Photo: Michelle VaTine Photography via Instagram
Having an intimate elopement in a big city can often seem like a daunting task, but D.C. brides will be pleased to know that there are plenty of options for spectacular, personal elopements in the city. Whether it’s a local pizza chain, trendy Mexican restaurant, or Virginia museum, the options for small weddings are many. With the backdrop of the exquisite city and its many diverse neighborhoods and communities, D.C. elopements are truly enchanting. Here are five unique elopement ideas for the D.C. bride.
&pizza
This popular eatery is more than just a regular pizza joint. On Pi Day in 2015, a local couple married at &pizza, creating the perfect elopement trend for pizza-loving couples to have a fun, stress-free wedding day. The trend caught on, and on March 14th of this year, the Columbia Heights &pizza location transformed into a Vegas-style wedding chapel, offering weddings for interested couples looking to elope. For couples who want to tie the knot at other times of the year, the expenses are on you — but it makes for a delicious afterparty!
Mission Dupont Circle
If an elopement featuring tacos and margaritas sounds like an ideal wedding, Mission Dupont Circle is the place for you. For fun-loving couples, the 20th Street Mexican restaurant will provide the couple with a Mariachi band and a bottle of Don Julio tequila — engraved with the couple’s names and their wedding date, of course. With its overstuffed burritos, spicy nachos, and spicy margs, Mission Dupont Circle is sure to make for an exciting elopement. Couples can have their elopement celebration in any space at the restaurant, including its upstairs loft, the bar (complete with stained glass windows), and an outdoor patio. For those asking their families to join post-nuptials, there’s a spacious downstairs, complete with four dining areas and a giant 60-foot bar.
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Athenaeum
The museum in Alexandria, Virginia is an elegant venue for an intimate elopement with close friends and family. Architecture buffs in the wedding party will be pleased to know that the art museum is one of the few remaining examples of neo-classical Greek Revival architecture in the D.C. area. The brick-enclosed courtyard is perfect for private, romantic elopement ceremonies, and as an art museum, the Athenaeum’s exhibits change frequently, which is sure to be a unique backdrop for your wedding photos. Read real brides’ reviews here!
The Newseum
If being in the presence of Pulitzer Prize-winning photographs and other American news-related memorabilia is your thing, the Newseum offers wedding packages — including small elopements. Intimate ceremonies can be held on the rooftop, complete with stunning views of the Capitol building. Wolfgang Puck catering provides food, making for a culinary experience that guests won’t soon forget — whether it’s a cake and champagne reception or a larger dinner. The Newseum’s location on Pennsylvania Avenue makes it the perfect place to have a cozy wedding amidst the backdrop of Washington, D.C.
Use Pop! Wed Co.
Steven and Maggie Gaudaen shot their first wedding together when they were 16 — and haven’t looked back since. To make a long story short: when Maggie went to work at a digital agency in D.C., she wasn’t able to spend as much time photographing elopements and weddings as she wanted. After talking with Steven, the two agreed to provide pop-up weddings in a fun way — and Pop! Wed Co. was born. Steven serves as officiant, Maggie plans and shoots, and an additional photographer helps out at weekday elopements. Some noteworthy recent pop-up weddings include the Renwick Gallery, Apothecary Museum in Alexandria, and the National Building Museum’s 2015 “Beach” exhibit. Read real brides’ reviews here!
