Outdoor Wedding Venues in Washington DC
Just as Small Wedding Venues are very popular right now, so are outdoor wedding venues in DC. Many couples are downsizing their guest lists due to the pandemic and seeking out wedding venues with some sort of outdoor space. Being outside gives wedding guests a sense of comfort that they can stay safer than if they are indoors with recirculating air. 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.
Dumbarton House – Great garden spaces for ceremony and cocktails. The dinner area is a tented area that is also outside – dancing is inside in an adjacent ballroom. Expect the tent to cost about as much as your venue rental.
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.
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.
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
Irongate Restaurant – They have a lovely outdoor, trellis-covered dining area that would be great for a small reception – especially for brunch.
The Four Seasons – There is a small patio here that could be used with small events.
The Fairmont Hotel – There is a lovely outdoor courtyard used for cocktail hour
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.
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 – You cannot host your wedding ceremony on site. Ballroom is on the top floor with a rooftop terrace that you can cocktail 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.
Fathom Gallery – There is a rooftop patio often used for the ceremony and for overflow from the reception.
Old Ebbitt Grill – a rooftop space usually used for rehearsal dinners (this might currently be unavailable due to renovations)
The Hay-Adams Hotel – A gorgeous rooftop ballroom with a wrap around terrace for your wedding guests to view the White House during cocktails.
The Showroom – A main floor industrial venue with access to the building’s rooftop patio.
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 with a tent.
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.
City Winery – A multistory music venue that did a great job making the 3rd floor feel as open and rooftop-esque as the actual rooftop space.
District Winery – Overlooking the Anacostia, this venue has a large wrap-around patio usually used for cocktail hour.
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.
Saint Francis Hall – There is a green space here that can be used for ceremony and/or cocktail hour. There is also a small wrap-around patio that can be sued for cocktails – but you have to walk through the reception to get to it. (The photo below is a few years old, landscaping may have changed.)
The Sun Room – a new venue with a roll up door and seemingly 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.
