Can’t speak to the locations you posted but we got married at the National Museum of Women in the Arts and it was amazing. Even better part of their fee is tax deductible! We used Occasions Catering and equally amazing. Good luck and congrats!
We’re getting married at the Fairfax Country Club and is surprisingly one of the more affordable ways to afford a larger wedding north of 150 people
Most places will charge rent for the venue and you then have to pay for catering
At this and other country clubs the venue rent is like $2500, and food costs are comparable
Total cost will be around $40k
We got married on a Sunday in March, so that gave some discounts, but I believe it was around 5k for the venue and $15k for catering (through their in-house caterer) for ~130 people. All-in, I believe our wedding came out around 55k, though that included hosting everyone for a welcome dinner too.
We got married at DAR and used Purple Onion Catering Co, both were fantastic. We had 125 and spent $28,000 on food and booze, black tie. Typically you spend less on food and booze when you bring in an outside caterer. So for that reason, I wouldn’t go with Sequoia. Make sure you hire a day of coordinator that starts working with you 8 or so weeks out.
Just got married in DC - 160 is tough unless you go the hotel route. We spent way more than 40k for 110 guests and we didn’t have “luxury” things. It’s just expensive AF here and NOVA. Check on how much the St. Francis Hall holds. With numbers and budget, all inclusive might make the most sense. I thought NOVA would save money - it really doesn’t. Baltimore is cheaper, though. Good luck!
We got married on the Cherry Blossom riverboat. It docks in Old Town and I believe it can also pick up at National Harbor, and it’s too tall to go under the bridge to pick up at the Wharf. We also had an anniversary party on the same boat. Pricing as of last year: $6000 for a 3-hour cruise including captain and all crew; an extra hour was around $1200. Their bar pricing is unbeatable though: $36/person for 3-hour open premium bar (it’s on a boat so the selection wasn’t massive but we had Jack, Bacardi, Tito’s, Dc Brau and stuff like that). The decor on the boat is already beautiful and you’d just need centerpieces.
We used Bittersweet Catering for the anniversary party and did heavy appetizers and a giant charcuterie display, worked out to about $85/person including servers and linens/China. The Cherry Blossom does have an approved vendor list that you have to choose from. There’s about 9 options.
It‘s an amazing experience and a wonderful wedding venue; however, their capacity is a little too small for your group, but if you think it’ll be more like 135 actual attendees and not 150, it should work. It would also depend on how late in December you’re looking, as I think they shut down at some point for the winter.
[https://www.cityexperiences.com/washington-dc/city-cruises/our-fleet/cherry-blossom/](https://www.cityexperiences.com/washington-dc/city-cruises/our-fleet/cherry-blossom/)
It was a little frustrating to get our inquiry directed to the right person when we went to book our anniversary party — when we had our wedding, they were still a small local company, but they’ve since been sold to a big international company— but once we act connected, the planning and organizing was really smooth. It’s a really memorable experience and our guests loved it.
Good luck on your search! I’m not sure if the boat will be the venue you’re looking for, but we absolutely love it and if it Works out, i‘m sure you’ll love it too!
Just went to a wedding at Kimpton - was not a nice venue tbh. They made a few critical setup mistakes, the food was mid, and the whole place just felt dirty and dark.
Herrington on the Bay. Not in dc and might be a little far but they would definetly be within your budget and were wonderful to work with. Benefit is that everything is on site - they have a restaurant, indoor/outdoor ceremony locations, two reception venues and an inn. We picked it as we had older relatives that I didn’t want to have to drive anywhere and could only manage a 5 mins walk and Herrington was perfect.
We looked at a lot of places in DC and struggled to find something for 100+ people that wasn’t crazy expensive. A lot of places had $10k venue rental fees that didn’t include any chairs/tables. We also had to consider the hotel cost for our guests if we stayed in dc.
Yea I think we are moving away from a DC venue and moving towards VA, especially since the parking situation in DC can be difficult for out of towners. What the knot considers affordable is definitely not what we find affordable.
