Story

Amie & Cody's Zigbone Farm Retreat Wedding

A September wedding at Zigbone Farm Retreat in the hills outside Frederick: a ceremony on the lawn in front of the ivy-covered cottage, wildflowers everywhere, and a golden-hour walk through the meadow with their dog Cujo along for all of it.

September 21, 2024

Cody leading Amie by the hand through a golden meadow at sunset at Zigbone Farm Retreat, low light raking across the tall grass

Zigbone Farm Retreat hides in the hills outside Frederick, and the first time you come around the path and see the orange stucco cottage under its coat of ivy, you understand why couples book it. Amie and Cody got married there in September, in front of that cottage, with the gardens still blooming and the meadows just starting to turn gold.

Frederick is my core wedding photography service area, about 45 minutes from my house in Shepherdstown with travel always included, and Zigbone is one of my favorite venues in it. This wedding is a big reason why.

Getting ready in the farmhouse

Amie's white wedding dress on a wooden hanger suspended from a rough-hewn timber beam in a whitewashed room at Zigbone Farm Retreat — The dress, hung from hand-hewn timber.

A wildflower bouquet in blues, purples, oranges, and yellows resting on a wooden chair beside a card tied with a pink bow addressed to the future wife — A bouquet, and a card addressed to the future wife.

Amie reflected in an ornate white oval mirror adjusting her dress, a second white dress hanging by the window against a corrugated metal wall — A last look in the oval mirror.

A bridesmaid in blue kneeling to fasten the back of Amie's dress while the rest of the party watches in the timber-framed farmhouse room — Steady hands for the last buttons.

Close portrait of Amie looking back over her bare shoulder against a sea-green plaster wall, loose curls framing her face — Amie, moments before the aisle.

Cody seated in a chair in white high-top sneakers with his wedding party in gray vests and a navy dress standing around him in the bright loft — Cody and his party, waiting upstairs.

Amie's and Cody's matching white high-top sneakers on the brick path, hers embroidered with small flowers, her dress hem lifted above them — Matching high-tops, hers stitched with flowers.

The florals ran through everything: the bouquet, the aisle markers, the arbor, and the bands of color at the sweetheart table. Florals by Lauren V built all of it, and the palette, blues and purples and oranges against all that green, is exactly what a September garden wedding should look like.

Amie's and Cody's forearms side by side showing matching sunflower tattoos, wildflower bouquets filling the frame around them — Two halves of one sunflower.

A ceremony in front of the cottage

The ceremony sat on the lawn facing the cottage, wooden chairs on the grass and flower arrangements marking the aisle. It is the kind of setup I love: no staging, no backdrop wall, just a very good building, a hillside, and the people you invited.

Rows of wooden folding chairs on the lawn facing the ivy-covered orange cottage at Zigbone Farm Retreat, with wildflower arrangements marking the aisle — The ceremony lawn at Zigbone Farm Retreat.

Amie in her veil standing at the vine-wrapped iron arbor during the ceremony as the officiant reads, golden meadow beyond — At the iron arbor.

Amie and Cody walking back up the grass aisle after the ceremony, both grinning, her wildflower bouquet raised and guests standing on both sides — The first steps back up the aisle.

Amie and Cody charging up the grass aisle with joined hands thrown in the air, the flower-covered arch and applauding guests behind them — Married, hands to the sky.

The gardens, the arbor, and a dog

Cody dipping Amie for a kiss beneath the flower-topped metal arbor at Zigbone Farm Retreat, a small chandelier hanging above them and golden grasses behind — A dip beneath the garden arbor.

Amie and Cody kissing under the flower-draped iron arbor at golden hour while Cujo sits square in front of them on the brick path — Golden hour at the arbor, with Cujo.

Cody leading Amie along the stone path in front of the ivy-covered cottage, her veil in his hand, Cujo watching from the edge of the lawn — Along the stone path at the cottage.

Cody kissing Amie's cheek beside a massive tree trunk, her veil catching the light and her multicolor bouquet held low against the open lawn — Beneath the old tree.

The sweetheart table at Zigbone Farm Retreat with gold Mr and Mrs letters, candles, and a dense band of colorful flowers along its base, set against a stone garden wall — The sweetheart table in the walled garden.

Golden hour in the meadow

September at Zigbone means the meadows go gold at the end of the day, and we used every minute of it. We walked out past the gardens, the light came in low across the grass, and Cujo came too, which is always the correct decision.

Amie leading Cody by the hand across the grass with mist hanging over the wooded hills behind them and a soft pastel sky above — Mist on the hills behind the farm.

Cujo trotting ahead of Amie and Cody as they walk hand in hand through the golden meadow at Zigbone Farm Retreat — Cujo, leading the way through the meadow.

Amie glancing back with her bouquet in the golden meadow while Cody and Cujo wait behind her in the evening light — A portrait, with her two escorts waiting.

Amie and Cody kissing in the golden meadow at Zigbone Farm Retreat while Cujo sits at their side like part of the portrait — Golden hour, chaperoned by Cujo.

Amie and Cody nose to nose in the hillside meadow, her wildflower bouquet between them, rolling farmland and a dramatic evening sky behind — Evening sky, end of September.

Amie and Cody embracing in the golden autumn meadow at dusk with Cujo standing beside them — Last light, all three of them.

Cake, a first dance, and gold streamers

The reception brought a dress change, a gold-flecked cake, and a first dance under cafe lights. And when it was time to go, everyone lined the path with gold streamers and sent them off properly.

Two-tier white wedding cake with gold leaf and fresh flowers in orange, lavender, and blue on the dessert table, surrounded by bud vases and candles — The cake, dressed to match the bouquets.

Amie and Cody kissing during their first dance under cafe lights, her arms around his neck, guests soft in the background — Their first dance, under cafe lights.

Amie and Cody kissing at night in a tunnel of gold streamers held aloft by guests lining the path — The send-off, in gold.

More frames from this wedding, including the streamer dip, live on my Frederick wedding photography page.

Planning a Frederick farm wedding?

I photograph at Zigbone Farm Retreat, Fox Haven Farm, Union Mills Public House, and the other farm venues in the hills around Frederick, and travel is included from my side of the river. Start with the Frederick wedding photography page, or check your date.