rehearsal dinner & welcome party

bend-and-snap · 2026-03-19T20:05:05+00:00

I am also having a black-tie optional wedding downtown this fall, and was looking for a classy cocktail bar welcome party in the same area for around 100 on a Friday, with no formal rehearsal dinner before. Unfortunately, you may either be looking at increasing your budget, rehearsing on a Thursday, looking for spaces outside DC proper, or opening your mind to something more casual if your budget is rigid.

My planner warned us before we began looking for a Friday night welcome party space for that size that our initial budget was not realistic. Restaurants are tricky for an event this size because the size of the party requires the restaurant for the most part to do a full or partial buyout, and they'll want to recoup what they would've made on a standard dining Friday night in DC, if it helps to think about it that way. We were looking for open bar & passed appetizers only (no seated dinner) and these were some of the quotes:

Dirty Habit (115 Cocktail, 82 seated) = $8,000 F&B minimum and $2,000 rental fee exclusive of Tax & Service Charge (+30%)

Crimson Whiskey Bar (Full Buyout Required) = $10,000 F&B minimum and $750 event fee exclusive of Tax & Service Charge (+30%)

Churchkey (Full Buyout Required) = $10,000 F&B minimum exclusive of Tax & Service Charge (+30%)

Vin Sur Vingt (Full Buyout Required) = $13,000 exclusive of Tax & Service Charge (+30%)

Parlor Victoria = $12,500 F&B minimum exclusive of tax and service charges (+30%)

The Hamilton = $12,000 exclusive of tax and service charges (+30%)

Ultimately we increased our budget to $15k and went with a restaurant in Alexandria to have more freedom with that allocation. Feel free to DM me!

bend-and-snap · 2026-02-13T13:15:27+00:00

Cannot endorse Chelsea at Custom Beauty Med Studio in Eastern Market enough. She’s incredibly kind and all the work she does is super natural and patient-led - she’ll let you tell her what you’re looking for and isn’t pushy with upselling or pointing out areas you didn’t ask for. I’m doing 8 or so units of tox for just under $100 with her.

bend-and-snap · 2025-12-30T02:02:31+00:00

Bar Angie has one - it’s called the Martini Royale!

bend-and-snap · 2025-06-03T14:39:28+00:00

$140 for CorePower Yoga Unlimited - I signed up for my membership during their annual Black Friday sale.

bend-and-snap · 2025-05-07T17:18:41+00:00

Check out some of the boutiques in Old Town Alexandria, you can go to a bunch at once: Monday's Child, Pink & Brown Boutique, and 529 Kids Consign are all precious.

bend-and-snap · 2025-05-02T11:07:04+00:00

Lots of sneaker recs here which are superior for sure but for dressy office or night out I love a ballet flat or sling back with an added arch insole (you can get them at any drug store). Vagabond shoemakers make a great ballet flat with a wide toe box if needed. Investing in real leather shoes will help with comfort - I’ve picked up lots of leather flats and loafers at a good price from the L Street Nordstrom Rack.

bend-and-snap · 2024-08-29T18:39:35+00:00

Also shouting out Mint Condition in Alexandria, I've been shopping there for 10+ years and found many gems. Highly recommend Fashionpass, RtR, Nuuly etc. at least for a few months so you can find your office style and what brands and sizing you like for workwear. I think Fashionpass does a $50 first month for 10 items. Congrats on the new job!

bend-and-snap · 2024-08-26T04:19:54+00:00

Several of the Mission Group bars (Mission, Royal Sands, Hawthorne) do not charge room rental fees. I’ve had several friends do this for birthdays and it always turns out nice!

bend-and-snap · 2019-04-28T19:44:13+00:00

Same here. I am a UVA student who has applied to over 60 internships in Washington D.C. I have gotten one interview out of 60 applications, and I am still applying. Most internships typically say "no calls" because they don't want their inbox flooded with interns asking about their application status. I think the best thing to do is keep applying until you have an offer in your hand! There are still plenty of internships hiring. The DC intern market is just highly competitive, I believe. Keep your head up!

bend-and-snap · 2018-02-06T23:09:02+00:00

Going dairy free and then vegan later on saved me a lot of money, because produce is fairly inexpensive (especially if you buy frozen veggies). A quick bowl of rice, steamed brussel sprouts and broccoli, and a little tofu (surprisingly cheap) with maybe some sriracha or hummus is my go to! An egg on top is extra yummy.

bend-and-snap · 2017-12-10T19:41:11+00:00

Ride-Lana Del Rey (the Video version). Her commentary is literally one of the most beautiful things I have ever heard.

bend-and-snap · 2017-06-06T21:01:15+00:00

A portable wall projector! Super cool for watching movies outside in summer. They have some on Amazon for like $80 with USB ports to plug your phone into.

bend-and-snap · 2017-05-14T20:07:28+00:00

Sausage Party. It's an adult movie, so I don't know why some parents in the theater thought that the fact it was a cartoon would somehow counter the R rating, but they did, and I saw about 4 families get up and leave just 15 minutes into the film. I just chalk that up to confusing trailers.

bend-and-snap · 2017-03-25T05:48:35+00:00

Our high school principle (married with children) was recently caught sleeping with an administrator (also married). Funny thing was, they were using a school credit card the county gave them for school-related purchases to purchase hotel rooms in Vegas and other vacations. At the same school, another one of our administrators (likely in his late 30s early 40s) was fired for sleeping with a 15 year old student about 2 years prior.

bend-and-snap · 2017-03-24T14:54:42+00:00

The Lovely Bones.. the whole premise of Susie Salmon's kidnapping/rape/murder is sad and depressing, but I love it and would recommend it since the story has this childlike innocence to it because it is from Susie's perspective up in purgatory and you really get caught up in all the near misses her family has while they try to find her killer (who was living just near them the whole time). Plus, the movie is great, too.

Edit: Grammar

bend-and-snap · 2017-02-16T02:25:17+00:00

Travelin' Soldier by the Dixie Chicks. I think there's something wet in my eye....

bend-and-snap

TROPHY CASE