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Weddings

About

United States National Arboretum is a wedding venue located in Washington, DC.

While the National Arboretum attracts visitors near and far to experience its 446 acres worth of sprawling gardens and world-renowned monuments, it also serves as the largest outdoor private event and wedding location in Washington.

A wedding at this living museum is a once-in-a-lifetime experience worth sharing with the most important people in your life. If you’re looking for a place that combines both natural and historic beauty, then the National Arboretum is the perfect wedding location for you.

The U.S. National Arboretum, located in Northeast D.C. at Bladensburg Road and New York Avenue, is a U.S. Department of Agriculture research facility.

Have your ceremony in the shadows of the historic columns, enjoy cocktails in the sprawling Herb Garden and of course, dance the night away in your own private meadow under the stars!!

We do not have indoor space and no longer offer ceremony only options.

All weddings must start after 5pm and end by 11pm.

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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?

$10,000

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

5,000

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?

$5,000

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

$5,000

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

Clean Up
Parking

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

Cake Cutting
Dessert
Server(s)
Wedding Cake

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

Bartender(s)
Limited Bar

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

1

How many event spaces or rooms does your venue offer?

12

Describe your venue:

Garden
Park

What kind of settings are available?

Covered Outdoor
Uncovered Outdoor

Which of the following wedding events does your venue service?

Ceremony
Reception
Bridal Shower
Engagement Party
Rehearsal Dinner

What event services do you offer?

Outside Vendors
Pet Friendly

What catering services do you offer?

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

What bar services do you provide?

Bartender(s)
Champagne Toast
House Beer
House Liquor
House Wine
Limited Bar
Liquor License
Open Bar
Outside Alcohol
Premium Liquor
Signature Drink
Specialty Beer
Specialty Wine

What event items are available?

Tents

What food and beverage items are available?

Barware
China
Chocolate Fountain
Flatware
Glassware
Linens

What transportation and access is available?

Parking

What months are included in your peak season?

April
May
June
August
September
October

What months are included in your off-peak season?

July
August
November

Reviews of United States National Arboretum

D
David Sent on 05/17/2021
5 out of 5 rating

Unbelievable!

Everyone should consider getting married here. Not only was it affordable, but the experience was so easy. Natalie was an amazing communicator and help to us with her suggestions of local venues and perspectives! Super host. She was responsive and flexible and very accommodating. The arboretum was a dream location to hold our wedding at and we’d recommend it to anyone and everyone! Built in florals and endless picture opportunities that are so unique to you! Also, the money goes to supporting research at the Arboretum. Our signature cocktail was made from honey harvested at the Arboretum. What’s not to love?
C
Chad Sent on 01/08/2023
5 out of 5 rating

We had the PERFECT wedding

We could not imagine having a more perfect day and a more perfect place. The Arboretum is a truly astonishing setting with multiple sites on the venue to hold your reception, ceremony and cocktail hour -- based on the size of your party. We had almost 200 guests so we held our ceremony in the 'meadow'... a field overlooking the Capital Columns. You reach the meadow by walking through the Knot Garden and adjacent herb garden. Our cocktail hour was then at the 'water pond', a deck outside the main building wrapped with a coy pond and water fountains. Our ceremony was held under a tent in the Northern Terrace, located just on the other side of the main building in a clearing.

Weather is definitely a factor but we lucked out and had one of the most gorgeous days an October has ever seen, and given the season we had nice bright pops of yellow and red as the tree colors had begun changing. Everything looked incredible and we (and our guests) were just in awe of the natural beauty around us.

The downsides with the Arboretum is the tent requirement, including generator, some lighting, etc.. but the tent was absolutely stunning with lights underneath. We did rent heaters but didn't need them since it was such a beautiful day.

Natalie is the event coordinator who worked with us the entire time, helping to recommend vendors and make other great suggestions along the way. She was super fun and easy to communicate with, incredibly responsive, and was there to make the magic happen on our wedding night. She saved the groom's shirt from a permanent stain with a timely tide pen during the reception as well!

10/10 want to get married again so we can do it all over at the Arboretum.
S
Sam Sent on 05/30/2022
5 out of 5 rating

Incredible, beautiful space- just what we wanted (working with them difficult)

We had a fall wedding at the Arboretum- it was absolutely lovely and completely beautiful. It was everything we wanted and totally stunning. The value for the price was also fantastic. We would absolutely recommend getting married here, at any of the locations in the Arboretum. The wedding was managed by MTG. Natalie with MTG was difficult to work with. While she answered our questions, she gave us wrong information several times, was misleading about catering and location options, and omitted important details about the grounds that surfaced later on. MTG wasn't clear about what they could control versus the US National Arboretum. Some logistical items were glossed over or missed. This was very frustrating. In the end though, things came together for a very beautiful event!!
Sarah
Sarah Sent on 02/03/2022
5 out of 5 rating

Fairy Tale Wedding Day

MTG Hospitality manages weddings at The Arboretum. From start to finish, the planning was a breeze! There is a short list of vendors who provide services at The Arboretum, which made picking vendors very easy. The venue was very accommodating, as we had to postpone our wedding due to Covid. They were also very flexible the day of when it rained!
Olivia
Olivia Sent on 06/12/2021
5 out of 5 rating

Perfect Venue!

