Patapsco Valley State Park Picnic Shelters
Ellicott City, MD
| Venue type | State Park |
| Location | Ellicott City, MD |
| Published price | $6.75 to $246.75 |
| Capacity | Up to 250 guests |
| Setting | Outdoor |
| Event type | Ceremony and reception possible |
What the venue publishes
Patapsco Valley shelters, by capacity: 10-person $6.75; 20-person $16.75; 70-person $66.75; 75-person $71.75; 100-person $96.75; 125-person $121.75; 175-person $171.75; 200-person $196.75; 250-person $246.75. Base rate does not include transaction or other applicable fees.
The source publishes a range of $6.75 to $246.75, so which end applies depends on the options the source lists.
Included per the venue's site
- Electricity at most shelters
- Outdoor grills
- Picnic tables
- Fireplaces at some shelters
Maryland's oldest state park, spanning 32 miles of the Patapsco River across Baltimore, Howard, Carroll and Anne Arundel counties, with eight developed recreation areas and shelters seating 10 to 200 guests. Day-use admission is charged on top of the shelter fee (April-October weekdays $2/vehicle Maryland residents, weekends and holidays $3/person; higher for out-of-state). Reservations are made at parkreservations.maryland.gov. Alcohol in most shelters requires a Maryland Park Service alcohol permit bought at the time of reservation.
Published on dnr.maryland.gov, checked August 2026. Fee schedules change, so confirm before booking.
Where this price sits in Baltimore
$6.75 is the 1st lowest published starting price of the 37 venues listed in the Baltimore metro. The metro median starting price is $250, and 36 of the 37 listings publish a higher starting price than this one.
Among the 6 state park listings in the metro it ranks 1st lowest, against a median of $173 for that type.
What the capacity costs per guest
The source publishes a capacity of 250 guests. At $6.75, filling the space works out to $0.03 per guest for the site fee alone, before the license, an officiant, food, or rentals. The median published capacity across the 33 Baltimore listings that publish one is 115 guests, so this space is larger than the metro median.
Other state park listings in Baltimore
Same venue type, prices closest to this one.
| Venue | Published price | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Susquehanna State Park Picnic ShelterHavre de Grace, MD · State Park | $146.75 | 150 guests |
| Rocks State Park Picnic ShelterJarrettsville, MD · State Park | $146.75 | 150 guests |
| Gunpowder Falls State Park - Hammerman Area PavilionsMiddle River, MD · State Park | $200 | 100 guests |
Marriage license in Howard County, MD
The venue fee above does not include the license. Ellicott City sits in Howard County, MD, and these are the terms that county publishes. Checked September 2026.
| Issuing office | Clerk of the Circuit Court for Howard County9250 Judicial Way, Suite 1900, Ellicott City, MD 21043 |
| License fee | $50The fee is $50.00-CASH or credit card (Visa, Mastercard or Discover) |
| Waiting period | 2 days |
| License valid for | 180 days |
| Who must appear | One party may apply, per the office's published rule |
| ID required | ID for both parties, even though only one party appears |
| Appointment | Not required |
| Apply online | In person only |
| Same-day issue | Issued the same visit |
| Ceremony at the office | Offered for $25Civil ceremonies are by appointment only, Monday to Friday 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. The cost is $25.00 CASH or credit card. |
| Witnesses | None required by statute |
Source: mdcourts.gov, mdcourts.gov
Only one of the parties needs to appear to apply, but ID for both parties must be brought. Applications are not accepted after 4:00 p.m.; office hours are 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Non residents may use a mail in application. Woodbine is placed in Howard County because the listed Woodbine venue, Western Regional Park, is a Howard County park; the Woodbine postal area also reaches into Carroll County.
How the metro prices out
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