Plan carefully when choosing a wedding location
Hey savvy news reader! Thanks for choosing local.
You are now reading
1 of 3 free articles.
Location, location, location. For most couples, deciding where to have their wedding is second priority only to setting a date. If you’re planning a church wedding or renting a hall or some other type of venue, the availability of the location can even determine the date.
But in western Montana, there’s no shortage of beautiful, unique spots to say your vows — just look outside. The mountains, lakes, rivers and fields in the last great place provide a spectacular backdrop for a wedding, and more and more couples are taking advantage of the state’s natural beauty, wedding consultant Janet Gardner said. When Gardner opened St-Char-Ro Floral and Event Rentals in Ronan in the 1970s, getting married in a church was still the route most couples took. But that’s not the case anymore, she said.
“It used to be that people got married in a church and then went somewhere for a reception,” Gardner explained. “We do very few church weddings anymore.”
Whatever the reason for the changing trend, Montana is overflowing with prime wedding locations. Gardner has coordinated weddings for everywhere from backyards to hayfields, to mountaintops, rodeo grounds and boats on Flathead Lake.
“Most anywhere does for weddings,” she said. “For Montana, anything outdoors (is popular).”
One factor to consider if you choose a remote location is the access for guests — sometimes rural roads won’t hold up to a large number of vehicles swarming them all at once. Parking is also a major issue to consider, Gardner noted. Often people don’t realize how difficult it can be to park 50 or so cars in one spot, especially at venues like Flathead Lake, she said. If you can’t accommodate guests’ vehicles, you’ll need to hire a bus or large van to shuttle people to the ceremony site.
Other considerations for outdoor weddings are, of course, the weather — in this part of the country, wedding season generally runs May through September— the capacity for guests and fire restrictions, Gardner said. A common problem when planning a wedding is realizing you just can’t accommodate as many people as you’d like, so getting an accurate head count early on should be top priority.
In addition to the numerous outdoor opportunities, the Mission Valley offers plenty of options for indoor weddings and receptions. Bed and breakfasts, hotels, senior citizens’ centers, clubhouses and even some bars are available to host weddings. Again, Gardner emphasized, “Make sure the facility can hold all the people you have.”
And keep in mine that the facility’s owners may not have exactly the same ideas about what’s allowed on their property as you do.
“You have to choose the wedding site according to the type of guests you want to invite,” Gardner explained.
Are children allowed? Are there restrictions on serving alcohol? Is there a dressing room for the bridal party? Asking these types of questions early in the planning process can avoid the heartache and stress of running into these problems at the last minute, Gardner explained.
“In western Montana, if you want to use a facility, you better put down your deposit (early),” she added. “If you’re planning on a church, you need to make sure you’re on the calendar.”