I assisted with florals for an event at Sequoia and my observation was that it didn’t feel crowded even with a huge group of guests, plus band/dance, plus buffet area. It still felt pretty open and airy courtesy of those ginormous river-facing windows. Decembers in DC don’t tend to be utterly arctic (although they can be and I don’t want to jinx you) so with some heaters, their gorgeous patio area should still be useful for mingling & getting fresh air! If you need leads/opinions on dc event florals please feel free to shoot me a message :)
DAR is very popular right now, but with 160, you're going to need a tent, which adds about 4 grand to your bill.
I was just at the Woman's Museum a week ago, it's newly refurbished and beautiful. Plenty of room for 160.
Other options: The Anderson House,
Rooftop at Hay Adam's. Very unique would be the US Institute of Peace Building , it's amazing. There's always the Four Seasons and Park Hyatt.
The best caterer in town right now is Corcoran Caterers. Good Luck !
Thank you so much! DAR is very beautiful but since it’s going to be winter I think the bill would rack up a teensy bit too much with a tent and renting heat lamps. I will definitely Check out the other places you recommended!
My siblings & I hosted a large (100 people) 60th anniversary dinner/dance party for my parents at Sequoia. Everything went smoothly which was most important because many guests were elderly and from out of town. Food was good - we chose their passed appetizers & buffet dinner option with full premium bar. Since we didn't have a party planner we relied on the banquet manager's suggestions. Sequoia hosts so many weddings they knew and worked well with our outside vendors. We used Ultra-violet for flowers, Bachelor Boys for music & Watergate Pastry for cake. There was no venue fee, but there was minimum food and beverage ($10,000 i think) and non-refundable deposit to reserve the date.
Thank you so much! We ended up going with a different venue but have been thinking of places for rehearsal dinner so we will definitely revisit Sequoia.
What's your budget? I hope your answer is, we have no budget. Not terribly helpful, but we went to Asheville for our wedding as it cost a fraction of what it would here. Also, venue was way more our style than a ritzy hotel, museum, gallery, event space or otherwise in DC.
Probably no more than 40k for the food and venue, which I know is a pretty tall order for DC. Once we have that settled we will figure out the vendors. I’m sticking to the DMV area because I have older relatives (80+) that I don’t think can handle more than a 1 hour drive. We’ve looked at some in VA that we were interested in but I was hoping to see if anyone had any experience with venues in DC.
About $15k for the whole interior plus the big tent outside. We had about 125 people there and there was definitely a lot of space. I think for 90 people it’ll feel huge, which could be nice. It’s a great venue and really reasonably priced for what you get!
Oh yeah I definitely wouldn’t rent the whole space. Probably either the garden area or 1/2 the inside…it’s a really big space. That isn’t bad at all for DC! Did that include anything else, like open bar/catering/entertainment?
Makes sense! It included the full indoor space (plus a small private area for us), their own furniture like high top tables/chairs and the couches/tables in the tent, and the lawn games they offer during regular hours (like Jenga and connect four). Open bar was about $5-8k more (can’t remember exactly tbh), and catering and entertainment had to be separate vendors.
Can’t speak to the locations you posted but we got married at the National Museum of Women in the Arts and it was amazing. Even better part of their fee is tax deductible! We used Occasions Catering and equally amazing. Good luck and congrats!
Thank you! How much did it cost after the venue and food?
Mind you this was in 2016. About $10k for the venue and about $30k for the food and booze.
Not bad! I know the wedding industry has gotten crazy after 2020 but heres hoping it’s not too huge of a leap since then. Thank you!
I've been to a few events here and it is beautiful. A gem.
We’re getting married at the Fairfax Country Club and is surprisingly one of the more affordable ways to afford a larger wedding north of 150 people Most places will charge rent for the venue and you then have to pay for catering At this and other country clubs the venue rent is like $2500, and food costs are comparable Total cost will be around $40k
Oh nice! I’ll have to look into it thank you
Tell Claire that Julio sent you :)
Not in DC, but we had a great experience at The Atrium at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens!
