Lacey Michele’s Castle is a wedding venue in Omaha, Arkansas. This venue’s charming setting in the picturesque Ozark mountains makes it an ideal location for couples wanting a tranquil site to say “I do” while enjoying the beauty and peacefulness provided by wildlife and Mother Nature. The estate is a part of the Lacey Michele Foundation, a non-profit that’s committed to preserving a portion of the Ozarks and aiding in the return of the indigenous species and that encourages guests to disconnect with the rest of the word and reconnect with each other through their enjoyment of the castle’s secluded setting. Lacey Michele’s Castle is located only 15 minutes away from Branson, 45 minutes from Eureka Springs and Bull Shoals, and an hour from Buffalo River National Park.

Facilities and Capacity

The venue is surrounded by 2-foot-thick walls and has solid stone mortar and steel turrets that are 20 and 25 feet high. Couples will enjoy the orchard along with flower and vegetable gardens the estate offers and along with access to primitive campsites and multiple hiking trails. The venue also offers a cottage that provides a relaxing setting for a honeymoon suite. In addition to wedding ceremonies and receptions, Lacey Michele’s Castle, with its indoor and outdoor spaces, can host a wide range of events, including bridal showers, engagement parties, elopements, and rehearsal dinners.

Barn- 1400 sq ft covered space with kitchen, attached game room and bathroom.
Courtyard - Outdoor space adjacent to the barn with outdoor lighting and castle features, such as a turret and stone bench & table built in the stone walls.
Ceremony site- Two different site options to choose from.
100 White Chairs
6 four foot round tables - Seats 4 to 6
10 six foot rectangle tables - Seats 6 to 8
1 four foot hexagon table- Seats 8
Outdoor fire pit
“Suite” - Attached to the barn, perfect room for bridal party to get ready, with floor to ceiling mirrors and double vanity in bathroom.
“Cottage” - Romantic room for the newlyweds to stay the night

Services Offered

As planning a wedding can be full of surprises, both fun and challenging, it’s important for couples to choose a venue that can assist with any unexpected occurrences. Lacey Michele’s Castle can provide all-inclusive packages to ensure your event proceeds as smoothly as possible. When booking a special event here, couples will also have access to the following services and rentals:

• Bridal suite
• Parking
• Tables and chairs
• Pet-friendly spaces
• Get ready rooms
• Audio equipment
• Wheelchair access
• WiFi

History - He was not doing this to get rich, he would rather help others -

Tucked away in a remote corner of northwest Boone County, Shelby Ravellette spends much of his time laying rocks. Some are ones he can handle easily. Some are so big it requires a front-end loader to lift. He pieces them together carefully, making sure each stone fits in its place At the front of the building is an extra-thick chimney for a large fireplace that will generate heat. The walls are two-feet thick as he guides a visitor through the structure. Standing atop one turret, he proudly shows the brilliant view of turning fall foliage and a pond where wild creatures come for water — the kind of place where man actually seems to be the intruder.

“It’s all for Lacey,” he said, but that takes some explanation.

Ravellette was born in Poplar Bluff, Mo, in 1954. He and his family moved around some, but he got the majority of his education in the Midwest. He went into the real estate business with his father and brother, buying and selling property. He was busy on his way to making his first million dollars, he says, and didn’t have time for children.
They bought a piece of property in Pine Bluff and opened a bowling alley. While there, he was again buying houses, remodeling them and reselling them for a profit, still working his way toward the financial goal.

Then, one day, he was walking out of a store when he saw a woman carrying a toddler. He said the girl looked at him as they passed and immediately started trying to crawl over the woman’s shoulder when their eyes met in an attempt to get to him.
He was trying to figure out what the problem was when the woman turned around and Ravellette recognized her as one of his former girlfriend’s mother.
He discovered that the girl was his biological child. Lacey Michelle was born May 7, 1979.
Ravellette said Lacey had his characteristic red, flowing hair and the two immediately bonded, leaving him no way to deny her heredity.
So, although he and Lacey’s mother, Debbie, never married, he took complete financial responsibility for the child and spent time with her as often as he could.

One night, Lacey got sick. She had flu-like symptoms and Debbie took her to the emergency room. There, she was given medication that is quite normally safe.
After the first dose of medicine, Lacey began to develop headaches. That didn’t cause any immediate alarm, especially because she already had flu-like symptoms.
But after a few more doses, something was obviously wrong. Within hours she had suffered an apparent toxic reaction to the medication and her brain began to swell.
Lacey died in January 1987.
Ravellette fell into a depression, and regrets set in. He said he’d been spending so much time trying to develop a financial base for Lacey that he hadn't spent as much time with her as he could.
“When she passed away I had the money, but no daughter,” he said, his eyes filling with tears.
Ravellette’s depression deepened, and he was even contemplating suicide. He said he felt as if there was nothing for him to do in life after Lacey’s death.
He maintains that Lacey came to him in a vision one night. He said Lacey had dreamed of living in a castle and he had promised to build her one. In that vision, Lacey told him to follow up on his promise and build her castle.

He bought that property in 1988. He survived the first winter in what he calls a shack, and then set about building a castle.
Now the structure is taking a definite shape. Ravellette had learned about conservation of resources in school, so he uses water captured in large containers to water flower and vegetable gardens.

In fact, he said that when he dies the entire property is to be turned over to become a park of sorts, dedicated to natural, soil and water conservation and wildlife preservation.
“It will revert to a charity foundation for Lacey Michelle,” he said.
Walking along the walls of the castle, Ravellette points out various highlights of construction, making mental notes of things to get accomplished that day.
He stops and holds out his arms.
“It’s all for Lacey,” he says. “This is her legacy.”