Wednesday, January 23, 2013

DC Wedding Venues {Sleek & Modern}



It's that time of year when tons of couples get engaged and start searching for the perfect wedding venue so we thought we'd share some of our favorites.  Today we're highlighting some of DC's more modern venues. Those sites that aren't Georgian or Federal  and don't have sweeping staircases or soaring columns. If you're into grand and stately, hang on, those venues will be up later this week. But, for now, bring on the neon and glass!

The Ronald Reagan International Trade Center or "The Reagan Building"


We love this cool uber-modern venue because it can hold lots of guests and does have a dramatic staircase for an equally dramatic entrance (pictured at the top of this post by photographer Todd Laffler) and also has some of the best cuisine in town from their in-house catering. We have planned numerous fabulous weddings here and love the space and the staff!

Longview Gallery


This is DC's answer to a New York style loft space. It's cool, urban and large enough to do a ceremony and reception. You will love the exposed stone and the outside back terrace, not to mention the artwork that hangs in this working art gallery. Ceremony above photographed by Fotobriceno.

The Park Hyatt DC



One of our very favorite hotels underwent a complete transformation a couple of years ago and the new ballroom is so chic! Lots of modern details and crisp lines to match the rest of the hotel's sleek vibe (like this nook in the cocktail area outside the ballroom).



And our couples love being photographed in front of the cherry blossom glass art installation in the lobby. We adore working with catering director Michael Deltette and the cuisine (think Blue Duck Tavern) is always supurb!

The Newseum



You can't beat the views from this Pennsylvania Avenue venue with terraces overlooking the Capitol and floor to ceiling glass in the ballrooms.  For the truly adventurous, you can rent out the entire museum space, as one of Amanda's clients did (wedding pictured above by Greg Gibson), and dine surrounded by exhibits!



The W


 You can't find a more hip hotel in DC than the W. We love the rooftop ballroom with the option for cocktails on the terrace overlooking the White House. Breathtaking! We love the look below created at the W last year for the Engaged Show by Amaryllis. Masses of enormous white paper flowers paired with the hotels sleek chairs and funky chandeliers made for a stunning ceremony look!



Happy wedding venue hunting. Next up on the blog-- classic and imposing venues in the city!  Need more help finding the perfect wedding site. We'd love to help streamline the process and make your planning fun!  www.engagingaffairs or 1.888.481.5156

Amy and Mike's Wedding Video!

Ok, I promised.  Here is Amy and Mike's "Human Story".
just the right moment- the wedding of Amy & Michael from humanstory on Vimeo.