Woodend Sanctuary & Mansion

e flowers, trees, and surrounding forest, made it feel peaceful and grand. The mansion is also beautiful and well-kept; we really didn't need any extra decorations beyond flowers because the space is so decorative in and of itself. The tented terrace is also such a great space. Woodend is very close to DC, which is where we live and where all of our guests were staying, yet it feels so quiet, private, and secluded; truly the best of both worlds! Beatriz Engel is a pro. She was organized, straight-forward, kind, and responsive. She clearly laid out all rules and expectations, so there were no surprises on our end. Our guests were obsessed with the venue, and could not stop talking about it. We HIGHLY recommend Woodend!

n DC, MD, and VA and we kept coming back to this one. The grounds are gorgeous and the tent is perfect for dinner. We could not have asked more a more picture perfect venue for our wedding!

ve a baraat--an Indian procession with a horse--and we were concerned that, as a nature sanctuary, they would not go for it. But Beatriz was so flexible and made it work! She's also very responsive by email. We were blessed with the best weather that has ever occurred in June in DC, which really showcased the beauty of the place (though the rainy day contingency was well-thought-out and would have worked too.) I loved how much sprawling acreage we had, so we could have a baraat, lawn games, and even just different nooks for guests to wander off to. Also, compared to the other outdoor venues we visited in the DMV, this was by far the best value (can't wait to file my taxes and get that write-off!) since it's a non-profit. The location is so convenient--close enough to downtown Bethesda that our guests didn't have to worry about a long ride back to their hotels. Our only concern was the max capacity of 170, but honestly, it was probably a blessing in disguise to have to reign in the guest list. Strong recommend!

eption! No one was cold, the tent was well heated. I loved that we had the bridal suite upstairs to go to relax (being an introvert myself, this was definitely needed!), and the groom's room as well! I highly recommend Woodend for any special occasion.

re was plenty of space to set up lawn games and enjoy the day. The team is easy to work with and very responsive to questions. From our first visit we knew Woodend was the best choice!

outdoor spaces are beautiful. The dance floor is a little on the small side, but was still plenty of room for our DJ and for dancing. The rooms for the bridal party were nice as well- the mirror in the upstairs room is gorgeous! Beatriz was very responsive throughout the entire process. Only good things to say!!!

as allowed us to create a flowing reception with different activities and stations in different areas (lawn games, photo booth, cocktail and food stations). The tented terrace gave us much-needed peace of mind in the event of bad weather. In our case, we were so lucky to have nice weather and the space couldn’t have been more beautiful with the flowers and trees all blooming to create a wonderful backdrop. The library and bridal suite were the perfect private spaces for us to retreat to. Our guests absolutely loved this venue and it suited our wedding so well. Beatriz was a joy to work with and made planning the event so easy. We were able to visit the venue a few times to make sure our ideas for activities would work in the space. We are so glad that we had our wedding at a place with trails open to the public so that we can revisit this special place over and over. We can’t recommend Woodend Sanctuary highly enough.

to use the tent instead of the Hemlock grove for our ceremony, but we have absolutely no complaints about it. You still get a stunning immersive outdoor feeling while staying comfortably dry! :) Beatriz was wonderful to work with, she is very responsive and graciously accommodated our unique requests. We highly recommend Woodend!

helped keep everyone comfortable. Beatriz and her staff were also great to work with.

ore we even saw it in person, and we had no regrets. The venue is expensive, but it is so elegant with multiple ways to use the various beautiful spaces, indoors and outdoors. We had two ceremonies on our wedding day, a tea ceremony in the Great Hall and a chuppah ceremony in the Hemlock Grove, and had two receptions, one in the conference room and portico and one on the tented terrace. The tented terrace as a backup plan for rain (which we thankfully did not need to use) and with the option of heating on a cold fall evening was key. We had some precious moments with our wedding party in the staging rooms and on the balcony, and had some romantic portraits in the meadows by the grove. Beatriz, the site manager, was easy to communicate with. Woodend provides a select list of approved caterers who are also very costly, but know the venue well. In order to preserve the mansion and grounds, there are some rules to follow with noise and decor, which Beatriz will outline. Overall, it was a big investment, but the natural beauty of the setting enhanced our wedding in so many ways and made for beautiful wedding day photographs and memories.

