphere inside from getting too heavy and dark. Another thing we love about St. Francis Hall is the fact that the getting-ready room overlooks the banquet area. That means you and your wedding party can refresh yourselves after the ceremony without losing track of what’s going on during the cocktail hour!
The best part of a wedding at this venue in Northeast DC, though? It has to be its proximity to one of the loveliest photoshoot locations in DC. The gardens of the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America are an absolute treasure. Whether you like the bold lines of its partially covered walkways, the beauty of the flowers growing in its front yard or the arboreal solitude of the crypt area behind the monastery, this site has something that will make a stunning background in your couples portraits.
Top Wedding Venues in DC: 101 Constitution Rooftop Terrace
Type of venue: Rooftop reception space
Maximum capacity: 400
Bridal suite: No
Defining feature: Rooftop overlooking the National Mall
Best spot for couples portraits: Southeast corner of the terrace with a beautiful view of the US Capitol
Pricing structure: Available upon request
Pricing information: Available upon request
Contact information: 202-589-0520, 101ManagementOffice@LPC.com
Why It Is Among the Top Wedding Venues in DC
One of the best things about the Nation’s Capital as a city is its low skyline. That guarantees that you get a clear view of some of the world’s most famous buildings from miles around. What’s great for the tourists, though, is not so ideal for couples planning their marriage celebrations. Finding a Washington DC wedding venue from which you can look out over the monuments and memorials can be a challenge. There are several locations in nearby (and higher) Arlington, Virginia, that give you a good view of the city. But very few buildings in downtown DC are tall enough to see over the Smithsonian museums that line the National Mall. Few, but not none at all.
Fortunately, there are a couple of locations in that part of town that are close to the Mall and available for weddings. Of those, 101 Constitution Rooftop Terrace has arguably the best line of sight. From inside a tent set up to accommodate your ceremony and/or reception, you get a nice look at the Washington Monument. The view of the US Capitol from the other end of the roof, thought, is unparalleled. Couples who pose for their wedding portraits on that part terrace feel like they can almost reach out and touch the building’s iconic dome. You cannot get a picture like that anywhere else in the District, meaning your wedding photography will stand out from the rest!
Best Washington DC Wedding Venues: Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium
Type of venue: Historical building/ballroom
Maximum capacity: 1000
Bridal suite: No
Defining feature: Massive ornate ballroom
Best spot for couples portraits: Terrace overlooking the Smithsonian National Museum of American History and the Washington Monument
Pricing structure: Site fee
Pricing information: https://mellonauditorium.com/rental-fees-2/
Contact information: Cori-Lucy Simeon-Ohiri, 202-765-4876, corilucy@eventemissary.com
Why It Is Among the Best Washington DC Wedding Venues
If you’re organizing a big wedding and want it to look grand and spectacular, then the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium is the place for you. Marriage celebrations there will definitely leave an impression on your guests! As they enter the building, they will be in awe of the Indiana limestone columns gracing the seven-story facade. The Neoclassical architecture is reminiscent of many of DC’s other famous buildings, giving them the feeling that they are attending a swanky and exclusive Washington event. They will gape even more once they see the Mellon Auditorium’s interior. After passing through the exquisite lobby, they will experience the venue’s centerpiece: its enormous ballroom.
That impressive area is one of the biggest wedding spaces in downtown Washington, DC. It is also one of the most ornate. Huge, stately stone columns rise 60 feet in the air from an exquisite hardwood floor to support a soaring ceiling. A theater-style balcony overlooks the ballroom, giving you some additional seating and a great vantage point for really spectacular wedding photos.
Top Wedding Venues in Washington DC: Fathom Gallery
Type of venue: Art gallery/loft
Maximum capacity: 125
Bridal suite: Yes (but not available for overnight stays)
Defining feature: Rooftop garden
Pricing structure: Available upon request
Pricing information: Available upon request
Contact information: 202-588-8111, info@fathomgallery.org
Why It Is Among the Top Wedding Venues in Washington DC
Do your tastes run more to the eclectic and offbeat? If so, then a wedding celebration in a trendy art gallery might be what you’re looking for. And if that is your cup of tea, then give some thought to Fathom Gallery. It sits in a historic building that was once a brake shop in DC’s “Automobile Row.” It retains much of the original architecture and signage, but its brick walls have been updated with style-appropriate accents.
Though tucked into a relatively cozy DC row house, the wedding venue still offers you everything you’ll need on the day you get married. It has a hotel-room-like space upstairs with a shower in which you can get ready and into your wedding dress. You can then tie the knot with your future spouse in Fathom Gallery’s unique rooftop garden. Afterwards, you can celebrate your nuptials in a combined indoor/outdoor space created by combining the garden with the gallery inside. That part of Fathom Gallery offers you one of the venue’s coolest features. In place of the art that normally hangs on the walls, you can display photos of you and your spouse-to-be. And that gives your wedding celebrations a beautifully personal vibe!
Best Wedding Venues in DC: Tudor Place Historic House & Garden
Type of venue: Historic mansion and gardens
Maximum capacity: 70
Bridal suite: No
Defining feature: Gorgeous gardens
Pricing structure: Site fee
Pricing information: https://tudorplace.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Wedding-Packages-2020.pdf
Contact: Amy Owren, 202-580-7331, events@tudorplace.org
Why It Is Among the Best Wedding Venues in DC
Many DC wedding venues offer couples outdoor garden spaces for ceremonies and receptions. Very few, however, allow you to tie the knot in an actual, proper garden. Tudor Place in Georgetown gives you the chance to exchange your vows in one of the lushest green spaces you’ll ever find. You can marry your future spouse surrounded by gorgeous flowers, fruit trees and exquisitely manicured hedges. As an added bonus, Tudor Place also offers you the possibility of infusing your wedding with some lovely historical touches. The Federal-period mansion that anchors the venue’s 5.5 acres was home to six generations of Martha Washington’s families. Its appearance in the background of your wedding photos will give them a timeless, classical feel.
The best aspect of picking Tudor Place for your wedding, though, is the diverse range of options available to you. If you’re organizing a more intimate marriage celebration, then The Bowling Green is the ideal space. It is a secluded “secret garden” that huge boxwood and magnolia trees hide away from the rest of the venue. If you need a larger area to accommodate your guests, then the South Lawn is the perfect fit. They can sit on a spacious grassy expanse while you tie the knot under a 200-year-old tulip poplar tree.
Contact Us for More Information!
We hope that you enjoyed this glimpse of what your own wedding photo gallery will look like if you book us. We also hope it has piqued your interest about our services! For our part, we can’t wait to hear more about what you have planned for your big day! So go ahead and send us a message here.
Planning a destination wedding? No problem! Though we are based in Washington DC, we often travel for weddings and engagement sessions. That has taken us to countries in Asia, Europe and various cities within the US.
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