If you are searching for an elopement venue with an old-world, fairy-tale style, look no further than St. Catherine’s at Bell Gable in Fayetteville, AR. After coming across this venue as I researched vendors for my recommended vendor list, I knew St. Catherine’s would be on it. A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of visiting St. Catherine’s and interviewing Warren, whose family owns and runs this charming chapel. Today’s blog post is all about St. Catherine’s at Bell Gable, the reasons I love it, and how you can elope there!
About St. Catherine’s at Bell Gable
History
Warren’s father-in-law and grandfather-in-law built the chapel in 1998. They found the doors at a now-closed antique building materials store in Little Rock, AR and have since found out that those doors and hinges are between 600 and 800 years old and were originally from a church in England. The chapel was built to be a wedding venue, but the family never dreamed it would turn into the Northwest Arkansas icon that it is today.
Amenities
As you drive across the wooden bridge onto the property and catch the first glimpse of the chapel, you truly feel transported to a different time. Nowhere else in Northwest Arkansas gives the feeling of being inside a fairy-tale quite like St. Catherine’s does.
Since there is no dedicated getting ready area on the property (and since the venue is booked by the hour), most couples choose to get ready off-site and arrive at the chapel ceremony ready. The chapel itself seats 30 people, which is perfect for weddings ranging from true elopements to intimate weddings. Also available to rent are a vintage automobile and canoes for the pond.
Why I Love St. Catherine’s at Bell Gable
St. Catherine’s is a family run business, which is evident in all the unique and personal touches around the property. I had the opportunity to walk around the property while I was taking the photos for this blog post, and I was struck by the level of intentionality that was put into creating such a calm and peaceful venue. And from a photographer’s point of view, I really appreciate the storybook aesthetic of the grounds.
While I was creating my recommended vendor list, I really wanted to make sure there was a wide range of venue locations and styles. I love the fact that this venue caters to elopements and intimate weddings while having a very traditional, old-world Europe aesthetic and also welcoming all couples regardless of faith or sexual orientation.
How to Get Married at St. Catherine’s at Bell Gable
When to Book
As always, it is best to book your wedding as far in advance as possible. Weekend days during the busy season can often be booked out one to two years in advance, but if you’re flexible as to the date and time of your wedding don’t hesitate to reach out because they have also had weddings booked less than a month in advance.
Due to the small nature of St. Catherine’s and the weddings that are held there, they often book more than one wedding per day (on July 7, 2007 a.k.a. 07/07/07 they held seven weddings there which is still the record high for number of weddings on one day).
How to Contact
If you would like to learn more about St. Catherine’s at Bell Gable, check out their Instagram and Website. To book, reaching out by phone or email (listed below) is best – the staff really likes to have a phone or in-person consultation before finalizing the booking process in order to talk through all the options and so that everyone is on the same page as far as planning and expectations.
Phone: 479-387-1107
Email: stcatherinesabg@gmail.com
I hope you’ve enjoyed this post about one of my favorite elopement venues here in Northwest Arkansas! I love being able to connect with other elopement vendors and share my recommendations with you guys. If you have any other questions about eloping at St. Catherine’s at Bell Gable (or are interested in booking me to photograph your St. Catherine’s at Bell Gable elopement), feel free to post a comment and I will be sure to get the answer for you!
I’m a wife, a dog mom, a foodie, a wanderer, a registered nurse, and a couples/intimate wedding/elopement photographer … and this blog will cover it all! If you enjoyed this post, first of all thank you, and second of all please follow me on Instagram + Facebook to get updates on future blog posts, see sneak peeks of my amazing couples, and so much more! If you have any questions about elopement photography, my journey from nursing to photography, or my time spent as a full-time RVer, drop a comment and I just might write a blog post answering your question (but I definitely will)!
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