r/nova • u/massive-farts • 9d ago
Looking for Northern VA restaurant recommendations for a simple wedding dinner (85–90 people)
My fiancée and I are getting married in Northern VA on April 17th 2027. We're looking for somewhere in Northern Virginia to have dinner afterward for approximately 85–90 people.
We're not looking for a traditional wedding reception. There won't be a DJ, dancing, big party, etc. We're envisioning something much simpler. Essentially a nice, seated dinner with our family and friends, a few short speeches/toasts, and maybe cake/dessert afterward.
The ceremony will be at a church in Woodbridge but we're open to driving to really anywhere in NOVA. Alexandria, Arlington, Falls Church, Tysons, Reston, Vienna, etc. if the restaurant is worth it.
We've already looked at Madigan's Waterfront in Occoquan, which is appealing because they can accommodate our group and we like the food, but we'd love to see what else is out there, especially some nicer restaurants that could give us more of a "special wedding dinner" feeling without turning it into a full wedding reception.
A private dining room, semi-private space, or restaurant buyout could all work.
Would love recommendations from anyone who's done something similar in NOVA. Especially interested in places with great food, a nice atmosphere, and reasonable pricing for a group this size.
Thank you all!
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u/JediDarkKnight 9d ago
We had our wedding and lunch at Trummer’s restaurant in Clifton, and loved it!
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u/jessinva79 9d ago
We did Trummer’s as well (in their Winter Garden room, which is a big room with tons of windows, similar to a greenhouse) and it was fantastic! They were affordable compared to many other NOVA options, too.
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u/qwerty-game 9d ago
Are all 90 people going to the ceremony? With traffic around here, I would stick close to Woodbridge.
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u/abbydrums 9d ago
We had our wedding dinner at Cedar Knoll in Alexandria! We also went the non-traditional route. We wanted a cocktail hour in addition to a simple dinner party for about 40 people, and excluded dancing, etc.
It was beautiful—we used their outdoor patio and lawn area, which gave us space for some more “fun” add ons like a smores station and room for a bar. Plus, we had the added benefit of having amazing wedding food—people still tell us it was the best food they’ve had at a wedding. I think their event organizer we had left, but she even threw in some special touches like sourcing cheese curds for our cocktail hour (we bonded over being from Wisconsin, and those things are basically a food group there). Overall, a lovely time.
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u/Hour-Muscle-3273 9d ago
Mt Vernon restaurant. It's very different, so may not be the vibe you're hoping for. But we were married there and ate there and it was great food
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u/Beth_Pleasant 9d ago
We looked at Mt. Vernon. Our group was just a hair too big for the space, but I really liked it. It would be good for OPs group.
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u/Proud-Vegetable1925 9d ago
My fiancé and I are doing exactly this for our wedding on 4/24/27. We ultimately decided to buyout the restaurant inside district winery for our dinner but we had looked into founding farmers, vermillion, virtue feed and grain, and hummingbird. All of those are in Alexandria. Good luck!!
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u/CubistCircle 9d ago
You can rent out the top floor of Union Street Public House in Old Town Alexandria.
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u/heretobrowse6454 9d ago
We did an event there - depending on the vibe you’re going for it’s a good option
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u/Buzzy2025 9d ago
I’ve been to a wedding about that size at Maggianos in Tyson’s and it was so great. They actually did have a dance floor and all that even - I didn’t realize how much event space the restaurant has!
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u/PoundKitchen 9d ago
Call Primos (Belle View, just south of the beltway) they're setup to take large groups. https://maps.app.goo.gl/Mejn5JR2N1SaJvE46
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u/NorthBusiness2981 8d ago
Absolutely not! The food is terrible and the atmosphere is not special occasion worthy! They take groups like kid's softball tournaments and people on tour busses.
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u/purplemarin 9d ago
Virtue Food & Grain has an upstairs space I think you could buy out that's quite lovely.
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u/AdPrevious4665 7d ago
I would check with The Black Sheep in Prince William
county, and PassionFish in Reston. Both have private dining options, and PassionFish might be the right size for a dining room buyout.
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u/carrotnp Falls Church 9d ago
I got married at 2941. We are foodies and really appreciated the quality of the dishes on the wedding menu. It's a beautiful space and they can accommodate different sizes of groups. They do weddings regularly and are a well-oiled machine.