There’s a place on Maryland’s Eastern Shore where the Miles River runs so quietly you almost don’t notice it at first. You step out onto the lawn at Inn at Perry Cabin and there it is — wide and silver, stretching out past the docks, past the sailboats, past everything. It’s the kind of view that stops you mid-sentence. As film wedding photographer who has photographed at Inn at Perry Cabin many times, it never gets old. From the waterfront lawn and The Pointe to The Cove, the greenhouse, and the private dining rooms — this property is endlessly photogenic. Every corner of it. It’s one of my absolute favorite venues in Maryland.

The Eastern Shore isn’t just a destination for me — it’s home. I went to college nearby and spent years living there after graduation. I know this place the way you know somewhere that shaped you. So when I say I’ve photographed weddings at Inn at Perry Cabin across every season, I mean it with the kind of familiarity that only comes from having actually lived in the light here.

Why Inn at Perry Cabin Is So Special to Me

There are venues that try to impress you and venues that simply are impressive. Perry Cabin is the latter. Gardens tumbling toward the Miles River, that wide open waterfront lawn, the particular way the light moves across the water in the late afternoon — it requires nothing extra from anyone.

In fact, the quality of light is everything when you’re shooting on film. The Eastern Shore has a coastal softness to it — salt air, open water, sky that goes on forever — and Perry Cabin sits right in the middle of all of it. The Miles River catches the afternoon sun like summer in a jar. That’s what I’m always chasing, and this place delivers it every single time.

More than that, it’s a place where guests arrive and don’t want to leave. Between the spa, the pool, the sailing, the dining, and the charming waterfront streets of St. Michaels just steps away, the wedding weekend becomes something bigger than one day. That energy shows up in the photos. Let’s dive in, shall we?

Alexandra & Ryan: Spring on the Chesapeake

Alexandra and Ryan’s spring wedding is one of my all-time favorites from this venue. Blush tones with pops of soft yellow and coral, an outdoor ceremony overlooking the bay, the sailcloth tent on the lawn — an Eastern Shore classic. But what made this one special was the story behind it. They’d actually married during the pandemic, quietly, just the two of them. This was the celebration they always deserved, filled with all their favorite people. And the biggest dance party you’ve ever been to.

Planning: Kari Rider Events • Florals: Sophie Felts Design • Hair & Makeup : Amie Decker Beauty • Dress: Mira Zwillinger • Suit: Proper Cloth • Shoes: Bella Belle Shoes • Tent: Eastern Shore Tents & Events • Rentals: White Glove Rentals & Party Rental LTD • Linen: BBJ Linen • Cake:  Sweet Cakes Patisserie • Welcome Party: Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum • Band: Rhythm 6 from Kushner Entertainment • Photographer: Renee Hollingshead

 

Kara & Doug: The Intimacy of Keeping It Small

Kara and Doug’s autumn wedding is proof that intimate and unforgettable are not mutually exclusive. Getting ready in one of the inn’s waterfront guest suites set the tone before the day even began. Windows looking straight out to the Miles River. A ceremony at the Pointe, cocktails overlooking the river, dinner in The Cove — and then that sunset hit. Pastel skies reflected in the river, everything soft and warm and completely still. The Eastern Shore saved its best light for them.

Because of this, I love that this venue scales. You can fill every inch of the lawn with a grand celebration, or you can tuck in close with just your closest family and friends, and the setting holds both equally well. In fact, the intimate weddings here tend to produce some of my most emotional photographs — because when the guest list gets smaller, people look at each other more.

Planning & Design: Kari Rider Events • Venue & Catering: Inn at Perry Cabin • Makeup: Makeup by Kevan • Florals: Monterey Farms • Photographer: Renee Hollingshead

Suzanne & Drew: A Summer Preview That Still Lives Rent-Free in My Head

Some of my favorite weddings are the ones that don’t try to be everything in one day. Suzanne and Drew had micro-wedding at IPC — parents and siblings only, dinner in a private dining room, quiet and close and completely unhurried. The big Baltimore party came a few weeks later. But this? This was just them. Summer light, the people they love most in one room — and portraits on the inn’s classic sailboats on the Miles River that I will never forget. Perry Cabin also offers a 55-foot Hinckley yacht for portraits and private charters.

Videography: Harrison Films • Florals: Little Fields Florals • Dress: Jenny Yoo from BHLDN • Makeup: Makeup by Kevan • Hair: Katoya Shaw • Bridesmaid: Ted Baker Suit: Charles Tyrwhitt • Photographer: Renee Hollingshead

Charlotte & David: A Rainy Fall Weekend

I have a few more Perry Cabin weddings I haven’t blogged yet, and I can’t wait to share them properly. Charlotte and David are at the top of that list. It rained for two straight days leading up to their fall wedding — the kind of rain that makes you hold your breath a little. And then, right at sunset, the clouds broke. Just enough. The light that came through was extraordinary, and the portraits we made on the docks are some of my favorite images I’ve ever taken.

Planner: Kari Rider Events • Florals: Amaryllis • Dress: Romona Keveza from Carine’s Bridal • Makeup: Natural Makeup Chic • Hair: Amie Decker Beauty • Bridesmaids: BHLDN • Groomsmen: The Black Tux • Invitiations: Susan Hyre Paperworks • Band: Washington Talent Agency  • Photographer: Renee Hollingshead

 

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If you’re getting married at Inn at Perry Cabin, I want you to know — this is one of my favorite places on earth to work. The architecture, the waterfront, the variety of spaces from intimate private dining rooms to sweeping lawn ceremonies — it’s endlessly beautiful from every angle.

Beyond the wedding day itself, Perry Cabin is a destination. Guests come for the weekend, explore St. Michaels, linger over dinner, sail the Miles River — some couples even exchange vows aboard the inn’s 55-foot Hinckley yacht. It becomes a full experience, not just an event.

The Inn works with couples of all sizes — from micro-weddings to full resort buyouts. In addition, with St. Michaels just a short drive from Washington DC, Baltimore, and Philadelphia, it feels like a world away without actually being one.

Reach out through my contact page and let’s chat.