10 Great Wedding Venues in the Washington DC Area

I'd like to share with you ten wonderful sites for your wedding reception.

In 2009, most of the venues I worked at were places I've worked before, and many of those are wonderful. But I also had the opportunity to work at many venues for the first time, and quite a few of those struck me as extraordinary  -- either because the setting is unique, or the people who work there are fantastic, or both!

Ten in particular struck me.  So I'd like to recommend them. Here, my list of 10 favorite "new" (new to me) wedding sites in the greater Washington DC area.


    * Airlie Center, Warrenton VA. An impressive conference center in a bucolic setting, a 1200-acre campus. Ample lodging as well as banquet facilities.

    * Chesapeake Bay Foundation (Phillip Merrill Center), Annapolis MD. Great site for a truly "green" wedding, both in terms of the facility itself and the organization that runs it.

    * City Club (Franklin Square), Washington DC. Very attractive option for a downtown DC reception, and the people are great. The high-ceiling main lobby makes a stunning setting for dinner.

    * Engineer's Club, Baltimore MD. Worth driving up I-95 for. A true gem brimming with 19th century Gilded Age opulence and charm.

    * Hilton Alexandria Old Town, VA. Lots to like at this up-to-date hotel at the western edge of Old Town. Facilities and personnel all first-rate.

    * House of Sweden, DC. Truly a unique site. Strikingly modern, award-winning architecture; a true touch of Scandinavia in Georgetown.

    * Marriott Wardman Park, DC. One of the city's well-known grand hotels. What makes me recommend it so highly are the people: Everyone I interacted with, from the banquet coordinator to the valet guy, was super-friendly, cheerful, and helpful.

    * St Francis Hall, Northeast DC. A little-known castle-like Romanesque gem in an out-of-the-way part of Washington, adjacent to the Franciscan Monastery.

    * ThorpeWood Lodge, Thurmont MD. Nestled in the Catoctin Mountains not far from Camp David, this setting deep in the woods is delightfully rustic yet features elegant catering.

    * VisArts, Rockville. Located in the heart of the new downtown Rockville (Rockville Town Square), a reception site amidst working artists' studios.

Again, just to be clear, these are my favorites among the sites that I first had the pleasure of working at during the past year, 2009.  There are many other wonderful sites I could recommend. (And yes, there are a few I would NOT recommend -- email me privately if you want to learn of those.)

As I mentioned in a prior blog post, consider consulting with an experienced wedding DJ, caterer, or photographer in your area before booking your wedding venue. These wedding professionals often have invaluable insights into to the pro's and con's of venues you're considering.