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Howard County Conservancy Reviews

Howard County Conservancy

Howard County Conservancy

Woodstock, MD
4.7 out of 5 rating, 45 Reviews
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Reviews

4.7 out of 5 rating
4.7 out of 5 rating
45 Reviews
93% recommend it
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    4.7 out of 5 rating
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Awards

45
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2023 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2015 Winner
Weddingwire
4.7/5 45 reviews
Google
4.8/5 315 reviews
  • Angela
    Angela S. Sent on 07/04/2023
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    Lovely, peaceful venue

    HCC is not a typical wedding venue, it's primarily a nature center, and we loved it! We wanted nature to be part of our wedding, but most of the venues in the area were barns or wineries, neither of which resonated with us. HCC was great because it's beautiful and simple. We also loved not having to rent tables or chairs. Grace was very responsive to our questions, but she did end up leaving a few months before our wedding. If you're looking for a venue that is pretty much a blank slate, HCC is your place. I will note that there are a lot of rules, which is understandable because it's a nature center. However, we worked with our planner/coordinator who has done tons of weddings there (Sleeping Bee Designs, Sarah Rosier) and she made it a breeze! We love that we can go back and enjoy a nice day at HCC. Photo credit: AnnaLiz Photography Florals: La Fleur Enchantée, Inc.

    Howard County Conservancy's reply:

    Thank you so much for your kind words! We are so happy we were able to be the host site on your special day. Congratulations on your beautiful wedding and we hope you'll come back to visit our grounds. Best wishes to you!
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    Brooke K. Sent on 11/05/2022
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    Absolutely Gorgeous!

    such a gorgeous venue!!! everyone kept saying how beautiful and perfect it was there and that they couldn’t believe they’d never been there before! A perfect spot for a perfect day

    Howard County Conservancy's reply:

    We are so happy that we were able to host your special day! We love when new people discover us and get to experience the beauty here! Thank you for choosing the Conservancy!
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  • Valerie
    Valerie Sent on 11/12/2022
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    Best venue, full of nature

    Loved everything about this space!! It was unique, beautiful, spacious and so much nature.
    I liked that there was an outdoor and indoor space the guests were able to go.

    Grace was our point of contact for the venue, and from the start she was so nice, helpful and very responsive.
    We love that it's also a place we can revisit and build future memories.

    Photos by Jasmine Yab photography
  • Cecilia
    Cecilia G. Sent on 09/18/2022
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    Gorgeous venue, just right for us

    When we went to go visit HCC, even though it was a freezing cold day in January, we knew this was the place we wanted to get married. We are outdoorsy, nature-loving people, and the grounds and property are very special and lovely. If you want a beautiful setting with a flowering garden, meadows, forest, and indoor/outdoor options, HCC is your place!

    Grace was extremely communicative throughout the process and helped with my many questions. She was easy to work with and so helpful! We had rain on the day of the wedding and had to move the ceremony indoors to the main hall, but the room was spacious enough that we could have the chairs set up in the middle and the tables set up on the side. If the weather is in your favor, there are so many gorgeous areas outside to have the ceremony. Also, the deck overlooking the garden is such a nice feature so folks can be inside and outside.

    We can't imagine having our wedding anywhere else. Now, we get to go back, walk the grounds, and remember our wedding day!
  • Alexis
    Alexis B. Sent on 12/26/2022
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    Ultimate modern nature setting AND it's DIY (in the best way!)!

    To be honest, when I walked into this venue I knew it was the perfect fit for us. We wanted something that involved nature but had a reception venue on site that wasn't old and outdated. HCC was perfect.

    The other thing we loved the most about this venue was the ultimate flexibility. We could bring in and use whatever vendors we wanted to: we were in no way limited to their list, which allowed us to work within OUR budget, create OUR menu, and use OUR drinks.

    We had a whiskey and cigar bar, a coffee truck with donuts, and a champagne wall. We wouldn't have been able to do that at any other venue. This also being partially a Russian wedding, we wanted the ability to have wine and vodka on the table, so guests wouldn't have to gets up and go to the bar constantly to make toasts. The venue worked with us on this.

    And we were able to hire Ranger the owl to make a special appearance at our cocktail hour! It made for some fun for our guests :)
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    Anne Sent on 05/16/2022
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    Could not have picked a better venue!!

    Could not have picked a better venue, not only because of the beautiful property but also because the extremely friendly staff!! My husband and I fell in love with this venue right away, it suited our needs in many aspects. It had that beautiful modern simplicity we were looking for; I liked having the indoor and outdoor options, and it didn’t need much decoration for it to be beautiful. My guests were allowed to roam around most of the property and enjoy the scenery. My guests have not stopped letting me know how they loved the venue.

