District of Columbia
Destination wedding · Washington, DC
In short
Destination wedding in Washington, DC starts at $4,800: 10 hours on location with a photographer who works in Washington, DC, and 700 edited photos delivered to a private gallery within 6 weeks.
Why choose Destination wedding in Washington, DC?
A destination wedding in Washington, DC is ten hours of coverage with a second photographer and 700 or more edited photographs, priced from $4,800, for a wedding the guests travel in for. Washington works as a destination because the weekend plans itself: guests arrive to a monument walk, a museum morning and a welcome dinner without anyone organizing a tour. The coverage is usually split, with two or three hours at the welcome evening and the rest on the wedding day, so the out-of-town guests are photographed while they are relaxed rather than only in the receiving line.
Worth knowing about Washington, DC
The National Park Service permits wedding ceremonies of up to 200 people at the District of Columbia War Memorial for two hours, setup and cleanup included, with chairs, a battery-powered sound system and up to two acoustic musicians. Receptions and alcohol are not allowed on site and parking is not included, so a destination wedding there moves every guest to a separate reception venue by bus.
What does the session in Washington, DC look like?
- District of Columbia War Memorial
- A domed open-air temple on Independence Avenue, and the permitted ceremony site that takes up to 200 guests, with room for a chuppah or arch and two acoustic musicians.
- The Lincoln Memorial at sunset with the wedding party
- A short drive along Independence Avenue from the War Memorial for the group frames the whole trip was built around.
- A Georgetown or Wharf welcome dinner
- The evening before, when the second photographer covers the guests while the lead covers the couple.
What does destination wedding in Washington, DC include?
- 700+ retouched photographs
- Ten hours of coverage, or split across two days
- Welcome-party or rehearsal-dinner coverage included
- Second photographer throughout
- Venue liaison, and guidance on any permit the location needs
- Private online gallery within 6 weeks
FAQ — Destination wedding in Washington, DC
Can an out-of-town officiant marry us in Washington, DC?
Yes, once the DC Superior Court authorizes them. Religious celebrants and judges from outside the DC Courts must be registered by the Marriage Bureau, and a friend or relative can file a Temporary Officiant Application by email; a clerk replies within five business days with a payment link. The officiant must be physically present in the District of Columbia at the ceremony.
How is ten hours of destination wedding coverage split in Washington, DC?
A typical Washington, DC split is three hours at the welcome dinner or a guest monument walk the evening before, and seven hours on the wedding day from preparation through the first part of the reception. The second photographer works both days, which matters most at a District of Columbia War Memorial ceremony, because the National Park Service keeps the site open to passing visitors and the guests spread across the memorial and its lawn.