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Weddings

About

Arts Club of Washington is a sophisticated wedding venue in Washington, D.C. Located in a historic townhouse, couples are invited to add their own chapter to its tale. Conveniently situated in the heart of the nation’s capital, it is accessible for guests traveling from far and wide to celebrate.

Facilities and Capacity

The Arts Club of Washington calls the spectacular Monroe House its home. A charming manor with a history that stretches back to the early 1800s, its many rooms offer a special setting in which to celebrate. The club itself has been housed here since 1916 and was the first private arts club in the capital. Upon arrival, guests will be immediately struck by the grandeur of the property. Its entrance hall features a crystal chandelier that illuminates a room defined by antique furniture, high ceilings, and carved door arches. Couples are invited to exchange vows in the Monroe gallery, with works from renowned artists as their backdrop. An intimate setting, its stage functions as an ideal altar and is lit by natural light from stunning floor-to-ceiling bay windows. The party can continue in the Monroe Parlor Rooms which welcome receptions for up to 60 friends and family. Luxurious spaces, they are noteworthy for their period furniture and exhibitions from featured artists. The upstairs salons are also available for those celebrating and feature views out over Pennsylvania Avenue. The property’s garden is a welcoming venue for an outdoor celebration, and a large tent can be erected in aid of the party. The management is happy to provide furniture rentals for events, including tables and chairs.

Services Offered

The Arts Club of Washington’s staff offers everything couples need for an unforgettable big day. The club offers fine cuisine from its catering team and can serve up to 400 guests station-style, a buffet for 200, or seated dinners for smaller groups. The staff can help organize cutting-edge audiovisual equipment for events, as well as decor rentals. They can help clean up and set up everything on the day, and the club’s in-house event planner can help make sure big days run smoothly.

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Frequently asked questions

Do you have a site fee for wedding receptions at your venue?

Yes

What is the starting site fee for wedding receptions during peak season?

$4,000

What is the starting site fee for wedding receptions during off-peak season?

$4,000

Do you have a site fee for wedding ceremonies at your venue?

Yes

What is the starting site fee for wedding ceremonies during peak season?

$800

What is the starting site fee for wedding ceremonies during off-peak season?

$800

Which of the following are included in the starting site fee?

Bridal Suite
Chairs
China
Clean Up
Flatware
Glassware
Linens
Set Up
Tables

Which of the following are included in the cost of wedding catering?

Cake Cutting
Server(s)

What is the starting price per person for bar service?

$35

Which of the following are included in the starting price for bar service?

Bartender(s)
House Wine
Premium Liquor
Signature Drink

How many event spaces or rooms does your venue offer?

7

Describe your venue:

Historic Building
Mansion
Museum

What kind of settings are available?

Indoor
Covered Outdoor
Uncovered Outdoor

Which of the following wedding events does your venue service?

Ceremony
Reception
Engagement Party

What event services do you offer?

Clean Up
Event Planner
Event Rentals
Get Ready Rooms

What catering services do you offer?

Buffet
Cocktail Reception
Family Style
Hors d'oeuvres
Outside Cake
Plated
Server(s)
Stations

What bar services do you provide?

Bartender(s)
Champagne Toast
Open Bar
Premium Liquor
Signature Drink
Specialty Wine

What event items are available?

Aisle Runners
Audio Equipment
Chairs
Decor
Furniture
Lighting
Tables

What food and beverage items are available?

China
Flatware
Glassware
Linens

Reviews of Arts Club of Washington

T
Thomas Sent on 03/29/2021
5 out of 5 rating

Best in class

Unbelievable value and class. A fantastic venue run by true professionals. Super accommodating and fair. Transparent and helpful.
Riho
Riho Sent on 07/12/2019
5 out of 5 rating

You must visit this venue in person!

Initially I wasn't impressed by the pictures online. But as soon as we saw this place in person, we absolutely FELL IN LOVE!