    Since COVID had pushed our wedding back (suppose to be a 2020 wedding, but became a 2022 wedding), I worked with different people, and each person I interacted with had been so nice. I originally worked with Denise, then Allison, Taryn, and ultimately Grace. Each person was very kind and responsive, and introduced themselves to me and provided me with whatever updates they had with the venue. Grace had been so kind to us, and made sure to re-clarify everything I could not remember (since it had been 2 years I’ve signed the contract) and was very quick to respond to emails. When I finally met her face to face, she was very friendly and knew so much about the property and was very informative which made me feel at ease. Top notch communication and helpfulness throughout the entire process and all the staff we’ve interacted with. I’ve recommended this place to everyone, and will continue to.
  • L
    Lisa Sent on 02/15/2022
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    Perfect Winter Venue

    We recently celebrated our daughter's wedding at the Howard County Conservancy. We fell in love with the natural beauty of the venue and were happy to find that planning our event for February came with some perks in flexibility and affordability. The Gudelsky Room was a comfortable size for our 145 guests and it didn't take much to make it look really special. We really loved the many large windows, the ambiance of the permanent string lights on the deck, and all of the indoor natural wood...floors, beams, and even the natural wood chairs. And even though it was really cold, we were able to get some really pretty outdoor photos. Grace is very much to thank for our positive experience. She was professional, responsive, encouraging, and so very calm and kind. We were so happy to have found this wonderful place for our special event.

    Howard County Conservancy's reply:

    Hi Lisa! Thank you so much for your kind words. It was truly a joy working with you and your family on your daughter's wedding. Congratulations on your daughter's marriage and we hope you'll come back to visit our grounds. Best wishes for the adventures ahead!
  • L
    Lisa S. Sent on 10/06/2021
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    A beautiful hidden gem

    Our wedding at the conservancy was beautiful! We got so many compliments on our choice, as it set the perfect backdrop for our outdoor garden ceremony and indoor reception. We would highly recommend this hidden gem!

    Howard County Conservancy's reply:

    Hi Lisa! Thank you so much for your kind words. We so enjoyed being a part of your special day. Congratulations on a beautiful wedding!
  • C
    Caitlin Sent on 11/05/2020
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    Absolutely beautiful, natural venue.

    Howard County Conservancy is a rustic wedding dream! The grounds and buildings are gorgeous. HCC has various trees, shrubbery, and flowers throughout the year, along with stone and brick walk ways. Take advantage of this hidden gem. We couldn’t have found a more beautiful venue for such an amazing price.

    Howard County Conservancy's reply:

    Thank you Caitlin! We were so happy to be a part of your and Kayla's wedding! Your photos are beautiful. Here's to many happy years!
  • Devin
    Devin Sent on 09/10/2018
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    We used the conservancy for our wedding venue. Got married in the barn & had our reception inside the hall. We were able to come the day before for a rehearsal and set up the barn for the ceremony ahead of time. They were extremely flexible with us, worked well with the catering company & helped out when we had some weather issues. Even though it poured down rain we were still able to get married in the barn.
    We rented the barn for the ceremony ($250) & rented the farm house for a bridal suite ($250)
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    Caryn Sent on 10/15/2017
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    We absolutely loved having our wedding at the Howard County Conservancy. Denise was a pleasure to work with and the venue and grounds are absolutely beautiful. It was the perfect setting for an early-Fall wedding and the grounds around the conservatory were perfect for photos.
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    Lisa Sent on 11/07/2016
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    Beautiful private setting. The staff were very easy to work with. There are many places for beautiful photos. The room comfortably sat 130 guests with a dance floor. There are tall windows and two decks as well as a loft. The bathrooms were large and clean. You use your own caterer and bring you own alcohol which is a big cost saver.
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    Mike Sent on 11/13/2016
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    Beautiful setting, allowed us to use any caterer, all at a price much lower than typical wedding venues. This place is a hidden gem. We booked the venue 5 months before the wedding date and they had plenty of availability.
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    Marcia Sent on 03/06/2015
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    The wedding was on a Monday morning at a nearby church followed by brunch at the Conservancy. Price was right and we included rental of the Nature Center downstairs which children and adults loved. It was a wonderful location and staff was very accommodating. It was a rare warmer winter day so the photo scavenger hunt went off super. Loved the location!
  • L
    Laura Sent on 10/23/2014
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    The conservancy was the perfect place for our wedding! Everyone loved the venue, and really enjoyed themselves. The conservancy offers a relaxed atmosphere with the option of having the ceremony in several different areas on the property and has a GREAT party room.
  • User1863473 Sent on 10/14/2014
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    Choosing the Howard County Conservancy as a venue is one of the best decisions that my wife and I could have made in lieu of our wedding. We wanted to marry somewhere outdoorsy and rustic - options in this part of the state seemed pretty limited, in that respect. Everywhere we tried to option that was 'outdoorsy' was either obscenely overpriced or attached to a luxury bed and breakfast.

