How to Plan Anthony Chapel Weddings & Elopements

Arkansas Wedding Venue | Anthony Chapel at Garvan Gardens

Anthony Chapel is one of three glass chapels in Arkansas. It’s located at Garvan Gardens in Hot Springs, in the upper Southwest portion of the state, about one hour from Little Rock. This is one of the more popular venues of the three, because of it being located at Garvan Gardens, a botanical garden that is absolutely gorgeous year-round! This allows couples to have plenty of space and beauty for photo-ops after the ceremony, compared to the other two chapels which do not have this perk. This chapel sees a ton of weddings and elopements each year, multiple weddings occurring in just one day sometimes. The city of Hot Springs is also a great spot for vacationing during your event, or to enjoy your honeymoon after!

Read on to learn more about the cost of reserving this beautiful venue, when to get married there, where to stay and have your reception after, and more.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• About the Space
• The Cost
• When to Get Married Here
• When to Book Your Vendors
• Where to Get Ready + Reception Venues
• Where to Eat
• Honeymooning in Hot Springs

Hire A Photographer Familiar With The Space

Hiring a photographer that has worked at Anthony Chapel and Garvan Gardens can be beneficial for you, since this is a pretty large space with beautiful spots hidden all over the gardens for couple’s photos. The lighting inside the chapel can also sometimes be tricky to work with (depending on lighting conditions outside), so having someone there to document your day that is accustomed to difficult lighting scenarios can greatly change the outcome of your photo gallery. I shoot at Anthony Chapel (and all three Arkansas glass chapels for that matter) multiple times a year, and have been doing so for the last several years. I’d love to go over logistics with you about getting married at Anthony Chapel!

About Anthony Chapel

Anthony Chapel can seat 200 guests on red-colored pews, making it the largest capacity of the three glass chapels in Arkansas. You’ll be able to enjoy stunning views of the architecture and nature that surrounds the building. It’s perfect if you want to feel in nature during a winter or summer date, but don’t want to freeze or sweat during your ceremony, or if you just want a controlled environment where you don’t have to worry about rain and storms. There are getting ready suites here for you and your spouse, however your reservation may not include them, or may not include enough time in them, so you might have to look at other options to get ready at. There are a couple rental options for receptions within the Gardens, but many couples will rent out another venue within Hot Springs so that they have all the desired amenities needed.

The Cost

The cost can vary by how many hours you want to reserve the chapel, how many guests you have, what day/time you want to book, and if you plan on reserving other areas of the gardens, such as a pavilion for a reception to follow. A pricing guide that breaks down these details is on the Garvan Gardens website, which you can find here.

(Pricing listed below could change at any time. Refer to Garvan Garden’s website for the most up to date info.)

3-Hour Chapel Rental: Ranges from $3,500 to $5,000. Includes:

• 1-hour rehearsal prior to wedding
• Rental of both Getting Ready suites
• Property manager, security guard, and sound support
• Entry into the Gardens on the day-of for all wedding guests (n/a during Holiday Lights)
• Complimentary Bridal Portrait or Engagement Session Gardens pass for a day prior to your event (must be reserved in advance)

1-Hour Chapel Rental: $1,000 for 15 or less guests. $1,500 for 16 to 50 guests.

• Can only be booked for a Sunday-Thursday during daytime hours
• All other amenities NOT included. You will need to purchase Garden passes for you and your photographer if you want to take photos within the Gardens.

When to Get Married at Anthony Chapel

Anthony Chapel is open year-round to book, and you can comfortably get married here any time of year, since the chapel is temperature controlled. It’s still wise to pick a time of year when you like the foliage and can handle the temps, though, since the chapel is mostly see-through and you’ll likely take photos around the gardens and chapel grounds.

Foliage: Most of November through early March, the trees will be bare. Usually by mid to late March the green is back in the trees and the garden flowers will begin blooming. By mid to late October, fall colors will settle in, but they usually don’t last more than a few weeks. Most of the leaves will fall off by about early to mid November. Mid November through about early March, the gardens and trees will be bare. There’s a Christmas lights display that the Gardens puts up each year. This is something to keep in mind if you’re looking at mid November through the New Year.

Temperatures: Temps can get extreme early May to late September. 110 degrees with humidity is common in the peak of summer, and averages in the upper 90s most days. Winter temps can be all over the place. Typically we have temps sitting in the 40s and 50s for most of the peak season, but we can see temps in the 30s and sometimes freezing around January, and it can be in the 60s and 70s at the beginning/end of the season. Other times of the year, the temperatures are generally comfortable in the 60s to low 80s.

When to Book Your Vendors

Fall season (October/early November) can book out very quickly since many couples want fall colors. Spring (late March/April) can be a very busy time at the Gardens as well, since this is the peak time for flowers blooming. No matter the month you want to book, it doesn’t hurt to reach out to vendors as soon as you’re ready to start planning, though. Most wedding vendors only open their availability a year to a year and a half out. There’s no rush to book if you need more time planning and saving, just do be aware that the shorter notice a vendor has, the less likely they are to be available, so you may not be able to book your priority vendors if they’re already booked for your date.

(Images Above: Whittington Place)

Where to Get Ready + Reception Venues

Since your Anthony Chapel reservation may not include the Getting Ready suites, or you may not have them reserved as long as you need, you’ll need to get ready off-site at either your home, a venue (if you plan on renting one out for a reception to follow), or at an Airbnb/hotel/short-term rental. Since Hot Springs is a buzzing tourist town, there are loads of great accommodation options in the area!

Some Accommodations Nearby:

• Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa
• Capone’s Loft

Some Wedding Venues Nearby:

• Hamp Williams Building
• Crystal Ridge Distillery
• Whittington Place
• The Reserve

Where to Eat

If you don’t plan on having a reception to follow, but you do want to go out to dinner with your small number of attending guests, or just you and your new spouse, check out these places in town:

• The Porterhouse
• Vault
• 501 Prime
• Luna Bella

Honeymooning in Hot Springs

If you plan on staying in the area for your honeymoon, Hot Springs has plenty of things to do! There’s the Magic Springs amusement and water park, Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort, and downtown Hot Springs (aka Bathhouse Row), which is the only city in the USA to be noted as a national park! There’s bathhouses, historical tours about the city (including stories of Capone and the mafia, and ghosts), lots of shops, and places to eat. You also have Garvan Gardens, which you can take time to explore during your honeymoon if you weren’t able to on your wedding day.

Final Notes

Anthony Chapel is one of the most beautiful venues Arkansas has to offer. It’s unique in comparison to the loads of similar venues you’ll find, and located right in a great honeymoon spot. This is a perfect venue if you want something serene. Reach out to the chapel to inquiry about reserving it for your special day!

If you’re still considering the other two glass chapels Arkansas has to offer, you can read some info about them at Glass Chapels in Arkansas.

Still trying to decide between a big wedding celebration or an intimate elopement? Learn all of the pros and cons of both: How to Choose between Eloping or Having a Wedding

If you’re ready to make your date official and need a photographer then I’d love to chat with you!