As a Frederick, MD wedding photographer for 14 years, I’ve had the chance to photograph weddings at so many incredible venues in Frederick County. I’d be hard pressed to choose a favorite, they’re all so different in how they feel and the vibe it gives as the backdrop to your wedding day. The venue you choose serves as the backdrop to your entire day and will have a HUGE impact on how your final gallery looks.
If you’re currently searching for Frederick, Maryland wedding venues, I’ve got a list of some of my personal favorites! From modern, marbled venues on Market Street to historic manors with a rustic backdrop and garden-style venues, there really is a spot for everyone!
Citizens Ballroom
For couples who want a more modern, black and white backdrop, this renovated building on Market Street is the way to go. Right in the heart of downtown Frederick, this historic former bank is super flexible with 16-hour rentals and an open vendor policy (so you can bring your favorite photographer, ahem…)
Host your ceremony in front of the original bank vault and enjoy cocktail hour upstairs while the event team flips the ceremony space for the rest of the reception. All the gorgeous white marble and big windows make for the prettiest, well-lit images and we can pop outside onto Market Street for some fun, city-vibe portraits, too.
Website: Citizens Ballroom – A Fêtewell Venue
Address: 2 East Patrick Street Frederick, MD 21701
Phone: 443-203-9185
Capacity: 165 guests, main level dining seats up to 130 with additional mezzanine seating.
On-Site Catering: Bring any licensed and insured caterer.
Getting Ready Suites: Yes, but they are on the smaller side.
See Citizens Ballroom inspo here.
Dulany’s + Walker’s Overlook (OK this is a 2-for-1 deal on this post)
A 170-acre farm in Frederick, Dulany’s Overlook boasts a huge bank barn and a fully renovated colonial-era farmhouse. The upstairs bridal suite is handicap-accessible and has plenty of natural light for getting ready! And for the ceremony sites? You’ve got options! The lawn beside the rose garden has a big open-sky backdrop, or you can choose the wooded area for a cozy, more intimate feel.
Either way, your guests will enjoy cocktail hour in the bottom story of the barn with access to the open field behind it. Updated bathrooms attach to the bank barn with easy parking for your guests.
Website: Dulany’s Overlook
Address: 7701 Dance Hall Road Frederick, MD 21701
Phone: 301-748-5667
Capacity: 200 guests.
On-Site Catering: Bring any licensed and insured caterer.
Getting Ready Suites: Yes.
See more Dulany’s Overlook inspo here and here.
Walker’s Overlook
A sister property to Dulany’s Overlook, Walker’s has a similar look with some major differences. A grand manor house sits at the end of a tree-lined driveway with a large stone patio behind the house for cocktail hour. A white tented reception space backs up to open farm fields and golden sunsets. During the summer months, you’ll likely see a hot air balloon on the horizon from Tailwinds Over Frederick!
Policies here are generally laid back and flexible with early check-in times and a spacious bridal suite. Groomsmen can enjoy a “man cave” downstairs with pinball machines and there’s access to a full kitchen if you’d like to enjoy lunch before events kick off. Ceremonies are held in front of the giant oak tree before guests move to the patio and tent (with hardwood floors!) for the reception.
Website: Walker’s Overlook
Address: 8939 Woodsboro Pike Walkersville, MD 21793
Phone: 301-748-5667
Capacity: 275, plus room for the dance floor
On-Site Catering: Bring any licensed and insured caterer.
Getting Ready Suites: Yes.
Glen Ellen Farm
If garden-style, romantic weddings are your speed – Glen Ellen Farm is it! This gorgeous farm in Frederick County is one of my all-time favorites – it has so much to offer on a single property. A gorgeous, white farmhouse, a meadow of wildflowers, a pond with a white sand beach, and flowers on flowers all around the property. Receptions are held in a 40×80 white tent with bronze chandeliers and cocktail hour has its own separate area inside old farmhouse ruins.
Glen Ellen has a fantastic in-house staff that helps with reception floor planning, parking, guest direction, and cocktail hour. An outside day-of coordinator is required.
Website: Glen Ellen Farm
Address: 4940 Mussetter Road Ijamsville, MD 21754
Phone: 240-367-4084
Capacity: 200 guests.
On-Site Catering: Glen Ellen requires a caterer from their selected list. You can provide your own alcohol with a licensed bartender.
Getting Ready Suites: Yes, for the bridesmaids only. Groomsmen have access to a covered patio on the side of the house.
See Glen Ellen inspo here.
Union Mills Public House
Right in the heart of Carroll Creek on the waterway, UMPH has an industrial feel thanks to its history as a knitting mill. Plenty of exposed brick and piping give it a more modern edge, and I love to see couples soften it up a bit with plenty of lush florals. Easy parking and a cinch to pop outside for portraits right along Carroll Creek.
Website: Union Mills Public House
Address: 240 E. Patrick Street Unit A Frederick, MD 21701
Phone: 240-406-9994
Capacity: 200 guests.
On-Site Catering: Yes, no outside caterers permitted.
Getting Ready Suites: Yes, vanity lounge or cocktail area.
See Union Mills Public House inspo here.