emails. I booked Woodend Sanctuary for 6 hours for my ceremony only and it was perfect. I was able to get my getting ready photos, first look photos, wedding party photos and ceremony all done. You have to work with their preferred list of vendors, but that is very standard. They have many rules and regulations, but all that information is upfront. We booked this venue before the pandemic and when we had to reschedule, we did have to pay a date change fee. Rehearsal was a breeze to schedule and follow through. Rehearsal was also an additional fee. We unfortunately were not allowed to use the balcony, it had water damage from the storm in the week earlier. The bridal suite and grooms library room were spacious. We were allowed to take photos anywhere on the venue. Woodend Sanctuary has an awesome tent rain backup plan which was one of the factors that convinced us to book there in the first place. Overall we enjoyed having our wedding ceremony at Woodend Sanctuary! Thank you to Beatriz for all her hard work!

always responsive and sympathetic, giving us recommendations, FAQs, even valuable advice on things like the timeline, tent space, etc. The venue itself is remarkable - beautiful, spacious, with lovely options for both outdoor and indoor weddings (plus a spacious, attractive tent on site if it rains!) It's both close enough to the city to be easily accessible for guests (our hotel of choice was 10 min away), and enclosed with enough acreage and trees to feel private and magical. Being able to have the ceremony and reception in the same space was key for us, but the two areas (the grove and the mansion) are separate enough that you still get the feeling of a "solemn" ceremony and then a "fun" reception. There are also nature classes and a little store on site that sells bird seed, etc - they (obviously) aren't open during the ceremony, but it was really meaningful to us to be able to contribute to a space that also serves to educate others about nature and the environment. Also, the Woodend team are incredibly helpful day-of - I didn't have to worry about parking, logistics, anything. They even had signs directing people to the ceremony site. Long story short, can't recommend this space enough. It's cliché to say, but it really was a magical day, and Woodend was a huge part of that.

oking for and more!!! I loved having the ability to be at Woodend all day, including getting ready with our wedding parties in the designated rooms, first look photos, our ceremony in the grove, and the reception + dancing in the tent and mansion. Plus, Beatriz was amazing to work with. I can't imagine how many emails she must receive from other couples, but she always got back to us in a timely fashion and she was very organized with helpful FAQs and links for us to reference. We were also planning the wedding from far away (we live on the west coast) and Beatriz accommodated MULTIPLE venue visits/tours - first with our parents, and then with my fiance and me when we were in town. I'm also thank so glad that our wedding was able to contribute to the Audubon Naturalist Society’s mission. Thank you Beatriz and the Woodend team!!

tarting to plan your COVID wedding, this is a winning decision. Highly recommend Spilled Milk Catering for all food/rentals as well - they know the space like the back of their hands!

d magical for our holiday-themed nuptials. The folks at Woodend, especially Beatriz and Kathy, became part of my "squad," and helped our wedding become one of the best moments of our lives!

dream!!

ven had a great moment where a butterfly flew by during our ceremony! Beatriz, the site coordinator, was excellent to work with. She was always responsive to emails and helped us to do a second tour of the venue after we booked it so that my mom could check out the venue. I'll also mention that Woodend gives you a great list of recommended vendors that have all worked at the venue before. This list is so helpful and everyone that we hired knew the venue incredibly well. We love Woodend so much and are so happy that it was where we got married.