This place used to be former president James Monroe's house and the building has tons of historic charms. Affordable rental rate includes the use of whole property (which includes cute outdoor garden, 3-story gorgeous house with gallery/dance hall). It is located near metro stations in downtown DC and our guests were able to find variety of accommodations and things to do nearby.

Everyone there were very flexible & responsive. Yann kindly answered hundreds of questions we had and spared time to meet us in person couple times. Chef Ken provided lots of recommendations on our meal options & created delicious dinner for everyone. Jenna made sure that everything goes smoothly on the day-of the wedding. And all other staff were also exceptionally kind & helpful!
A
Alyssa Sent on 05/20/2019
5 out of 5 rating

Down-to-Earth hidden gem

The Arts Club of Washington was the absolute perfect venue for me and my husband. Right from the get-go, we wanted something that was central, pretty, and reasonably priced; the Arts Club checked off all of those boxes. The rate is a steal—I don’t think any of the other options we were looking at even came close in terms of competitive pricing. It’s also incredibly unique; the multiple floors, different rooms, and art made sure that everyone always had something to do. We got so many comments on what a great find it was.

The staff was so accommodating and attentive to our needs. They were receptive throughout the entire process, from the tour to the food/wine tasting to the day itself. We had originally planned to have both our ceremony and dinner outside, but unfortunately it poured the entire day. Within an hour, they were able to re-orient the ceremony to the indoor space and arrange for a tent to cover the outside dining area. The ceremony was beautiful and, miraculously, no one got wet while eating dinner. It was so magical; I’ll remember the day and the crew who helped us forever.

The food was AMAZING. Seriously, people are still talking about it. The chef worked with us to pick a menu that suited our tastes, so it was casual but still kind of sophisticated (plus I got my Mac n cheese). We also chose our favorite cocktails to be prepared during the cocktail hour—I think it was a Moscow mule and a gin and tonic. Since it’s an older venue, they did have a couple of rules they were pretty stringent about (I don’t think you could have red wine upstairs, for instance), but honestly it didn’t make one difference.

Please at least consider taking a tour of this place in your searches. The pictures don’t do it justice.
Emanuella
Emanuella Sent on 06/01/2017
5 out of 5 rating
We held our wedding at the Arts Club on Memorial day weekend and highly recommend it to other couples! We spent several weeks looking for the perfect location for our big day, and the Arts Club met all of our criteria.

I absolutely loved my wedding at the Arts Club of Washington! Tt was such a magical weekend. All of my guests ranted and raved for days after the event on how much fun they had and how beautiful the venue was. I couldn't imagine a more perfect wedding day for myself or my new husband. We had aroun 75 people in our wedding.

Yann and his staff were excellent! Throughout the planning process, they were incredibly helpful, providing information about ceremonies and receptions

It's a historic building and a former home of James Monroe. The house has a unique character, the staff are professional and hard-working, they offers chairs, tables, linens, and cutlery/glassware at no extra cost, there are multiple floors available for guests to roam, their garden/courtyard is the perfect setting for a ceremony/dinner, and the venue even offers in-house catering.

The venue was very flexible on scheduling a tasting for us. The chef did a great job and the food was amazing. He also included a family recipe in the menu. We also featured a signature cocktail, Brazilian Caipirinhas.

We loved the historical feel of the building. The event went perfectly and everyone had a wonderful time..
L
Lindsey Sent on 12/07/2016
5 out of 5 rating
We were so, so pleased with our selection of this venue throughout the process and through the wedding day. The staff was responsive and helpful, answered all of our questions thoroughly. And our other vendors had no issues coordinating their pieces, as necessary, with the venue. The venue staff were friendly and flexible and very professional and knowledgable.

The food was delicious and quite possibly was the component that guests complimented most. And - it was really nice to have the food done in house - one less thing to coordinate for us!

The space is beautiful and we loved being able to use the historic home. We appreciated that we had access to the whole space on the day of and that during our wedding party, we were able to move between rooms (and courtyard) for various parts of the evening. We had our ceremony and party here.

