Mountain Memories at ThorpeWood

ocess. We just had our wedding on 7/11 and Lexi made sure everything went perfectly! Our guests also told us how much they loved it and how great she was! Highly recommend!

VID-19 pandemic, they have gone above & beyond to still make my wedding dreams a reality.

hey can. Julie and Lexi have been especially wonderful to work with, both providing guidance throughout the planning process, working to ensure that I was able to hold my wedding as I had envisioned and willing to make adjustments based upon my requests. Thorpewood is an absolutely beautiful venue and their customer service is top-notch.

ek of our wedding COVID threw a wrench into our plans-in short cancelling the day we had planned for over a year. Julie worked tirelessly to help us still have the day of our dreams (even if it was smaller than expected due to gathering restrictions). She immediately opened up 'Plan B' and 'Plan C' dates and has stayed in constant communication with us. She made us feel like we were the top priority and continues to make us feel that way as we are still navigating the strange circumstances of COVID-19. I highly recommend Julie and her team, they continually go above and beyond, all while keeping an amazing attitude in the face of the unknown. Thank you Julie and everyone else involved in making our day the most special it could be and we can't wait to have the larger celebration later down the road!

knew from reviews that the owner and wedding coordinator were wonderful and the weddings ran impeccably smooth. Julie Castleman and Lexi Hartner had been so easy to work with in the year leading up to our initially planned April 2020 wedding. Covid-19 decided for us to that our date HAD to be postponed. As of this writing, we have yet to have our wedding, but we have seen for ourselves what a thoughtful and well run wedding venue Mountain Memories is—they truly go above and beyond to make sure the brides have the most stress- free wedding possible, which has been invaluable when a wedding ended up in the middle of a pandemic. From the moment we had to make a “Plan B,” Julie has kept in touch with us almost weekly, encouraging us to destress on the property or simply answer questions/address issues. We just had a Zoom meeting to give us all possible options to execute “B” and discuss if we needed to go with a “C,” since our first reschedule is still in an iffy time period. All communication and information had been well thought through, positive and reassuring, and they were sincerely flexible with any way we wished to proceed. In the end, we’ve gone with “C” 2021 wedding date; the bottom line is that they want what’s best for their brides. I can’t see other venues being as caring and accommodating as MM. Besides the most beautiful outdoor venue I’ve ever seen, the management is second to none. I will update this review after we have our event, but I’m sure we’ll be yet another very happy bride who is grateful for the wonderful people who helped her have the wedding day of her dreams.

s than 150 days away, in late October 2020. With all of the craziness going on in the world, Julie and her team have been a great comfort to us. From recommended vendors to frequent updates, Julie is doing everything in her power to make sure our Big Day is everything we wish for. We highly recommend ThorpeWood if you are searching for a venue!

are in right now and having things like Zoom meetings and virtual tours available. We are looking forward to hopefully keeping our September date. But, if not possible, they have offered new dates and even a full refund (including deposit) if it doesn’t work out and we have to cancel. Which, from what I’ve heard from other friends planning weddings, is unheard of right now.

ay and have given us all options on how to proceed with our wedding at the end of this year! This was the one and only venue we looked at and I’m so happy we chose it. Between the beautiful venue in itself and the graciousness of the owners, we couldn’t have made a better decision!

l at every stage of this situation. They have been extremely flexible in rescheduling dates/offering refunds due to this outbreak. If this is a sign of their overall customer service our wedding will likely go perfectly without any issues. I look forward to the day actually happening, and highly suggest you give them serious consideration for your venue.

both Lexi and Julie. They sure know what they are doing to ensure your perfect wedding day. From the day we toured the venue, I knew working with them would be amazing and I was correct. They have an answer to all of your questions and a great process to make sure the day runs smoothly so you don’t have to worry about a thing!

quickly booked for October 2019. We were right- on our big day, driving up the mountain was breathtaking and our photographer was able to get great photos of us with all the colors. We chose the Pine Cathedral for our ceremony and had our reception in the lodge. In the week leading up to our wedding there was A LOT of rain in the forecast, so we did have a Plan B ceremony at the pavilion, but luckily the weather cleared up literally just in time! Even if it hadn't, everything would have been okay because the pavilion is also a great site. Our wedding was small at just about 70 people, but there was PLENTY of room for more guests. One of the best things about our wedding was our day-of coordinator, Julie. We met with her and a representative from our caterer the month before the wedding to hammer out some details, which was very comforting. Julie has done this A LOT and knowing that she agreed that there weren't any gaping holes in my planning really put my mind at ease for that last month. On the day of the rehearsal, she was totally flexible when I realized my wedding party was arriving earlier than we had agreed on. Her confidence and expertise helped me calm down as she directed everyone to their places and walked us through our entire day. Literally any change or issue we could come up with, she replied with "don't worry, we'll handle that" or something along those lines. I had ZERO last-minute panic because I knew everything would be taken care of. On the Big Day, the same held true. It had rained all morning but her staff was prepared with bench covers for the pine cathedral. They took our decorations that we had dropped off the day before and decorated the place better than we could have ourselves. Julie worked seamlessly with our caterer (Renaissance Chef) and DJ (Shew-sical) to keep the ball rolling and tell my husband and I what to do- because honestly, we were clueless! And the golf cart ride around the property with our photographer got us the most amazing wedding photos I could have asked for. The combination of a beautiful venue and an expert coordinator really can't be beat. I never imagined our wedding would go that smoothly- I thought I would have to handle SOME sort of emergency. Nope. It was an absolutely perfect day at Mountain Memories at ThorpeWood!