Catoctin Hall at Musket Ridge
You don’t have to be a golf enthusiast for this one – my favorite feature is the giant balcony overlooking the golf course for cocktail hour. At sunset, it’s the perfect place for iced down cocktails and a cigar bar! It got a major upgrade this year – they said goodbye to the butter yellow interior and it’s now a crisp, neutral white. A perfectly blank slate for a wedding celebration!
Website: Catoctin Hall at Musket Ridge
Address: 3555 Brethren Church Rd, Myersville, MD 21773
Phone: 301-293-9930
Capacity: 250 guests.
On-Site Catering: Yes.
Getting Ready Suites: Yes.
See more Catoctin Hall at Musket Ridge inspo here.
Springfield Manor Winery + Distillery
How do I love this venue? Let me count the ways.
A gorgeous bridal suite upstairs, plus access to a groom’s room on the main floor and an additional front room (perfect for getting dressed away from the clutter of the main bridal suite). In the summer months, the lavender is in full bloom and makes for the most gorgeous, purple-infused backdrop to your portraits. A massive ballroom is the perfect blank slate for your reception imagination to run wild. The mountain backdrop with a pergola for the ceremony is pretty year-round, plus there’s a barn behind the tasting room for smaller, more rustic-themed weddings. I’ve photographed dozens of weddings here over the years – it never gets old!
Website: Springfield Manor Winery + Distillery
Address: 11836 Auburn Rd, Thurmont, MD 21788
Phone: 301-271-0099
Capacity: 300 guests.
On-Site Catering: Yes.
Getting Ready Suites: Yes.
See more Springfield Manory Winery inspo here.
Strong Mansion at Sugarloaf
Tucked up against Montgomery County just 15 minutes from Frederick, Strong Mansion is a hidden gem on Sugarloaf Mountain. With sprawling formal gardens, a large pond, and the historic manor house – there are so many gorgeous spots to choose from! There’s a ballroom, several bedrooms, a bridal suite, and a tented patio for the reception. This feels like a slice of Europe tucked into Frederick County – a gorgeous spot for a romantic day!
Website: Strong Mansion at Sugarloaf Mountain
Address: 7802B Comus Road Dickerson, MD 20842
Phone: 301-874-2024
Capacity: 175 guests.
On-Site Catering: Bring any licensed and insured caterer.
Getting Ready Suites: Yes.
Bluebird Manor
Perched on 180 acres of manicured farm land, Bluebird Manor is just outside of Frederick in Adamstown. A separate bridal cottage on the property is perfect for getting ready – it’s a full house with a kitchen and plenty of space for your hair and makeup team, plus keeping your champagne cold. A separate prep space for the groomsmen is attached to the chapel, a light and bright spot for your ceremony if you need a rain plan or just prefer to keep it indoors. I love the willow tree as a backdrop for there ceremony, or you can flip the other direction and have the rustic red barn behind the altar. They also have a decor package you can add on if you want to keep the decorations on-brand and easy! With the kindest support staff on site throughout your day, you can’t go wrong.
Website: Bluebird Manor
Address: 1765A Greenfield Road Adamstown, MD 21710
Phone: 301-693-6909
Capacity: 230 guests.
On-Site Catering: Clients may choose from their selected list of caterers.
Getting Ready Suites: Yes
See more Bluebird Manor inspo here and here.
The Tannery Barn
Technically in Taneytown (30 minutes from Frederick!), I just had to include this one! I feel like calling it a “barn” is a little bit of a misnomer (although it sounds like a rebrand is underway!) – you can see the structure of the barn, but it has a personality all its own. Beautifully bright and cheery, this doesn’t have the typically rustic wood feeling so many barn venues do.
The Tannery Barn has multiple locations for ceremonies or cocktail hour, and you know the grounds are just gorgeous because this special venue is owned by a florist! An easy rain plan is always in place and the interior of the barn has plenty of spots for indoor portraits if it’s dreary on your big day.
Website: The Tannery Barn
Address: 61 Frederick Street Taneytown, MD 21787
Phone: 443-610-7904
Capacity: 230 guests.
On-Site Catering: Couples must choose from their preferred list.
Getting Ready Suites: Yes.
See more Tannery Barn inspo here.
Visitation Hotel
The newest beauty queen on the Frederick wedding scene, this transformed monastery and former all-girls school is now a 65-room boutique hotels with a ballroom. While the chalkboards are gone, they kept the stained-glass windows and rich history of the building. The real treat here is the wedding menu – crafted by the hotel’s renowned restaurant, Wye & Oak Tavern and led by Chefs Bryan & Michael Voltaggio, dinner hour never looked so good. Wanna splurge for the weekend? Buy out the entire restaurant and full hotel for you and your guests.
Website: The Visitation Hotel
Address: 211 E. Church Street Frederick, MD 21701
Phone: 240-931-1120
Capacity: 180 guests.
On-Site Catering: Yes.
Getting Ready Suites: Yes.
Which Frederick, Maryland wedding venue is right for you? If you’re looking for a Frederick wedding photographer, I’d love to hear from you! Get in touch with me here.
