Hidden Wedding Venues

From a working farm to an auto garage, here are some ideas to get you to E-I-E-I-Do.

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The Rev Room at Fleming’s Ultimate Garage. Photo by Angie Helmbright

Aix La Chapelle Farm

If you’ve always dreamed of getting married outdoors in a bucolic setting, the Aix La Chapelle Farm in Poolesville may be for you. Joy Siegel, owner, proprietor and acting events director, says the working farm of 100 acres and cropland, and 30 acres of orchards, is for couples who want to be surrounded by nature.

“We seem to attract the couples that want an earthy experience,” she says. “An experience that has fields and flowers and orchards and animals.”

The farm is part of Montgomery County’s Agricultural Reserve, and Siegel said any weddings held there need to comply with the county’s agritourism requirements. That means incorporating some type of agricultural aspect into the wedding, such as beer from their brewery.

Aix La Chapelle Farm has what Siegel calls “a village of barns” — a dairy barn, a bakery and two other buildings along a gravel midway that leads to the fields. The farm includes a tented area for wedding receptions. Dogs are also welcome guests. For more details about Aix La Chapelle Farm, email [email protected]

aixlachapellefarm.com

Glen Echo Park. Courtesy of Glen Echo Park Partnership for Arts and Culture

Glen Echo Park

Art lovers and amusement park fans may be drawn to Glen Echo Park (now the Glen Echo Park Partnership for Arts and Culture) for their wedding celebrations.

Marketing and Communications Director Jenni Cloud calls the park a “national treasure. Parts of the park, the Spanish Ballroom, the Carousel are actually on the National Register of Historic Places.”

Mikea Martin, rentals associate for Glen Echo, said couples like having their weddings at Glen Echo because of its unique art deco façade and the fact that it used to be an amusement park.

Rental choices include the Bumper Car Pavilion, the Cuddle Up Pavilion, the Grassy Circle, and the Crystal Cupola. Martin said the Bumper Car Pavilion is very popular, especially after the pandemic.

“You have the option of being outside. People can still walk around. You’re not within an enclosed space.”

The Spanish Ballroom is another option, but it’s not climate controlled. The Carousel, the only operating ride at the park, can be rented from May to September.

Visit https://glenechopark.org/rentals

Lodge at Little Seneca Creek

Outdoor enthusiasts may want to consider the Lodge at Little Seneca Creek in Boyds for their wedding celebrations. The Montgomery Parks venue near Seneca State Park is a log cabin with cathedral ceilings and a fireplace.

Jurrel Cottman, events facility director, says, “Our facility is really for outdoor lovers who …are looking for a venue that reminds them almost of a ski lodge, outdoor feel.”

The lodge has front and back decks overlooking open terrain, and a tent for those who want outdoor ceremonies.

For more information, visit https://montgomeryparks.org/parks-and-trails/lodge-little-seneca-creek/

RevRoom at Fleming’s Ultimate Garage

Car aficionados will want to check out the RevRoom at Fleming’s Ultimate Garage in Rockville. Couples can rent one or both auto showrooms for their wedding reception.

Venue Manager Jeanne Fleming, whose son owns Fleming’s Ultimate Garage, said couples have their choice of cars in the showrooms on their special day,

“We’ve got muscle cars. We’ve got sports cars. We’ve got Maseratis. We’ve got Porches. We’ve got GTOs. It depends on what the client is interested in,” said Fleming.

Fleming said guests respond positively to the unique venue because the cars remind them of their past. “And I think that’s the magic of the space. It’s not just walls and floor. It’s the memories,” said Fleming.

According to Fleming, the Rev Room can accommodate couples when it comes to the number of cars needed for wedding receptions. “We take out the number of cars we need in order to set up the tables and chairs and whatever the client wants.”

Rates for renting the Rev Room at Flemings Ultimate Garage are prorated, according to the size of the group.

For information, visit https://therevroom.com/

The Dr. Bird Room at Sandy Spring Museum. Courtesy Sandy Spring Museum.

Sandy Spring Museum

Couples who like local history might choose the Sandy Spring Museum, a cultural heritage museum, for their wedding. Dan Kennedy, director of special events and facility rentals, said couples can rent the whole museum instead of just one room.

“You get the entire space. You rent the entire museum for your day,” Kennedy says.

That includes the octagonal Dr. Bird Room, with high, wooden cupolas; the exhibit hall, with restored wooden floors; and the 90-foot-long gallery.

The museum also has an outdoor courtyard that can be used for wedding ceremonies or receptions. According to Kennedy, the fee structure includes the grounds.

“We sit on seven acres and so, especially in the fall, it’s just beautiful with the colors of the trees. We also have a barn on site that just makes for some really, really, amazing photos.”

The Sandy Spring Museum hosts weddings all day Saturday and Sunday after 4 p.m. For more information, you can reach Kennedy at 301- 774- 0022, Ext 110 or by email, [email protected]

VisArts

VisArts, a nonprofit community arts center in Rockville Town Center, is the home of art classes, art galleries, workshops and summer camps. Mary Liniger, VisArts events and sales director, says it’s also home to weddings.

“We have a very modern beautiful space, the Buchanan Room.,” she says. “It has floor to ceiling windows on two sides, and it overlooks Rockville Town Square. And in the spring and summer months, we have an outdoor space, the Rooftop Terrace, which can be used for ceremonies and cocktail hour.”

The views at VisArts are a big attraction for couples. “One of the things that we hear from a lot of couples who are looking at our space is they love the views.”

Those views include the ice rink in the winter at Rockville Town Square and the lighted green space and splash fountain in the spring and summer. The rental spaces are on the same floor as the art exhibits which change every six to eight weeks.

“It’s different looking every time that we have guests here,” said Liniger.

For more information, check the VisArts website at visartscenter.org/private-events/weddings

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