Philip Merrill Environmental Center

g that would be beautiful, majestic, and unforgettable; (2) convenient and comfortable on-site facilities for our guests; (3) a venue fee that wasn’t going to cost an arm and a leg; (4) somewhere that wasn’t just a “wedding venue,” but rather was part of some broader mission/cause; and (5) a location that was meaningful to us and our family. We still can’t quite believe how lucky we were to find all of these and more in CBF. For views, you can’t beat the gorgeous natural surroundings or the stunning wood beams/architecture. For facilities, CBF has free and plentiful parking, as well as on-site bathrooms (so you don’t have to deal with the nonsense of renting a bathroom trailer). The venue fee is SO reasonable, especially when compared to other (frankly far less beautiful) venues in Maryland, DC, and Virginia. You also don’t really even mind paying the venue fee when you know that most of the venue fee goes to supporting CBF’s mission of saving the bay, which is further bolstered by CBF’s wedding-policy of banning single use plastics or Styrofoam. Finally (though this is just personal to us), my husband’s grandparents lived in Annapolis and the lighthouse where we scattered their ashes is visible from the CBF beach, which made the location extra special. However, we never felt more affirmed in our decision to choose CBF than in the week leading up to our wedding. Just days before we were supposed to get married, we learned that Tropical Storm Ophelia was scheduled to hit Annapolis—thereby putting CBF in the flood zone—exactly on the day of our wedding. But with Shannon’s support and the work of our wonderful vendors, the team seamlessly turned what was supposed to be an outdoor beach wedding to a covered wedding on the deck seemingly overnight. And even with 50 mile per hour winds and sometimes sideways rain, our wedding could not have been more beautiful or joyful—which was in no small part due to CBF’s flexibility, kindness, and willingness to roll with the punches. If you’re at all on the fence about CBF as your wedding venue, don’t be. Come rain, shine, or even a hurricane, I promise you won’t regret it!