St. Mary's County is located in the Chesapeake Bay portion of the state of Maryland. It's about two hours southeast of Washington, DC and a little under two hours west of Fredricksburg, Va. The county is a popular summer destination for those who seek a vacation getaway on or near the water. St. Mary's also hosts a large number of weddings, since it has a number of affordable venues.
The Sotterley Plantation
- The Sotterley Plantation (http://www.sotterley.org/wedding_sotterley.htm) is a national landmark located in Hollywood that rents out its space for weddings of all sizes. The plantation has six sites from which to choose and three wedding packages: the Silver Package, which is $750 and includes the ceremony only; the Gold Package, priced at $1,500 and includes the reception only; and the Platinum Package, which includes the ceremony and reception together and costs $2,000.
Greenwell State Park/Greenwell Founation
- The Greenwell State Park (http://www.greenwellfoundation.org/index.cfm?Content=72&menu=39) offers space to hold weddings on its property. The actual wedding space is located in the Manor House, which has room for up to 50 guests. The non-profit Greenwell Foundation operates the events portion of the park. Weekends are reserved for weddings, so there are a finite number of openings available. High season (May-October) wedding fees are $950, while off-season rates go down to $700.
Historic St. Mary's City
- Historic St. Mary's City (http://www.stmaryscity.org/Visit.html) is a museum that offers tours and sightseeing, and an outdoor wedding venue. The museum has five different areas available for weddings, which can be held outside the normal museum hours of 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wedding costs include tent, table and chair rentals. Small tents of 20 x 40 are $250, larger tents run from $1,000-$1,800, tables are $9 each, and chairs are $3.
Mary's Hope on Church Cove
- Located in Saint Inigoes, Mary's Hope on Church Cove (http://www.marys-hope.com/index.php?) is a waterfront location that offers indoor and outdoor weddings. Mary's Hope has a list of suggested vendors to help guide your decision of who to use. Wedding prices are quoted on a per-event basis. The facility also rents tables, chairs and place settings needed for the reception.