e experience.

entire wedding party was impressed by her assertiveness and attention to detail. All of the vendors (many of which were recommended by ThorpeWood) worked harmoniously together and were FANTASTIC!! The venue is absolutely stunning and has a variety of locations to utilize throughout the day. We held our ceremony at the Pine Cathedral, cocktail hour in the barn and the reception at the lodge – many of our guests approached us during the reception and raved about the phenomenal guest experience and the unique beauty of the venue and each of its sites. My husband and I had butterflies when we drove onto the property for the first time and boy were our instincts right! We could not have dreamed up a better team and venue for our special day.

tunning and so unique. Our guests LOVED it! Our day ran so smoothly and the staff did such an excellent job at getting us from place to place. They were also extremely accommodating for our handicapped guests. If I could do our day again I would 100% choose Mountain Memories at Thorpewood again and again! It has such a rustic and romantic feel... there isn’t another venue like it. Our day was stunning and everything we could have hoped for! A huge thank you to Julie & her staff for giving us a day we will never forget!

tely breathtaking and we just knew it was going to be the place for us to be married. What made this place the most wonderful though was the owner Julie, who made our special day as seamless as possible. From any small problem that came up (which there were hardly any) she handled them all effortlessly. We cannot thank her and her amazing staff enough for making the happiest day of our lives so special. If you are only just thinking about booking Thorpewood for your wedding I would highly encourage you to not give it a second thought - you will not be disappointed and will be SO happy that you made the choice!

de it easy to enjoy the night and celebrate the love of our daughters. Her DJ & caterer recommendations were reliable. Thank you to you Julie , your husband, and your staff!

, other details fell into place easily. We loved that they only work with select caterers because our decision was simplified, and the caterers know the venue well. Also, we felt that because the venue is so beautiful on its own, our decorations could be very minimal. Throughout the planning process, Julie and her team were very responsive and easy to reach. Hands-down, the best part of our experience was the staff's professionalism and flexibility on the day of our wedding. We had major delays due to a snafu with our transportation company as well as scattered thunderstorms all evening. The ThorpeWood staff handled the logistics in such a way that none of us (bride, groom, or families) had to get stressed out. In particular, Julie was incredible. She went above and beyond her duties to ensure that every small detail was taken care of, including bustling the dress, setting up last-minute flowers, and checking weather radar. She and her staff also worked with us to adjust the timing of our ceremony and reception, so we didn't have to feel rushed. Our family and friends continue to rave about how much fun they had at ThorpeWood. We are so glad we found it, and can't imagine our wedding anywhere else.

The staff and owner are extremely helpful with ideas and the "day of" event items.

day.

rain. It was our backup plan (we wanted to do it in the pine cathedral) but it was SO beautiful. Lexi was our day-of coordinator and she was on top of everything. We are very thankful for the Thorpewood team.

here in October, and we couldn't have chosen a better place. You must visit Thorpewood if your seeking a venue for your wedding. They team with a catering company, Renaissance Caterers, Frederick, MD. They were excellent as well! Want to see the wedding, here is the Blog by The Beard's Photography. Enjoy! http://thebeardsphoto.com/mountain-memories-at-thorpewood-wedding/

e driveway adorned with twinkling lanterns lighting our way, we knew this was the place was "the one." The grounds at ThorpeWood are absolutely breathtaking and provide infinite ceremony and reception possibilities, whether it's the lodge with the wood floor made from planks of barnwood hundreds of years old, the pastures dotted with Icelandic ponies frolicking in the sun, or the pine cathedral, aptly named as it gives you a sense of spiritual serenity and wonder as you're surrounded by an ancient pine grove and seemingly insulated from every care in the world. But the true magic of ThorpeWood lies in Julie and her team, who treat you like close and cherished family members from the first encounter to the last. Julie is a master of her craft and no matter how outlandish your wedding goals have become, she has already thought of everything and will also encourage and actively support your loftiest ambitions. (Mine included a 40 ft paper curtain & fire dancer!) The vendors they recommend are exceptional and coordinate together flawlessly to make your exact vision come true. Believe it or not, they can do all of this and more within your budget and can work with you at nearly any price point to make your wedding as low key or high key as your heart desires. The flexibility, free wedding coordination support, and budget friendliness are absolutely unparalleled in the DC area. I will never in my life forget what Julie and her team did to make my wedding dreams come true and look forward to engaging with ThorpeWood through their non-profit, community events, and other opportunities to stay connected. Thank you!!!!!!!!!!

we had in mind. There is a cabin on the property we stayed at on our wedding night that is GREAT to stay at on our anniversary's. Highly recommend this to anyone looking for a outdoor, rustic, mountain wedding. Thank you for everything Julie!!! You made our big day a blast!

