Two weeks ago I promised photos of the National Press Club.  After doing a walkthrough with our clients and their vendors, I’m thrilled to share more information with you.

The National Press Club is a beautiful venue in the heart of downtown DC.  They are near 14th & F, just north of the J.W. Marriott.  What a perfect location!  Not only are there hotels within walking distance, there are also several restaurant options for rehearsal dinners and tons of stuff for out-of-town guests to check out.

As you walk in, there is a large lobby space with a large glass and marble staircase.  This is a great spot for wedding party photos:

The view from upstairs:

Just beyond the staircase leads you into the ‘Holeman Lounge.’  This is a great big area for cocktails with plenty of space to mingle with guests and lots of natural light:

Looking back towards the door.  Check out that beautiful fireplace!

Off to the left is a built-in wooden bar.  I’ll give you one guess why they call it the ‘Square Bar:’

Just beyond the bar there is yet another cocktail room!  They call this one the ‘First Amendment Lounge.’  This is where we’ll put some stationery hors d’oeuvres and some casual cocktail seating:

Yet again, more natural light!  What hotel ballroom can promise this many windows?

Headed back the way we came, we find ourselves back in the Holeman Lounge.  If we were to turn right instead of left, another bar!  This one is beautiful too:

If you’re lost already, there is a helpful floor plan here!

Beyond the bar is the Ballroom.  This is what you see on CNN all the time and has hosted countless famous speakers through history.  It has nice tall ceilings, a balcony on two sides, and is completely functional for handling large groups:

The view from the balcony.  Imagine the photos your photographer could capture from up here:

Just outside the ballroom is a hallway that features photos of all the celebrities who’ve spoken at the Club. Most of them are signed a la Sardi’s.  You just have to check it for yourself to see who they have:

There is also a nice large bridal party room at the end of the hallway.  This is nice because it’s so close to the ballroom!  No stairs or elevators or anything so bridesmaids and brides have access to their totes, flip flops, lipstick, and whatever else they need.  It’s nice to be able to store all your personal items away from the party, too, so your overnight bag isn’t peeking out from under the gift table.

Don’t forget the Press Club is offering an amazing deal for August weddings next year!

Tags: dc, DC Vendors, national press club, venue spotlight

This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 12th, 2008 at 6:26 am and is filed under DC Vendors. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.