Church of the Holy City

The Church of the Holy City Wedding Chapel is a religious wedding venue in the Washington, D.C. area. This historically elegant chapel rises up like a grand stone castle with wooden pews and stained glass windows inside. Couples can find this wedding venue a five-minute drive from The White House in downtown Washington, D.C.

Facilities and Capacity

At this chapel, couples can celebrate their big day with up to 360 guests. The main hall of the Church of the Holy City Wedding Chapel, called the Sanctuary, seats the maximum number of guests for the wedding. The wooden pews feature ornately carved details and sit on either side of a red runner leading to the altar. The ceilings stretch high overhead, supported by wooden beams, and on the walls stained glass windows depicting religious anecdotes climb to meet them. Stone walls glow in the warm soft lighting of the overhead pendant light fixtures. A pipe organ is built into the wall near the front of the room. The building also has a small vintage library, a bright and open parlor, and a foyer connecting both rooms to the Sanctuary. There is a second-level to this historic chapel accessible by a winding stone and brick staircase. The Upstairs Chapel is a small bright room with windows of clear glass and a wooden cathedral ceiling. It can serve as a venue for ceremonies or receptions. The downstairs Dining Hall is the perfect location for a reception as well.

Services Offered

Couples can host their ceremony and reception for up to 100 persons together in this historic wedding venue. Outside vendors are permitted at this venue to allow couples to decorate, dine, and celebrate in the style of their choosing. The church welcomes couples of all faiths to host their wedding on its grounds.

History

This English Gothic Sanctuary was designed by H. Langford Warren. The architect of the chapel was a Swedenborgian and was also the Dean of Harvard’s School of Architecture. The church was one of the country’s first to welcome the marriages of couples of different races. In the 1970s the church opened its doors to marriages of couples with different faiths. Then, in the 2000s, it was one of the first churches to welcome couples in same-sex marriages, before this was legalized by the Supreme Court.