4.7 out of 5 stars and 43 reviews
4.7
(43)2050 Ballenger Avenue, Alexandria, VA
About this vendor
Welcome to the most unique, romantic and beautiful venue in the Washington, DC area! Our classic art deco design evokes memories of 1940's New York City and Old Hollywood. The Club combines classic elegance with modern luxury right in the heart of downtown Alexandria. The Club is consistently praised for venue ambiance, outstanding service, food quality, value pricing and convenient location - with 2 partner hotels within walking distance!
With upgraded furnishings, a full professional sound and lighting system, an inlaid wood curved dance floor and a classic round bar that guests absolutely love, the Carlyle Club will transform your special day into an extraordinary day. This unique venue turns your event into a true celebration - the Club is definitely not your typical hotel ballroom!
Amenities + details
Handicap Accessible
Indoor Event Space
Liability Insurance
Outdoor Event Space
Reception Area
Wireless Internet
Covered Outdoors Space
Dressing Room
On-Site Accommodations
Ceremony Types
- Civil Union
- Commitment Ceremony
- Interfaith Ceremony
- Non-Religious Ceremony
- Religious Ceremony
- Second Wedding
Settings
- Ballroom
- Historic Venue
- Restaurant
Venue Service Offerings
- Bar & Drinks
- Cakes & Desserts
- Food & Catering
- Planning
- Service Staff
Awards and Affiliations
2013 'Best of Weddings'
Best of Weddings
The Knot independently assesses vendors for this award—it’s never self-reported. We base it on firsthand experiences from real couples and guests, and they must have a 4.5-star average across 7+ reviews in the qualifying year.
Reviews
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4.7
out of 5.043 reviews
I just realized that neither my spouse nor I had submitted a review for The Carlyle Club after our wedding - so better late than never! If you are considering The Carlyle Club for...
your reception amongst other venues, stop what you are doing right now and book the Carlyle immediately! The venue was AMAZING. It's newer, but the decor is distinctly early 1900's art deco chic. It is cool. The Staff was AMAZING. The food was over the top - big portions for the entrees. We had arrival cocktails and an appetizer table - all FIRST CLASS (and we had a rather discerning crowd). The bartenders were on their game - our guests can drink - no one waited for anything. The staff was attentive and the Manager (Sharon) took care of everything - even our last-minute requests. There was no want for anything. This venue is also a music/dance type supper club with a raised stage. The stage itself was fantastic. We had a live band (The Excellent Drivers - they too were amazing - we highly recommend them too if you need a band in the Washington DC area - we picked every song they played and in a specific order.
They were very flexible) and I worked out the lighting and the curtain open/closing effects with the Carlyle in advance to add a little surprise for the guests. As everyone sat down for dinner, the house music faded, and the band started playing and the curtain then opened. It was epic. We danced all night. The sound mixing guy, Noah, did a fantastic job. He also set up the lighting which was also perfect - the side lighting was LED so it could be changed for a multitude of colors - which we did. I think we had 2-3 settings throughout the night. Did I mention the table layout? Sharon gave us some ideas, but we customized it. You know how the family politics go at weddings about who is sitting where, so we were able to keep everyone happy. Sharon was very accommodating for whatever we wanted to do. You want to know about table linens? Perfect. It was an evening wedding, so we had black tablecloths with colored accent runners and napkins. Sharon had a HUGE selection of linens to choose from so we had lots of options. Candles on each table set the mood. Silverware was clean and glassware was spotless (I know because I checked prior). All in all, it was a magical night and the Carlyle Club really shined. Here's the best part. To this day, people STILL tell me it was the BEST wedding they have ever been to! The best. EVER. Wow! Given that we are a bit older and our crowd was a bit older, this is a big compliment as these folks have been to a lot of weddings. The Carlyle Club helped make it all happen. We look forward to returning there for a live show in the near future. Oh, one last thing - there is no rice or confetti when the bride and groom leave. For nighttime weddings they do a sparkler send off. It was super fun and we highly recommend it. Hint: get your sparklers in advance online or at your local party store.
We hosted our son’s Rehearsal Dinner here and it was fantastic. The pricing was very reasonable with no hidden fees or unexpected add ones. Everyone remarked how delicious the food...
was and loved the ambience. Meaghan is very responsive and easy to work with. Would book here again for another event.
It took me close to six months to decide on a venue for our March 30th wedding (so long that we pushed our date from 10/2018 to 03/2019). So many times, I would scroll right past T...
he Carlyle Club - thinking it didn't fit my vision. When I finally decided to check it out, I fell in love the moment I walked in. I was right, it didn't fit my vision -- it actually gave me a whole new vision and I was ready to hit the ground running with it. When I say Sharon was a God-send, it is no exaggeration. She helped calm my nerves on multiple occasions. She is direct and straight to the point, with a little sugar on top. My wedding turned out perfectly. I have absolutely no complaints. Everything and everyone was exactly where it was supposed to be when it was supposed to be there. I didn't have to worry about anything! And can we talk about the food?! The menu tasting was my favorite part of the planning process, by far. The food at the event was spectacular. A month later and all of my guests are still raving about how amazing the food and the service was! If I could do it all over again, I wouldn't change a thing. I truly recommend them for any event!