at week but also meant we had a power outage from all the storms that week. They were able to get the power back on before the reception but the staff at Thorpewood handled the situation perfectly. Lexi and her staff worked hard to make sure there would be enough light and were constantly checking the status with the power guys down the road. My wedding day was absolutely wonderful and the natural beauty of Thorpewood was what I always dreamed it would be like. Thank you to the entire staff at Thorpewood and the wonderful Renaissance Catering for all that you did to make it happen.

really excited. The venue was gorgeous, and Julie was so organized and helpful. Their community involvement, rescue animals, and environmental stewardship were all huge pluses for us. It was also very comforting that there were multiple rainy day backup options. We visited a couple of other venues, but our minds kept coming back to Thorpewood, so we ended up reserving a date for a little over a year from our first visit. We attended their Spring open house and met several of their preferred vendors. We chose several vendors from their very helpful list and had positive experiences with them. They only work with two caterers, and allow you to BYOB. Having the venue narrow down the catering choices to two excellent companies, that know the venue, actually took a lot of stress out of planning for me. There wasn't much communication between us and the venue until about two months before the wedding. Being a Type A planner, this made me a little bit nervous, but when we met with Lexi for our coordination meeting, she had everything in hand and put me right at ease. They day of the wedding everything went incredibly smoothly, thanks to Lexi and the wonderful Thorpewood staff. Josh and I were able to relax and enjoy ourselves, with the day of logistics taken care of. We had our flower do double duty as ceremony decorations, and table centerpieces for the reception. The staff moved everything from the pine cathedral to the lodge, and made it all look beautiful. All in all we had a wonderful experience and I would certainly highly recommend this venue to anyone.

Julie for our day and she was amazing. She made sure everything flowed well and was in place. I️ am So grateful for her and Mountain Memories for making our wedding day perfect.

n, and more) and a gorgeous lodge that is a perfect reception site. Beyond the venue itself, the biggest value of working with Mountain Memories at Thorpewood is being able to work with the coordinators Julie and Lexi. Part of your overall package includes these ladies as your month-of and day-of wedding coordinators.... and really, to answer any questions you have along the way at any stage of the planning process. They went WAY above and beyond they usual coordinator duties by: - Scheduling multiple times when we could visit the venue with friends and family so they could see the place and help with planning. - Connecting us with the arboretum's caretaker, Gordon, so that we could plant our own dedicated tree as a "thank-you" to the land. - Forgiving us when we stopped by the arboretum unannounced one day (oops, that was a no-no!) to envision the setup of the ceremony space. - Less than two weeks before the wedding, connecting us with a liquor store who could provide us with alcohol, when our previous arrangement fell through at the last minute. Another nice touch is that they use a program called Social Tables that helped us to seat our guests. We uploaded a spreadsheet of names, dragged and dropped them to the correct tables, then exported a new spreadsheet that included table numbers - made it easy to print table assignment cards! And a final bonus -- Non-profit organizations in Frederick County can use Thorpewood **at no cost** to hold meetings and events, participate in equine communication/relationship educational events, use the nature preserve, or camp overnight as well. We love knowing that a portion of of money is going to support our community in this way. Overall, highly recommended!

n be used for late and early season weddings. There is also an outdoor pavilion in the event there is light rain for either the ceremony or cocktail hour. They offer several outdoor ceremony locations that provide plenty of natural settings and lots of options for pictures. All of our guests had a great time and it was a very special day for my wife and I. The staff is very friendly and helpful. Julie and Lexi were great and worked with us right up to the ceremony and were on site with their staff til the end of the night. ThorpeWood is a magical place that we highly recommend!

ng to set up a tour she barely communicated and seemed too busy to figure out a date. We were being very flexible and told her to let us know the soonest they are available for us to see the venue. It has now been over three weeks and I have yet to receive a response. Since they were the first venue I contacted, I was nervous all the other venues were going to be this difficult. Thankfully I reached out to a ton more and did not have this experience with any of the other venues! I typically do not give reviews but this I felt I needed to. Mainly for management to know they lost a potential client through lack of communication and service.

nue felt right, we said what the hell and made the drive to Thurmont. I tried not to get too excited passing the waterfalls and wooded areas on the drive through the Catoctin Mountains, but as soon as we walked into the ThorpeWood Lodge, I knew we had found the place. Since we married in January, we stuck to the Lodge, which with the big log fireplace, wooden interior, and huge windows to look out on the snowy grounds was gorgeous in the winter light. However, the grounds are stunning in any season with a variety of places to hold a ceremony and reception. Take the Tour! We worked with Julie Castleman, whose laid back demeanor and sense of humor kept me calm while her full competence kept me confident and happy throughout the process. We had a lot of unconventional ideas for our wedding which Julie helped us fit into the feel of the event and the space. When we had a question, Julie helped us find an answer. It was a wonderful experience. We also took advantage of the Pond Cottage for our wedding night, which I highly recommend! I can't wait to go back for our anniversary! The only thing to note is that cell service is very spotty in that area, so don't expect instantaneous responses. Email and all will be well. We are still hearing compliments from our guests about ThorpeWood. My husband and I were both thrilled. Not to mention, they use the proceeds from the weddings and events they host to fund their equine rehabilitation center. My wedding went to a worthy cause! How cool is that?

