President Lincoln's Cottage Reviews
Reviews
We're all about trust. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.
-
![Cece]()
Cece Sent on 12/02/2024Historical Venue
The whole venue is elegant, historical, and meaningful. Kyesse, our Event Planner, was wonderful and easy to work with. -
-
![Patrick]()
Patrick Sent on 05/17/2024We loved getting married here!
The Lincoln's Cottage was the perfect venue for our May 11 wedding. My husband was looking for a wedding in the country and I was looking for a wedding in the city, and the Cottage provided the perfect compromise. It was easy for our out of town guests to take the shuttle wee provided from the Viceroy Hotel and for our loved ones in town to Uber or park on site, and it felt like the Cottage was our own magical corner of the city that we met in and lived in.
Everyone who works for the Cottage was lovely to work with, our guests were thrilled to explore the house during cocktail hour, and it was perfect to host the ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception all on the property. Despite the rain post-ceremony, the whole evening was magical (our gay wedding even had a rainbow!) and all of our vendors easily worked with the team at President Lincoln's Cottage. While our guests were bummed to end the party at 11 p.m., it was a quick and easy walk to the after party at Slash Run across the street and the celebrations continued.
Would get married at the Cottage again in a heartbeat! -
-
![Alek]()
Alek Sent on 05/01/2023We loved having our wedding at Lincoln's Cottage
We loved everything about our wedding experience at Lincoln's Cottage. The venue is beautiful, and our guests were excited to learn about the cottage's history from the docents on hand to answer questions and show them around. Jerry, in particular, was so easy to work with and answered all of our questions in detail and with encouragement to ask more. Thank you! -
Sean Sent on 10/26/2022
Great location, beautiful space, and wonderful experience.
President Lincoln’s Cottage was a fantastic place to be married in DC. A wonderful combination of history, gorgeous greenspace, and spacious tent space, the cottage is conveniently nestled in the middle of DC’s Petworth neighborhood. Jerry, our primary point of contact, was fantastic. The team was incredibly helpful when rain threatened to complicate the ceremony, and they were fast to fix issues before they surfaced to us. As a fun bonus folks were given historical mini-tours of the cottage during the cocktail hour and folks have raved about how fun that was.
-
-
![Scott]()
Scott Sent on 10/10/2022Amazing piece of DC History
President Lincoln’s cottage was the perfect venue for our wedding - a mix of history and current day beauty. Jerry and the entire event staff were so easy to work with, and helped us turn our vision into reality. We heard from so many out-of-town guests how special and unique this venue was, and how much they appreciated its cultural significance. Many venues in DC have a long list of rules that can restrict your evening, not so with President Lincoln’s cottage! -
![Emma]()
Emma Sent on 01/18/2022Beautiful Venue with Great Staff!
We had the greatest wedding experience with PLC and Jerry, the event manager! He was so helpful every step of the way and it helped that we used a month of coordinator that was familiar with Jerry and the venue. Our guests were in awe of the beauty and history of the property, especially that it was nestled in the middle of the city. Guests could drive and easily park for free or take Uber/Lyft which was so convenient and allowed us to not have to worry about transportation. The one thing to be aware of is that if you are having a tent, it can only be through one company that is great but very pricey. That was the biggest expense of our entire wedding, which we were not expecting. However, we made adjustments in other places and we couldn't be happier with how it worked out. I wholeheartedly recommend having your wedding at PLC! -
-
![Allison]()
Allison Sent on 09/01/2020Fairytale Wedding at PLC!
My husband and I are quickly approaching our first wedding anniversary and our baby’s due date! It’s an exciting time to reflect on the past year. We were lucky enough to get married in Oct of 2019, months before the COVID 19 pandemic. We had 192 guests from all over the US. It was the highlight of my life. We worked with the cottage staff starting about 7 months before the wedding and took their recommendations for various vendors. During the planning process they made themselves available for many meetings, phone calls and endless emails from the bride-to-be. We chose PLC for a variety of reasons: most notably the location, being in the city was something we wanted, yet we also wanted to be outside and dance under the stars... with the expansive estate there was ample parking for guests, room for a picturesque ceremony on the lawn, space for lawn games, cocktails in the cottage, and a reception under the stars (highly recommend getting a clear tent). Everyone continues to reminisce over our Big Day and they always mention the unique and elegant venue. -
-
![John]()
John Sent on 09/15/2019Privilege to be married at such a special venue
As soon as my now-husband and I visited President Lincoln's Cottage, we knew we had found the venue for our wedding. The historic nature of this hidden gem is unmatched. That history, and the Cottage's programming today connecting it to modern struggles for freedom and equality--made it a perfect fit as a place to celebrate our interracial, same-sex, interfaith marriage. (And as a native Illinoisan, I was doubly excited to have Mr. Lincoln share in our big day!) The grounds are beautiful and our guests--even most of those who were local--enjoyed the chance to experience a lesser known site in DC and learn some history as well. Having docents walk guests through the Cottage's history during the cocktail hour is unquestionably worth it!
