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Weddings
From 10 to 250 guests
Ceremony/Reception
Outdoor/Indoor
Get Ready Rooms
Meghan
Grace
L
S
A

Recommended by 98% of couples

About this venue

National Cathedral School (NCS) is a beautiful wedding venue located on the grounds of the Washington National Cathedral in Washington, DC. Our campus offers delightful indoor and outdoor options for both your ceremony and reception. The venue is conveniently located in the heart of the US capital and has stunning views of the surrounding gardens and city landscape. Our facilities are equipped to provide everything you need for your celebration, including catering, on-site parking, and a dedicated, friendly staff.

Facilities and Capacity

NCS offers a number of diverse options for ceremonies and receptions, from intimate outdoor terraces to the elegant Grace Chapel. The chapel's modern architecture and stunning stained glass make it a distinctive and beautiful place to exchange vows, and it can accommodate up to 250 guests. Nestled beside the Cathedral is Hearst Hall, a historic building that has hosted ceremonies and receptions alike. Our campus also features several outdoor venues, all of which offer breathtaking views of the Washington National Cathedral and its surrounding landscape.

Services Offered

NCS offers all-inclusive service for weddings, from catering to facility setup and unparalleled commitment from the staff. On-site security and custodial services are available to help you prepare for the ceremony and reception, as well as assist with tear-down after the evening is over. We also offer our own in-house catering service, FLIK, for your consideration. Please feel free to reach out and schedule a time for you and your partner to stop by and tour all that we have to offer!

What You'll Love About National Cathedral School

Couples who celebrate their big day at this venue love the stunning and elegant setting, providing abundant bespoke photoshoot opportunities. Additionally, they rave about the event team, who work in tandem with each couple to ensure their wedding vision is brought to life. Check out the Reviews section to learn more about this gorgeous property.

Features

Small team (2-10 members)

Experience

  • 126 years in business

  • We speak English and Spanish

Links

Visit website

FAQ

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?

3,500

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

3,500

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?

2,000

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

$2,000

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

Chairs
Clean Up
Set Up
Tables

What is the minimum number of guests required to book your venue?

10

How many event spaces or rooms does your venue offer?

10+

Describe your venue:

Ballroom
Garden
Historic Building
Religious

What kind of settings are available?

Indoor
Uncovered Outdoor

Which of the following wedding events does your venue service?

Ceremony
Reception
Bridal Shower
Engagement Party
Elopements
Rehearsal Dinner

What event services do you offer?

Accommodations
Bar Services
Catering Services
Clean Up
Event Rentals
Get Ready Rooms
Outside Vendors
Wifi

What catering services do you offer?

Buffet
Cocktail Reception
Dessert
Family Style
Hors d'oeuvres
Plated
Server(s)

What bar services do you provide?

Bartender(s)
Limited Bar
Liquor License
Open Bar
Signature Drink

What event items are available?

Aisle Markers
Altar/Arch
Audio Equipment
Chairs
Furniture
Tables

What food and beverage items are available?

Barware
China
Flatware
Glassware
Linens

What transportation and access is available?

Parking
Wheelchair Access

What months are included in your peak season?

May
June

What months are included in your off-peak season?

January
February
March
April
July
August
September
October
November
December

Still have questions?

Reach out about anything you didn't see answered here—no question is too small!

Wedding couple

Reviews of National Cathedral School

This AI-generated summary gives you a snapshot of the overall ratings and feedback from the reviews this vendor has received.

Review summary

Powered by AI

National Cathedral School is highly recommended by reviewers for weddings, with accolades for its stunning location and simple yet beautiful chapel. Carly and the entire team are praised for being organized, responsive, and patient throughout the planning process, making the experience seamless and enjoyable. The venue's different spaces, like the pollinator garden and Oak Court, are highlighted as naturally beautiful backdrops, adding to the charm of the celebration. The professional and enthusiastic support provided by Carly and her staff, coupled with the picturesque setting, make NCS a top choice for couples seeking simple elegance in a DC venue.

Review summary

Powered by AI
This AI-generated summary gives you a snapshot of the overall ratings and feedback from the reviews this vendor has received.

National Cathedral School is highly recommended by reviewers for weddings, with accolades for its stunning location and simple yet beautiful chapel. Carly and the entire team are praised for being organized, responsive, and patient throughout the planning process, making the experience seamless and enjoyable. The venue's different spaces, like the pollinator garden and Oak Court, are highlighted as naturally beautiful backdrops, adding to the charm of the celebration. The professional and enthusiastic support provided by Carly and her staff, coupled with the picturesque setting, make NCS a top choice for couples seeking simple elegance in a DC venue.

L
Lily Sent on 01/15/2026
5 out of 5 rating

Beautiful Ceremony

I got married here December 2025 and it could not have been better. Everything ran smoothly and our ceremony was beautiful. The chapel is a simple, yet stunning building. The coordinator is experienced and sharp. The music director ensured we had the harpist we always dreamed of. The chaplain, Eva, is truly so intentional and made every effort to ensure we were present in grounded in this meaningful moment. I truly cannot recommend NCS enough for your wedding. Beautiful place, incredible people, everlasting memories.
Meghan
Meghan Sent on 10/13/2025
5 out of 5 rating

Grace Chapel

Rev Cavaleri and Carly made our day seamless and were a joy to work with! Highly recommend this venue
S
Sydney Sent on 05/26/2025
5 out of 5 rating

Hidden gem!

NCS was the perfect wedding venue in the most stunning location! We loved working with Carly and her whole team. They were organized, responsive, and patient with our many questions throughout the whole planning process.
A
Amanda Sent on 11/27/2024
5 out of 5 rating

NCS, our dream wedding day!