wife, from whose account I am posting, and I worked with Beatriz (Woodend’s event manager) for more than a year leading up to this event, and it turned out to be the 100% right choice to celebrate our big day there. Of course, the venue setup played a major role - this is one of the few spots close to downtown DC where you can have an amazing outdoor ceremony, followed by a reception in a beautiful mansion, at a fair price (part of which goes to supporting a great cause). But a big part of that is also due to Beatriz. As many of you who are reading this review will soon realize about the wedding planning process, it all comes down to people, particularly if you are doing a DIY wedding and don’t have a professional planner engaged. If you work with vendors directly, the people you work with have an enormous impact on your planning experience. I CANNOT over-emphasize this point. Good, competent, and responsive people will make your life so much easier, and you will have so much more peace of mind (which you will need every ounce of). If you decide to have a wedding at Woodend Sanctuary, you will not only get an amazing venue, but you will get to work with a complete rockstar, and that rockstar is Beatriz. In all honesty, I can’t say enough good things about Beatriz. She is amazing. Warm, friendly, and always incredibly helpful and resourceful when it comes to recommendations and ideas. Beatriz has seen it all at Woodend - she knows the venue and its many logistical possibilities inside out. I cannot tell you how many emails we have sent to Beatriz, and how many times we went over to the venue for walkthroughs, dance practice or just an opportunity to meet with her to pick her brain. I don’t know how Beatriz handles what is likely to amount to more than a hundred weddings per year, but she does it in a way that makes you feel like you have her sole attention and dedication. At the end of the process, it genuinely felt as if Beatriz was part of our family. We will always be grateful to her. My recommendation would be to book as many extra hours as you can - we had the venue from 3 PM to 1 AM on a Friday, which also ensured that we were the only wedding that day. Arguably only once in your life will you have everyone you care about in the universe gathered together in one place, and when that happens, you will want it to last as long as possible. It will fly by before you know it. One major reason we picked the venue is that they have a seamless rain plan, which we were fortunate not to have avail ourselves of (though it rained the morning of our wedding day). For anyone considering Woodend Sanctuary for their wedding - you can’t go wrong. Do it now.

ny and the reception there with total confidence. All night, our guests drifted from the indoor setting to the portico or walked the grounds; it was great to see everyone so pleased no matter what the setting. The surroundings were simply stunning the day of the wedding and provided the perfect backdrop for photos. A deer ran through a field when the audience clapped for us, and guests remarked on how neat that was. The venue was beautiful enough on its own that it didn't need much additional decor. While we didn't make use of it, they do offer birdseed to be thrown during the send-off (sparklers, rice, etc. aren't allowed out of respect to wildlife). They also allowed red wine which was not always the case with other historic houses / venues we looked into. The Woodend day-of staff was great and kept things running smoothly. Everything was dusted, the outdoors was well-manicured, and the bathrooms were clean & stocked the entire night. One thing to be aware of is the tent -- they are very protective of the tent and only one company is allowed to interact with it. We wanted to string up some simple bistro lights and were told it would be $1700 to do so because that's what the one monopoly charged. The day of the wedding, we were informed that even though we'd requested all of the tent flaps to be up, one of the flaps was stuck down because of the way the company had secured it. We ended up having to make the best of it. It was okay in the end but frustrating at the time. Also, no chairs are included for the ceremony -- they had to come from the caterer, which was an additional cost for us. Beatriz was great throughout the process. Woodend was a great pick for the best day of our lives! -- Amanda & Sean

use and lawn space for the cocktail hour, reception, dancing, lawn games, photo booth and more. On top of that, Beatriz was great to work with as was the site manager the day-of. We couldn't be happier and many of our guests who are locals to the D.C. area kept saying how much they loved the venue but had never heard of it - so it's a great hidden gem in the DMV!

esent and responsive to our needs. The Grove where the wedding ceremony took place did have its share of gnats that day (mosquitos were biting on another visit), but our OFF lanterns seemed to do the trick in terms of keeping them away as I did not have any trouble once those were lit. I highly recommend this location, though I would be careful about selecting a caterer. We went with a less high end caterer on the list and got what we paid for.

to see two more, but after touring Woodend we were sold. The house itself is full of character and the grounds are breathtaking, but the real value of securing Woodend for our wedding ceremony and reception was working with Beatriz and the staff at the Sanctuary. They were helpful, patient and accommodating and went out of their way to make our wedding a truly wonderful event. Good weather allowed us to get married in the grove, located several yards away from the house, but they also offer a fantastic Plan B by having climate controlled tent space covering the patio. If you want a truly original and memorable event, one that will fill you with happy memories the rest of your life, Woodend Sanctuary is the answer; we give this our most enthusiastic recommendation!

r dinner and dancing. Beatriz was a pleasure to work with and flexible with our plans. All the terms of the venue were clearly laid out upfront, and no surprises. All and all, the wedding was wonderful and exactly what we were looking for. Highly recommended!

outdoor patio. In the rain, the space was a perfect fit for a party of ~100 people. It was a great venue that was very customizable to our tastes. Thank you again!