Friends of our had their wedding reception at the Fort Belvoir Officer's Club. We missed the wedding unfortunately but they go back often for Sunday Brunch, so we joined them one Sunday and I have to say I was impressed. My husband's a former marine officer but he never really got in to the officers' club thing and I was expecting cheap food and lots of tackiness. Some elements did seem a bit tacky to someone like me who's not military-minded and the food was a little heavy and overseasoned for both my and Mike's tastes (what I could eat of the food--my allergy limited my choices of mass-produced brunch offerings). But the great appeal of this venue is the sweeping views of the Potomac River from the wall of huge windows. The food was plentiful and the service was excellent. All of the staff was friendly and helpful. Our glasses of water and champagne and cups of coffee were never empty.
In looking over the PDF of their wedding packages, it looks like they are a soup-to-nuts reception venue. If you're not picky and want someone else to plan the reception it looks like this is a good deal. They'll take care of tablecloths, napkins, wedding cake, open bar, centerpieces... and the prices seem reasonable, especially for this area.There's a catch of course... Someone has to be a member of the military or work for the Defense Department. You'd have to call them for specifics, say if neither you or your fiance are military officers but one of your parents is.
If you're looking for a venue that will impress your guests, especially civilians like me, I would check out the Officers' Club.
(Images from the Fort Belvoir Officers' Club website.)
