By Alexandria Saurman
Photos Courtesy of Annmarie
Have your wedding inside, outside or both at Annmarie If you’re looking for a peaceful but elegant venue, Annmarie Sculpture Garden and Art Center in Southern Maryland might be the perfect place.
A hidden gem in Solomons, Annmarie offers a variety of indoor and outdoor options for every kind of couple. From waterside to woodside weddings, this venue’s options are bountiful. “I always tell people like, ‘If you love nature and you love art and creativity, it’s a great space to get married,’” director Stacey Hann-Ruff says.
The 30-acre venue consists of a sleek and contemporary two-story arts building with multiple rotating art exhibits; a large sculpture garden with a winding, paved path through wooded areas and fields; and waterfront areas, all of which can be used for weddings.
“At the end of the day, for people who want an outdoor wedding, they really like it here because it takes a lot of the stress out. If the weather doesn’t cooperate, you’ve got the indoors,” Stacey says. “It’s the best of both worlds.”
While couples can choose where to have their wedding on-site, the most popular option is a sculpture-lawn ceremony with an indoor reception, she says.
“The one thing about our gallery space is that we sort of do some of the decorating for you,” Stacey says. Art and exhibits on display in a portion of the building provide a “unique feel” and “a really nice backdrop” for guests and couples, saving them stress leading up to the big day.
Annmarie offers an array of package options on their website including the Circle of Love Ceremony, Enchanted Wedding Package and Ann’s Serenity - Waterside Lawn Package.
In the Circle of Love Ceremony Package, the couple and up to 75 guests can choose between the granite Council Ring and beautiful Sculpture Lawn as the backdrop to their ceremony, which must be between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. This is the lowest-cost option. For the same-sized wedding but a few more options, couples can choose the Afternoon in the Garden package, giving them and their guests access to the Council Ring, Boardwalk in the Trees and Sculpture Walk.
Another option is the Enchanted Wedding Package which includes access to a multitude of areas like the Main Gallery, Sculpture Lawn and Council Ring. Although this package suits up to 350 guests, the floor plan is flexible, according to the website, and allows for “an intimate setting for smaller weddings or open spaces for large weddings.”
The Ann’s Serenity - Waterside Lawn and Wedding Al Fresco packages can accommodate up to 500 guests. Ann’s Serenity brags access to a waterside lawn along the St. John’s Creek as well as access to the pier. Al Fresco gives couples the option to have both their ceremony and reception outdoors.
Hoping for more of an indoor-focused setting on a budget? Annmarie has an option for that, too. The Top of the Park package offers access to the Mezzanine Gallery. The website advertises the package as “perfect for a Friday evening or Sunday event.”
They do have a list of preferred vendors, Stacey says, but clients can choose to bring in their own. They’ll just have to pay a security deposit. If all goes well, the clients or vendors — whoever pays — will get the deposit back and the vendor will be added to the preferred vendor list.
To complement the plentiful options for gorgeous indoor and outdoor weddings, Annmarie is situated in Solomons. With nearby churches, restaurants, hotels and a boardwalk, “It’s a great place to be for a wedding,” Stacey says.
“It’s a very different kind of venue ... I think some people walk in and they just know immediately, you know, ‘Yes, this is exactly right for me.’”
For more information on Annmarie Sculpture Garden & Arts Center, visit annmariegarden.org
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