Wood is where we wanted to get married. Julie, Lexi, and everyone else at ThorpeWood were all amazing! They were great at staying in contact with us and answering any question we came up with. For such a hectic day, they made sure we were all calm and having the time of our lives. We could not have had a better wedding, we loved everything about it! We also stayed at the Little Pond Cottage afterwards which was very relaxing. Being able to stay on property and not worry about traveling far after the wedding made things very easy. It actually started raining as soon as we got in to the cottage so we were able to enjoy the sounds of the tin roof. Thank you Julie and everyone else at ThorpeWood for making our wedding amazing!

ful to deal with and just a great person. She knows everything about the place down to every leaf, she makes you feel comfortable and relaxed and literally I never worried about a thing. I would have an anniversary party there every year if I could. Thanks Thorpewood, you are gorgeous and I have never heard so many people talk about how beautiful a place is.

n leaving our walk through of ThorpeWood we knew we had found our venue. From our first meeting, up until the wedding day, Julie and her staff were always available for any questions, concerns, or advice. Our wedding day was perfection. Julie and her staff are amazing, warm and accommodating. We were married in the Arboretum the first weekend in November and autumn arrived bringing beautiful colors and an extra layer of magic. The lodge is a beautiful space and many of our guests commented on how great everything was. The day ran like clockwork, but we never felt rushed or hurried, instead we are left with fantastic memories to share for a lifetime. If you are looking for a wonderful venue, look no further!

ere married in the Pine Cathedral), how unique Thorpewood’s lodge and Tree Room were for the reception, and the impeccable service they received from the Thorpewood staff throughout the day. It was, truly, a perfect day. We know this is largely due to all of the hard work that Julie, who coordinated our wedding, and her staff did to make it so effortlessly appear to be a seamless day. From our first visit to Thorpewood in January, Julie has been consistently available and timely to help us in any way we may have needed and we know that she worked hard throughout our wedding day to make it look so beautiful and easy. Speaking of beautiful, this venue is perfect for any couple who, like us, are not as detailed oriented – we had minimal decorations and were still complimented over and over about how beautiful everything looked. We cannot say enough wonderful things about Thorpewood and everyone who works here – we know our wedding was so memorable because of this venue!

eel rushed and have more flexibility on when things start. However, Thorpewood is made even more amazing by the team there. Lexi was my coordinator but I also worked with Julie. They are both so responsive, communicative, and experienced. Lexi gave me great ideas and feedback. She was also amazing the day of my wedding, keeping everything moving according to schedule. Everything about this venue is on point and I am so lucky to be able to have my wedding here. I literally cannot recommend them enough!!

day-of coordinator (9 months pregnant!), and she was absolutely incredible. I would recommend this rustic beauty over and over again.

to host a special and memorable event, and financially affordable. There are endless, gorgeously prepared natural settings available for wedding ceremonies as well as breathtaking photo opportunities (barn, stone bridge, tall pines, willow tree, horses…), and the lodge is welcoming yet elegant for hosting a rain-safe and comfortable wedding reception. We held our ceremony in the pine cathedral which was intimate and beautiful. Our guests loved having appetizers on the back deck and patio. Dinner was enjoyed upstairs in front of the gorgeous stone fireplace (Jake’s food at Renaissance was outstanding and plentiful) and we danced the night away down in the tree room. All in all, ThorpeWood impressed at every turn. I give an unreserved five stars for Julie and ThorpeWood, and my daughter (the bride) has told me it was the best day ever.

luable non-profit Organizations and environmentally responsible design. What we couldn't possibly have known, though, when selecting a wedding vendor, was the significant impact that this single choice would have on our special day. ThorpeWood is truly a special place. Simply walking the grounds, you'll feel the positive energy and sense of peace. (Just go for a visit and check it out for yourself!) Beyond the place, though, the people of ThorpeWood are what make it truly stand out as a premier wedding venue. From our first visit, we were made to feel welcome. Julie personally explained all of the services, amenities, and requirements for a wedding at ThorpeWood, and provided not only recommended vendors with whom she has had great experiences to help with our planning, but also expert guidance and advice to help make our day uniquely ours. The week before our wedding, ThorpeWood hosted a wedding Open House, at which we got to meet many of the staff members who would be supporting our wedding the following week. Every single person we talked to was kind, gracious, welcoming and helpful, and represented exactly the kind of professional AND personal service we'd want for our guests. On the day of our wedding, there was a high possibility of storms, and we had planned an outdoor ceremony. Hoping to be able to honor our wishes, Julie made several phone calls to us that morning, watched the weather radar, and helped us to make the best decision to ensure that our guests didn't get rained on. We ended up moving our ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception all into the lodge, and still had a beautiful, comfortable and memorable event. Julie and her team took care of all of our decorations, made a point of knowing who key guests (ie. parents, etc.) were and who needed special assistance, coordinated all other vendors, deliveries, and services, and basically ensured that the only thing my husband and I would have to think about that day was one another and enjoying our day! Guests commented that this was one of the most beautiful weddings they'd ever attended, and my husband and I have amazing memories of a day that was made even more special by the sincere care and dedicated efforts of the entire team at ThorpeWood.