After looking at a few venues and feeling discouraged that we didn't love any of them in-person, my fiance found the Carlyle Club. As soon as we got inside, we knew we had found th...
e one! The decor is fantastic and you automatically feel classier by just being inside! Sharon and Brennan were wonderful to deal with and went out of their way to accommodate us. We went to a few events at the Carlyle Club in the months leading up to our wedding and Sharon and her staff always made a point to say hello to us and wish us well. Sharon essentially serves a day-of coordinator and works tirelessly with you in the build-up to the big day to make sure she has all the details and timing right to coordinate with all the vendors. Our day ran smoothly and Sharon acts like a mom, making sure the bride and groom have whatever they need and ensuring they eat amidst all the excitement! :) So thrilled we went with the Carlyle Club and excited to attend future events there!
My husband and I used the Carlyle Club for our reception space, and I could not have imagined a more beautiful space to use for our big day! All the amenities the venue provides (i...
n-house catering and open bar, in-house dance floor, in-house decorations, etc) plus individuals who go above and beyond in creating the perfect day ensured us we got the perfect spot. Before the wedding, Sharon (the day-of coordinator) and Brennan (in charge of finances and contracts) were extremely helpful, down-to-earth, and accommodating! They answered all our questions and allowed us to customize our reception to what we wanted (hours, décor, timing, etc). The tasting was exquisite as the cooks prepared both of us multiple full entrees and appetizers (we had lots of leftovers which we weren’t complaining!); the food is amazing! The week before the wedding, Sharon and Brennan were accommodating regarding the billing (we had a change in the guest count) and flexible on when we could provide decorations. For the day of, my husband and I were able to see the reception before guests entered, and the venue was even more beautiful than I ever imagined; Sharon worked with our florist to provide a setting that was romantic, classic, and timeless! Sharon ensured that we had champagne before our introductions and some appetizers. When our niece was crying, she took care of her to allow the parents to have fun dancing; Sharon is now known as Aunt Sharon to my in-laws! What makes this venue is even more special is now we can visit it on nights they have shows and go dancing where we had our first dance as husband and wife. My husband and I would absolutely recommend this venue for ceremony and/or reception!
If we could give Sharon and Brennen at the Carlyle Club more stars we would! They were quick to respond to emails, allowed us multiple venue tours (to show our parents visiting at ...
different times), and were easy to work with. Their preferred list of vendors was so helpful since we had recently moved from out of state. We used several for our wedding and they all were fabulous. Sharon was an amazing organizer/day of coordinator and made sure our day went off without a hitch. She took our vision and turned everything we asked for into reality. We still get compliments from our guests on how excellent the food was. It was a beautiful ceremony/reception and we are
thankful we chose The Carlyle Club.
Searching for a wedding venue can be stressful, because you are entrusting a location with your very special day. I am so happy I found the Carlyle Club and I was able to work with...
Sharon, Brennan, and Meghan. They made the whole process incredibly easy and stress free from viewing the venue, to the tasting, to the wedding day. Besides being easy to work, the venue itself is unique and gorgeous. The food is excellent and is the best I tasted across several venues. And most importantly my wedding went so incredibly smoothly due to the work of Sharon. She made my reception so beautiful, it truly was a magical environment, which exceeding my expectations. I can't recommend the Carlyle Club enough for your special wedding or event.
This venue is classic and incredible!
Sharon is so selfless and dedicated. She made my best friend's wedding run seamlessly. We were thoroughly impressed with her response time,...
follow up, and attention to detail. On the ONE day that can be so hectic, she left us feeling at ease.
The venue is so classic and was so perfect the theme of the wedding.
I'm soo excited to come back and see a show here.
I had a terrible experience in dealing with Brennan and Sharon Reilly.
My wedding was in May, 2018; we booked this venue for our ceremony in September, 2017. My now-husband tra...
veled to Virginia to do preliminary walk-throughs with our venues (because we live in Boston, MA). He scheduled the walk-through with Brennan for a Sunday at 1:00p at Brennan's suggestion. When he showed up, the doors were locked, and no one was answering the phones. After 30+ minutes of waiting, Sharon finally showed up, but offered no apology for being late.
We scheduled our second walk-through 9 days before our wedding at 5:00p at Sharon's suggestion so that I could attend, as well as our wedding coordinator. Again, we showed up and the doors were locked. I emailed Sharon twice and called the venue several times. We waited for 45 minutes, but no one ever showed up. I called the venue the following morning and spoke with Sharon. She apologized for not showing up - chalked it up to having too many meetings scheduled that day. I asked to reschedule the walk-through, and while she agreed, she still pushed me to take the virtual tour. It made me feel like she didn't want to do the walk-through; that she wanted me to take the virtual tour instead.
When we arrived for our rescheduled walk-through, Sharon wasn't particularly friendly in working with my wedding coordinator and answering our questions.
Despite this experience, I was still pleased with the venue itself and most of the ceremony went off without a hitch. There was an issue with the music during our recession, but I'm not sure if that was a venue error or a user error. Regardless, I would not recommend this venue to any potential bride and groom simply based on my experience with Brennan and Sharon.
As mother of the bride, I was introduced to the Carlyle Club by the wedding coordinator at a well-known Alexandria Hotel. She said she was having her own wedding at Carlyle Club b...
ecause of the excellence of the food, the ease of coordination, and the value received. She was right. The venue was glamorous and cost significantly less than other venues we previewed.
