Want your wedding reception to really stand out? Pick a venue that is nothing like anything your guests will have seen before. Something with a vibe that is fresh and different. Fortunately, the Washington DC metro area is full of locations like that. For example, you can celebrate your nuptials at a brake shop turned art gallery. Or you can party the night away at a hip Georgetown lounge. Or you can have your marriage celebrations at an alpaca farm. (Ok, that last one is actually in Germany. But still pretty cool, right?) Or your wedding guests can toast you in a beautiful reception hall built to resemble an old church. You can even book a private club for a party that feels like an Old Hollywood soiree. Yes, a Carlyle Club Alexandria wedding reception is one your guests will talk about for years to come!
The keys to a Carlyle Club wedding’s charm are its decor and layout. The entire interior is done in the 1940s Art Deco style. The color scheme of its main event space is black, silver and gold. That gives the room a vibe that is both classic and modern elegant.
The Carlyle Club is far from drab, though! Hanging behind the elevated stage is heavy drapery illuminated red by overhead lights. On the other side of an inlaid wood dance floor are circular tables with swanky leather chairs and booths whose colors complement the lighting. The distinctively curved dance floor has a checkerboard pattern that looks straight out of an old movie. Rounding out the New York/Old Hollywood vibe are a grand piano and other period-appropriate accents. Throughout your Carlyle Club wedding reception, your guests will wonder whether the Rat Pack or some Golden Age movie stars will walk through the door.
In another part of The Carlyle Club is an exquisite classic round bar with a marble top. It is the perfect place for you and your wedding party to gather for a celebratory toast. After you do, though, make sure to glance up at the unique ceiling above it. Our words cannot quite do it justice. But let’s say that we spent a good five minutes trying to figure out how we could frame the couple from this Carlyle Club wedding in it.
Connecting the bar and the ballroom is yet another distinctive space. It is a private room that is whatever you need it to be on your wedding day. It can host small ceremonies or cocktail hours. Or it can serve as a little secluded area just for you and your wedding party. Or like this couple, you can put a photo booth setup there.
The Carlyle Club’s location is also a big plus. Situated in Alexandria Virginia, the wedding venue is just minutes from downtown Washington DC. Couples portraits at the monuments and memorials are a realistic possibility. (Though we recommend leaving extra time for DC’s notorious traffic.) Your out-of-town wedding guests will also have an easy time doing some sightseeing on any off-days.
Speaking of your visiting guests, The Carlyle Club is even closer to the metro area’s main domestic airport. That means that your out-of-town wedding guests do not have to do a lot of extra traveling around. A short cab ride brings them directly to your wedding reception venue. But where will they stay, you might be asking. Not to worry! There are dozens of lovely hotels within a couple of miles of The Carlyle Club. Why even go that far, though, when there are two partner hotels located next door? For example, this couple got ready and spent their wedding night at The Westin Old Town Alexandria. In addition to offering them a luxurious stay, that hotel made for a great (and convenient!) afterparty destination when their Carlyle Club wedding Alexandria VA came to a close.
We are definitely biased, but one of the best things about a Carlyle Club wedding reception is the photos you will get. As Northern Virginia wedding photographers, we always strive to give our clients images that are unique. Everyone’s love story is distinct. And as documentary wedding photographers, we need to capture on film the elements that make it so.
We will do that no matter where you tie the knot. But it certainly makes our job easier when you select wedding venues in Northern Virginia that are unique! Locations that stand out will definitely help your wedding photos stand out. And The Carlyle Club is absolutely that kind of wedding venue. In the words of the club itself, it is definitely not just your “typical hotel ballroom!” And that shows in the pictures your wedding photographer will take of you there.
We captured this particular image while the bride and groom were out on The Carlyle Club’s distinctive dance floor celebrating their wedding. The DJ (whose booth was set up on the stage) was playing that ubiquitous wedding classic, “Shout.” When the Isley Brothers instructed everyone to get “a little bit lower now,” the bride and her friends complied. In fact, they got down so far that many of them ended up on their backs!
Just before the bride touched down on the dance floor, though, we took this picture of her reaching back up to her new husband. (Those are his arms and legs on the right side of the frame. The pictures of dogs on his shirtsleeves are an entirely separate and lovely story.)
We love everything about this shot. There is great dynamism and implied movement. You can visualize the bride sinking to the floor and can tell that she will be flat on her back in a moment. The look on the bride’s face is also perfect. You can tell that she is enjoying the heck out of The Carlyle Club wedding she was celebrating.. She is also looking at her now-husband with so much joy and love. And of course, the setting is perfect. Though you only get a hint of the venue’s inlaid wood dance floor, it is enough to give a bit of elegant flavor to the image. Which is exactly why you would book a Carlyle Club wedding reception!
Interested in learning more about our services? Please visit our Wedding Photography FAQ page for answers to all your questions! Ready to inquire about our availability on your wedding date? Contact us now to get the conversation started!
Location: The Carlyle Club, 2050 Ballenger Ave, Alexandria, VA 22314.
Keywords: Northern Virginia Wedding Photographer (3), Virginia wedding (6).© 2024 Potok's World Photography - Wife & Husband Washington DC Wedding Photographers
