DC Museum Wedding Costs – A Sample Budget
Washington DC has so many amazing wedding venues. Included in the plethora of options are many different kinds of museums. When comparing them, it can be hard to know what other costs might be incurred with a museum wedding. So I’ve written a wide-ranging DC museum wedding budget below for your review. This sample of DC wedding costs is not venue-specific (unlike my many other blog posts), so you will need to decipher which line items are relevant to you. It may be helpful to hire an expert DC wedding planner to help you with this if you are feeling overwhelmed and unsure.
Here is a round-up of DC museums where you can host your wedding:
The International Spy Museum – a contemporary 8th-floor ballroom with floor-to-ceiling windows plus rooftop space overlooking the Wharf.
The National Museum for Women in the Arts – a classical revival building dedicated to female artists. The two-story Great Hall is jaw-dropping. Ideal for up to 200 guests for a seated dinner on the Mezzanine.
Renwick Gallery – A Smithsonian in the Second Empire style in a fabulous location across the street from the White House. The colorful ceiling installation is on its way out, and I can’t wait to see what replaces it in the main event space.
National Portrait Gallery – Weddings at the National Portrait Gallery are typically held in the Kogod Courtyard, which is a contemporary space filled with plants and a skylight roof.
The National Building Museum – the largest venue on this list, ideal for weddings with hundreds of guests.
George Washington’s Mount Vernon – this Georgian Mansion has various spots around the property, including a brick courtyard and a colonial-inspired restaurant.
DC Museum Wedding Costs – A Sample Budget
There is a lot to consider when considering DC museum wedding costs. First, note the head count that I am basing this on: 180. If this differs from your expected headcount, you can use the % column to help guide your wedding planning. One reason to pick one of the museums I listed above is their larger capacities for your wedding guest list. However, the list of historic DC wedding venue ideas below offers lower capacities.
Many of the line items here are either a mid-range or a minimum spend. For the wedding planner, I included partial planning, but you may need more or less help than that. With florals it is a minimum spend listed for a large museum. Regarding a band, you could spend a little less than what I noted, or a lot more. You don’t have to have a stage for your band, but why invest in a band if your guests won’t be able to see them? I included nothing for transportation, because these venues are often walking distance to hotels.
Furniture rentals are a nice to have, not a must have. I do recommend getting event lighting, it will make your wedding and your wedding photos look much better, when done correctly. And you may or may not need pipe and drape, depending on your location and event flow.
Here are some more historic DC wedding venues that are museum-adjacent:
Dumbarton House – A Federal-style colonial estate with beautiful grounds. You will tent the courtyard and dance in the adjacent room. Click here to read my analysis of Dumbarton House wedding costs.
Decatur House – A Federal-style mansion with historic parlors and newer event spaces. You will likely want to add a tent to the courtyard if you have more than 120 guests. Here is more information about Decatur House wedding costs.
Daughters of the American Revolution – a classical Beaux-Arts building with Washington Monument views. A capacity of 140. I have published an ultimate guide to DAR weddings.
Larz Anderson House – a Beaux-Arts beauty with an outdoor reflecting pool for more intimate weddings.
Perry Belmont House – a grand Beaux-Arts building with soaring ceilings and a capacity of 150, with climate-controlled space for your whole event.
Meridian House – a stunning Beaux-Arts building with a capacity of 150 and manicured outdoor grounds. I wrote another blog post all about Meridian House wedding costs.
If you found this helpful and would like more help from us, please reach out. You can also fill out this form and I will send you a sample DC wedding budget custom to your specifications!
Photo credits from top: Andrew Morrell, Kir Tuben, Love Life Images, Snowdrop, Stephen Bobb, Sincereli, Vicki Grafton, Terri Baskin
