Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Planning a destination Montana wedding? Read these 6 tips!

Montana is an absolutely beautiful place to get married, but there are a few things you should be aware of when planning a wedding here.  (We love it here, but it's a bit different from city living!):

1.  Don't like the weather?  Wait 5 minutes.  That's literally a saying around here.  Which isn't necessarily a bad thing!  It could be snowing one minute and 70 degrees the next.  It just means you need to be prepared.  Outdoor weddings should all have some sort of tent or covering to retreat to, should the weather change.  Be ready with space heaters or an after-hours fire pit!  And encourage guests to dress appropriately with shawls or wraps!

2.  Montana is one big city.  It's no big deal for residents of the state to drive 2 hours to "town" (one way), just to get something we need.  If you live outside the city, you plan your trips so you can accomplish a lot at one time.  How does this affect you and your wedding plans?  Typically, you're not getting married in a city in Montana, you're probably getting married on the outskirts, or in the country somewhere.  So it just means you need to plan ahead!  Make a list, because if you forget something, it's not a quick errand around here!

3.  It's part of the rustic charm of the state, but we don't have all the same shops that you might have in the city.  If you forget batteries for your tealights, odds are, you aren't going to find the quantity you need because only one local shop carries them.  So again, just plan ahead.  Make a list and check it twice!  Let others look at the list.  Hire a professional to help you with your list.  You want to make sure everything is taken care of in advance.

4.  Mail is slower here.   It has to be sent across the state to get processed and sent out.  So sending something TO Montana takes a while, and getting mail while in the state also takes a while.  Keep this in mind if you're shipping decor or items for your wedding day.

5.  Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!  We are at an altitude of approximately 3200 feet.  It is arrid here, and it's frequent that your skin will dry out,  and your lips may chap.  Not only should you drink lots of water (especially when drinking alcohol at a wedding), but you should be prepared with a great skin moisturizer and lip balm.  No one wants to be ashy in their wedding photos!

6.  Sunscreen.  The sun is incredibly intense here.  It doesn't take long to get burnt really badly.  Make sure to apply sunscreen.  Burning would be the worst that can happen, but just an hour in the sun can give you horrible tan lines.

As vendors, we choose to live in Montana because we appreciate the wide open spaces, the clean, fresh scent of pine in the air, the delicious water straight from the tap, and the fact the mail still seems to come Pony Express.  And we love the elements of nature that make Montana what it is - the ever changing weather, the radiant sunshine, and the dryness of the wind.  But what's most important is that YOU embrace the lifestyle too, so you can get the most out of your Montana wedding!  We hope you find these tips helpful when coming from elsewhere, so you can truly enjoy every moment in this special place we call home!

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