Luxury Wedding Venue in Washington DC
Perfectly situated in the heart of Washington DC, The Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium is one of the most sought-after luxury wedding venues in Washington D.C.
This venue has hosted several galas, conferences, and weddings. It is located in the Federal Triangle, which is formed by 15th Street NW, Constitution Avenue NW, Pennsylvania Avenue NW, and E Street NW. The Federal Triangle is occupied by 10 large city and federal offices, all of which have been designated as ‘architecturally historic.’ This project has been called “one of the greatest building projects ever undertaken.” The Mellon is directly across Constitution Avenue from the National Museum of American History and The Mall.
The venue was designed by San Francisco architect Arthur Brown, Jr. The Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium serves as the central focus of his tripartite building group. Architect Arthur Brown, Jr., gave the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium a monumental Doric temple front to serve as the central focus of his three-part building group. The building was built using Indiana Limestone, terra-cotta roofing, a strong vertical emphasis, and marble and granite.
Rental Information:
When renting this venue you are allowed access to all of the event spaces. This includes the lobby, the Grand Hall, The Green Rooms, and the balcony. Depending on your guest count, design style, and type of event this opens up an entire realm of possibilities. The venue is open year-round, 365 days a year. The rentals times are 8a-2a, however there must be three hours blocked off for load out. If you prefer to extend your party to 2 am you can rent additional hours for the load out. Alcohol service must end by 1 am.
The Green Rooms:
Behind the grand hall are The Green Rooms. These rooms are vibrant in color and detail. They are the perfect location for cocktail hour, a smaller event, or can be used as a catering kitchen. If you would like to use the Green Rooms, independent of the full venue, you would need to rent them 45 days prior to the event date. This is a great option for a covid-pivot, or a micro wedding.
Capacity:
Depending on what type of event you are having will determine the guest count. The venue maxes out at 1000 guests, but depending on the table layout, dance floors, etc. this will change.
Weddings: The building best accommodates events with 200-500 guests. If you are doing a ceremony and reception, 200-400 is the best range. If you are holding only a reception, 200-600 guests are fine.
Here is a link to their capacity chart with more information for galas and corporate.
Vendors:
The Mellon does have a preferred vendor list. These are vendors that are experienced with the venue, have the capacity to turn the room over, and deliver the level of service that is expected at this venue. You can bring in an outside vendor if you prefer as long as they meet the requirements of the building.
This is a venue that is gorgeous on its own, however, it transforms into something magical when it is done correctly. The grandeur of the venue, the high ceilings, and the neutral elegance of the space makes this a very exciting venue to design for. This is definitely a space for couples who appreciate the heritage and heirloom quality, but who want the pleasure of surprising and delighting their guests.
These photos were taken by David Abel Photography.
