Arts Club of Washington

We loved the Arts Club of Washington. It was the 4th venue that we saw in a weekend, and we instantly knew that we wanted it to be our venue - it felt homey, unique, pretty, intimate, urban and overall good deal for the DC area. So much is included: the venue, the tables/linens, the food, the ceremony/reception space, areas to get ready etc. it's just so easy. Plus the folks that work there are just so nice and the staff was so friendly to everyone. You barely have to decorate because the house is just so beautiful. We had 78 people total, the ceremony was outside and the cocktail hour and dinner/dancing inside. I would say 78 people inside was a little tight, so I would make 80 max! It got a little hot. We did everything there and then the hotel next door, Hotel Lombardy, was so easy. Highly recommend. Here is a blog post from my photographer so you can see the venue a bit. https://blog.mistyrodda.com/2018/05/10/arts-club-of-washington-wedding-kate-rob/

We loved the arts club! Super beautiful, fair prices, wonderful staff. We loved how everything was done in house- excellent food, drinks, and day of help from the amazing jenna. Yann and Ken were also fantastic. No complaints. Would highly recommend!

Brides and grooms: do not pass up on this venue! It was one of the first venues I learned about because it's known to be budget-friendly, but I initially wasn't impressed by the pictures online. After visiting over a dozen other venues and not finding one we like, I decided to give the Arts Club a chance. I am SO GLAD that I did--it was love at first site. The venue was the perfect size for our 70-person wedding, and the building's history and ambiance went well with our theme. We got lucky with the weather and were able to do our ceremony and dinner in the courtyard, with the cocktail hour and dancing inside. The venue was very flexible on scheduling a tasting for us. We didn't like all of the food we were served at the tasting, so the chef worked with us to create a menu more to our liking. The chef did a great job and the food was amazing. We also featured signature cocktails. Unfortunately we weren't able to do the wine and cocktail tasting until a few days before the wedding because the venue closes in the month of August, but everything worked out and we had more than enough alcohol. The venue staff worked well with our Day-of coordinator/decorator, and everything was truly amazing. Plus, Hotel Lombardy is right next door, which is very convenient for guests (no designated-driver needed). To sum it up, the Arts Club is beautiful, the rental prices are affordable, and the chef/management work with you to develop a food and beverage menu that works with your budget.

DO NOT BOOK ANOTHER DC VENUE WITHOUT VISITING THE ARTS FIRST!! DC wedding venues are overpriced. The Arts club will provide the ultimate DC venue at one fourth the cost! Every guest commented on how fabulous our venue was! Located in the heart of Washington, DC, The Arts Club of Washington was built in 1806. It served as the home of President James Monroe during restoration of the White House and the site of his Inaugural Ball. Each month, works by local artists are featured in the space. Classic colonial architecture meets modern art in a very unique way. The courtyard was perfect for our ceremony, dinner, and reception! Jenna, Chris, Ken, and the whole team helped make our wedding the best day of our lives! The staff was professional, courteous, and had smiles on their faces the whole day. Although it was a lot of work, I would re-do my wedding at The Arts Club in a heartbeat!! Thank you so much!!

So many great things to say about the Arts Club. It's great because they have a chef onsite, so no need to bring in outside catering. Chris Glenn (GM) and team were so great to work with and did just an excellent job with the entire event. I couldn't have been happier with how things turned out. All I have heard is how great the food was and how much everyone loved the space. As far as costs, it was worth every penny. The total amount included, food, alcohol, space rental and gratuity.

My partner and I looked all over Washington for "just the right place." The Arts Club was the very last place we looked, and I'm so glad we didn't give up early. The building is just SO Washington... and even though we tend to have a contemporary flair... it was irresistible. The space is beautiful, and the history of the place is so neat. We had a small event, around 55 people. The space worked wonderfully for us, though I can see how it could accommodate larger groups beautifully. The weather was outstanding, so we had our ceremony in the courtyard. It was spectacular... pictures don't do it justice. Our cocktail hour was upstairs, and dinner and music was downstairs. Their large studio space was our backup for the ceremony, and was set up for dinner during cocktail hour. They have weekly performances in there: it has a stage that we used for our jazz trio with a tuned piano (helped us cut a better deal with our trio!) The venue is VERY well stocked... they do the catering, they have plenty of tables of different sizes and white chairs as well as all of the flatware, servingware, plates, votives, and linens. We had several family members make our centerpieces, and they offered us access to their vase closet... The most important part though -- the staff of the Arts Club. I can't say enough about how incredible they were. First, there's the manager Chris. He helped us plan everything over the course of the year, and he's so friendly and flexible! He assured me that I never wore him out with my million questions (planning a wedding from a long distance, you know) though I'm not sure how that's humanly possible. :-) Then, there's Jenna. Jenna was in the background running the show on the day-of. She is amazing. There were approximately 10 billion things that I never even thought to think about... and they just... happened.... perfectly. She gave wonderful advice based on lots of past experience, and kept everything running so smoothly. She was always available for us, and always making sure my husband and I had a fresh drink in hand (much appreciated!) :-) Then, there's their chef. I wish we had had a chance to meet him... we opted for a buffet, and everyone commented on how flavorful everything was. The food was truly delicious and very nicely presented (and yes, we made a point to sit and eat it.) :-) Last but way not least, Dwaine, the maitre d'. I didn't even expect we'd have (or need?) a maitre d'. We can't stop talking about how nice Dwaine was. He was always there to make sure things were how we wanted them, and he did a lovely job of inviting everyone down to dinner at the right time and making sure everyone was well served. As we were leaving, he showed me that he had packed up food for us. There were just so many little touches that I can't even remember. We really enjoyed the process, and we appreciated how special they made us feel on our big day.

I intially visited the Arts Club for a work event months before my husband and I were engaged. Upon deciding to marry in Washington, I new this venue would definitely be in the running for the wedding and reception location. We were so please with the Arts Club on EVERY level. The accommodations were amazing, the staff was professional and so very helpful, the atmosphere was perfect, and our guests are still raving about the food. We loved the historical feel of the building and the old Washington charm, and we appreciated the layout of venue that allowed for a seamless flow to the celebration. The ceremony and dinner in the courtyard was perfect. Dancing, cocktail hour, and other festivities inside after were ideal.

It was very historic it was James Monroe's executive mansion which was very DC. The mansion was beautiful and the director was incredibly wonderful.;The only thing to warn about is that there are no bathrooms on the main floor which means if you have guests in a wheel chair or walker this makes it slightly complicated. However they do have a relationship with the hotel/restaurant next door and people can use their facilities if need be.