Destination Weddings
By Leslie Lukas

The vast panoramic views, clear free flowing rivers, and snow capped peaks of the magnificent northern Rockies, all offer cozy quarters for your Montana Destination wedding. Choosing between summer and winter for a Montana Destination wedding is the only dilemma you will have when setting your date. Montana is growing into a hot destination wedding stop for many marrying couples. Each seems to have a tie to this progressive area, whether they visited as a child, came for family vacations or attended college here. The amenities are numerous, the talent huge, and the activities amazing.

Home to many movie stars, ski legends, and famous outdoor enthusiasts, it’s no wonder that Montana has been deemed the “last best place”. Montana’s Big Sky and surrounding areas offer highly rated resorts that can host 200 or more guests and many award winning, intimate guest ranches and venues for smaller groups. The choice between summer and winter to have your destination wedding will come down to personal preference. Either have pros that outweigh the cons when it comes to weather.

Winter weather is absolutely gorgeous in the Big Sky area with huge blue skies, white fluffy snowflakes, and an ultra nostalgic Nordic feel. You will find that getting around the area is fool proof with the many experienced winter drivers of the airport transfer services and the car rental companies having 4 wheel drive vehicles. Coach services are also offered to get your guests to and from activities by bus or van, making the ease of getting around very efficient and cost effective.
Winter offers fast paced lodge appeal with 3 major ski resorts-- Moonlight Basin, Big Sky Ski Resort, and Bridger Bowl-- all with big snow for the skiers, while the numerous guest ranches such as Lone Mountain, 320 Ranch, Moonlight Basin, Potosi Hot Springs and Chico Hot Springs offer sleigh rides, dog sled treks, cross country skiing and campfires for the more romantic. Almost all have therapeutic spa retreats on-sight or many options close by. There are also churches and chapels available in the winter months that will host your wedding ceremony and then you can choose from numerous locations to hold your reception.

Summer weather is not too hot, not too cold with that same gorgeous blue ski, big fluffy white clouds instead of snowflakes, and a hustle bustle to it that makes you want to be outside. Summer offers many outdoor activities for your guests from world class fly fishing, horse back riding, river rafting excursions, Yellowstone Park, and more. Unlike in winter, you have a greater chance of having your wedding in a gorgeous outdoor setting, with many locations having large meadows with great mountain views for your ceremony location, or better yet, a river front setting with the water gently rolling by.

For the discriminating, there are many talented wedding planning professionals that can help customize and tailor your wedding to meet your specific needs. With so many people coming to the area, you may be competing for vendors, locations, and airlines, that a personal concierge can be very helpful in securing your plans. They also work closely with the venues and vendors and can be your voice if you are planning from afar. They also make the selection process of choosing vendors much easier, as they get to know you as a couple, they can steer you in a direction that is appropriate for your wedding. But don’t be discouraged if you’re planning your wedding yourself. There are many wonderful websites that can help you accomplish the same thing if you have the time and energy to put into your wedding. Another helpful hint is after you select your venue, the location usually has an event director or concierge that can help you with your plans as well.
Marrying couples from afar are pleasantly surprised by the progressive businesses that they find here to host and assist with their destination wedding. You will find in the Big Sky area photographers that have graced the pages of numerous publications, award winning chefs and restaurants, floral designers that have a creative edge and know the trends, talented musicians from Jazz, Soul and Rock and Roll to classical guitarists, harpists and soloists, diverse venues from large upscale resorts, historical mansions and hotels to laid back guest ranches, wedding gown and tuxedo boutiques, and helpful planners and consultants to help you with every step of the way. Traveling into Bozeman is made easy with an amazing airport that has direct flights daily from many major airports and airlines.

Make Montana’s Big Sky part of your destination wedding plans. The ease and comfort that Montana offers will make for an unforgettable event, allowing you to get back to the reason that you are getting married in the first place. Your guests will have an amazing time, and an experience of a lifetime, offering a retreat from the real world, but with all the amenities of the real world.