DC area reception under $5000

bellahottlipz

Hello ladies! Just wondering with all of your hard work in researching venues if you think its possible to have a Saturday evening reception with food and decor for under $5000 for 150 people (both have large family) in the DC area? Thank you ahead for any suggestions.

LoveKiss

It would be tight, but pretty much anything is possible as long as you are willing to be flexible. Do you know someone with a backyard and nice house that could be used? Would you be okay with a community center venue? Public park? How far outside of DC are you willing to travel? Are you expecting a 4 course plated dinner, or are you cool with bbq or some other unconventional food for a wedding? Do you need Ace of Cakes or is a cake from Sams Club/Costco an acceptable option? Are you able to DIY your decorations, or do you have super crafty friends and family who can pitch in? Tissue paper flowers, bunting, streamers, etc. can be done on the cheap if you are willing to put in the time to make stuff yourself.

PrfctL7

Carnegie Institute for Science? It's absolutely beautiful and right in DC and I think I remember hearing it's like $3000. I'm sorry if I'm way off with the price though!

ktkoala

The Carnegie 5k for just the venue space - no food or decor included. Personally, I think it would be really (really) hard to have a wedding for 5k for that many people. Even without decorations, you are looking at around 25 dollars a head. You are going to have to think outside the box with community centers or cheap parks (even Glen Echo is several thousand just to rent.) The farther outside of DC, the better. (I would google wedding on a budget in DC, there were a couple blogs that I found. One that was at a park and one that was at Teaism. I also saw a pretty wedding in Carmines, but I think they started around ~40 a head.) Good luck!

atowle1

SO I know people sometimes look down on "vendors" posting on these forums, but as I'm planning my own wedding right now and happened to see your post while combing for photographers, I figured who knows... maybe I can be of some help

I manage a winery in Fairfax County in the town of Clifton- it's the closest winery to DC at only about 30 minutes away. We have a really awesome tasting room facility that we sometimes allow people to rent out on weekend evenings for private events, including weddings. I generally rent this space for betwen $500-$750 per hour, and the events we host here are typically a little more casual. We're not necessarily set up to accommodate full formal seated dinners (just because of time constraints), but if you were interested in having like cocktail stations/buffet/butler service, we could potentially be a good fit.

Even if we're not a good fit, I know some other wineries in the NoVA area are priced pretty well. Something to possibly consider

www.paradisespringswinery.com

HT2012

Paradise Springs is a great place and very cute! 

calliopeia2013

I am pretty much 100% sure that the only way this is possible is to do inexpensive catering (BBQ, pizza, etc.), cake from Costco, that sort of thing.  Space is just sooooo expensive.  Do look at college campuses, btw- NVCC and GMU both have theater and large conference room space that's quite cheap to rent out.  (I'm in northern VA so that's all I looked at, but I'm sure other schools do too.)  And my maximum floral budget is $1000, and I'm struggling to find florists willing to work with that- so you'd probably have to do your own flowers (order online and make your own arrangements or whatever).

2dBride

Are you a member of a church?  The least expensive wedding tends to be marrying in one's home church, then having a cake and punch reception in the church's social hall.  You could do that in the evening if the ceremony started after dinner time.