>> Washingtonian Wedding Guide
Arts Club of Washington, 2017 I St., NW; 202-331-7282 ext. 20. These adjoining townhouses—once President Monroe’s executive mansion—have an art-filled gallery and a large garden for ceremonies. Capacity: 300. Rates: $800 to $2,700.
Atrium at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, 9750 Meadowlark Gardens Ct., Vienna; 703-255-3631 ext. 105. Our top-ranked garden site, Meadowlark’s glass-walled atrium is filled with flowers, plants, and fountains. Capacity: 170 seated. Saturday rentals $7,100; $6,200 Virginia residents.
Black Horse Inn, 8393 Meetze Rd., Warrenton; 540-349-4020. This historic 20-acre estate offers a garden terrace and a grand ballroom with views of rolling horse pastures. Capacity: 200 seated. Rates: $2,100 to $10,460.
Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton; 301-962-1404. This popular site for outdoor weddings has an elegant gazebo for ceremonies. The reception hall has floor-to-ceiling windows with views of gardens and ponds. Capacity: 125 indoors, 200 outdoors. Rates for ceremony: $500 to $625; with reception $1,600 to $2,750.
Chesapeake Bay Beach Club, 500 Marina Club Rd., Stevensville; 410-604-1933. This waterfront club, with manicured lawns for receptions and ballrooms with bay views, was the site of the Today show’s “hometown wedding” in 2005. Capacity: 330. Rates: $6,000 to $13,000.
DAR, National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, 1776 D St., NW; 202-879-3318. The covered portico at this historic building, which offers views of the Washington Monument, is popular for outdoor weddings. The adjacent O’Byrne Gallery and DAR’s cozy library are elegant indoor settings. Capacity: 140 seated in the portico. Rates: $6,800 to $7,500.
Dumbarton House, 2715 Q St., NW; 202-337-2288 ext. 230. This Federal-era house has an elegant banquet room with an adjacent courtyard. Ceremonies can be held in the mansion’s English-style gardens. Capacity: 150 to 175. Rate: $6,000, $7,500 with ceremony.
Evermay, 1623 28th St., NW; 202-338-1118. Outdoor ceremonies can take place in the rose garden of this Georgetown mansion, which has an upper-level terrace with views of the Washington Monument. Capacity: 200 seated, 350 standing. Rates: $10,000 and up.
Foxchase Manor, 8310 Chatsworth Dr., Manassas; 703-369-3638. This Jeffersonian manor house, with Greek columns and three porticos, has several chandeliered ballrooms to hold large and small weddings. Capacity: 1,500. Rates: $6,000 to $11,000.
George Washington’s River Farm, 7931 E. Boulevard Dr., Alexandria; 703-768-5700 ext. 114. The state house is set on sprawling lawns leading to the Potomac River; the large parlor and dining room open onto porches overlooking the water. Capacity: 160. Rates: $2,000 to $7,700.
Halcyon House, 3400 Prospect St., NW; 202-338-3295. The three-tiered garden at this 18th-century Georgetown mansion hosts outdoor ceremonies; the sculpture studio is ideal for receptions. Capacity: 180 seated. Rental fees $3,000 to $10,000.
Mansion and Music Center at Strathmore, 10701 Rockville Pike, North Bethesda; 301-581-5255. The turn-of-the-century Georgian-style mansion and the glass-walled music center are both available for weddings. Capacity of mansion: 150 seated, 225 standing; music center: 325 seated, 1,200 standing. Rates: mansion $2,400 to $4,200; music center $5,000. Mansion discounts for Montgomery County residents.
Meridian House, 1630 Crescent Pl., NW; 202-939-5592. Our top-rated historic site, this early-1900s property is on three acres of gardens. Capacity: 200 seated with dancing. Rates: $8,000 to $10,000.
Mount Vernon Inn, George Washington Memorial Pkwy., Mount Vernon; 703-780-0011. This restaurant has a sunken courtyard for outdoor ceremonies, with an elegant staircase leading inside. The entire inn is available for dinner and dancing. Capacity: 220. Rates: $8,000 to $18,000.
National Museum of Women in the Arts, 1250 New York Ave., NW; 202-783-7988. The great hall and mezzanine, which have white marble floors and sweeping staircases, are adorned with works from the museum’s collection. Brides like the private dressing area. Capacity: 500 seated, 1,000 standing. Rates: $8,000 to $12,000.
Oatlands Plantation, 20850 Oatlands Plantation La., Leesburg; 703-777-3174 ext. 113. This historic plantation has a four-acre terraced garden, popular for outdoor weddings. Guests dine and dance in tents on the front lawn or in the cozy carriage house. Capacity: 300 for grounds, 80 for carriage house. Rates: $4,500 to $5,500.
Raspberry Plain, 16500 Agape La., Leesburg; 703-777-1888. Ceremonies at this Colonial-era estate can be held on the front lawn, in the gardens, or in the conservatory. The carriage house is ideal for smaller weddings. Capacity: carriage house 60, mansion 200. Rates: carriage house $1,500 to $4,000, mansion $3,000 to $8,000.
Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., NW; 202-312-1300. The atrium has 125-foot ceilings and a grand staircase; the smaller rotunda features a 28-foot dome and a balcony. Outdoor ceremonies can be held on a plaza. On-site catering. Capacity: 800. Rates start at $129 a person.
Stephen Decatur House Museum, 1610 H St., NW; 202-842-0917. Located on Lafayette Square across from the White House, the carriage house at this historic mansion has vaulted ceilings and French doors that open onto a courtyard. Capacity: 150 carriage house or 220 seated in courtyard, 250 or 400 standing. Rates: $4,700 to $7,300.
Thomas Birkby House, 109 Loudoun St., Leesburg; 703-777-2700. Large weddings are often held in an outdoor garden under a tent (included in the fee); smaller weddings are inside the historic house, which has wall sconces and brass-and-crystal chandeliers. Capacity: 175 seated, 200 standing in the garden. Rates: $4,000 to $7,000.
Top of the Town, 1400 N. 14th St., Arlington; 703-387-8696. On the penthouse level of a Rosslyn condominium, this event space has 12-foot windows and an outdoor terrace offering views of the Washington skyline. Capacity: 180. Rates: $2,200 to $5,500.
Torpedo Factory Art Center, 105 N. Union St., Alexandria; 703-838-4565 ext. 2. The main hall at this art space has a two-story atrium with a balcony; windows allow guests to see the studios. Capacity: 300 seated, 700 standing. Rates: $3,500 to $4,000.
Whitehall Manor, 18301 Whitehall Estate La., Bluemont; 703-948-2999. This 19th-century country estate has a room with three walls of windows and garden views. Ceremonies can also be held outdoors under a canopy of trees. In-house catering. Capacity: 250. Rates: $1,600 to $8,000.
Woodend Sanctuary, 8940 Jones Mill Rd., Chevy Chase; 301-652-9188 ext. 38. Headquarters of the Audubon Naturalist Society, this estate’s grounds are filled with wildflowers, birds, and the occasional deer. Most ceremonies are held in the hemlock grove; the tented terrace is included April through November. Capacity: 170. Rates: $2,300 to $8,400.
Woodlawn, 9000 Richmond Hwy., Alexandria; 703-780-4000 ext. 26333. The formal gardens, which face a gazebo, are used for ceremonies at this Federal-era mansion. The gardens can be tented. Capacity: 300. Rates start at $2,450.