    The conservancy was the exact mix of rustic and convenient that we needed. We held our ceremony in their barnhouse, and the light hitting the barn in late September is absolute perfection in mid-afternoon. We were illuminated by rays of light, while the attendees were able to bask in the shade (Wear sunscreen!) This made for some stellar photographs.

    They were easy to work with, reasonably priced, professional, and everything about our wedding somehow went off without a hitch, venue included.

    A+
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    Ben Sent on 10/19/2013
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    This beautiful venue was perfect for our outdoor ceremony/indoor reception. The only possible issue is that there is no "dress up" room, but it's worth it to get dressed before you get there. The grounds are private and stunningly beautiful, and the staff is very helpful.
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    Kristie Sent on 09/18/2013
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    I had my ceremony at Howard County Conservancy's in front of the Montjoy Barn on August 17, 2013. It was a beautiful outdoor ceremony with the barn & nature being our backdrop. I got so many compliments on the venue!

    We then had our reception in the Guldesky Room. We had 110 people for our wedding, but I believe it can hold up to 130 for buffet style dinner. Looking out the surrounding windows at the beautiful landscaping and nature, made it easy to keep the decorating to a minimal. They also allowed us to use our own caterer & bartenders, which was a great way to save money!! I highly recommend them!!

    Only deal is that have some more strict rules than most places-but still worth it. And they are sure to tell you everything up front so that there are no surprises!
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    Suzanne Sent on 06/11/2013
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    Denise was extremely helpful with scheduling our ceremony and reception. The honors garden was absolutely beautiful, but we would have been equally happy with the wheat barn if the weather had not cooperated. The value is beyond compare, with other venues costing more than twice as much.
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    Jenn Sent on 04/18/2013
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    We chose the conservancy based off the value, as well as the gardens. Unfortunately Mother Nature was not cooperative with the blooms this year so we held the wedding inside. Everything turned out great! The space was more than we needed and the staff that helped was incredible.
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    Kerline Sent on 11/21/2012
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    Beautiful place, perfect during the fall season. Staff (Denise) is so great. We enjoyed having our wedding ceremony and reception there. Would definitely recommend.
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    Anne Sent on 05/24/2012
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    Beautiful venue at the right price. Tables and chairs included in the cost. I love that the money for the rental doesn't go to big business wedding places. They are a local non-profit organization that does environmental education.

    The barn was the perfect backdrop to our rustic wedding and the guildeski center was beautiful for the reception with local artists work on the walls.
  • D
    J Sent on 10/27/2009
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    We had our wedding reception at the conservancy on a beautiful summer day, and the Gudelsky center and honors garden were just gorgeous. This is a very special place, and it feels like you're in a rural area without being too far from the city. We found everyone very easy to work with, accommodating and laid back, especially compared to the wedding factories in and around Baltimore! The rates were very reasonable. We used My Thyme Inc. for catering, chosen from the Conservancy's catering list, and they were wonderful.

    The only recommendation we have is that having outdoor lighting between the ballroom and the parking lot would really help evening guests find their cars. We were notified that it would be dark, but didn't put the time into getting outside lights.
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    Jennifer Sent on 09/09/2012
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    The Howard County Conservancy was an amazing venue for our June Wedding. The flowers were in full bloom and the setting provided a relaxed natural setting for our wedding. After searching the central MD area for an old barn to hold the ceremony in we found exactly what we were looking for in the Montjoy Barn on the grounds. Many of our guests found the barn to be a unique choice for the wedding ceremony. The old beams and old farm tools gave the barn character which meant we needed very little decoration. The reception was held in the air-conditioned Education Center which offers a large room that has plenty of space for dinner and dancing. The room has lots of large windows which allow the natural light to come in.
    The staff at the Howard County Conservancy were amazing and made the planning very easy. They were available to answer questions and concerns as they came up as the wedding drew closer. On the day of the wedding they were available to answer questions and ensure that the facility was maintained throughout the event.
    We are still receiving compliments from our guests on the uniqueness of our venue. An added bonus to using the Howard County Conservancy is that it is open to the public and our friends and family can walk the grounds when they want to remember our beautiful day.
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