CREATE TABLE Workflow
(
    Guid uniqueidentifier not null,
    State xml not null
)

public class Workflow
{
    public Guid InstanceId { get;set; }
    public XDocument State { get;set; }
}

Error parsing column 1 (State= - String)
   at Dapper.SqlMapper.ThrowDataException(Exception ex, Int32 index, IDataReader reader, Object value) in d:\Dev\dapper-dot-net\Dapper NET40\SqlMapper.cs:line 4045
   at Deserialize038b29f4-d97d-4b62-b45b-786bd7d50e7a(IDataReader )
   at Dapper.SqlMapper.<QueryImpl>d__11`1.MoveNext() in d:\Dev\dapper-dot-net\Dapper NET40\SqlMapper.cs:line 1572
   at System.Collections.Generic.List`1..ctor(IEnumerable`1 collection)
   at System.Linq.Enumerable.ToList[TSource](IEnumerable`1 source)
   at Dapper.SqlMapper.Query[T](IDbConnection cnn, String sql, Object param, IDbTransaction transaction, Boolean buffered, Nullable`1 commandTimeout, Nullable`1 commandType) in d:\Dev\dapper-dot-net\Dapper NET40\SqlMapper.cs:line 1443
   at MyProject.DapperBase.Query[TResult](String command, DynamicParameters parameters, IDbTransaction transaction, Boolean buffered, Int32 commandTimeout) in d:\MyProject\DapperBase.cs:line 122
   at MyProject.WorkflowData.Get(Guid identifier) in d:\MyProject\WorkflowData.cs:line 41
   at MyProject.WorkflowLogic.Save(Workflow workflow) in d:\MyProject\WorkflowLogic.cs:line 34
   at MyProject.WorkflowsController.Save(Guid id, WorkflowRequest request) in d:\MyProject\WorkflowsController.cs:line 97

InnerException: Invalid cast from 'System.String' to 'System.Xml.Linq.XDocument'.
    at System.Convert.DefaultToType(IConvertible value, Type targetType, IFormatProvider provider)at System.String.System.IConvertible.ToType(Type type, IFormatProvider provider)
    at System.Convert.ChangeType(Object value, Type conversionType, IFormatProvider provider)
    at System.Convert.ChangeType(Object value, Type conversionType)
    at Deserialize038b29f4-d97d-4b62-b45b-786bd7d50e7a(IDataReader )

public class Workflow
{
    public Guid InstanceId { get;set; }
    public XDocument StateIn { set { State = value.ToString(); } }
    public string State { get;set; }
    public XDocument StateOut { get { return XDocument.Parse(State); } }
}

public class XDocumentTypeHandler : SqlMapper.TypeHandler<XDocument>
{
    public override void SetValue(IDbDataParameter parameter, XDocument value)
    {
       // set value in db parameter.
    }

    public XDocument Parse(object value)
    {
       // parse value from db to an XDocument.
    }
}