Key factors:
a. Superb hors d’oeuvres and meal. Numerous guests complimented the filet mignon. One guests who has over 20 nieces and nephews wrote that she goes to numerous weddings every year and Carlyle Club had the best food of any, by far.
b. Sharon (owner) provided an excellent proposed timeline of events that kept the party moving and let us know what to expect.
c. Sharon also gave us very helpful guidance regarding where to obtain a seating chart, table #s, cupcake boxes, etc.
d. She worked well with us regarding tablecloths, napkins, and candle holders, which were provided at no extra cost. She then coordinated with the florist to achieve beautiful tablescapes.
e. Sharon is very experienced, calm, and cooperative. She coordinated flawlessly with her own team, the florist, DJ, cake delivery person, and photographer.
f. Beverages during cocktail hour and the meal were excellent and readily available
g. Carlyle Club is well staffed. Service was efficient and responsive throughout the event.
The Carlyle Club is the most beautiful and convenient venue, I highly recommend it! But what really made the day special was Sharon, she spent so much time making our day special. ...
Everything was better than I planned or could have ever dreamt. I had so many compliments about the reception, best wedding ever from friends all the way up to my grandparents. Sharon perfected all the details to the point when I walked in I had to hold back tears. I want to relive that night again and plan on going back often!
We had our wedding reception at the Carlyle Club in June 2017 and it was beautiful! The Carlyle Club was our perfect venue.
The staff are ready and willing to help you create your...
vision for your wedding reception. Sharon worked with us on setting up table arrangements, lighting, and colors for the wedding. She suggested some great ideas that we were able to incorporate into our reception as well.
The food at the Carlyle Club is also excellent! So many people commented to us after the wedding about how great the selection was. Further, the staff were so friendly and helpful all through our event.
The Carlyle Club made our dream for our wedding reception come true!
WOW. The Carlyle Club is beyond amazing and made our wedding day completely perfect. Sharon and Brennan are two of the nicest people we have ever met and they are so easy to wor...
k with. Being a very Type A bride, working with Sharon is a dream. She is incredibly responsive, flexible, and a total pro at what she does. The club was drop-dead gorgeous and, despite our large guest list, she accommodate everyone and ran every event seamlessly. Not to mention THE FOOD. The food is the best food any of our guests had ever had at a wedding, we received so many compliments! The club looked stunning, the lighting is amazing, and they have a wonderful stage for a band! I honestly cannot say enough about the Carlyle Club, but I highly recommend it to anyone and everyone. We can't wait to go back to one of their night shows. Absolutely amazing, everyone should get married here!!
We had our wedding at the Carlyle Club on April 1, 2017. It was literally the best day ever! The venue is beautiful! We received so many compliments on it! Sharon used some of ...
our own decorations and filled in where needed with a lot of hers. It looked amazing! When we first met Sharon and Brennan, we loved them instantly! We chose the Carlyle Club because of them. Their personalities are awesome! It was like we were working with great friends. They are fun to be around and fun to work with. They are always incredibly hospitable and inviting, and make everyone feel welcome. We met with them several times before our wedding to go over the timeline and order of events, select our food selections, and go over every small detail you can think of. They even have a list of recommended vendors (such as photographers and DJs). We went with every single one of their recommendations and literally had the most amazing and perfect combined group of vendors you could ever put together!
Sharon did so much for us the day of the wedding. She acted as our day-of coordinator and did the best job at it. We had a 22 person bridal party (11 on each side) and she handled us all with ease and made it seem effortless! Even though there were 11 women to help with my bride, Sharon was the best help and did more than all of the bridesmaids combined! Everything went so smoothly! Without her and her team, our wedding would not have been what it was, which was perfect! We wouldn’t change a thing! Sharon seemed to know what we needed even before we needed it! The work ethic and ability to make our wedding perfect was nothing short of amazing. We are singing her praises (and Brennan and their team’s too!) and the Carlyle Club comes with our full recommendation going forward! The Carlyle Club looks amazing, has the best owners and wonderful staff! The food was so good and all of our guests are still complimenting it, along with the venue. Sharon thought of things we never would have and made everything go together perfectly! We can’t wait to dine at the Carlyle Club and go see some of their shows/events in the future!
The space was beautiful, the food was amazing, the staff was perfect, the details were flawless, and all for a reasonable price that you know up front and no nickle and dime add on...
. Brennan was upfront and honest about what they can provide and what they cant so I was comfortable signing the contract, and Sharon was perfect day of keeping everything running smoothly. I am so happy with our decision and so glad that we can re-visit the space for shows over the years to come.
We could not have been more happy with our experience at the Carlyle Club. The staff went above and beyond to make sure our wedding was amazing. We had several people come up to us...
to say it was the best wedding that they had been to.
Everything about the venue is great from the location, food, staff, décor, and value.
The pricing is very transparent and there aren't a bunch of hidden charges as the per person price covers most expenses.
The owners, Sharon and Brennan, make sure that all of your needs are met and they really understand how to make sure you have a great time at your own wedding.
If you want a wedding in the DC area, then you cannot go wrong with the Carlyle Club.
