Springfield Manor offers couples a country estate setting with exceptional attention to detail.
By Jennifer Mellace
Photos Courtesy of Springfield Manor
Sweeping mountain views, fragrant lavender fields, lush vineyard vines, and a historic stone manor home—these are just a few offerings that Springfield Manor has for hopeful brides and grooms. As you drive up the lane toward the main house, you can tell this place is different. It’s unique, beautiful, and definitely romantic.
A venue for any event, weddings are extra special at this elegant country estate located on the edge of Frederick County, Md. The only combination winery, distillery, and brewery in Maryland, the location offers sweeping views of the Catoctin Mountain range as well as the surrounding farmland. Only 35 minutes from Gettysburg and 45 minutes from Washington, D.C., the location is easily accessible. It’s also just minutes from historic downtown Frederick, giving guests plenty of overnight options, including hotels as well as bed-and-breakfasts.
Brian Childs and his wife Loree are the innkeepers and wedding coordinators at Springfield Manor. Having conducted more than 1,200 weddings, the pair are well versed in what brides are looking for and can provide a full-scale boutique wedding to fit any budget.
“We offer an experience that is unique and definitely not cookie-cutter,” says Brian. “When a bride and groom choose Springfield Manor, they don’t need to hire a wedding planner. We act as one for them and offer a team of experts from start to finish.”
That team includes two innkeepers, parking attendants, a hostess, a wedding day line-up assistant and floor manager, an executive chef, and bartenders.
Built in the mid 1700s, the main house today is a bed-and-breakfast available to the bride and groom if they choose to stay or wish to accommodate out-of-town guests. There are eight suites that can sleep up to 16 adult guests, each with an en-suite made with Italian marble and all the touches one would expect from an upscale, yet comfortable lodging.
In addition to the optional overnight accommodations, there are other amenities available to couples who choose the estate for their wedding day. These areas include a rustic cigar bar in the original springhouse for the groom with a covered porch and outdoor area for lawn games. For the bride and her bridesmaids, a lovely bridal lounge offers a romantic and comfortable setting to prepare for the big day. Both areas are available to enjoy throughout the event.
“We decided to rent some of the rooms for our out-of-town family to stay in,” says Allison Hastings, who was married at Springfield Manor in 2017.
“My bridesmaids and I used the bridal lounge for the entire day and my husband, who wondered why he and his groomsmen needed to be there so early, really enjoyed the big space for them to hangout in. It was separate from the ladies, and they were able to play cornhole and just have a fun time.”
When it comes to the ceremony and reception, Springfield Manor offers several settings on the property that can accommodate up to 300 guests. A year-round, climate-controlled renovated barn, which is part of the location’s winery, distillery, and brewery, can be rented for a more rustic feel. For outdoor weddings, a pergola overlooking the farm and stunning mountain backdrop is available, weather permitting. And if the couple seeks a more formal look, the beautiful, bright ballroom that opens to an outdoor space overlooking the property is the perfect setting. This indoor space boasts artisan chandeliers, elegant neutral colors, Chiavari chairs, and other high-end touches. All options include a choice of colored table linens and napkins, china dishes, and tasteful glassware and flatware.
An important detail for any wedding is, of course, the food, and Springfield Manor works exclusively with Carriage House Caterers to prepare a menu fit for whatever the bride and groom desire. “We’ve worked with the Carriage House for 12 years, and they have catered more than 2,000 events for us,” says Brian.
While couples are welcome to bring in other vendors for music, flowers, photography, and more, a comprehensive local vendors list is available for them to choose from. Also available is access to handcrafted, award-winning wine and spirits, but no purchase is required. In fact, couples can provide their own alcohol, offering them a considerable savings. Bars are set up and staffed by the caterer’s experienced bartenders.
Photo opportunities abound at the 114-acre estate. In addition to the Catoctin Mountains—which make an exceptionally beautiful backdrop in the fall—there’s also the vineyard and the mesmerizing and fragrant lavender fields, which can be found at the front of the property. It’s these very fields that produce the distillery’s lavender gin, which won the coveted Double Gold and Best of Class from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, where only 30 distilleries in the world are awarded this top honor.
When selecting a photo setting, couples should know the property is available not only for the day of the wedding but also for engagement photos. This opens the door to year-round photo opportunities—perhaps fall mountain foliage for engagement photos and vibrant lavender fields for a spring wedding.
“We were married in early spring,” says Hastings. “The photographer suggested photos in the vineyard, which I wasn’t so sure about since the vines were pretty bare. I didn’t anticipate how gorgeous they would be! They’re my absolute favorites and are the ones we chose to print and hang in our home.”
At Springfield Manor, the team of wedding experts at the estate pride themselves on taking care of every little detail, which in the end allows the bride and groom as well as their families to truly feel like guests at their own wedding.
“Our wedding was absolutely amazing, and Brian and Loree totally worked within our budget,” says Hastings. “They handled everything, including extra guests showing up the day of our wedding! I never knew a thing because room was made, and everything was handled without us being disrupted. They were so helpful, and the day was just perfect.”
Springfield Manor Winery
Distillery Brewery
11836 Auburn Road
Thurmont, MD 21788
301-271-0099
Maryland Lavender Festival
Enjoy picturesque views, vendors, live music, food trucks, glasses & bottles of wine, pints & growlers of beer, handcrafted distilled spirits, educational seminars & demonstrations. Relax in the fragrant field, photograph the scenery, and shop the artisan vendors. Gifts, plants, dried lavender, and freshly cut bundles will be available for purchase.
IF YOU GO:
June 15-16, 2019
9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Tickets required
Springfield Manor Winery
Distillery Brewery
11836 Auburn Road
Thurmont, MD 21788
301-271-0099
