Thanks to recommendations from couples on The Knot
Friends Meeting of Washington is a historic wedding venue in the bustling neighborhood of Dupont Circle in Washington, DC. The property has served as a Quaker meeting space since 1930. Couples from all walks of life are welcome to celebrate their new beginnings at this peaceful location. Soon-to-be-weds can tie the knot within the intimate walls of the property or under open skies. Before or after the wedding, guests can explore the flourishing area of Dupont Circle. Boutique restaurants, coffee houses, and art galleries bring this friendly neighborhood to life.
This updated Quaker meeting house has a proud spot on the National Register of Historic Places. The venue's rich design includes wooden beams that once hung in the White House. The interior has been thoughtfully redone to complement the building's rich character. Stone accents and exposed brick are paired with modern elements of glass for an eclectic atmosphere.
Separate dressing rooms let the happy couple start their day with peace of mind and privacy. They can rest assured that precious "first look" moment is saved for the altar.
Smaller gatherings will feel right at home in the Quaker House Living Room. This cozy setting seats up to 40 guests. An antique fireplace helps set the scene for a romantic vow exchange. For the reception, the Bridge Room and west gardens provide additional space. A bar and buffet can be set up in either location.
Couples with a longer guest list may opt for the Meeting Room. This historic space seats up to 300 on classic poplar benches. High ceilings and large windows help to create a bright, airy setting. Views of the picturesque gardens add to the room's timeless ambiance. After the "I do's," the east garden terrace is an ideal spot for a glass of bubbly and some delicious hors d'oeuvres. Guests can mingle in the fresh air as the happy couple captures their memories on camera.
For the reception, the elegant Assembly Room and west gardens combine to accommodate around 200 people. As the evening draws in, light from inside the building spills out through floor-to-ceiling glass windows. The Assembly Room may include a dance floor and DJ for a lively end to the big day.
Wedding packages at Friends Meeting of Washington are tailored to a range of needs and budgets. There are options for couples planning intimate gatherings -- including elopements and micro weddings -- grand celebrations and anything in between. It's also possible to hold stand alone ceremonies and receptions. The venue's friendly staff is happy to organize banquet furniture, speakers, and microphones.
Soon-to-be-weds can browse a list of preferred vendors to find their wedding caterer or other professionals. The chosen business is welcome to use the venue's serving kitchen on the day. A licensed bartender may be hired to serve beer, wine, and champagne. The team also offers a selection of top-notch local vendors for photography, entertainment, and more.
Starting prices don't include service fees, taxes, gratuity, and rental fees.
Guest count and seasonality may also affect prices.
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Amenities + details
Amenities
Ceremony Area
Dressing Room
Handicap Accessible
Indoor Event Space
Outdoor Event Space
Reception Area
Wireless Internet
Ceremony Types
Civil Union
Commitment Ceremony
Elopement
Interfaith Ceremony
Non-Religious Ceremony
Religious Ceremony
Second Wedding
Vow Renewal Ceremony
Guest Capacity
Up to 300
Settings
Backyard
Ballroom
Garden
Historic Venue
Library
Religious Setting
Church
Venue Service Offerings
Service Staff
Awards and Affiliations
Any questions?
Meet the team
Brian Lutenegger
Event and Rental Manager
I have been involved with managing and renting our spaces for weddings and other private events since 2016. I am passionate about our venue, our history, and work tirelessly to ensure that couples' special day in our venue is filled with many positive memories that last a lifetime.
Availability
Reviews
4.9
out of 5.0
18 reviews
Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.
Review Summary
This AI-generated summary is a snapshot of this vendor's ratings and feedback.
Friends Meeting of Washington in the heart of Dupont Circle is highly praised by couples for its beautiful indoor and outdoor spaces, including stunning gardens. The venue seamlessly accommodated transitions for a wedding reception due to weather changes. The staff, particularly manager Brian Lutenegger, receive accolades for their professionalism, helpfulness, and support in planning and execution. Reviewers appreciate the simplicity, elegance, and convenience of having all wedding events in one location, making it a fantastic choice for a memorable wedding in the middle of DC.
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Madeline B
5.0
6/09/2024
We got married here in May 2024. It was perfect. Our guests loved the venue and we loved that we were able to adjust to the rain flawlessly. The space is beautiful and the staff are wonderful to work with. It was just perfect.