epths of the Catoctin Mountains and is typically 10 degrees colder than the surrounding area, which is perfect if you're planning on having a late summer wedding. Lexi, Julie, and the rest of the staff were nothing but helpful and didn't freak out when we told them we were bringing a Uhaul full of decorations as well as renting a full bar, a bunch of wine barrel cocktail tables, and a photo booth! Lexi was always quick to respond to any of the questions I sent her through email and was able to calm any fears I had about the weather on the day of. When it poured absolute buckets all afternoon leading up to and during what was supposed to be an outdoor ceremony, she did an amazing job of contacting all my vendors and creating a back up plan, helping to transform the inside of the lodge into a truly magical ceremony site. I recommend using the sheer drapes they offer! It really added an ethereal touch. Even after the ceremony, Lexi and the rest of the staff did an amazing job of transitioning the ceremony site back into the dining area while everyone else was downstairs at cocktail hour and after dinner they even helped to pack up the decorations while everyone was downstairs dancing! Not only that, but when the liquor vendor arrived with the entirely wrong schnapps for our signature drink, turning a drink that was supposed to be a bright teal color into a muddled yellowish brown, Lexi personally called around to nearby liquor stores, trying to find ones that had the correct schnapps in stock. I didn't even know about this until my mother told me after the wedding! Lexi and the staff of Thorpewood really went above and beyond and made our wedding into an unforgettable experience. I wish I could give them more than five stars! They were just unbelievable!

mony sites. The food is beyond delicious! If there was a hiccup in the evening, I would never have known because the timeline of the day was so well constructed. Julie (the director) is attentive, creative and always in the right place at the right time. My bustle broke right after dinner and Julie was there in seconds with pins to fix it!! Rain or shine, there is a place to hold the ceremony and Julie is quick to contact you if any changes need to be made. She made the entire wedding planning process a breeze. We also got a dozen compliments on how beautiful and unique the venue was. My husband and I 100% recommend this venue!!!

th so many details that I didn't know much about. She does not make the decisions for you either, she really helps make it your day! She was very accommodating. She also was very good at communicating. I have absolutely no complaints about Julie and the work she does! Day of: Absolutely perfect! She was out helping when things didn't go as planned (which they always do one way or another). She knew how to handle everything and get things done! My husband and I didn't really worry about anything the day of. Thank you Thorpewood for making our wedding day so memorable! I will never forget the impact you had on our wedding day!

one was the one as soon as we walked into the lodge. Julie and the staff were so easy to work with!!! You will not need a wedding planner with her and the catering staff at Canapes (their exclusive caterer). It was worth every penny. Speaking of which, . . . the cost includes alot of things that other venues charge extra for.

door and outdoor space that we were looking for. We couldn't believe that we found such a perfect place after all of our searching! Julie and her staff were super accommodating on the day of the wedding. There was a chance of rain and she let us wait right up until the last minute to make a final decision about whether the ceremony would be indoors or out. Thank goodness she did, because we had sun for the ceremony! I didn't have to worry about anything the whole day - they took care of it all. My only disappointment was that we weren't able to do the sparkler send-off I had been hoping for. I felt as though we could adequately address concerns about fire, but unfortunately they did not feel they could take the risk. It was understandable, but send-off photos with glow sticks just don't look as nice and didn't fit the theme like sparklers would have. Other than that, though, I absolutely loved working with Thorpewood and would highly recommend using them for your ceremony and reception!

ed we both fell immediately in love. Thorpewood is an absolutely stunning venue and has that extra charm that you just can't find at most hotels or reception halls. We had our ceremony at the pine cathedral, which was absolutely gorgeous. The grounds also have several different locations that are amazing for pictures including the willow tree on the lake, and the old barn. There is no a/c which can make for a sweaty dance party on a hot summer night, but they do an excellent job of getting the air flowing with huge fans and being up on the mountain has the added benefit of it being 10 degrees cooler than everywhere else. Julie was our coordinator and she is a powerhouse! She is professional, easy to talk to, knows how to get things done, and is very responsive to emails. We felt so comfortable and easy going with her and she handled every last detail and made sure everything ran smoothly. The day of, the unexpected happened and there was a terrible accident on the highway as I was on my way to the venue. I ended up sitting still on the highway and was an hour late. I showed up teary eyed and feeling defeated and Julie was there to boost me back up, reassuring me that everything was fine, and making a few small adjustments so that our timeline still worked. She also wrangled our boisterous and large wedding party, getting them and me where we needed to be when we needed to be. Her attention to detail is stellar and nothing was overlooked. We love her! Our wedding could not have been more perfect. We had many of our guests tell us it was the most beautiful wedding they have ever been to and we could not be happier with our choice. It's like a charming fairytale in the woods!

ls were promptly returned and they both ensured that all of our questions and needs were addressed. We worked with Lexi on the actual wedding day and she made the entire 6+ hours absolutely seamless. The rest of the staff there was very friendly. Our wedding was at the end of August and the grounds that time of year were gorgeous, so lush and green. The lodge is beautiful and all of the facilities in and around are meticulously maintained. Our day was seriously perfect! Cannot say enough wonderful things about our experience.