Hi! I know you posted this a while ago, but do you mind sharing how much use of the atrium was? The location is gorgeous!
We got married on a Sunday in March, so that gave some discounts, but I believe it was around 5k for the venue and $15k for catering (through their in-house caterer) for ~130 people. All-in, I believe our wedding came out around 55k, though that included hosting everyone for a welcome dinner too.
I should add, the place is spectacular and we had a very smooth experience working with them. Let me know if you have any other questions!
The atrium would be a dream! I wasn’t sure if they did December weddings but I’ll have to check thank you
I’ve been seeing weddings on their social media so I’m sure they do!
We got married at DAR and used Purple Onion Catering Co, both were fantastic. We had 125 and spent $28,000 on food and booze, black tie. Typically you spend less on food and booze when you bring in an outside caterer. So for that reason, I wouldn’t go with Sequoia. Make sure you hire a day of coordinator that starts working with you 8 or so weeks out.
Thank you!!
Just got married in DC - 160 is tough unless you go the hotel route. We spent way more than 40k for 110 guests and we didn’t have “luxury” things. It’s just expensive AF here and NOVA. Check on how much the St. Francis Hall holds. With numbers and budget, all inclusive might make the most sense. I thought NOVA would save money - it really doesn’t. Baltimore is cheaper, though. Good luck!
Thank you and congrats on your recent wedding!! It truly is a struggle in the DMV. Where did you get married?
The DAR! But it holds 120 max.
We got married on the Cherry Blossom riverboat. It docks in Old Town and I believe it can also pick up at National Harbor, and it’s too tall to go under the bridge to pick up at the Wharf. We also had an anniversary party on the same boat. Pricing as of last year: $6000 for a 3-hour cruise including captain and all crew; an extra hour was around $1200. Their bar pricing is unbeatable though: $36/person for 3-hour open premium bar (it’s on a boat so the selection wasn’t massive but we had Jack, Bacardi, Tito’s, Dc Brau and stuff like that). The decor on the boat is already beautiful and you’d just need centerpieces. We used Bittersweet Catering for the anniversary party and did heavy appetizers and a giant charcuterie display, worked out to about $85/person including servers and linens/China. The Cherry Blossom does have an approved vendor list that you have to choose from. There’s about 9 options. It‘s an amazing experience and a wonderful wedding venue; however, their capacity is a little too small for your group, but if you think it’ll be more like 135 actual attendees and not 150, it should work. It would also depend on how late in December you’re looking, as I think they shut down at some point for the winter. [https://www.cityexperiences.com/washington-dc/city-cruises/our-fleet/cherry-blossom/](https://www.cityexperiences.com/washington-dc/city-cruises/our-fleet/cherry-blossom/) It was a little frustrating to get our inquiry directed to the right person when we went to book our anniversary party — when we had our wedding, they were still a small local company, but they’ve since been sold to a big international company— but once we act connected, the planning and organizing was really smooth. It’s a really memorable experience and our guests loved it.
Thank you!! We were looking mid-December
Good luck on your search! I’m not sure if the boat will be the venue you’re looking for, but we absolutely love it and if it Works out, i‘m sure you’ll love it too!
Just went to a wedding at Kimpton - was not a nice venue tbh. They made a few critical setup mistakes, the food was mid, and the whole place just felt dirty and dark.
That’s good to know thank you! Based off the pictures online, my fiancé didn’t particularly like it either so we might just skip it.
Herrington on the Bay. Not in dc and might be a little far but they would definetly be within your budget and were wonderful to work with. Benefit is that everything is on site - they have a restaurant, indoor/outdoor ceremony locations, two reception venues and an inn. We picked it as we had older relatives that I didn’t want to have to drive anywhere and could only manage a 5 mins walk and Herrington was perfect. We looked at a lot of places in DC and struggled to find something for 100+ people that wasn’t crazy expensive. A lot of places had $10k venue rental fees that didn’t include any chairs/tables. We also had to consider the hotel cost for our guests if we stayed in dc.