If you are considering the Carlyle Club for your wedding or event, don't think, just do! We had such a pleasant experience working with Sharon and Brennan. We contacted them while ...
the original Club was still in operation and took a tour of that venue as well as the new construction site which would be up and running a few months before our wedding. We trusted their vision and signed our contract in the still-under-construction bar area! From Day 1, Sharon understood the art deco/Great Gatsby vibe we were going for. At the beginning, email communication was a bit slower, but during the last months she and Brennan were totally there to answer every little concern, assuage any fears we had, and help us come up with all our timelines, communication and decoration plans. Sharon acted as our day-of coordinator and helped us run our rehearsal and was a one-woman ringleader the night of the wedding, making absolute sure that everything was as it should be. The day before, we dropped off all our decorations and "stuff," and said, "Sharon, we trust you." We could not have been more pleased at how everything turned out! She even communicated with some of our vendors so that we didn't have to worry about any set-up. We had to pause while we were taking some pre-wedding photos just so we could run around and see how amazing everything looked! We did both our ceremony and reception there, and everything was seamless. The staff was also amazing (shout-out to George, Sorin and Josh!). When we got too excited to finish our dinner because we wanted to make our rounds, our server, George, graciously offered to box up our food with us to take home. (It was just as delicious the next day, in case you were wondering.) The awesome bartenders constantly made sure we and our guests were happy as well. At the end of the night, Sharon herself and some of her staff brought some of our leftover items to the hotel so we wouldn't have to go back there for them. Our family and friends kept telling us the venue was amazing and that it was one of the most fun weddings they had ever been to. Kudos to everyone at the Carlyle Club for helping us pull that off! You have gained some lifelong patrons. We can't wait to come back for dinner and a show.
PS--If you have booked with Carlyle and still need a photographer, we highly recommend Annette of Labrozzi Photography. She is a preferred vendor there, and she and Sharon were a total dream team the day of our wedding.
The first time I spotted the Carlyle Club online I knew it had to be the spot for our wedding reception! The art deco decor went perfectly with our wedding theme! Sharon and Brenna...
n are by far the most helpful, friendly, terrific people! Sharon completely took over decorating the entire venue perfectly! Brennan responded so promptly and kindly to our many emails. They even let us drop in a few times to show my in laws and other family members what the venue was like. When we did our tasting before the wedding it was like a feast at no charge. All of our guests said it was the best wedding food they've ever had. Sharon had a stockpile of table decorations that she made available to us at no extra fee. I can not recommend this venue and the owners enough. Everything went so perfectly and smoothly.
OH MY GOSH! I can't say enough good things about the Carlyle Club and Sharon and Brennan. Sharon coordinated our wedding and everything went SO smoothly! She was attentive, organiz...
ed and she made sure we had everything we needed (she even got me band aids for my aching feet!). Everything from the ceremony to the reception was soooo beautiful. The food was fantastic! Our guests still talk about that night and how amazing and fun it was. Thank you, from the bottom of hearts, for making our wedding so special.
My husband and I are beyond happy that we decided on The Carlyle Club for our New Year's Eve wedding. When looking for a venue in the Washington DC Metro area, we had a few strict ...
requirements: 1) could fit up to 225 guests for ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception, 2) had really good food, 3) was budget-friendly, and 4) was not your typical rectangular ballroom. The Carlyle Club was perfect for all of these reasons. Their new location allowed us to have the entire wedding include ceremony and cocktail hour in one location with our number of guests. The dinner entrees were really delicious and very large portions. The setup, décor, and vibe of The Carlyle Club was just perfect for New Year's Eve. We worked with both Brennan and Sharon throughout the entire process who were extremely easy to work with and who accommodated our every request. Sharon did a lovely job of taking all of my detailed ideas for everything single things - lobby entrance, cocktail hour bars, cake table, dinner tables - and incorporated them into a beautiful wedding. So many of our family and friends continue to compliment us on the venue and how it was "the best wedding they ever attended." My husband and I are so happy that everything turned out as we envisioned. Truly, the perfect New Year's Eve wedding!
We just had our wedding a week ago at the Carlyle Club and it was fantastic! The club is such a beautiful venue and the owners are super helpful in making everything happen the way...
you want. Sharon, in particular, is an absolute gem. She does weddings almost every week and knows exactly what to do to make your vision become reality. It was such a relief to have her there on the day, stealthily directing things along.
The food is excellent and tasted just as good on our wedding day as it did during our tasting. They served a steak that was so tender and delicious that I was eating out of the to-go box they prepared for me at 2am that evening.
We had a live band and the house sound engineer did a great job at keeping the volume at the right level. Many guests came up to tell me how they have been to weddings where the band was so loud it was unpleasant. At the Carlyle Club they know their venue well and every detail is just right.
The sweetheart table that Sharon set up for us was adorable! I only wish we had more time to sit there between the dancing and mingling. We used several of the recommended vendors and I think that was helpful since they also know the venue and things went very smoothly.
I can't recommend the Carlyle Club any more highly. We have also been there several times for date night dinner and dancing and it is always a pleasure. They will take care of you.
The Carlyle Club in Alexandria really went above and beyond for our wedding reception! The owners, Sharon and Brennan, are very nice, accommodating, and great to work with. They pr...
ovided excellent advice on all aspects of the wedding, not just the reception and food. The food and service on the day of were great. They're also a great value, especially the lunch reception which we did! We hardly had to decorate because it's a beautiful space and Sharon already had satin and sequin tablecloths, vases, a cake stand, flower beads, etc. Also, when we didn't meet our guest minimum (so we were paying for meals that weren't eaten), they provided cocktails at our reception that weren't included as part of our package and the guests loved it! Thanks Carlyle Club for a wonderful wedding reception!