When we first reached out to the Cottage, we were working with Sahand, who, as all of the reviews to date have attested, was a true delight. We would be remiss, though, if we did not acknowledge the incredible job done by his successor, Shayla, who took over just a few months before our wedding day. The transition between the two was virtually seamless, and Shayla worked well with our coordinator and vendors to ensure a successful event. We were fortunate that, despite an uncertain forecast, our outdoor ceremony and al fresco dinner ended up happening as planned, but we don't doubt that the indoor rain plan would have been equally lovely. The folks at President Lincoln's Cottage are true professionals and were wonderful to work with. We are overjoyed and feel so incredibly fortunate to have had the honor of celebrating the biggest day of our lives in such a special setting. -
![Brittany]()
Brittany Sent on 04/26/2019Home Sweet Home
The Cottage is historic and is an amazing location. My wife and I have a great relationship with the Cottage. The venue is unique and holds a special place in our hearts. I highly recommend you put The Cottage on your list for any event. -
Nicole Sent on 01/13/2019
It's all they say, and more!
As we walked away from our tour of PLC (the first venue we visited), we turned to each other and said: "This is it, right?" It seemed silly to only visit only one site, so we kept our other appointments that afternoon, but they only confirmed the impulse. We feel so lucky and grateful to have had such a great venue for our wedding and reception.
We had a beautiful late September day, and I will never forget how magical it felt. We were going for a fairly casual, garden party vibe, and the space was perfect for that. It really needs very little adornment. Further, I honestly looked forward to every time I spoke or emailed with Sahand. He's a gem-- enthusiastic, generous, HILARIOUS, and great at what he does. At the end of the night, I made sure to pull him on to the dance floor, because we really did feel like friends.
To be honest, before we started, I kind of dreaded wedding planning. But with the help of Sahand and PLC, I was totally confident that things would be wonderful. A bonus: even many of our DC guests had never visited here before. It was really special to get to introduce so many people to this beautiful, tranquil space right in our city. We recommend it to others without hesitation! -
-
![Amelia]()
Amelia Sent on 12/19/2018History, Charm, and Sahand
I find this really difficult to write, not because this venue was terrible in any way, but because I feel that I can't convey how truly remarkable working with the Cottage was to myself and my husband.
Honestly, as soon as we met Sahand (the event coordinator for the Cottage), it didn't matter what the venue looked like. Sahand has an amazing, infectious energy. We felt that immediately and knew that we needed to work with him. (The Cottage was amazing, too.) Between Sahand and the Cottage itself, anyone could feel the warmth and positive energy all around.
What the other reviews state about this venue and its employees are all true. It was the perfect setting for our winter wedding. Sahand was with me every step of the way. If I could do it all again, I would do it the exact same way. It was incredible, moving, beautiful, charming, EVERYTHING because of the Cottage and because of Sahand's attention to detail. We are grateful. -
-
Kaitlin Sent on 08/04/2018We could not be happier with choosing to have our wedding at President Lincoln's Cottage!
This incredible venue is a hidden gem in DC sure to entertain both locals and out-of-towners. We were looking for an outdoor wedding venue in DC, and this was the first one we visited. We were blown away by Sahand's professionalism and down-to-earth personality as well as the beautiful venue. After we visited PLC, every other venue paled in comparison!
Throughout the wedding planning process, Sahand was extremely knowledgeable and attentive. I love that PLC offered a preferred vendor list - we ended up hiring all but one of our vendors through that list. Their preferred vendors have worked a ton of weddings at PLC and know the ropes like the back of their hand.
Another reason we were interested in PLC was their rain plan. Most venues we visited didn't have a rain plan or you'd have to pay an extreme amount, but Sahand graciously offered the 2nd floor of the cottage as a rain plan in our package. It did end up raining on our wedding day, but we were able to still hold the ceremony outdoors and moved dinner inside. Having an intimate dinner with your friends and family in Lincoln's master bedroom where he wrote the 1st draft of the Emancipation Proclamation is not a bad rain plan :)
Our bid day was the most beautiful and special day I could ever have imagined and that is mainly due to Sahand and the staff at PLC. -
-
Silke Sent on 12/19/2017Imagine getting married in the summer home of Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln. A gothic revival cottage noted for its understated elegance. The place to which Lincoln chose to escape the hustle and bustle of the White House and Capitol Hill. The place he chose to be in order to be near wounded soldiers returning home from the war. Imagine having one's wedding reception in the same room where Lincoln wrote the first draft of the Emancipation Proclamation. Such is the historical significance of the Cottage.
But President Lincoln's Cottage is also known for its disarming charm. The space is adaptable to accommodating the needs of every couple. We hosted a cocktail reception on the first floor with a bar on the veranda. Dinner was served on the second floor in the Emancipation Proclamation Room. And cake cutting took place on the first floor in front of the fireplace with the band set up in an adjacent room. Our 80 guests enjoyed a memorable experience as did we. We had the wedding reception of our dreams.