romptly and always answered my questions (and I had a TON) throughly. She was a part of my planning from day 1 and I couldnt have done it without her. She is a wealth of knowledge and very professional. Thorpewood is so well maintained and picturesque! You have the entire acerage to yourself on your wedding day which makes for amazing pictures and plenty of places for guests to mingle and enjoy themselves. I HIGHLY recommend Thorpewood to any bride who is looking for a romantic, rustic, dreamy wedding day. Mine sure was!

ing the reception...something I wasn't even thinking of. Our officiant wasn't available to do a rehearsal but Julie stepped right in to walk us through things the day before which was very helpful.

loved the old wood plank floors and the log chairs and the cathedral wood ceilings. We booked 18 months out so no problems with our date being available. Went for my tasting with my fiance again in the winter (Canapes is the only possible caterer and a lot more expensive than I imagined, but the food was delicious and we were pretty set on the things we wanted regardless... $9000 and I provided my own alcohol seperately). I never really saw the grounds green in person until my month-before meeting. So beautiful! Lexi always returned my emails right away, which is my preferred method of correspondance. She was always so nice and very truthful when recommending things. We did not take her advice to do dancing downstairs (I wanted everyone on the same floor, and didn't really like the downstairs room) but it worked out great since we cut our guest list (ended up with 75 people) and the dj was in the loft so we had plenty of room to dance. We did pay to remove the furniture ($300-ouch!) but it definitely opened the space up. Lexi took charge the day-of and all the vendors/guests got where they needed to without me having to do anything. Luckily we had a beautiful day and got married outside in the pine cathedral (love the benches!) but it was kinda buggy even though we paid for 4 cans of bug spray... I am a mosquito magnet so maybe that isnt fair lol. We started a little late because some of our guests didn't follow the directions on the website, but Lexi kept us informed and everything worked out. We could barely find enough time to take pictures in all of the beautiful locations on-site that we wanted to during cocktail hour, scarfed down our plate of appetizers on the porch, and the rest went so fast! We got an incredible amount of comments on how beautiful the place was and how well it fit us. We couldn't have imagined it anywhere else!! The wood floors were perfect for cowboy boots and line dancing ;)

tural setting and this was the ultimate reason we decided to get married here. I would advise couples, however, to look elsewhere for their wedding venue. I look back on our wedding day not with fond memories, but with frustration and the feeling of being taken advantage of. The Thorpewood staff are all nice people to be certain and during our initial visit, they made us feel like what we wanted for our wedding would be their top priority. We soon found though that this was not the case. In our interactions, they seemed much more interested in us sending in checks on the appropriate dates than working with us, or even responding to us. The catering point person simply did not respond to e-mails or phone calls and made it very difficult for us to plan appropriately in the weeks and months leading up to the wedding. On the morning of the actual wedding, they called us to tell us the ceremony would be moved indoors because of a chance of rain (a huge reason we wanted to go with Thorpewood was because we wanted the ceremony in their beautiful arboretum). When we asked if they could be flexible and offer some alternatives in case of no rain, we were offered none and were told that we would be charged hundreds of extra dollars if the staff set up chairs in the arboretum that were not ultimately used. We moved indoors and it did not rain. This is just one small example among many, but indicative of the emphasis on money and control, rather than service or flexibility at this venue. We should note that we were more than happy to pay the price for the services offered. Like most people though, we simply wanted to feel like we were being listened to and that they were going the extra mile for us. On both accounts, we felt just the opposite. We felt rushed in and rushed out on the day of the wedding. You will be told that Thorpewood offers more time than most venues, but this is simply not true. Thorpewood starts your "clock" two hours before the start of your ceremony so they offer the same amount of time as almost all other venues we visited who start the clock at the time of your ceremony and allow you to arrive early. We asked Thorpewood for some flexibility in allowing us to come 2.5 hours early to get a few things set up before pictures and they refused. "If we start giving people more time, where will it end?" was the substance of what we were told. We were commonly spoken to in a condescending manner, and generally felt as if Thorpewood rolled out the wedding that they wanted, not that we were asking for. The venue truly is beautiful, but in our humble opinion, we advise looking elsewhere for your venue.