WOW! Where do I even start? My husband and I could not have asked for a better place to hold our wedding reception. The venue itself is spectacular. All the guests raved about how ...
unique the Carlyle Club is. The food is to die for-all of the guests were saying this was not your typical wedding food. The owners, Sharon and Brendan, are fabulous. From the moment we had our first tour of the club until we left our wedding reception a year later, we were treated with kindness and respect. They are truly wonderful people who want the best for your big day. Her professional opinion helped to make the reception even more beautiful than I could have pictured. Can't say enough good things about our experience!!
We had our wedding reception at the new Carlyle venue on Ballenger. If you're thinking about using this venue, I'd advise looking elsewhere - you can do better.
First, the good....
The wait & bar staff were fantastic; the venue was clean and convenient.
We originally reserved with the Carlyle while they were still at the old venue; we were attracted by that venue's spacious bar area, the booth seating, the art deco aesthetics, and the fully equipped dancefloor.
Two months after we'd booked we got an email from Brennan announcing that they were going to be moving venues, and that our wedding reception would be at the new one; they hoped to be finished by early February - and that didn't happen. When we visited in mid April, just 3 weeks before our wedding, they were still hanging light fixtures, laying carpet, installing the sound system, and so on. They had everything more or less functional by the actual night, and for that we're thankful - but their move added a whole pile of stress to our wedding planning that we really didn't need.
The sound and lighting system wasn't complete. The bar speakers weren't connected to the DJ system, so announcements weren't audible. The dancefloor lighting didn't work, and nobody (including Sharon, the owner) knew how to make them work (their light and sound guy "had a gig" somewhere else.) The speakers aren't right for the venue; at low volumes (during dinner) there's far too much bass, and vocals weren't audible; at higher volumes later in the night it all sounded muddy.
The food is OK, but not great. The portions are generous.
Finally, and worst, is the availability and responsiveness of the owners, Brennan and Sharon. They're nice, and in person accomodating. However, if you work with them, expect most of your calls to go unanswered, most emails and voicemails to not be returned. When we did connect, Sharon would blame her voicemail provider, their ISP, their email being hacked, etc etc; all that may be true, but I think fundamentally they just have too much on their plates. None of our vendors had calls returned until I chased down Sharon and made it happen.
Maybe they will pick up steam again now that they're in the new venue, but I don't recommend putting yourselves through the stress of hosting an event here.
We had our wedding reception at The Carlyle Club and it was truly wonderful! We had our wedding ceremony in Old Town Alexandria, and really wanted to find a great place that was cl...
ose by and not your standard hotel ballroom-type reception. The Carlyle Club was just what we were looking for! Proximity was close, the venue has tons of character and style, and they're a full service venue, meaning they handle drinks, food, linens, lighting & sound, etc., so we didn't have to find and juggle a ton of additional vendors to fill those roles. Because they are also a music venue, they had great recommendations on piano players and other music groups for cocktail hour, and we ultimately hired one of their recommended piano players, who was great. The food was seriously delicious and the staff was phenomenal on the day of the wedding - everyone from the coat check guy to the waiters and bartenders and on-site managers. They are also very flexible and do whatever they can to make sure you have what you want for your wedding day. We really loved our wedding reception at the Carlyle Club and highly recommend it!
It's so hard to put into words how amazing our entire wedding experience was at The Carlyle Club. My husband and I were married there on 11/8/14 and how we wish we could go back a...
nd relive it all again! From the moment we walked through the doors the first time, we knew it would be perfect. We were looking for a unique venue and something a bit different from a traditional catering hall, and the Carlyle Club delivered. After meeting with Sharon and Brennan, we absolutely had no doubts. They are a wonderful couple to work with and truly make you feel like a part of the family. We live in New Jersey, so a lot of the communication took place over email. We made a couple trips down to VA to book the wedding and to do our tasting and logistics meeting. Sharon and Brennan were both great with working with us despite the long-distance. Sharon took charge of wedding coordination and did a seamless job. She took our vision and made it an even better reality than we could have imagined. The venue took our breath away when we saw it on our wedding day. We had the ceremony there as well and they did an amazing job of flipping the room in under one hour. Our cocktail hour was fabulous. The staff executed a special signature cocktail for us that our guests loved. Sharon and Brennan even worked with us to create a special food station that we requested. The reception ran so smoothly and our dinner was phenomenal. Each dish was executed perfectly. Our guests were stuffed and many said it was one of the best meals they ever had at a wedding. The service was fabulous and everyone had an incredible time. Sharon and Brennan gave us the wedding of our dreams. We will always be grateful to them and their staff for a magical experience.
My fiance and I looked at this place first during a bridal expo and loved the decor. It was a great jazz club air to it. We got to sample some of the food and appetizers that the...
y generally serve at receptions and they were all very good. I corresponded mostly with Brennan and he took more time than other vendors to give responses but in the end it was not unbearable and we dealt with it because we liked the club so much.
The last straw was when I scheduled a meeting with Brennan so that we could get a closer look at the venue and ask our final questions, we were prepared to put down a deposit that day. We had decided to meet through email and when we arrived, the door to the club was locked and there was no answer on the phone. We left a message, sent another email and grabbed something to eat in the area hoping he would call us back. We had actually driven an hour to get there from Maryland and didn't want to completely waste our time. He didn't get back to us until almost 24 hours later to say that my last email went to his spam folder. Now anyone who knows computers knows that email filters don't classify someone as spam randomly after corresponding with them nearly 10 times.
