If you visit, it's important to know that the mansion on the 40 acres had an owner that enslaved people on his plantation. Now a nature sanctuary with trails, a play area, and lots of bird watching, Woodend Sanctuary acknowledges this so we all can grieve and vow to fight for equity for all today. If you go, there are two small free parking lots- one by the kids area and one by the mansion. It's open to the public for free. There's a nature-themed playground with two restrooms, trails, and areas to learn about nature. read more

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Woodend was the perfect venue for our daughter's wedding reception. The combination of elegance and natural beauty created exactly the atmosphere the bride and groom envisioned. It's remarkable that such a peaceful, secluded setting exists inside the Beltway -- with no traffic noise and stunning scenery everywhere you look. The grounds photographed beautifully, and guests continually commented on how unique and special the venue felt. We especially appreciated how the layout allowed guests to enjoy both the lively celebration and quieter moments throughout the evening. The planning process was smooth and well organized. Beatriz, the rental manager, was responsive, professional, and wonderful to work with, and the venue's excellent online resources made planning especially easy. Everything about Woodend reflects thoughtful care and professionalism. While Woodend is certainly a premium venue, the experience absolutely justified it. We would recommend it without hesitation to any couple looking for an elegant wedding in a truly beautiful natural setting. read more

Get married here. No hesitations needed. My lovely DC friends chose this special place to have a morning ceremony and a brunch wedding and it was just lovely and deer were included free of charge. It's like an oasis in a grand city. The ceremony's held in this small area surrounded by lush trees and greenery and the reception was just a few steps in the main hall and terrace area (they did have a tent). Adjacent to the terrasse is the lawn which provided space for so many great activities like bocce, croquet, "corn hole" and of course picnic tables for just sitting. What a great place to spend the afternoon with loved ones. As a guest, this place gets five stars. read more

My husband and I selected Woodend to get married largely due to the stately, lush grounds and amazing outdoor ceremony in the grove. We also liked that the venue is a non-profit Audubon Sanctuary. We worked a lot with Beatriz and I cannot say enough about her - she was highly responsive, helped us with recommendations, and kept us stress free. We loved this location and cannot say enough about it. read more

This venue was exactly what we were looking for -- an indoor/outdoor mix of beautiful scenery. Because all their spaces are excellent, it came with a "Plan B" for bad weather built-in for our ceremony, and allowed for us to have both the ceremony 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 read more

To have the most beautiful outdoor autumn wedding, go to Woodend. Seriously. The staff is friendly and helpful for the most part, and the house that provides the getting ready rooms, dance floor and bar areas is lovely and spacious. They set up an outdoor tent for us and while their heaters weren't working, it wasn't so cold that people were shivering (though a little preparation on the part of the staff would have been better). Still though with the changing leaves, the random deer roaming about, the stone area where the ceremonies take place are all perfection. read more

We got married at Woodend in April 2018. It was the perfect venue for 155 people - stunningly beautiful, lush, green and all kinds of other amazing colors from the many types of flora on site. The first photos we have seen look unreal. My (now) wife 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. read more

Woodend is a beautful facility, but I would like to warn consumers that Woodend is taking a very unsympathetic stand toward people forced to cancel plans due to the pandemic. We had to cancel wedding plans -- 10 months in advance -- and they have refused to return our deposit or any portion of it. I would suggest not making any plans with Woodend until the pandemic is well over or you will risk losing your deposit. read more

This has to be one of the most beautiful places around. I got lost on my way there because I was looking for a church since I was going to a wedding. Lo and behold I was actually going to a nature sanctuary. The grounds were beautiful and I got to see people catching butterflies in the distance. They also have trails. Such a hidden gem near East West Highway. read more

I got married at Woodend Sanctuary on May 5th and was absolutely thrilled with the venue. My husband and I wanted a venue that provided a beautiful natural outdoor setting for the ceremony and an indoor space for the reception and Woodend provides exactly that. It's wonderfully private (you have exclusive use of the property) and quiet as well, unlike other venues that either had multiple function spaces or were close to the road where you could hear traffic going by. The grounds are kept immaculately clean and provide a great backdrop for a special day. I hoped and crossed my fingers so many times that the deer other people mentioned in their reviews would show up on our wedding day, and right on cue as we were taking our photos out behind the house a group of about 8 deer appeared and hung out at the edge of the trees - it was truly magical. Rebecca is very responsive to any questions and has the whole thing down to a science. In most regards Woodend was quite flexible - they allow red wine which many historic venues do not and also allow you to choose all of your own vendors, with the exception of the caterer which they ask you to choose from an extensive list. I highly recommend Woodend for your wedding if you're looking for a nature-inspired, beautiful spot. read more

