Perfectly situated in the heart of our nation’s capital,  the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium is one of the most breathtaking historic buildings and sought-after luxury wedding venues in Washington D.C.

Constructed in 1934, the grand location with timeless architecture has endless design possibilities for any event style.  We love how it makes you feel transported to Europe without ever having to leave the district!

The Mellon Auditorium sits directly across Constitution Avenue from the Natural Museum of American History and the National Mall.  Where else could you have the wedding of your dreams amid so much history?!

Whether you envision a bright and serene daytime wedding or a grand, dramatic evening soirée, the Mellon is a magical place for any notable celebration.

While ornate, it’s still neutral and can be transformed to whatever the style or vision…

The building rental comes with full use of all event spaces, including the green room.  This rich room can serve as anything from the caterer’s kitchen to an enchanting cocktail hour or ceremony location (depending on guest count.)

Here at Strawberry Milk Events, we have had the pleasure of translating a variety of our clients’ visions in this space – it’s always exciting to design here.  Check out these ethereal ceremonies and extraordinary receptions at the Mellon below – everything from classic Washingtonian to modern glam to enchanted and exotic.

What you need to know: wedding venues in Washington D.C.

Ceremony/Reception space: Both

Capacity: The building best accommodates events with 200-500 guests. If you are doing ceremony and reception, 200-400 is the best range. If you are holding only a reception, 200-600 guests are fine.

Accommodations: No rooms onsite but the JW Marriott, Willard Intercontinental, Trump and W Hotel are all quite close.

Time of Year: The Mellon makes a wonderful venue year round.

Cost: Many weddings/event rental costs at the Mellon start around $19k for the building rental and building support costs and security are typically extra. This is based on 14 hours of total access time, including setup and breakdown. Additional hours may be necessary depending on setup logistics, if you plan to host ceremony there, etc. Most weddings use the timeframe 12-noon to 2 a.m. with their reception ending at 11 p.m.  We see most of our clients with a final venue rental fee near $25k once all is accounted for.

Photo credits: www.classicist.org; Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium gallery; Sarah Bradshaw; Abby Jiu

*event photos are our own