To his credit, Brennan did offer multiple times to meet and apologized but my fiance and I had soured on the place. It's unfortunate because the prices were right, it looked great, and there are so many great reviews but as stressful as wedding planning is, we just couldn't continue with a vendor that would be so disorganized. Hopefully this is just a blip of bad service for them and not the new norm.
the venue is absolutely gorgeous, food is delicious and your guests will have a fabulous time!
In regard to planning a wedding here - we had quite a lot of issues in regard to s...
etting up meetings and getting responses from the owners, which makes for a much more stressful planning.
This may seem pointless that I am writing a review for a venue that I did not even visit, but I felt compelled to write a review nonetheless due to the lack of responsiveness I rec...
eived while trying to visit this venue. I had been corresponding with Brennan, and initially, he was very quick to respond to my e-mails. After sending me the wedding pricing, I informed him that the venue was out of my budget. I gave him my budget price and said that if there was no way to work with that, then I would have to pass. I would have been perfectly fine with passing up on this venue (albeit it looking gorgeous), but I wasn't trying to break the bank either.
He said that the only way he could work with it was if I decided to do an afternoon wedding on a Saturday or a Sunday wedding. I decided I could take a look at the venue and if I liked it enough would consider an off-day wedding.
The day that we were supposed to meet, I was caught in massive traffic (NOVA area, Spring Break) and just would not be able to make it in time. I had to turn around; I called the venue as I did not have a direct number to Brennan, but there was no one answering the phones. I e-mailed him with my phone number and also asking if we could reschedule, and I still have not received a response.
That was 13 days ago. Given that the responses from him were generally within 1-4 days, I've pretty much concluded that there is no point wasting my time in contacting him if there is no effort made on his part.
My frustration lies in that he is the one who offered to work with my budget when I would've already walked away from this in the first place.
Given all the excellent reviews, I'm sure this would've been a great place if my budget allowed for it. However, I'm left with the impression that although they say they are willing to work with you, if you have a budget that's not even worth it, then you also become ...not worth it.
This venue is simply amazing. It is definitely worth checking out when scouting out potential wedding venues in the Northern VA area. I visited several different venues that were j...
ust mehhhhhh but were so overpriced. When I finally walked through the Carlyle Club, my fiance and I just knew it was the perfect wedding venue for us. It was within my budget, staff were on top of their stuff, and it had the right look and ambiance that we were looking for. We wanted to have a wedding that was modern, stylish, trendy, and elegant. It was a refreshing change from all of the cookie-cutter hotel weddings I've been to.
There are a few highlights about this venue that really stood out for me and helped bring my dream wedding to fruition:
1) The interior design is amazing and unique. With its art deco style, my guests said that it was the most glamorous wedding that they had ever attended. I didn't even have to have elaborate centerpieces or decor- this venue already comes decked out, with the fancy drapes, mirrored walls, and accent lighting. The interior design and lighting at the venue really did most of the work in making everything look great. The bar area is also really cool and has a glamorous, "upscale lounge" feel to it. The overall space is just the right size so that it can fit a larger wedding (150 guests) but still maintain an intimate vibe.
2) The food is delicious and portions are more than generous. I had several guests come up to me and say that they were served the largest filet mignon portions they had ever seen! They cook an excellent steak btw, and they cook it to your liking, which was very important to me since my family is from the Midwest and they like their steaks cooked a particular way. The venue served hors d'oeuvres during cocktail hour, salad, appetizers, an entree, AND they provided a dessert tray with assorted yummies (including chocolate covered strawberries). The food just kept coming. I will tell you that no one left my wedding hungry, that's for sure.
3) Very professional staff. Everyone I worked with during the wedding planning stage was so helpful and knowledgeable. You don't really need a day-of coordinator if you book this place (although I had one) because Sharon (the owner) knows the place inside and out, and she is very detail-oriented. On the day of my wedding she was always around to make sure I had food, a drink (or two), and was enjoying my wedding. It was wonderful having her there with me from beginning to end. Other Carlyle Club staff (servers, coat check, bartenders) were also incredibly friendly & professional, and willing to go out of their way for my guests and me. They really do treat you like a celebrity on your wedding day, which felt so nice =)
I'm really happy we chose this place for our ceremony and reception. It was such a beautiful and glamorous day, and my guests still talk about what an amazing wedding it was. What bride doesn't want to hear that? =)
My husband and I visited several different venues before we looked at the Carlyle Club. After visiting it and meeting with Brennan (owner) and Sharon (Brennan's wife/co-owner/wedd...
ing coordinator), we knew this was the perfect place for our wedding. It's beautiful with a unique atmospher, a perfect size, and they already have a lot of the things we needed (lighting, stage, etc). We had both our ceremony and reception here and everything worked out perfectly. The food was very good (not the best I've ever had, but still very good) and the staff was great as well. Communication with Brennan was a little difficult at first, but it was early on and he was much more responsive as we got closer to the wedding. We also were a little upset when Sharon showed up 30 minutes late to our rehearsal (so we had to start the rehearsal outside) but she did appologize to my husband, and there were no issues on the big day. Sharon did a great job working with my day-of wedding coordinator and helped the wedding go smoothly. Between the two of them, I was never stressed!
I definitely recommend the Carlyle Club!
