If you’re looking for the best reasons to have a Montana wedding, you’ve come to the right place. Don’t let Montana fool you. It’s full of the most vibrant wedding DJs this nation can offer, and you should imagine partying at a rustic venue in the beautiful open range with your guests. Montana is on the up and up and this article explains why you should seriously consider having your wedding in Montana. Continue reading to learn all that the Big Sky state has to offer.
There’s No Arguing About the Location
Put simply, Montana is a beautiful place that serves year-round destination weddings. Whether you’re a resident or planning a destination wedding, Montana has no shortage of venues and wedding activities for thrill seekers.
If you’re into recreation, you can have your guests plan hunting trips, white water rafting, skiing, the list goes on. And for those city folk, Montana has some intriguing Wild West vibes that can keep them occupied. The point is, there’s something for everyone in Montana. That’s why Frank Zappa was trying to move there.
With its wide array of parks, meadows, lakeshores, and mountainous areas, wedding photographers can have a field day for shooting locations. If you want to beat the crowd, you can choose to have your wedding in the winter. Montana has no shortage of options for photo opportunities. Trendy B&Bs, cozy mountain lodges, local theaters, chapels, museums, restaurants…We’re getting carried away, and you should too.
With Montana’s ranch-style venues and farms that have gained popularity in recent years, you can enjoy a rustic, scenic wedding experience that entices city slickers from all over the nation. In Montana, everyone can escape the hustle and bustle.
The following list can provide some options for your Montana wedding:
- Glacier National Park
- Yellowstone National Park
- Hungry Horse Dam
- Little Bighorn Battlefield
- St. Mary’s Mission
- Museum of the Rockies
- Our Lady of the Rockies
- Marcus Daly Mission ]
The Venues
Due to Montana’s vastness, it is home to an eclectic assortment of wedding venues. Cattle ranches, ski lodges, wild west saloons, the choice is yours. There’s a venue for everyone in Montana.
Lodges
Ski lodges and log cabins are an iconic staple of the west and nothing gets more secluded than the lodges you can find in Montana. If you’re looking for an overnight wedding, the lodges in Montana will give you the best option.
Scenic
Glacier and Yellowstone National Park, over 100 mountain ranges, Montana has some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. With that scenery, comes terrific wedding venue locations that you can’t find anywhere else on the globe.
Outdoor
Montana has a plethora of wide open spaces and whether you enjoy grassy meadows or the edge of a forest or hilltop, Montana never ceases to disappoint. The Montana wilderness is as resplendent as any in the world.
Ranches
Cattle ranching is a way of life in Montana. These properties are not only crucial to the Montana economy, they also represent a significant piece of Montana history as well as serving as some of the best wedding venues in the country.
Ski Resorts
In the winter, Montana is a skier’s paradise. It can also be a bride and groom’s paradise. You don’t have to do what everyone else does and get married at Big Sky. you can choose from any number of relatively untouched resorts right at your doorstep.
Waterfront
Waterfront properties might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Montana. However, as the home to numerous rivers, creeks, and lakes, Montana is a truly beautiful example of how misguided our preconceived notions can be. There are an abundance of waterfront venues that couples can choose from when trying to plan their wedding.
Outdoor Recreation
No Montana trip is complete without a few trips outside to enjoy the great outdoors. In Montana, the outdoors are especially great, considering the vast expanses that make this an ideal state for nature lovers, no matter what time of year it is. During the summer, fly fishing, horseback riding, rock climbing, and whitewater rafting are easily accessible. In the winter, you can enjoy mountain biking, cross country skiing, snowboarding, dog sledding, and natural hot springs.
National Parks
There are nine national parks throughout Montana, including two of the nation’s most famous, Glacier National Park and Yellowstone National Park. These parks house some of the most amazing wildlife, including bears, elk, moose, American bison, gray wolves, and more. In Glacier National Park, the Going-to-the-Sun is a 50-mile highway road that passes glacial lakes, cedar forests, and expansive valleys, giving you ample opportunity for wedding week photo opportunities.
Distilleries and Microbreweries
Everyone is aware of the microbrewery scene in Austin, Portland, and Seattle, but you might be surprised to learn about the growing Montana microbrewery scene. You can find a growing number of craft breweries all over the state, which is especially concentrated in Bozeman, Big Sky, Missoula, Butte, Whitefish and Helena.
Ghost Towns
Those who love history will appreciate the many ghost towns Montana has to offer. Montana gives a window into the past, when the country was less settled and the wild west was in its prime. There are numerous towns, including Garnet, Nevada City, Bannack State Park, and Virginia City.
Marriage License In Montana
To obtain a marriage license in the state of Montana, both the bride and the groom need to provide photo identification and proof of age. These proofs can either be a driver’s license or birth certificate. If you’re not a Montana resident, you’ll need to apply for a marriage license in the country where you’re getting married.
Anyone under the age of 18 requires parental consent, court approval, and two premarital counseling sessions to obtain their marriage license. Women under the age of 50 are required to take a rubella blood test (German measles) unless they request to waive it. After issuance, the Montana marriage license is valid for 180 days and there’s no required wait time to get married once you have the license.
Getting There
Montana has five international airports and dozens of non-commercial and general aviation airports. Its busiest airports are the Bozeman airport and Yellowstone International Airport. Other main hubs include Billings, Great Falls, and Glacier International Airport. If you’re visiting Montana from out of state, you should seriously consider renting a car unless you’ll be staying in a relatively populous city with a bus network. Without a car, the large distances can be very tricky to cover. With over 70,000 of highway, you will find yourself stranded in the open Montana range and you will have to rely on passerby’s generosity to take you to your next destination.