Today we bring you all another amazing venue in our venue profile series, and we couldn’t be more excited to share it. The Patapsco Female Institute, located in Ellicott City, is a hidden gem and we were blown away during our tour of this venue.

These historic grounds and building frame are what remain of the Patapsco Female Institute, an all girls finishing & academic school. The school was built in 1837 and hosted women from a variety of nationalities, including Cubans, Italians, and even Native Americans. After the ending of the Civil War in 1865, enrollment slowly declined, and the school was forced to close in 1891 and never reopened.

Today the grounds are a nationally registered historical site, and are used for an open air theatre, corporate events, and of course, weddings! There is so much space to use and enjoy for weddings. A permanent tent is available from April through October, along with picnic tables as well. This magnificent venue can hold weddings with up to 120 people.

When we asked our tour guide, Jacquelyn Galke, what mades Patapsco Female Institute an amazing place to have a wedding, she stated: “It’s magical… it’s an open canvas and can be anything you want it to be.”

All photographs by Love by Serena.