Meridian House DC wedding ceremony Linden Grove

Outdoor Wedding Venues in Washington DC

Just as Small Wedding Venues are very popular right now, so are outdoor wedding venues in DC. So I thought I should give you a list of all the wedding venues in DC with outdoor space.

Below, I might talk about “thirds” of weddings. This refers to the three main parts of a wedding: ceremony, cocktail hour, and dinner/dance. Many DC venues are in residential areas, so you will want to do your dinner/dance inside otherwise you may have to stop with the amplified music at 10 pm.

Washington DC Wedding Venues with Outdoor Space

Outdoor Gardens for DC Weddings

Larz Anderson House – there is a beautiful garden with a reflecting pool that can typically be used for at least one third of your wedding.

Wilson House – they have a sweet but small garden in the back. A small guest list and an ambitious planner could maybe do 2/3 of a wedding out there.

Meridian House – A very large garden, with space to do ceremony and cocktails outside in a variety of ways. If your group was small enough you could also dine outside.

Meridian House DC wedding
Mk McKenna
Meridian House DC wedding ceremony Linden Grove
Procopio Photography

President Lincoln’s Cottage – A garden area accommodates for most of your wedding day, including a tent for your reception.

Omni Shoreham Hotel – A large hotel property with a garden area for ceremonies and a patio area for cocktails.

The Mandarin Oriental – There is a small outdoor garden for ceremonies

Patios and Courtyards

The Ritz Carlton Georgetown – There is a quaint outdoor area that could be used for ceremony or cocktail hour.

Josephine Butler Parks Center – there is a small terrace to use during cocktails or post-dinner mingling.

Four Seasons Georgetown – has a patio that could be used many ways depending on your guest list

Irongate Restaurant – They have a lovely outdoor, trellis-covered dining area that would be great for a small reception – especially for brunch.

The Fairmont Hotel – There is a lovely outdoor courtyard used for cocktail hour

The Fairmont Hotel DC wedding - outdoor area

The Decatur House – A wonderful DC wedding venue with a large courtyard that can be tented. You can ceremony and dinner/dance out here! Expect the tent to cost about as much as your venue rental.

Decatur House Wedding DC by top wedding planner Bellwether Events
Connor Studios

DC Rooftops for Weddings

The Line Hotel – rooftop that is partially tented and partially open air. Depending on the guest list size, you could do as much as 2/3 of your wedding up there.

Riggs Hotel – Ballroom is on the top floor with a rooftop terrace that you can mingle on.

The Conrad Hotel – there is a rooftop terrace that you can cocktail on.

Martin Luther King Jr. Library – there is a rooftop terrace that you can probably do ceremony and or cocktails on, depending on your guest list.

MLK Wedding ceremony rooftop Jewish Chuppah

Fathom Gallery – There is a rooftop patio often used for the ceremony and for overflow from the reception.

Fathom Gallery DC wedding outdoor venue
Connor Studios

The Hay-Adams Hotel – A gorgeous rooftop ballroom with a wrap around terrace for your wedding guests to view the White House during cocktails.

Hay Adams Hotel wedding DC outdoor space
Photography by Steve and Jane

The Showroom – A main floor industrial venue with access to the building’s rooftop patio.

Showroom DC wedding portrait rooftop bride and groom
Vicki Grafton Photography

Spy Museum – a killer rooftop terrace with a glass event space so you can do almost all of your wedding up here if you want.

101 Constitution – A rooftop overlooking the Capitol dome – now fully enclosed.

101 Constitution wedding rooftop outdoor venue

Potomac View Terrace – A rooftop with a stunning DC view, with a tent.

The Observatory at America’s Square – a rooftop with a timeless DC view, with a tent.

Capitol View at 400 – a rooftop with a great DC view, with indoor space.

District Winery – Overlooking the Anacostia, this venue has a large wrap-around patio usually used for cocktail hour.

District Winery DC wedding fireworks
Eli Turner

Autoshop – A killer industrial space with a green rooftop for cocktails, and maybe even a small ceremony

Unique Outdoor Wedding Venues

Sequoia Restaurant – There is a large wrap around patio on this Georgetown restaurant that most couples use during cocktail hour.

Arena Stage – The Mead Center has a very cool outdoor terrace looking out at the Wharf that could be used for cocktails, or more for a smaller group.

Ronald Reagan Building – They have multiple event spaces, including access to the pavilion area behind the building, where you could do ceremony and or cocktails.

Daughters of the American Revolution – A large terrace, partially covered, where you can do the wedding ceremony and cocktails if you want. Add a tent and you could dine out there as well.

DAR DC wedding ceremony outside area
Kurstin Roe Photography
DAR wedding reception lounge area terrace
Kurstin Roe Photography

The Sun Room – a small venue with a roll up door and access to the area outside

Dockmaster Building – An all glass building on the pier at the Wharf – you can use part of the pier with your rental – usually ceremony and or cocktails. An ambitious planner would have you dine out there, and dance inside.

North Hall at Eastern Market – You can partition off part of the sidewalk for your cocktail hour.

Yards Park – All outdoors, to be used as you want!

OK, this list of outdoor wedding venues in DC got real long, real fast. I was going to include wedding venues in the Virginia and Maryland suburbs of DC, but now I think I need to create a new post or two for those. So please come back again!

Need more venue advice? I have your back: Every Wedding Hotel in Loudoun County, the Best Wedding Barns in Northern Virginia, Wedding Ceremony Only Venues, and the Best Wedding Venues with a View.

And if you want to cut through the noise and expertly find the perfect wedding venue, please reach out!