We are thrilled to welcome you to our wedding celebration, a day filled with love, history, and cherished moments.

St. Michael’s Catholic Church has stood in Ridge, MD since the 19th century, serving as a spiritual home for countless families. We are grateful to add our wedding to its long story of faith and celebration.

Woodlawn Farm is a place rich with history. The Manor House, Wine Cottage, and Tidewater Barn, which make up the heart of Woodlawn, are nestled close together. Guests will stroll short distances along stone paths and grassy walkways as the celebration unfolds.

We invite you to explore the story of this beautiful setting. Be sure to check the “Things to Do” tab for ways to experience its charm and heritage firsthand.

As we commit our lives and future to one another, we hope you’ll take a moment to appreciate the history that surrounds us and the memories we’re adding to the Woodlawn story.

The story of Woodlawn Farm begins with the colonial origins of Maryland in March 1634. Just five months later, on August 30th, Trinity Manor—later known as Woodlawn—was established as the first deeded property in Maryland. The land was granted by Lord Baltimore II to his brother, Leonard Calvert, the colony’s first governor and the leader of the Ark and Dove expedition that brought the first settlers to St. Mary’s City.

During the Revolutionary War, Trinity Manor was plundered by British forces. In the years that followed, Colonel Mathias Clark constructed Woodlawn on its original footprint. By the time of the Civil War, Woodlawn had become a clandestine refuge for Confederate soldiers who escaped from the Union’s Point Lookout prison. From there, they were ferried across the Potomac River to Virginia in small boats. According to local legend, these men were hidden in secret “priest holes”—concealed spaces believed to have been originally designed to shelter Catholic clergy during periods of anti-Catholic persecution.

Early in the 20th Century Woodlawn fell into disrepair. Serial ownership, poor farmland and an isolated peninsular location led to its decline within a region that was also not prospering. The establishment of the Patuxent River Base in 1941, which overlaid Jarboesville, changed the fortunes of the area. However, progress in South County was slow, and another thirty years would pass before Tom and Ginny Cox purchased Woodlawn in 1971 and began its restoration. An 18-year preservation project was launched and in 1990, Woodlawn won the Great American Home Award and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Properties.

In 2016 a new Tidewater Barn was added to the holdings at Woodlawn, in the same style of Maryland Tidewater Architecture which Tom and Ginny preserved. Built by Amish builders, the Tidewater Barn has large plank oak floors and wood plank walls from the nearby Mennonite mills. Today, under the stewardship of Maggie O’Brien and Jim Grube, Woodlawn has grown into a thriving farm and historical inn. The Tidewater Barn now hosts regular music performances, cultural gatherings, and private events, continuing the tradition of blending heritage with community celebration.