If you’re looking for a D.C. wedding, or mitzvah venue that breaks up the “expected”, Union Market delivers. It’s not buttoned-up. It’s not ballroom. It’s creative, urban, and just the right amount of rebellious.
Whether you’re hosting 30 or 1,000 guests, Union Market has the space. With strong architecture and flexible layouts, these venues let us design events that feel layered, stylish, and entirely your own. From rooftop views to warehouse-chic interiors, here’s our guide to the venues at Union Market.
DOCK5
Dock5 is big—12,000 square feet big. It’s one of the few venues in D.C. that can hold a large crowd and still feel like a private event. The space is raw in all the right ways: exposed brick, concrete floors, warehouse scale. It’s ideal for weddings with high guest counts, cultural fusions, and design visions that need room to expand. The space is perfect for Chuppahs, Mandaps, lounges, band stages, and of course, bar and bat mitzvahs where the theme execution matters.
Located behind Union Market, Dock5 feels discreet in the best way. Unassuming from the outside, but expansive, private, and ready to be transformed.
The space also opens directly into the street, which feels less like an alley and more like a natural extension of the venue. It’s fully private and included in the rental, often used for cocktail hour, outdoor ceremonies, or as a flexible transition zone. Personally, I’d love to take a cue from Danielle Bernstein’s rehearsal dinner with Birch Event Design and set one long table down the middle of the street—whether for a welcome event or the main affair.
Dock5 is incredibly flexible—but to do it well, you need both vision and the willingness to do it properly.
AUTOSHOP
Autoshop is one of those spaces that surprises you. From the outside, it still looks like what it once was: a former auto body shop. Inside, though, it has great bones and just enough grit. Exposed brick, steel beams, large windows. It’s industrial without feeling cold.
There’s also a touch of glam. A statement chandelier instantly elevates the space and keeps it from feeling too raw. You can drape sections of the interior to create softness and structure, adding a bit of whimsy and romance without losing the edge.
The floor plan is open and flexible. The mezzanine can be used for cocktail hour or tucked away as a built-in rain plan. The outdoor terrace works well for ceremonies or transitional space and adds another layer to the experience.
Autoshop is for couples who want something less expected but still intentional. The venue is flexible on load-in and load-out, which makes the production process more efficient. The surrounding area is one of the fastest-growing in the city, with plenty to do if guests are staying nearby.
THE ROOFTOP at UNION MARKET
The Rooftop at Union Market feels like the kind of space you stumble into while traveling—a little hidden, completely unexpected, and instantly cool. Clean architecture, unobstructed views, and just enough edge to feel like a proper city moment. It’s a cool space, ready for a creative event to take place.
It works beautifully for welcome parties, rehearsal dinners, and smaller weddings that want to feel intentional but not overdone. The layout is simple and open, with just enough built-in structure to avoid feeling makeshift.
It’s the kind of space that works best when it feels easy—a rooftop dinner, skyline views, music in the background, guests in great outfits, cocktails in hand, and that unmistakable energy of a night out in the city.
The rooftop can also be tented, making it one of the few outdoor venues in D.C. that’s both stylish and weather-adaptable.
Whether you’re planning a wedding, mitzvah, or social event, Union Market gives us the kind of setting that’s made for thoughtful design and memorable experiences.
Photo: Ashley Boyan Photography