Wedding DJ at Birdsong Chapel in Goldsboro, NC

The Space

Birdsong Chapel is a newly constructed 1,728-square-foot open-air chapel that opened in July 2021 on an 85-acre working farm in Goldsboro, North Carolina. The chapel is painted entirely white and features antique pews, chandeliers, and ceiling fans for ventilation. The white aesthetic is maintained by regular cleaning and repainting, giving the space a crisp, clean appearance. We’ve worked events here and found the setting memorable for guests.

The property is part of The Cornealius Properties, a family-owned complex developed by Don and Joann Neal and their daughter Brooke Freeman. Freeman operates an adjacent cut-flower farm, which supplies fresh arrangements for the venue. Across the farm, Carriage Hall is the 3,100-square-foot heated and cooled reception space, with 28-foot cathedral ceilings that soar above the space. The property includes woodland trails, a pond with dock and boat house, and a historic antique oak tree with a wooden swing, all available for photos and outdoor moments during the celebration.

Capacity & Layout

The chapel seats approximately 200 guests in antique pews for the ceremony. Carriage Hall accommodates those same guests for the reception, with the 28-foot ceilings creating an open, airy feeling. The reception hall includes a 1,700-square-foot covered patio and a 2,000-square-foot courtyard strung with lights for outdoor gatherings and cocktails.

The layout naturally separates ceremony (chapel) from reception (Carriage Hall), with guests transported between spaces. On the property, two additional buildings serve as bridal and groom suites: the Honeymoon House, furnished with antiques, and the Camp Cabin, decorated in hunting cabin style. The Lewis-Atkinson Home, a circa-1820s house on the property, was renovated by the family and is available for additional events or gatherings.

Amenities

Tables and chairs are included: 200 white Chiavari chairs, custom farm tables, and round tables. The venue provides golf cart transport from the three-acre parking lot to the event spaces. A caterers’ kitchen is available in Carriage Hall. Restrooms are available in the reception hall. The Cornealius Inn, which opened in November 2024, provides seven on-site suites with queen beds for guests who want to stay on the property.

Ceiling fans in the chapel provide cooling during warm months, and Carriage Hall is fully climate-controlled. String lights in the courtyard and covered patio add ambiance to outdoor spaces. The entire property is handicap accessible, and the golf cart shuttle means guests of all mobility levels can move between spaces easily.

Location & Getting There

Birdsong Chapel is located about one hour from Raleigh, in rural Wayne County. The 85-acre working farm setting means the property feels removed from town while still being accessible to Triangle-area guests. The farm grows tobacco and soybeans in its working fields, which gives the property an authentic agricultural character alongside the newer event structures.

Carriage Hall’s 28-foot cathedral ceilings and open floor plan provide excellent acoustics for speeches, music, and dancing. The heated and cooled hall means climate is not a concern for equipment or guests. A DJ setup works well given the hall’s size, solid structure, and lack of problematic hard reflective surfaces that would create echo. The covered patio and outdoor courtyard mean sound carries away from the reception space when events move outside, and the open design of Carriage Hall allows full dance floor setup and performance.