No review of the Cottage is complete without full acknowledgement of the incredible professionalism and expert coordination of Sahand Miraminy, the event coordinator. He is one in a million as event coordinators go. Sahand embodies the uniqueness and charm of the Cottage. And he knows its history better than anyone else. He is a passionate protector of the history and legacy of the Cottage.
You will not regret choosing President Lincoln's Cottage as the venue for your wedding ceremony and/or reception. I promise. -
-
David Sent on 12/18/2017My wife and I recently passed our 1-year wedding anniversary and not a day goes by without our reminiscing fondly about the magical wedding experience we had at Lincoln Cottage. The cottage hosted our evening wedding reception after we celebrated our ceremony at a church in downtown Washington in the late afternoon. We had about 80 guests and rented both floors of the cottage. We hosted a cocktail hour with hors d'oeuvres on the first floor, and then a buffet-style seated dinner on the second floor, followed by cake, music and dancing back on the first floor. The setting was absolutely magical - just a very special, traditional jewel nestled outside of the bustle of downtown Washington. Sahand was our liaison at Lincoln Cottage and he was just a wonderful guide and partner during our planning process. He patiently helped to answer all of our questions and tailor an event that fulfilled all of our wishes. We highly recommend Lincoln Cottage to anyone who's considering!
-
-
User2768860 Sent on 09/15/2016Having our wedding at Lincoln's Cottage was a great decision! Sahand was great to work with and the event went super smoothly. HIGHLY recommended. =) -
![roman_holiday]()
Jennifer Sent on 08/15/2016While my fiancé and I didn't ultimately book this venue because our guest list kept growing, we absolutely loved working with Sahand over the past month while we made our decision. The venue itself is a wonderful combination of an historic property and great ambiance - it has a special charm that you don't find just anywhere. Sahand was extremely professional and responsive, I would have loved to work with him to plan my big day!! Ultimately, we just had too many people for the venue's size, which is why we didn't book. If your event is within their capacity, I highly recommend checking out President Lincoln's cottage - you won't be disappointed! -
![Abha]()
Abha Sent on 06/27/2025Fabulous! So happy
Beautiful venue! We hosted a pre-wedding event for my daughter's Indian wedding( the haldi). The grounds were fantastic, the staff professional and friendly... it was an amazing place! We absolutely loved it! Thank youi -
![Andrea]()
Andrea Sent on 01/01/2020We Wouldn't Have Picked Anywhere Else
As a DC resident of 12 years I had my eye on this venue for a long time as did my partner. With only a limited number of weddings done per year we knew we had to make sure to call with enough time to snag our date. At the end of the official tour we put a deposit down with no hesitation.
The historical significance of this landmark was perfect for us as I'm a big history nerd, and with over 100 people coming from out of town, it enticed our guest list to attend the wedding as they got to tour an important historical site. It was nice knowing there would be historians on hand during the cocktail hour to answer any questions our guests had regarding the history of the Cottage and Lincoln.
When we first reached out to the Cottage, we were working with Sahand, who was delightful, but left his position midway through the planning. His successor, Shayla, however, not only made the transition painless but seamless. She was there for all our questions, walkthroughs, and even an impromptu walk-through when my mother popped into town randomly and wanted to see some venue details. Shayla is a wonderful addition to the Lincoln team and I cannot wait for the reviews on here to mention her as many times as her predecessor was mentioned.
Our ceremony took place outside on the back lawn facing the veranda, with a cocktail hour inside, followed by our tented reception on the visitor center lawn.
It's important to note that party size plays a role in where you can have your wedding at the cottage so be aware of that when you do your walkthrough. Also there is a noise restriction regarding amplified music outside, which we knew but had to explain to our Latin family.
The team at President Lincoln's Cottage is fantastic and made our wedding a truly special day. We're still getting people telling us how in awe they were of the venue and it was perfect to have our wedding at one of DC's best hidden treasures. -
-
![Claudia]()
Claudia Sent on 10/23/2020Micro wedding in the time of COVID
President Lincoln's Cottage was one of our very favorite wedding venues from the start of our search. It's a beautiful setting with meaningful historical significance, and it felt good knowing that our venue fee was going toward something we both cared about. We ended up having many unexpected developments in our wedding planning process, including happening to start our planning process during a transition phase between staff at the Cottage, but more so the COVID pandemic which obviously turned the whole wedding industry upside down. In the end, the Cottage offered us a "micro-wedding" package, which turned out to be the right fit for what we were looking for. It was very helpful to be able to downsize our wedding to a safe number of guests for Phase 2, and the great thing about the Cottage is that the outdoor spaces/grounds are so extensive that there was no problem at all social distancing (we had zero issues with COVID at all with our wedding, which was fully social distanced!) Perhaps the best thing was that we were able to have our dinner outdoor on the lawn under lights, which was beautiful. We recommend the Cottage to any couples looking for an outdoor wedding experience in the heart of DC. (One thing for couples to be aware of: under normal circumstances, a tent is required, and note that you can expect the cost of the tent to be equivalent to the venue fee). Thank you to all the staff at the Cottage - -
Are you interested?
Are you interested?