AnnElizabeth M
5.0
11/04/2023
We recently had our wedding reception at Friends Meeting of Washington and we are so incredibly happy with our choice of venue. It is a gem of a location, both in the heart of Dupont but also tucked away that you feel far from the hustle and noise of DC. They were professional, fairly priced, easy to work with and very accommodating, particularly with the weather. We were going to have an outdoor cocktail hour but it was so easy to transition inside when the forecast called for rain. Dinner in the tent was great and there is plenty of space for dessert and dancing inside (bring some uplights, and it instantly transformed the space). Thank you, Friends Meeting of Washington, for being part of our special day.
Any questions?
Jenifer M
5.0
10/24/2023
Friends Meeting of Washington is a real garden gem in Dupont Circle. We used all spaces--The window-filled Meeting Room was wonderful for the ceremony and then we flowed out to the garden terrace for cocktails. Dinner was held under a tented main patio--we shared the tent cost with the Sunday wedding couple. There was plenty of space in the Assembly Room for our DJ and dancing. Brian was wonderful in helping us customize our day and recommending other vendors--the caterer, B. Lin Caterers was awesome. Luckily the rainy morning turned into a beautiful fall day so everything held outside was perfect. If it had been a rainy or cooler day--there is plenty of beautifully lit indoor space to host the cocktails on the second level. We got dressed at the Meeting House--plenty of space for that and completed the bulk of the photography before the ceremony so we could enjoy the cocktails. Lots of lovely green space for photos of us and our families. Our guests appreciated everything being held in one location--some arrived via Metro, others took Lyft from their hotels/Air BnBs. It was also easy the reserve parking spaces in front for the vendors through DC DOT. Parking on a Saturday on Decatur Place was easy for guests--free and no time limit. I also bring a special perspective to this review since I am a wedding photographer and have been to nearly every venue in the DC area in the past 20 years--Friends Meeting of Washington is a great choice for it's simplicity, elegance and green spaces. They also have tables and chairs on hand- so those do not need to be rented--a nice bonus.
Erik R
5.0
10/22/2023
The venue and staff was incredible and the atmosphere was everything that we hoped it to be.
Deborah D
5.0
10/09/2023
Our guests were charmed by Friends Meeting of Washington's beautiful indoor-outdoor space. The staff were friendly and supportive, and gave us valuable lists of caterers, nearby hotels, and more. We loved having our wedding party in this hidden gem in the middle of the city. We're so glad we chose it!
Sowmya P
5.0
6/11/2023
This is a truly awesome venue in the middle of DC!
We celebrated our son’s wedding here recently. Brian Lutenegger is the manager and was very easy to work with and communicate.
The venue is beautiful, historic and well maintained. They have a choice of different sized event spaces, including outdoor areas.
We are glad we were able to find this venue for our wedding event.
Jessica U
5.0
12/23/2022
Friends Meeting of Washington was the absolute perfect venue for our wedding in September. Brian was great to work with and provided helpful recommendations throughout the planning process. We rented the Meeting House package for our event with approximately 120 guests. The Meeting Room was a serene and beautiful space that was ideal for our ceremony. Our guests loved gathering in the east gardens for a cocktail hour, and then we tented the west gardens for our reception (food service and dancing took place in the Assembly Room). The flow between spaces was so easy and each area had a unique and lovely atmosphere. A focus on Quaker values was apparent in the venue and we really appreciated the gender neutral restroom facilities and family-friendly areas. Our guests felt welcomed and the overall atmosphere of the event was incredibly festive. We’re so grateful that we were able to rent this beautiful space and hope that others will have similarly wonderful experience!
Madelyn D
5.0
6/16/2022
We had our ceremony in the Meeting Room, and it was so beautiful. The simplistic natural beauty of the room with the light coming in all the windows is so picturesque and quaint. The grounds provided beautiful spots for photos afterwards. The events staff were so accommodating and helpful during planning and the day of, it couldn't have gone more perfectly. I would recommend this venue to anyone!
Rihana B
5.0
6/10/2022
Friends Meeting of Washington is an idyllic venue for a DC wedding. It has indoor and outdoor spaces. It has multiple beautiful garden. The interior is stunning, the location is unmatched and the price point is incredibly fair. We were able to have the perfect wedding here and could not recommend it more. Our venue coordinator, Brian, was absolutely wonderful to work with. He made our lives so easy and was incredibly responsive to all of our questions and problems. He went above and beyond what we expected.