Choosing the National Arboretum for our ceremony venue was the best wedding decision my husband and I made! If you love the outdoors and nature, look no further. We had our ceremony and a champagne toast in the Herb Garden and it was perfect for our micro wedding. The arboretum is a magical place, and Natalie and her team made our wedding day go so smoothly. We’re so thankful!
A
Allison Sent on 06/02/2021
5 out of 5 rating

Fantastic Experience!

The Arboretum was the perfect place for a wedding--especially one planned during COVID uncertainty. Natalie was the most helpful, both during the planning process and during the actual event. She worked with us when we were able to invite more guests, provided vendor recommendations, and even helped clear the chairs at the end of the ceremony. The location was wonderful, and Natalie made sure everything went smoothly
J
Jennifer Sent on 05/26/2021
5 out of 5 rating

Stunning Venue, Great Experience

Having our anniversary party at the Arboretum was MAGICAL, and Natalie is FANTASTIC to work with! After two wedding cancellations due to COVID, my husband and I were very hesitant to schedule yet a third date. However, after stumbling across that the Arboretum does weddings (one of our favorite spots in DC), we couldn't resist and it was a great decision.

If you haven't been to the Arboretum, don't wait any longer. It's a hidden (or not so hidden anymore) gem of DC perfect for weddings. The grounds are gorgeous, and there are so many romantic, stunning spots for your first-look, ceremony, and reception. The Arboretum offers multiple wedding options that accommodate different needs and budgets.

Leading up to our anniversary party and at the event, Natalie (runs private events for the Arboretum) was a dream to work with. She's friendly, genuine, super responsive, accommodating, and a problem solver. She made our day stress-free and helped us to enjoy every moment of it.

We cannot recommend the Arboretum enough to newly engaged couples - you'd be lucky to get married there!
Emileigh
Emileigh Sent on 10/21/2020
5 out of 5 rating

Wonderful micro-wedding at Arboretum

Getting married at the Arboretum was wonderful! The day was so beautiful and our guests also really enjoyed themselves at such a historic and lovely location. The photos we've seen so far from our early October wedding have blown us away so much that we can't wait to go back and reminisce. In fact, our biggest regret is how quick our micro-wedding was. We would have loved to spend even more of our day at the Arboretum - it was just perfect location and it felt special to start our life together while supporting a (USDA) National Park!

And, a BIG shout out to our wonderful venue coordinator, Natalie! I got my veil caught in a bush right before walking up to the altar and Natalie rushed over to help me. I will never forget that and her helpfulness! We also forgot our flower petals for our ceremony exit and Natalie rushed my fiance over to the guest center and back before we could blink to help us fix the problem! She is great.

For couples considering the Arboretum, we say go for it! It will be so special and you will love the location. One last tip, I'd also suggest coordinating through your photographer for a professional videographer. We regret not having done that, but everything else was great.
I
Izzy Sent on 09/29/2020
5 out of 5 rating

Gorgeous and practical

It’s beautiful, affordable, and great customer service! COVID destroyed our plans for our original wedding in Germany, then I stumbled on the Arboretum and it was a no-brainer. I was a bit nervous about the uncertainty that comes with an outdoor wedding and even though it rained IMMEDIATELY after my wedding party left and it was overcast all day, our pictures were phenomenal. The cost was completely reasonable for our little minimony of 15 people, and it was just a beautiful intimate setting to match the ceremony. Also, Natalie was absolutely great to work with. Super sweet, and communicated often.
L
Laura Sent on 07/10/2020
5 out of 5 rating

Wonderful experience working with Natalie of McNeese Thomas Group

Selecting my venue and working with Natalie was the first -- and most important -- decision I’ve made in wedding planning thus far! My fiance and I were so excited to learn that the National Arboretum was available for weddings and reached out to Natalie in December 2019, toured the venue in January 2020, and were ready to commit on the spot. Planning a May 2021 wedding amidst the uncertainty of the pandemic has felt stressful, but having Natalie in our corner has helped us keep moving forward. She has been responsive from the moment we met, answering all of our questions (big and small) with kindness and timeliness, and has provided us with so many vendor connections along the way. The conversations I’ve had with vendors thus far indicate that Natalie is held in high regard by her industry colleagues -- “I love working with Natalie” is something I’ve heard multiple times now! And it’s true. It’s been a pleasure to work with her and I highly, highly, highly recommend reaching out to her!
We're all about trust. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.

Awards

11

Professional Network & Endorsements

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Map

United States National Arboretum frequently asked questions

United States National Arboretum includes the following items and services for wedding events in its starting site fee:
  • Clean Up
  • Parking
United States National Arboretum includes the following items and services in its wedding catering costs:
  • Cake Cutting
  • Dessert
  • Server(s)
  • Wedding Cake
The bar service starting price at United States National Arboretum includes:
  • Bartender(s)
  • Limited Bar
The space offered by United States National Arboretum for wedding events is known for:
  • Garden
  • Park
United States National Arboretum offers the following indoor/outdoor options for weddings:
  • Covered Outdoor
  • Uncovered Outdoor
United States National Arboretum offers the following types of wedding events:
  • Ceremony
  • Reception
  • Bridal Shower
  • Engagement Party
  • Rehearsal Dinner
United States National Arboretum offers the following services for wedding events:
  • Outside Vendors
  • Pet Friendly
United States National Arboretum offers the following furniture and decor items for weddings:
  • Tents
United States National Arboretum is recommended by 100% of couples who have used their services. Their overall rating is 5.0, with the same score awarded for quality of service, flexibility, value, professionalism and average response time.
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