And finally, compared to other DC venues we looked at, the value is far greater at The Arts Club.
Geraldine
Geraldine Sent on 10/02/2016
5 out of 5 rating
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.
U
User1881078 Sent on 10/22/2014
5 out of 5 rating
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!!
Cesse
Cesse Sent on 05/01/2013
5 out of 5 rating
I could not be happier with The Arts Club of Washington. Our wedding was perfect, and it was more than partly due to the management and staff at the Arts Club. The Manager and event coordinators were super friendly, and were so easy to talk to and good at fielding all of my questions. The staff the day of were super professional, friendly, and accomodating to whatever we needed.

The food, and beer/wine selection were also fantastic. For passed hors d'oeuvres we had beef wellington bites, goat cheese and onion tarts, and vegetable spring rolls. Our guests thought they were super yummy and we heard a lot of good things about the beef wellington. For dinner we had a buffet, but it was still fantastic. We had a caprese salad, lemon roasted chicken, garlic pepper flat iron steak with jasmine rice, vegetable napoleon, sweet potato hase and roasted asparagus. We had all of that for $50 a person! Also with buffets, often the meat gets really dry and not very good, but that was not the case here, everything was juicy, tender and delicious.

The pricing system is different here than other venues which initially turned me off. The rental fee is higher than other places, but that's because it includes all the stuff that you have to pay for extra at other places. The rental fee at the Arts Club includes the space, but also tables, chairs, linens, silverware, plates, glasses, etc, plus THE STAFF! Also for our decorations they said we could use anything that they had acquired over the years, so we used all of their vases for the centerpieces, so I didn't have to buy any of them and then figure out how to deal with them afterwards.

I was so pleased with the Arts Club and would definitely recommend it to any bride to be!
Ryan
Ryan Sent on 10/28/2011
5 out of 5 rating
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.
N
Nancy Sent on 10/03/2011
5 out of 5 rating
I would highly recommend the Arts Club to anyone looking for a unique venue and people that will work with you to make your day extra special. They staff was completely accomodating, the chief is incredibly talented, and the venue itself is beautiful. Our wedding and reception were held in the courtyard out back and the cocktail hour was held upstairs in the parlor. We had use of both the house and the courtyard, more than enough space. Our day couldn't have been more perfect! We LOVE the Arts Club!!!!!
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Awards

33
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2012 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2010 Winner

Map

Arts Club of Washington frequently asked questions

Arts Club of Washington includes the following items and services for wedding events in its starting site fee:
  • Bridal Suite
  • Chairs
  • China
  • Clean Up
  • Flatware
  • Glassware
  • Linens
  • Set Up
  • Tables
Arts Club of Washington includes the following items and services in its wedding catering costs:
  • Cake Cutting
  • Server(s)
The bar service starting price at Arts Club of Washington includes:
  • Bartender(s)
  • House Wine
  • Premium Liquor
  • Signature Drink
The space offered by Arts Club of Washington for wedding events is known for:
  • Historic Building
  • Mansion
  • Museum
Arts Club of Washington offers the following indoor/outdoor options for weddings:
  • Indoor
  • Covered Outdoor
  • Uncovered Outdoor
Arts Club of Washington offers the following types of wedding events:
  • Ceremony
  • Reception
  • Engagement Party
Arts Club of Washington offers the following services for wedding events:
  • Clean Up
  • Event Planner
  • Event Rentals
  • Get Ready Rooms
Arts Club of Washington offers the following furniture and decor items for weddings:
  • Aisle Runners
  • Audio Equipment
  • Chairs
  • Decor
  • Furniture
  • Lighting
  • Tables
Arts Club of Washington is recommended by 91% of couples who have used their services. Their overall rating is 4.6 out of 5 with the following breakdown: 4.6 in quality of service, 4.6 in flexibility, 4.6 in professionalism, 4.6 in value and 4.4 in average response time.
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