Carly and the entire NCS team were truly a dream to work with. We feel like we found a hidden gem venue in DC and couldn't be happier with how our wedding day turned out! The chapel felt intimate and special, and our guests loved enjoying the views of the Cathedral grounds. We thought it was the perfect venue size for our approx 75 person wedding. The Cathedral grounds are also a lovely backdrop for photos. If you're looking for a timeless wedding space, with both indoor and outdoor options, we'd highly recommend working with NCS! Carly is professional, creative & enthusiastic. She was also very kind and helpful with our families, ranging from infants to grandparents! Thank you, thank you!
B
Brennan Sent on 10/21/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Perfection

Thank you NCS, Carly and all event staff for making our wedding day everything we could have asked for and more. The venue is a perfect place in DC to host a beautiful event. It definitely fit our vibe of simple and relaxed elegance. We had our ceremony in the pollinator garden across from the actual Hearst Hall which had incredible views of the cathedral in the back. Our cocktail hour was in Oak Court, a naturally beautiful space to bring people together. The reception was inside Hearst Hall which has large windows making the space feel airy and bright.
Carly was SO awesome to work with. She was so patient, responsive, knowledgeable and upbeat. I only have great things to say about her. She was very open to and helped execute our ideas with different floor plan setups and new activities for the reception. The staff during the event was so sweet. They helped us feel very special by genuinely saying to me and my husband congratulations multiple times. I'm so happy we had our wedding at NCS and I could not recommend it more!

Photography credit: Emily Carl Photography
C
Chea Sent on 07/09/2024
5 out of 5 rating

NCS Wedding

We fell in love with the space since our first visit, and Carly was amazing to work with. She is so responsive, and takes the time to explain every and all of our questions. We are so appreciative of her flexibility and her experience with previous weddings at the venue!

Thank you again, Carly, for making our wedding special! :)
N
5A12F0802E842A6E057A7B9A508B09137Cc53092 Sent on 07/06/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Hidden Gem of Wedding Venues in DC

Words cannot express how grateful I am to have had my wedding at the National Cathedral School! Affordable, convenient, beautiful...the key elements for any event. Carly Redrow, Facilities, Events & Rental Coordinator, was an absolute dream to work with. She was always so joyful and happy to help. She goes above and beyond to make your day special. The venue itself is perfect for a 50-100 person wedding and logistically had all the nuts & bolts to make planning much easier. I truly cannot recommend this venue enough!!
N
Nicole Sent on 07/06/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Hidden Gem of Wedding Venues in DC!

Words cannot express how grateful I am to have had my wedding at the National Cathedral School! Affordable, convenient, beautiful...the key elements for any event. Carly Redrow, Facilities, Events & Rental Coordinator, was an absolute dream to work with. She was always so joyful and happy to help. She goes above and beyond to make your day special. The venue itself is perfect for a 50-100 person wedding and logistically had all the nuts & bolts to make planning much easier. I truly cannot recommend this venue enough!!
Grace
Grace Sent on 12/21/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Incredible experience for my wedding ceremony!!

WOW! I would give 10 stars if I could. We had the most excellent experience working with the National Cathedral School to host our wedding ceremony in Grace Chapel.

First, working with Carly was a dream, especially for someone as detail-oriented as I am. She was one step ahead always, asking all the right questions and ensuring that we were aware and aligned to any updates. She even took extra care in putting up Christmas decorations for the chapel in consideration of our December wedding! I can't say enough positive things about working with her.

Second, our experience in the space was fantastic. We had a "green room" off to the side for the bridal party, which worked well. The chapel itself was beautiful, decorated so beautifully for Christmas, and just naturally very gorgeous with its wood pews and windows. Coming down the aisle there was everything I could have dreamed!

Truly it was such a perfectly planned and coordinated ceremony by Carly and the NCS team. I recommend anyone considering it to book their wedding or special event here!
L
Loreal Sent on 02/21/2019
5 out of 5 rating

Danielle goes above and beyond!

Danielle was a pleasure to work with! I'm a local planner and I'm used to having an assistant from my team for the big day. For the wedding at NCS, it was a little smaller so I worked it solo. Danielle was a God send and I couldn't have done it without her! She not only served as the venue contact, and assisted the catering team, but she also assisted me and picked up any slack. She went above and beyond, and I cannot thank her enough! NCS is such a quaint venue that all couples should check out, religious or not. It's perfect for a smaller affair and has views and nooks for pictures galore!
We're all about trust. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.

Awards

14
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Team

Carly Redrow
Carly Redrow
Manager

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National Cathedral School frequently asked questions

National Cathedral School includes the following items and services for wedding events in its starting site fee:
  • Chairs
  • Clean Up
  • Set Up
  • Tables
The space offered by National Cathedral School for wedding events is known for:
  • Ballroom
  • Garden
  • Historic Building
  • Religious
National Cathedral School offers the following indoor/outdoor options for weddings:
  • Indoor
  • Uncovered Outdoor
National Cathedral School offers the following types of wedding events:
  • Ceremony
  • Reception
  • Bridal Shower
  • Engagement Party
  • Elopements
  • Rehearsal Dinner
National Cathedral School offers the following services for wedding events:
  • Accommodations
  • Bar Services
  • Catering Services
  • Clean Up
  • Event Rentals
  • Get Ready Rooms
  • Outside Vendors
  • Wifi
National Cathedral School offers the following furniture and decor items for weddings:
  • Aisle Markers
  • Altar/Arch
  • Audio Equipment
  • Chairs
  • Furniture
  • Tables
National Cathedral School is recommended by 98% of couples who have used their services. Their overall rating is 4.9 out of 5 with the following breakdown: 5 in professionalism, 4.9 in quality of service, 4.9 in average response time, 4.9 in flexibility and 4.9 in value.

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