into the lodge, knocked the mud and ice from our boots, and immediately fell in love with the place. It felt grand but still cozy, rustic but elegant, warm but with room to move. We were digging it pretty hard, but the high (for us) pricetag was making us hesitant. Then we learned they have composting toilets. Our eyes met, full of love, longing and a single, overriding message: We need to book this place. Now. Keep in mind this place books up way fast. We were already pretty late in the game--apparently attempting to book a wedding venue 7 months before the event is a risky game suited only for day traders and base jumpers. Every place we'd looked at was booked. So was ThorpeWood, actually--our desired date had been booked for months. Fortunately for us, the booking had been cancelled not one week before our tour, so obviously the universe was crying out to us that this was meant to be. Also, the composting toilets. We sighed, took out our wallets, and resolved to live on ramen noodles for the next several years. Working with the staff was pretty easy, in the sense that I didn't contact them and they didn't contact me for about five months after we signed our contract. Then we had our final meeting with Julie, which mostly consisted of me being like "I DON'T WANT ANYTHING TRADITIONAL NO I DON'T WANT THAT I AM A COOL BRIDE I'M NOT LIKE THOSE OTHER BRIDES", and Julie calmly being like "That's great! But I've been doing this a long time, and I really think you're going to want x, y, and z. It's going to make the process go a looooot smoother", and me then being like "FINE JEEZ." You know what, though? Julie was right. Listen to Julie, ya'll. On the wedding day, we ended up having to move indoors due to rain. Boo! But, it was hard to be disappointed when we saw how drop-dead gorgeous they'd done up the lodge. And it meant everyone could go straight down to the bar after the ceremony. Score. I cannot begin to describe to you how little thought we put into our decorations, etc. We seriously rolled up with some crayons, sheets of white printer paper, and about 800 bundles of flowers from my MIL's backyard. We kind of shoved this all at Julie with a vague directive of "make this work, gaaaahh!" AND SHE MADE IT WORK. Vases for the flowers, artfully arranged? Done. Magically appearing table numbers we hadn't even thought about? Done. Lovely tealights? Oh yeah. And when one table of our guests decided to melt down their crayons and create for us a Jackson Pollock-style masterpiece, meanwhile getting colorful melted wax all over the gorgeous wood tables? Well, Julie calmly informed us about that after we'd returned from our honeymoon. Sorry about that, ThorpeWood. Eek. Drawbacks are as others list: zero cell reception (make sure your guests look up directions ahead of time, because there is no relying on smart phone maps up on the mountain). No nearby stores or hotels (most of us stayed in the cabins across the way, which have their own set of quirks, though they were pretty awesome too). If you can swing it, be sure to get a bus to transport your guests. You won't regret it. Long story short (haha), ThorpeWood rocks, even for an expensive, remote mountain fortress. Go for it.

g you from place to place, it really eats away the time, leaving you with less time to party. 2. There is nothing around. You are truly in a remote location, away from the hustle and bustle of a large city. No noise, no cell phone service, no traffic. A peaceful retreat for your wedding day... ...Forget about waking up in the cabin and making a Starbucks run. You won't get cell phone service on the property- which can be very frustrating when you are trying to coordinate things on the very busy morning of your wedding. You will not find decent lodging for your guests that is close to ThorpeWood. The closest halfway decent hotels are 35 minutes away in Frederick. Make sure you factor in an extra $ for transportation for your guests if you want to have your wedding here. 3. During planning, the staff is really great about answering any questions or helping you come up with solutions to any issues, even if they don't have anything to do with ThorpeWood! During my planning I had to ask a million questions! Almost no information was given to me after I paid my deposit. I had to ask for everything. It would have been nice to receive some sort of packet, including a floor plan, vendor list, information on renting the cabin, sample timelines, etc. to make my planning easier. I am also sure I missed out on so many opportunities because I wasn't even aware that they existed. 4. The staff the day of the wedding was great. Cool, calm, and collected even when they had to change my ceremony site at the last minute... ...The staff was so cool and calm on my wedding day that they forgot to mention that changing my ceremony site was going to cost me an extra $300 because I now had to borrow their chairs, which were not needed for my original site. I got a bill in the mail from them a few weeks after the wedding. 5. The staff does a great job with decor. I had a LOT of details and everything was executed perfectly. They even ironed my table linens which I thought was really wonderful. 6. ThorpeWood in a non-profit. Even though you are paying a premium to have your wedding here, you can feel good about it because it's all going back to the kids! 7. The cabin on the property is really wonderful. I got ready there and when I came back after the wedding, they had cleaned it up and made it really special for my husband and I. Overall, I am very pleased with ThorpeWood. By the time my wedding was over, I felt like part of their "family". Planning your wedding here is difficult, but if you are up for the task, you will have an amazing day which is exactly what I got.

that has both masculine and famine characteristics. My husband is not a very opinionated person but wanted to be involved in certain decisions. He chose the location were we had the ceremony, in the arboretum under the old trees. We did things a little backwards and Julie was up for the challenge. We had our cocktail hour first in the barn, then the ceremony in the arboretum and finally the reception on the first floor of the lodge. Julie was there with the bridal party from the moment we arrived. She worked with the vendors and insured everyone was where they needed to be at the right time. We also enjoyed the use of the little pond cottage. Its the perfect spot to spend your first night (just be careful of the ladder). We had two little hook ups on the wedding day with the buses and florist, however, I didn't have to lift a finger or worry about what was going. Julie only came to me to present the solution. It was AMAZING! She also kept us hidden as we took photos around the property during our guests arrivals. At times it was difficult to get in touch with Julie as her best form of communication was email. However, I typically heard back from her in 24 to 48 hours. She was also great with calming my concerns, giving vendor recommendations, and allowing us to visit the property with our vendors. Vendors: Catering: Canapes Ceremony Musician: Christopher Bohn DJ: Shewsical Entertainment Photographer: Stacey Windsor Photography Florist: Monica's Floral Design (this was a recommendation from Julie and Mike. She does this on the side out of her home and was fantastic) Hair: Neutre, Inc

w ThorpeWood, we fell in love. It's charming, and beautiful, and rustic. It's unique and just what we were looking for. We loved all the ceremony sites and were comforted to know there was a rain plan that could go into affect at the last moment. So when a freak storm hit the moment our ceremony was to start, they quickly and efficiently moved everything and everyone into a pavilion. Our ceremony was still gorgeous, and many guests even said that it could have been our Plan A. That night we stayed in the Little Pond Cottage and our friends all camped on the grounds. Where else could we have done that? Julie and the ThorpeWood staff gave us the wedding of our dreams and I cannot express in words my gratitude. I would recommend them to absolutely anyone!

