Washington, DC Location Guide: Top Rooftop Venues with a View
Many couples at the start of their planning process encounter the same issue. It isn’t that they don’t know what they want for their wedding–they have a clear vision for their day. However, they can’t find where to make it happen. As my couples come to me with their ideas, together, we find the perfect wedding venue. These are my top recommendations for rooftop venues in Washington, DC!
Top Rooftop Venues With a View in Washington, DC
The ability to imagine your day doesn’t require that you go for something over the top. It just means that you have an inkling of how you want the day to look or feel. In my experience as a DC wedding photographer, I find that couples having even a single wedding idea can propel their planning forward.
One of the starting points I love is looking at the rooftop venues found in Washington, DC. There are so many features that draw couples to these rooftop wedding venues with a view. The following are crossover features commonly found between my favorite ones!
- Beautiful often panoramic city views
- Elegant & historic buildings
- Iconic Washington, DC monuments in the area perfect for additional portraits
- Rooftops used for ceremony and/or reception
- Lots of beautiful windows so guests get to enjoy the view throughout the wedding day experience.
See what each of these Washington, DC rooftop restaurants and hotels have to offer for your wedding day design!
The Hay-Adams Hotel
The highest floor of The Hay-Adams hotel overlooks the Washington, DC cityscape including the White House and the Washington Monument. Called the Top of The Hay, this level offers a private celebration space with French doors that open to a wraparound balcony.
Couples can also visit the space for a first look or wedding bridals on the balcony. It is a narrower space so it doesn’t work great for posing the wedding party or capturing group family photos. But, the site does accommodate any golden hour wedding photography for the couple.
Rooftop Venues Best Features
- The interior 3,262 square feet can be utilized as a ceremony or reception space. Receptions fit up to 200 guests for a seated dinner.
- When doing a room flip between the ceremony and reception, The Hay Adams Room holds the cocktail hour on a lower level.
- Views can be seen from indoors through the French doors and windows.
- Guests do have to use the elevator so transitions may be a little slower.
Hotel Washington
Of the Washington, DC rooftop venues, Hotel Washington is an all-inclusive hotel with everything you need for your wedding day. It is a luxurious venue only steps away from the White House, the National Mall, and the Washington Monument. These are their hotel rooftop wedding location offerings:
- Elevation: Located on the 11th floor, Elevation offers stunning views and bright natural light. It can house up to 200 guests for a ceremony or 130 seated for a reception. (utilized for this couple’s ceremony)
- Sky Room: attached to the hotel’s DC rooftop bar, VUE. It houses smaller reception dinners for up to 50 or cocktail hour for up to 120 guests. It cannot accommodate a ceremony. Most couples use the large windows with gorgeous views of the Washington Monument for their first look! It’s important to note that there are no outdoor rooftop views, it’s all from the inside.
Rooftop Venues Best Photo Spots
- Nearby outdoor portrait locations have all the city vibes either under the canopy in front of the hotel or next door in the square.
- The Sky Room with DC views through the floor-to-ceiling windows.
- Sometimes we travel off site for covered rain-plan locations like the Thomas Jefferson Memorial or the Kennedy Center (See below!)
Top of the Town
Top of the Town is from the list of rooftop venues located in the wider DC Metro Area. It showcases the DC monuments seen from across the Potomac River in Arlington, Virginia. The exterior of the building isn’t attractive, so I would recommend limiting on-site photos to indoors and outdoors solely on the rooftop.
The rooftop terrace is beautiful for sunset photos but keep in mind that the lighting can be harsh without shade during the day. This rooftop wedding venue with its panoramic views offers an amazing atmosphere for couples to adapt! See what this couple did for their elegant Indian wedding reception!
Top of the Town Virginia Best Features
- 12-foot high windows, marble foyer and hallway, dedicated express elevator, chandeliers, Chiavari chairs and a variety of table sizes.
- Hosts up to 180 standing, 150 seated with a dance floor, also works for ceremonies, engagement parties, and rehearsal dinners. The space fills up quickly, so I recommend sticking to a max of 100-120 guests.
The LINE DC
I’ve shot at the LINE DC Hotel in Adams Morgan from many angles and for so many different stages of the wedding day. It’s been used for anything from getting ready to a sunset rooftop elopement. The LINE DC is an all-inclusive wedding venue that truly has an endless supply of indoor and outdoors spaces to capture your day!
The LINE DC perfectly provides all that you need with a rooftop view of Washington, DC as the backdrop to your ceremony. You can also get ready on site in the hotel rooms and it’s even dog friendly with no additional pet fee. Fun photos can be taken throughout the property including the epic staircases found in the front lobby and entrance.
The hotel boasts a classic, simple style that I would recommend for anything from larger weddings, elopements, intimate weddings, bridal sessions, engagements, and boudoir! For rooftop venues in DC, you can’t beat the LINE DC!
HighPoint at 1333 New Hampshire
HighPoint at 1333 New Hampshire is newer to the DC rooftop venues scene and is positioned in the heart of the city. It is perfect for weddings and receptions during any time of day. Sunset is so epic here, and the setting was gorgeous for this couple’s wedding even in the rainy fog. You just can’t beat the views!
This couple opted to hold their ceremony on the side of the building that holds a perfect view of the Washington Monument. Guests sit inside and the area opens up to the terrace or you can have the ceremony on the terrace itself. I recommend the second option if you have a smaller group because you’re able to see better views in your photos!
HighPoint is so easy to navigate as it seamlessly ties the spaces together:
- Panoramic views of downtown Washington, DC.
- Standard rental includes private rooftop wedding venue space for 8 hours (including setup & breakdown).
- 6,000 sq. ft. rooftop indoor space and covered terrace + 2,800 sq. ft. open air overhanging rooftop terrace. This wedding maxed out the space at 120 guests and at times it felt crowded. I would recommend closer to 100 guests or less because of the way the rooms are split.
- On-site parking garage, list of preferred vendors.
- Reception space is just down the hall from the ceremony with an inside and outside option for the terrace. There’s space for dancing inside too!
- There are floor to ceiling glass windows that open up to both the ceremony and reception terrace spaces.
- Cocktail hour can make use of the side terrace.
Other Rooftop Venues To Consider
- The Kennedy Center: in addition to the classic rooftop views, it offers covered and uncovered grounds that overlook the Potomac River and Georgetown. It can be reserved for a full elegant wedding day or simply used for wedding portraits with no permit required.
- Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR): technically not a rooftop, it still provides patio views of the Washington Monument.
Choose between all of these amazing rooftop spots for your own wedding or elopement day!
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