Stephanie C
5.0
4/21/2022
Friends Meeting of Washington is an amazing venue to wed. The venue is beautiful. We had an amazing and memorable time. All of our guests also loved the venue and asked us how we found the venue because it is so beautiful. The venue manager, Brian, was AMAZING and EXTREMELY helpful. He is so knowledgeable and was able to answer so many questions and assist us with so many questions. All of the Staff at Friends Meeting of Washington were so kind and professional. I would absolutely recommend this venue to anyone looking for a memorable place to wed.
Christine S
5.0
10/30/2020
Venue is well kept! and the staff was phenomenal! Very transparent communication, willingness to work with you. The beautiful venue and the staff made this COVID year such a safe, worry-free, and smooth wedding year for us.
D S
4.0
10/13/2020
This venue was fantastic for our needs. We're so grateful it was available after our other venue fell through and they were very quick in responding to our many questions to determine if it would work for us just one week for our big day. Brian, the event manager, and his colleague Tom were very hospitable and eager to accommodate any needs we had. The adjustable pricing was also nice for renting use of only rooms/spaces we needed for how long we needed. We also appreciated the ability to take photos anywhere in the facility and the ability to mock/rehearse/temporarily prep decor for our ceremony whenever they had vacancies in their schedule prior to our big day for no additional cost. The only issue we had was the lack of WiFi in their garden, which is kind of a big deal for a pandemic ceremony. That said, use of a mobile hot spot was mostly able to work.
Brooke C
5.0
9/20/2020
I cannot tell you how pleased we were to have Friends Meeting of Washington as our wedding reception venue! From the very beginning, Brian was so attentive, responsive, and answered all of our questions. He stayed with us through the entire dry run, helped us set up on day of, and was always being incredibly proactive and thoughtful to ensure that every moment of our reception was flawless. We used the upper gardens and it could not have been a more perfect venue with the gorgeous brick and stone architecture, large grassy area perfect for stringing lights and dancing, and gorgeous stately indoor space for setting up catering and the bar. They even provided us with a kitchen to refrigerate our cakes and macaron favors. They provided a wonderful speaker system that we could plug our phones into to play music, tables, and chairs. We were also able to use their gorgeous gardens and stone facade for some of our wedding photos. Not to mention, they were very competitively priced for the space size and location! If you are getting married in DC, we highly recommend Friends Meeting of Washington for your wedding reception!
response12/23/2020
We really enjoyed hosting you and your wedding reception! Your setup was beautiful and we ...
were so glad that the weather ended up being beautiful that evening. Congratulations again!
Chris L
5.0
5/30/2020
Our event was perfectly planned and it was enjoyed very much by our family and friends. We had a great time. Can't beat a venue like this in DC. Highly recommend.
Tania H
5.0
5/30/2020
This beautiful venue in the heart of Dupont Circle is such a cool location surrounded by gorgeous gardens, various indoor spaces that you can choose from, and a really friendly staff to work with. I had a great time working with Brian right before the pandemic lock down. We had a great time with our friends and family here.
Guy M
5.0
5/27/2020
The venue was perfect for our wedding and reception needs. The staff at Friends Meeting of Washington were very helpful. The venue will always be a special place for my wife and I.
Amanda N
5.0
5/10/2020
I got married at Friends Meeting of Washington in August 2019 and it was the perfect location. Accessible by metro, close to hotels, but also private enough to feel like an oasis within the big city. The gardens and building are great for photos, especially the staircases in the inner garden and the staircase the lobby. The building has just been redone and blends the historic spaces with new design. There is also a new elevator - a plus in an area with mostly older buildings (guests in the hotel we blocked needed to use a service elevator if they couldn't use stairs). Service was also great as well - we used the library space to get ready / relax before the ceremony and had around 100 guests in the large Meeting room. It felt perfect, but there was room for additional guests if you have a larger wedding. Overall, a perfect place to celebrate a perfect day!! Don't miss the Spanish Steps just down the block, one of my favorite wedding photo locations!
Matt H
5.0
4/25/2020
My wife and I got married at Friends Meeting of Washington in October 2019. Brian was wonderful to work with, and we couldn't be happier with how it all turned out. He was flexible and responsive, and committed to making sure that the evening was just as we wanted it.
The space itself is a beautiful and intimate place to get married.
We would recommend them without hesitation, and we're so glad we had our wedding there.
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