We knew the moment we walked into The Carlyle Club that we would have our wedding here. We toured many hotels/reception halls without being impressed, but at The Carlyle Club had e...
verything we were looking for, SPACIOUS, with room to spare for over 180 guests, our dance floor fit 1/2 of our guests, with enough room for the other half. LUXURIOUS, with LED lighting in house, marble floors in the lobby/foyer areas, and full stage w/ piano in the center of the room. UNIQUE, with countless venues in the DMV area, none stand out like The Carlyle Club. Neither have an ambiance that comes close to The Carlyle Club. With The Carlyle Club, you get the sexiest and most memorable wedding venue available.
The real treasure is in the people that own the Venue. Sharon and Brennan are truly the most accommodating, considerate, and caring people we've encountered. Sharon exceeded our expectations with the most exceptional service, example, our centerpieces while beautiful on their own, Sharon added her touch to make them stunning. When my mom was 2 hours late (unbelievable) she calmed us down, and kept the hors d'oeuvres flowing, and rescheduled our timeline of events so the evening would go smoothly. Also handling the delay was Brennan in the kitchen, personally handling all the food to make sure it was perfect, and fast. They also insured that everything we needed was catered to immediately; everything we wanted was there before we even asked for it. These two are truly amazing people.
Not only is it beautiful but the food is exceptional. Every dish was perfectly cooked and delicious; we still hear raves about how great the food was. From the lighting, linens, the colors, everything was perfectly planned with ease. We really could not have asked for a better venue and team to make our day so special. We love The Carlyle Club and wouldn’t give them anything less than the highest rating! If you are lucky enough to have your wedding here, we 100% recommend it.
i recently had my wedding here and wanted somewhere unique. The carlyle club already has great lighting (which you can customize) and as a live music venue, they already had mics ...
for my performers to use, as well as many other special touches (such as linen colors you can choose and really great menu options) to make my day a special day.
The day-of coordination was amazing and they took care of any problems that came up. I had a gift table, a sign-in table, and other things that I needed help setting up and they helped to figure out great places to put them as well as ideas on how best to display my items.
It was especially helpful to meet with them the week of the wedding and go over all the questions and details. This gave me peace of mind during my wedding week and honestly, i'm so glad that i didn't have to worry about a thing.
Need to share our wonderful experience with the Carlyle Club in Alexandria. Brennan and Sharon orchestrated a fabulous event from beginning to end. From the time we walked in the...
first time to take a look at the club, to the delicious and plentiful “tasting” of the happy hour foods and dinner entrees, to the event itself – perfection! ..........My daughter got married on November 17th and it was a perfect day in all respects -- weather, church ceremony and the reason I'm writing this review -- the reception -- beautifully, professionally, warmly and deliciously done by The Carlyle Club in Alexandria, Virginia. From the moment, we visited a year in advance and got the only date left for 2012, my daughter and her fiance and my husband and I knew this was the place. We did look at two other places but were right back to the Carlyle with our deposit. It is two months since the reception and we are still getting comments about "what fun" the wedding was and how great the service and food were.
I can't leave out the ambience of the club -- it was sort of a "Stork Club" atomosphere, intimate, beautifully decorated with a separate bar for cocktails and horsd'eouvres. It was reminiscent of the 40's and 50's Supper Club experience when people dressed up and enjoyed dinner music and atmosphere and good food on their night out. I can't say enough good things about Sharon and Brennan who organized a beautiful event and the food -- plentiful, exquisitely served and delicious. If you want a beautiful atmosphere and want great peopleto work with you on planning the perfect event for your daughter's wedding, go to the Carlyle Club -- a hidden gem!!!!!!!! Elaine Anderson
All of my guests loved our reception at the Carlyle Club! They provided a cool atmosphere, great food, open bar, dance floor, and basic decorations for a clearly stated total cost ...
that beats all of the hotel reception packages in the area. The owner, his wife, and his staff were all friendly and helpful. And the actual reception went very smoothly, so that I could focus on just enjoying my wedding day.
My husband and I checked out 4 other venues in the Alexandria/Arlington Area of Virginia prior to seeing The Carlyle Club. Given that we were inviting 125 people to our wedding we...
thought The Carlye Club would give us that intimate feeling we were looking for in addition to being a different type of venue to hold our reception. As soon as we started planning (May 2011) we were well taken care of. Brennan and Sharon were amazing (the owners and at the time Event Managers). They worked well with our vendors and did everything they could, to make sure we were at ease. Our guests raved about the food and the overall atmosphere of the venue. I even had 2 guests who loved and took advantage of the private room just off the dining room to nurse in. It really seemed that every time I was in need of something, Sharon was right there to be of assistance. The staff from top to bottom was amazing!!! My wedding planner was also thrilled at how easy everything came together. I could not be happier about having chosen The Carlyle Club for our wedding reception. It was everything we hoped for and more.
Selecting this as our wedding reception venue was the best decision we made during the planning process. Brennan and his wife Sharon worked with us to customize a package that work...
ed with our budget, and not only said yes to just about every request we made, they actually executed each perfectly on our big day (and I sent quite a few emails :). We've gotten compliments from our other vendors about how easy they were to work with and from our wedding guests about how much fun they had at our reception. They went above and beyond to make our day special and I felt like they treated it as if their daughter was getting married. All the guests agreed that the food was awesome and my husband and I had leftovers the next morning because they were so nice to make us to-go containers too :). Couldn't say enough great things about the venue, owners and staff of this place :).