I just got married at Woodend Sanctuary and it was really a no brainer to use it for my ceremony and reception. I was able to have my wedding outside and scenery gave way to a gorgeous wooded landscape. My wedding was on March 22 and so there was very little In the way of flowers but that didn't even matter because the back drop still looked fantastic. I did luck out with great weather, so we had our cocktail hour outside, and the pictures look fantastic and everyone had an amazing time. My theme was rustic elegance and I got exactly what I asked for and more. I highly recommend Woodend if you want to have a beautiful wedding with gorgeous nature backdrops. read more

After a few minutes looking around, this place was a perfect fit for our wedding. A wooded grove, a mansion with old wood floors, and outdoor seating that is covered by a large tent (just in case it rains). The grounds are huge and can make for plenty of exploration and lawn games. Helpful staff and a beautiful place to make memories. As a big plus, they allow red wine on the premises, which many venues do not. read more

Our wedding consisted of multiple events and multiple days and we had one of our wedding events here earlier this month. This place is so incredibly beautiful and the majestic tall trees at the grove make me wish we could get married here over and over again. Our guests loved the venue and still rave about it. I also love that the reception tent comes with the venue, where many other venues charge for the tent separately or require you to get an outside vendor for the tent. Woodend gives you very detailed guidelines when you book them so you know exactly what to expect. We loved everything and are hoping one of our friends get married here soon so we can come back again! read more

This is a beautiful place to go for a walk in, or plan a special event (wedding, anniversary). If you are having one of those laid back days and you need someplace to go relax, this is the place you need to visit. Walking through the many acres of this natural landscape will put you an a calm and tranquil mindset. read more

Beautiful historic venue nestled into the pre-fab vanilla flavored suburban strip mall that is Bethesda, MD. With both class and character, this old mansion has colonial details and grounds befitting of any whimsical-vintage bride and friends looking to frolic with live deer, marry in the trees, or pose by a bannister, a la a sensuous Thomas Jefferson. Party up, pinkies up!! read more

We held our wedding at Woodend and loved loved loved the venue. It's a gorgeous place, with tons of greenery and the occasional deer. We had our ceremony outdoors and the reception in the tent adjoining the mansion, and could not have asked for anything more. The staff there (particularly Rebecca, before she retired, and now Beatriz) were very responsive. There was a day-of planner as well, who made sure our ceremony was private (they will block off the entire venue). And since this is an Audobon preserve, part of your payment to book Woodend is tax-deductible! I cannot say enough about this place. read more

The website didn't specify it was booked.We arrived to take pictures for a small quince and the guest were very rude and then a staff member (female) told us to leave cause the bridal party was upset after the bridal party or the groom told us to leave rudely.The staff member then stood and followed us until we left and our van had trouble leaving and didn't know how to get out and she kept watching us we felt very uncomfortable and we were all looked at as they were at a higher standard then us. Didn't feel well treated could've been nicer just saying‍ Also update your website and say your booked. read more

We took our class there for a field trip and we all had a great time. We we very lucky to have a mom in our class that is a naturalist who used to work there. She led our preschool group around the beautiful grounds. The children were excited to see tadpoles, toads, slugs and worms, not to mention all of the beautiful plants. read more

The website clearly stated the venue was open, so we went to take pictures but a staff member told us to leave as there was a bridal party already there. But how were we supposed to know when nothing says that there were people there. The party wasn't even close to where we were taking pictures, yet they were upset. Both the staff member and the party were quite disrespectful, and as we were leaving the female staff followed and watched us leave. Poor manners, catering to the public, and management of website. Do not recommend this venue. read more

Among the many event space options in the D.C. area, Woodend Sanctuary is a hidden gem! We started researching venues for our wedding when we stumbled across this beautiful property. We had already visited three other event spaces and had plans 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! read more

We had our ceremony here November 2nd and it was absolutely fabulous! The trees were changing and it felt like a wooded oasis in the city. It was more gorgeous than I could have imagined! read more

We held our wedding here in 2002. We had our first son participate in the Woodend Nature Preschool. And now five years later and a move back to the area, we have our third son in the nature kindergarten. This is such a special place with hidden gems on every visit. The school in particular exposes children to nature in such an engaging way, amongst the choices in the DC area, it is a standout! read more

I 100% recommend Woodend Sanctuary. No hesitation. My fiance and I could not have been happier with our experience, not only during the planning period (Beatriz is the BEST) but also of course during the wedding itself. The mansion exudes a timeless beauty, and the grounds are perfect for nature lovers like ourselvses. I know this sounds over the top, but I am not exaggerating when I say that, since the wedding, one of my bridesmaids has started to call it "the enchanted forest house where you got married". read more

This venue was soooooo beautiful. Really, really perfect for a wedding. Definitely bring in rental air conditioning if it's a hot day.