reception, and rehearsal dinner there. There were potential obstacles to a successful wedding, Julie headed out of town, a last minute urgent situation making the lead caterer unavailable, and tornado warnings the night before our wedding knocking out the electricity for a large portion of the metro DC area, and the wedding was still magical. I am aware that magic does not just happen. It takes some luck, a lot of work, attention to detail, and the ability to maintain perspective. Lexi, who took on Julie’s roll for our wedding, kept in constant communication during the planning and orchestrated everything on the day of like a pro. There were many day of logistics to contend with and we did not think about or worry about any of them. We knew Lexi had it handled. We relaxed and enjoyed our day! What better gift could ThorpeWood give us than the ability to relax and enjoy our wedding because we know it is all taken care of! We are so grateful.

decor goes but we did cover everything in flowers and it was gorgeous. The ceremony took place at the Pine Cathedral and was beautiful in every way as well. If you can get Thorpewood booked for your day I highly recommend it without a doubt!

y planned to have our ceremony outdoors in a lovely pine cathedral, our cocktails overlooking a beautiful horse meadow, and our reception in a truly rustic and charming barn. But when mother nature quickly brought down the temps, ThorpeWood was able to accommodate us immediately, exercised its flexibility on the drop of a dime, and in a flash (literally the night before) we rearranged our day and moved everything COMPLETELY around. Our ceremony and cocktails ended up in the barn and our reception was housed in the comforts of lodge with a blazing fireplace. Stunning! The setting does speak for itself the minute you set foot in any one of the many possibilities for your wedding. However, Julie, the organizer extraordinaire, is really the person who makes your life easier and she really is there for you! She helped me with all my questions, answered all my emails in a timely fashion, gave me suggestions and advice when I needed them, and really did try to accommodate any and all off-ball requests like finding bales of straw and having our rehearsal the same day as the wedding! She even went above and beyond and provided me with mason jars to put my flowers and candles in so that I would not have to spend more money (great in terms of reusing and recycling as well as saving!). And during the wedding, she and her staff made things happen and moved things along. She assisted with problems, coordinated moving all 75 people to and from the different locations, and pretty much made it all work. The one thing I suggest, though, is confirming all times (starts and stops) as well as any small extraneous fees, if any, that may not be included in the venue rental to make sure you are on the same page. All in all, it was a wonderful experience for us and our guests. I highly recommend ThorpeWood and would do it there all over again!!! Thank you!

und the property if you choose to have the ceremony outside. The outsite caterers, Canapes, was awesome! Everyone raved about the food. The staff was easy to work with and very flexible about accomadating ideas. The staff works quietly and efficiently in the background.

le!

arrangements to move everything indoors. We had a cozy ceremony in front of the fireplace instead. Everything turned out great, our guests were happy, and I was able to stay calm and enjoy my wedding day while the ThorpeWood staff took care of everything.

rful meal. Along with really delivering during the reception they were very helpful with the planning and suggested a number of different options that we would not have thought of. They really worked with us to create the type of reception that we wanted. I cannot think of anything that they could have done better. They helped us every step of the way and were very accommodating to our unique requests. The wedding cake was the best I've ever had. Our guests loved it, our daughter loved it and we loved it. Many thanks to Julie, Mike, M.L. and the staff at Canapes, we could not have been more satisfied. Leo & Evelyn Birbilas

ble wedding people have ever attended.

onist. The on-site caterer got raves. The ability to hold your ceremony and reception in a variety of increasingly gorgeous places was fantastic. The little honeymoon cabin was such a wonderful way to end a perfect day. As a bonus, we felt that the service provided was very reasonably priced. If you are looking for an outdoorsy, cozy venue that will impress even your pickiest guests, this it it. Even better - you get to support their non-profit mission. I can't recommend it enough

ng was fantastic; and on the wedding day, a wonderful time was had by all. We wouldn't change a single thing and would highly recommend Thorpewood to everyone. Moreover, the proceeds from the event go toward the terrific education programs that the center runs, so what could be better? Definitely a great choice for a beautiful start to a marriage. We would highly recommend without any reservations it to anyone.

tic, and everybody there is very professional.

ets as well. She ensured that every detail was just the way my brother and his wife had wanted it. The atomosphere of the reception hall was romantic, comfortable, and rustic(but in a really great way). All the vendors that Julie recommended for us to use such as the DJ and Bartender were on point. The food was delicious. It makes my mouth water just thinking of the chicken. I think the best part of it is that Julie is there for the Bride and Groom the entire night and always makes sure that everything is just right. Many vendors will set you up and then never really see the night through. I can't put into words how happy I was that they picked ThorpeWood and I hope that you will too! I wish I had!!!!!