Weddings at The Garden Room, Fayetteville, Arkansas
Nicely sized outdoor wedding venue in Northwest Arkansas
The Garden Room in downtown Fayetteville is probably the ideal venue if you want to have some indoor space, a very green and lush outdoor space, and around a 100-person guest list that is ready to cut a rug well past midnight. The venue is also pretty much pre-decorated, so if garden vibes and greenery are your thing — it’s a good fit.
How much does it cost to rent?
Price range: $1600-$3200
Nicely sized venue for an 80-120 guest wedding
Bridal suite on site
Photo session for engagement or bridal pictures included in your rental
Multiple photo opportunities on site as well as on Dickson Street
Can host weddings until 1 am whereas most venues in NWA can only remain open until 11 pm
The wedding landscape is different after 2020. The average size of weddings has shrunk. Most couples are opting for a smaller guest lists and are spending more on experiences like ice cream trucks and film photography. This likely means that the Garden Room will be very popular amongst couples in the next few years.
Wedding ceremonies and receptions
There are two spots in my opinion where you can have your ceremony. Outside on the patio with guests facing the stage — or inside with guests facing the door leading the patio area. My personal recommendation would be to have an outdoor ceremony, followed by cocktail hour inside while they flip the outdoor area for your reception. That also gives you a good amount of time for wedding portraits and group photos, either on Dickson Street or in the outdoor area farthest away from the building.
Wedding packages and prices
The price range for the Garden Room is $1600-$3200. Saturday rentals are $3200, Friday and Sunday rentals are $2200, and Monday through Thursday rentals are $1600.
What is included in the rental?
In addition to the items listed above, you can also expect to have 150 ceremony chairs and everything needed for a sit-down dinner.
During your wedding, a representative of the venue will be present but you can also include garden room staff for $25 an hour per staff member. The Garden Room also charges $150 for setting up for the ceremony and flipping the room for your reception.
Accommodations near the Garden Room
You’ll be right in the heart of Fayetteville, so finding a hotel or Airbnb for you or your guests shouldn’t be a problem. Here are a few greatly rated ones that are nearby.
The Graduate, 70 N East Ave, Fayetteville, AR 72701 — (479) 442-5555
Dickson Street Inn, 301 W Dickson St, Fayetteville, AR 72701 — (479) 695-2100
Inn at Carnall Hall, 465 Arkansas Ave, Fayetteville, AR 72701 — (479) 582-0400
Parking
Parking is a bit of a pain in downtown Fayetteville. Just know that there will be reserved spots for you that you can assign to your family, wedding party, and vendors. Then there are two garages nearby for your guests.
Spring Street Parking Garage on 221 N School Ave
First Baptist Church Parking Garage on 125 W Lafayette Street.
The best season for a wedding
Spring and fall are definitely the best seasons for a wedding at the Garden Room. May and October in particular to take full advantage of the milder temperatures and to use the indoor and outdoor spaces as one. For a summer wedding, I’d recommend using the Garden Room as a reception venue with dinner starting around 7 pm so that you’ll enjoy being outdoors. You don’t have to worry about starting your reception late as they can be open past midnight. If you are planning a winter wedding, I’d possibly just look elsewhere, there are better options for winter weddings. See more NWA wedding venues.
My personal opinion
The Garden Room is a great option for a smallish to medium-sized wedding in spring or fall. If you have your eyes set on a mid-May date — and have roughly 100 guests that will want to stay and dance longer than uncle Bob and aunt Sue, the Garden Room is a pretty awesome option. The venue is pretty much fully decorated, you could add more decorations indoors along with color pops that go well with all the bright greens (hint, white is a classic! Purple is the complementary color of green.)
Photography at the Garden Room
I have a few favorite spots for wedding portraits. The bridge in the main outdoor area, the lush green alleyway right above the stage, and the elevated space where they usually keep bistro tables is a hidden gem and a good option to use for group shots while they flip the venue after your ceremony.
Dickson Street also has plenty of options if you want to sneak out and have a little variety in your wedding album. Art Court is literally less than 100 steps away, it’s a newly built basketball court slash graphic art installation on Dickson Street. The Dickson Street Bookshop is also down the road which could be a fun idea if you and your boo are bookworms. More on those two places here, in my guide to the best engagement photo locations in Northwest Arkansas.
Wedding photography timeline
Here is a sample timeline for a 10-hour-long photography package. With a first look, a 5 pm ceremony, and a sunset at 7 pm.
1:00 PM Photos start, detail and decor photos
1:45 PM Getting ready photos with couple
2:45 PM First look at Art Court
3:00 PM Wedding Party pictures at Art Court
3:30 PM Wedding portraits at Dickson St Bookshop
4:15 PM Back to the Garden Room for ceremony
4:45 PM Photos of guests arriving
5:00 PM Ceremony
5:30 PM Cocktail hour and family photos
6:00 PM Wedding portraits in the outdoor area
6:30 PM Couple gets announced — dinner
6:45 PM Speeches
7:00 PM Sneak out for sunset photos on Dickson St
7:30 PM First dance
7:30 PM Dance floor opens
8:30 PM Cake cutting
9:00 - 10:30 PM Candid photography
10:45 PM Private last dance
10:55 PM Grand exit
11:00 PM Photos end but you can go until 1 am
1:00 AM Afterparty?
Get in touch to book your wedding photos!
My photos from the Garden Room
Click to see my images from Charmis and Jenny’s wedding reception in fall 2022
