I've lost count of how many couples have sat across from me during a tour and told me some version of the same story. They found a venue they loved, the price looked great, and then somewhere between the first tour and the final invoice the number climbed by two or three thousand dollars.
Tables were extra. Chairs were extra. The getting-ready suite was an add-on. Setup was a fee. Cleanup was a fee. Staff on the day of the wedding was a fee. And suddenly the venue that looked affordable on paper was the most expensive line item in the entire budget.
That's not a scam. A lot of venues operate that way and they're upfront about it if you ask the right questions. The problem is most couples don't know to ask those questions until they've already signed something.
So here's what I'd encourage you to do before you book any venue in Arkansas, including ours. Ask for the complete list of what's included in the base rental price. Not what's available. Not what can be added. What you're actually getting for the number on the contract.
What Every Rental Includes at The Chapel
At The Chapel at Dragonfly Farms, we've intentionally built our pricing so that the number you see is close to the number you pay. Every single rental, starting at $250 for a couples-only ceremony, comes with the same core set of inclusions.
Here's what that looks like.
Full property access. All five acres are yours for the duration of your rental. The Chapel, The Pavilion, The Ceremony Grove, The Gazebo, the stone pathways, the lawns, all of it. You're not restricted to one building or one corner of the property. Your guests can roam, your photographer can shoot anywhere, and the day flows naturally across the whole space.
Banquet tables and vintage chairs. These are included with every rental. You don't need to rent them from a third party, coordinate a delivery, or worry about pickup the next day. They're ours, they're on the property, and they're part of the price.
Setup and breakdown of chapel furnishings. This is the one that surprises people the most, and honestly it's probably the most valuable inclusion on the list. Everything you get from us, whether that's tables, chairs, decor from The Design Studio, or anything else on our inventory, is set up and ready to go when you arrive. You walk in and it's done. That means your morning isn't spent arranging furniture. It's spent getting ready with the people you love. After the event, we handle the breakdown too. You celebrate, you leave, and we take care of the rest.
The Bridal Cottage and The Groom's Loft. Private getting-ready spaces for both sides of the wedding party. The Bridal Cottage is a restored 1920s structure with plenty of room for the bride and her crew. The Groom's Loft is upstairs in the main building with its own separate entrance. Both are included with every package at no extra charge.
Day-of concierge. You'll have someone from our team available throughout your event. They're reachable by phone or text for any questions, vendor coordination, or anything that comes up, and if something requires a physical presence they can be at the venue in thirty minutes or less. You don't need to be the one solving problems on your wedding day.
Indoor Bluetooth speaker system. Music inside The Chapel is covered. You can connect your phone, a laptop, or a tablet and play whatever you want during the ceremony or reception. For outdoor Bluetooth, that's available through our A La Carte menu.
A complimentary Design Studio appointment. This is one of the things that makes our venue different from most others in the Arkansas River Valley. We have an on-site Design Studio filled with decor, lighting, tableware, linens, and finishing touches that you can browse in person. You see it, you touch it, you try it in the actual space where your wedding will happen. If you want to add any of it to your day, it gets added to your rental and we handle the setup. No third-party rental company, no delivery coordination, no guesswork about whether something will look right in the room.
A custom Wedding Registry Website. This one is completely unique to us. We build you a personal registry page where your guests can gift you items from our A La Carte menu. Decor, entertainment, vintage vehicles, florals, anything we offer. Your guests contribute directly toward making your wedding day better, and every item they gift is set up and waiting for you when you arrive. I don't know of another venue in Arkansas that offers this.
Booking Fees vs. Deposits
This is another area where I think couples deserve more clarity.
Some venues charge a booking fee just to hold your date. That fee doesn't apply to your total. It's a separate charge on top of the package price, and you never see that money again.
Our deposits work differently. When you put down a deposit with us, that amount is applied directly to your balance. So if your package is $1,995 and your deposit is $500, your remaining balance is $1,495. You're not paying extra just to reserve the date. You're making your first payment toward the total.
It's a small distinction that can add up to hundreds of dollars depending on the venue, and it's worth asking about wherever you tour.
What's Not Included (And Why That's Okay)
I want to be transparent about what isn't part of the base rental, because I think that matters just as much.
Alcohol is not included with any package. We're located in a dry county, so we can't provide it directly. That said, we are absolutely alcohol-friendly. If you want to serve alcohol at your event, you'll need either a Host Liquor Liability insurance policy or our certified bartender through our Bar Services add-on. Either option keeps you covered and keeps the celebration going.
Linens are included with some packages but not all. Our Exclusive Elopement includes white or ivory table linens. Our Simply Elegant Inclusive includes your choice of white, ivory, or black. For other packages, linens are available through The Design Studio.
An officiant is included with our $250 couples-only ceremony but not with the other packages. Officiant services are available as an add-on for any package that doesn't include one.
Photography is not included with any package. We have preferred photographers we love working with and are happy to recommend, but you're free to bring anyone you'd like.
The goal isn't to nickel and dime anyone. The goal is to include as much as possible in the base price so that the add-ons are genuinely optional rather than secretly necessary.
Why This Matters More Than Most Couples Realize
Wedding budgets are real. Most couples I work with have a number in their head and they're trying to stay close to it. When a venue's base price doesn't include tables, chairs, setup, cleanup, and prep spaces, those costs don't disappear. They just show up later, scattered across five different vendor invoices, and by then the budget has quietly blown past where it was supposed to be.
I'd rather a couple see our price, know exactly what they're getting, and make a decision based on real numbers. That's better for them and it's better for us. Nobody benefits from a surprise invoice four months into the planning process.
If you're comparing venues right now, the single most useful exercise you can do is make a spreadsheet. Put every venue's base price in one column, then add a column for every item that's not included. Tables, chairs, setup, cleanup, prep space, staffing, sound system. Add those up. The real cost of a venue is the total of all those columns, not just the first one.
Come See What's Included
The Chapel at Dragonfly Farms is a historic 1882 wedding venue in Dover, Arkansas, just north of Russellville in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains. We offer packages starting at $250 with five acres of property, four ceremony spaces, and a level of transparency we think every couple deserves.
The best way to understand what's included is to walk the property yourself. We'll show you every space, walk you through every package, and answer every question you have. No pressure, no surprises, just an honest look at what your wedding day could be.