This past weekend, my husband and I hosted our wedding reception at the Carlyle Club. I can't even begin to explain what an amazing night and experience we had with the Carlyle Clu...
b. Sharon and Brennan went above and beyond to make the party about us, handle the decor requests and even embellished on the plans we had. I had opted not to have centerpieces because truly, the club itself has so much character it seemed unnecessary, but my bouquet and a variety of other random arrangements were all over when we arrived! I also had folded literally a thousand paper cranes for decor at the ceremony site and, having had a couple leftovers, asked Sharon to spread some on the tables. Not only did this happen beautifully, but she also added crane decorations to other areas of the club including the buffet tables and the restrooms. I was just so pleased with the innovation and it was a sweet surprise for the two of us.
Our biggest concern for our wedding was having good food, as we have found that this is a big part of both the guest and couple experience. We couldn't have chosen a better venue. The menu was extensive, the food was delicious and cooked perfectly, and the buffet moved quickly and smoothly along.
Great food, great dance floor, extremely accommodating... I just really couldn't have asked for more. Here I am, first few days as a married woman, and I can't even contain myself enough to do this review later this week!
Thank you Brennan and Sharon!
The Carlyle Club experience was UNSURPASSED! I have over 20 years in fundraising, event planning, and booking venues, so for my BIG day (wedding) I held high standards; things coul...
d not have gone better. Brennan, and wife and partner Sharon Reilly were most flexible with any idea I had for décor, props, guest favors – pretty much open to my dreams. The art deco venue was perfect for our Old Hollywood Glamour theme, and the added touches the staff made with our pictures, candy display, and floral arrangements were FABULOUS! The price was unbelievably affordable, and the food portions tremendous. We very much enjoyed the wait & bar staff’s professionalism and sincere friendly attitudes. The added plus was the pre-established relationship the Club has with the entertainment industry which allowed us to hire a Beatles Tribute band. Rave reviews came from those who attended stating, “This was the BEST wedding I’ve ever been to.” Many thanks to The Carlyle Club! We will be back again and again…
We selected the Carlyle Club as our reception venue, and we can't say enough good things about this venue and its owners. Brennan and Sharon were such a pleasure to work with, and ...
they truly helped us make our night practically perfect.
We were looking for a venue that wasn't your typical, boring, poorly decorated hotel ballroom, and we truly found that in the Carlyle Club. The venue is just off Duke St. in John Carlyle Circle, and has a fun, jazz lounge, art-deco feel to it. The bar is beautifully lit and very pretty, and looks down over the main ballroom, which has a 2 tier wooden dancefloor, great space for tables, and sleek black booth style tables lining the room. There is also a great outdoor space with seating where guests can take their drinks, which most hotel/country club venues won't allow you to do. Even the bathrooms are beautiful. Additional perks include a dressing room, which the bridal party used to make our big entrance, and a VIP room in the back, which we used to house our vendors so they could eat their meals and store their belongings. It would also be the ideal location for a photo booth or video guestbook.
Next, the food is OUTSTANDING. We received so many complements from our guests. The passed appetizers were delicious - I highly recommend the mini chicken cordon bleu and the bacon wrapped scallops. Our lobster bisque was out of this world, and the salmon entree was one of the best I've ever had. The bartenders also did a great job, and served great, strong cocktails.
The location is also great. Just outside the doors is John Carlyle Circle, which has a huge open park space with grass, benches, and stone columns - a great location for photos. There is also convenient parking outside as well as the garage underneath the Carlyle.
Finally, and most importantly, the owners, Brennan and Sharon, are a true pleasure to work with. They are kind, professional, and truly wonderful people. I enjoyed each of our meetings and felt confident that they would help us make our night as special as it could be, and they truly did.
There aren't enough words to tell you how great this venue is, but you should absolutely consider it if you plan to get married in the DC/Northern VA area.
We had our reception at the Carlyle Club and we couldn't have been happier. Brennan and his wife were amazing to work with and we felt great with them along the entire way. they an...
swered every question and email quickly and happily and let me come in whenever I needed to look at the space again for decorating ideas. They worked with us to get us everything that we needed and wanted in our reception and the food and service were AMAZING!! People are still raving about how good the food was. We have been told multiple times that it was the best wedding food they have ever had.
The venue itself was great. We loved the jazz vibe of the club and the intimate atmosphere.
We had a great party and couldn't have had it at a better venue!
My daughter knew from the minute she walked in "This was it". The owners Brennan and his wife were so accomodating. My daughter has a glueten alergy and they were helpful in maki...
ng many menu changes for her. It is the perfect venue if you would like a band and a large dance floor. The room has a 1940's art deco feel to it similar to clubs where Fred Astair/Ginger Rogers filmed many movies. The food and service were excellent and I never once had to ask for assistance the day of for anything.
My husband and I chose The Carlyle Club to be the reception venue for our June 4th wedding and we feel so lucky that we did! Brennan Reilly (the owner) and his staff put so much ha...
rd work into making sure that we had the best reception possible. Leading up to the day, Brennan was very responsive and answered all of the questions we had. The reception itself was absolutely amazing and better than we could ever have imagined! The Carlyle Club was the perfect place for our celebration and so many of our guests commented on what a unique and beautiful venue it is. The club went above and beyond to make the night run smoothly and they were so thoughtful- they even packed two meals for us to take home at the end of the night since they knew we would be too busy celebrating to eat much. (And by the way the food was absolutely delicious and the drinks were great!)
We would highly recommend The Carlyle Club to anyone searching for the perfect venue for their wedding. You will be in good hands!
Contact
2050 Ballenger Avenue, Alexandria, VA