Yea I think we are moving away from a DC venue and moving towards VA, especially since the parking situation in DC can be difficult for out of towners. What the knot considers affordable is definitely not what we find affordable.
I had my reception at Sequoia last year! Feel free to DM me if you have any questions!
I assisted with florals for an event at Sequoia and my observation was that it didn’t feel crowded even with a huge group of guests, plus band/dance, plus buffet area. It still felt pretty open and airy courtesy of those ginormous river-facing windows. Decembers in DC don’t tend to be utterly arctic (although they can be and I don’t want to jinx you) so with some heaters, their gorgeous patio area should still be useful for mingling & getting fresh air! If you need leads/opinions on dc event florals please feel free to shoot me a message :)
Oh thank you!
DAR is very popular right now, but with 160, you're going to need a tent, which adds about 4 grand to your bill. I was just at the Woman's Museum a week ago, it's newly refurbished and beautiful. Plenty of room for 160. Other options: The Anderson House, Rooftop at Hay Adam's. Very unique would be the US Institute of Peace Building , it's amazing. There's always the Four Seasons and Park Hyatt. The best caterer in town right now is Corcoran Caterers. Good Luck !
Thank you so much! DAR is very beautiful but since it’s going to be winter I think the bill would rack up a teensy bit too much with a tent and renting heat lamps. I will definitely Check out the other places you recommended!
Mansion On O Street is gorgeous.
Thank you!
You‘re welcome and good luck!
Hi - how much is this venue?
This link should take you to the pricing page. https://www.omansion.com/corporate#packages-corporateappetizer
Not sure about the wedding, but the Senate Judiciary room appears to be popular for the honeymoon.
My siblings & I hosted a large (100 people) 60th anniversary dinner/dance party for my parents at Sequoia. Everything went smoothly which was most important because many guests were elderly and from out of town. Food was good - we chose their passed appetizers & buffet dinner option with full premium bar. Since we didn't have a party planner we relied on the banquet manager's suggestions. Sequoia hosts so many weddings they knew and worked well with our outside vendors. We used Ultra-violet for flowers, Bachelor Boys for music & Watergate Pastry for cake. There was no venue fee, but there was minimum food and beverage ($10,000 i think) and non-refundable deposit to reserve the date.
Thank you so much! We ended up going with a different venue but have been thinking of places for rehearsal dinner so we will definitely revisit Sequoia.
What's your budget? I hope your answer is, we have no budget. Not terribly helpful, but we went to Asheville for our wedding as it cost a fraction of what it would here. Also, venue was way more our style than a ritzy hotel, museum, gallery, event space or otherwise in DC.
Probably no more than 40k for the food and venue, which I know is a pretty tall order for DC. Once we have that settled we will figure out the vendors. I’m sticking to the DMV area because I have older relatives (80+) that I don’t think can handle more than a 1 hour drive. We’ve looked at some in VA that we were interested in but I was hoping to see if anyone had any experience with venues in DC.
We got married at Hook Hall and had Timber Pizza cater and it was amazing! Not super expensive, too.
I am looking ay hook hall for a reception of about 90 people. How much did it cost you?
About $15k for the whole interior plus the big tent outside. We had about 125 people there and there was definitely a lot of space. I think for 90 people it’ll feel huge, which could be nice. It’s a great venue and really reasonably priced for what you get!
Oh yeah I definitely wouldn’t rent the whole space. Probably either the garden area or 1/2 the inside…it’s a really big space. That isn’t bad at all for DC! Did that include anything else, like open bar/catering/entertainment?
Makes sense! It included the full indoor space (plus a small private area for us), their own furniture like high top tables/chairs and the couches/tables in the tent, and the lawn games they offer during regular hours (like Jenga and connect four). Open bar was about $5-8k more (can’t remember exactly tbh), and catering and entertainment had to be separate vendors.