5 Reasons why fall weddings in Montana are best!

We love all seasons in Montana, but fall in Montana is especially cool.  Here’s our top 5 reasons why:

•  TEMPERATURE.  The weather in the fall is MUCH milder than the summer, and more predictable than the Spring.  You’ll still need protection from the elements, but it’s not likely to be 100+ degrees on your wedding day in the fall!
• COLORS.  Contrary to popular belief, Montana is not all pine trees!  Aspens and Cottonwood trees abound and change to beautiful colors in the fall.  If you host a wedding near the river, lots of shrubbery will change colors too.
• FARM TO TABLE.  With the cooler temperatures in Montana, we grow lots of vegetables which are popular for the fall – squash, zucchini, pumpkins, and apples!  If you’d like to feature local produce on your menu or in your decor, the fall is a great time to do it!
• AVAILABILITY.  The summer is so incredibly popular in Montana as “wedding season” that many people don’t book the fall.  But it’s almost MORE ideal to have your wedding from October – November!  Venues are more likely to have your dates, and might even offer a booking discount!  It’s also outside of “tourist season” so hotels would be more open too.
• IT’S DARK EARLIER.  If you didn’t know this about Montana, let me enlighten you!  On the longest day of the year (June 21), it will be about 10pm before it finally gets dark outside.  I don’t know about you, but I don’t like dancing in broad daylight.  There’s just something about dancing in the candlelight that adds a romance and excitement to an event!  So hosting a summer wedding means you get about 2 hours of darkness.  In the fall, it gets dark about 8pm, which is perfect timing to wrap up dinner and have nearly a 4 hour dance party!

Bitterroot Wedding Association Networking Event

At the end of April, we hosted our second Bitterroot Wedding Association networking event.  It was a beautiful day at the Daly Mansion, and a great group of BWA members got together to talk weddings, trends, and ideas to grow the wedding business in our Valley.  The Association's first priority is to provide vendor resources for all Bitterroot weddings, but our secondary goal is to grow business through networking opportunities, and education.  And this event did just that!  If you're interested in joining our association, please click HERE! 

Please enjoy the pictures we took from the most recent event, and thank you to our event sponsors:

VENUE:  The Daly Mansion, Suzanne Casteel

ENTERTAINMENT:  Harpist, Janice Mineer

BEVERAGES:  The Rhino Bar, Kevin Head

LINENS, CHINA & FLATWARE:  Hamilton Party Rentals, Samantha Fife

DOOR PRIZE BASKET: Montana Basket Bistro, Dede Adams

FOOD & SETUP:  Events by Autumn, Autumn Kozimer

7 Reasons to book a Bitterroot Valley wedding

We just wanted to take a quick minute to list a few of the reasons why you will LOVE booking your wedding in the Bitterroot Valley! 

1.  THE VIEWS.  

We're surrounded by mountains, and the Bitterroot River runs right through it!  It's a sight to behold - frequently the mountain tops are covered in snow until early July, and in the spring months, the whole countryside is green and full of life!  And at night, the sky is so big and full of stars - you really have to see it to believe it.  There is nothing more romantic than a night sky in Montana! 

2.  THE BANANA BELT.

The Bitterroot Valley is known as the “Banana Belt” of Montana as the weather is far less severe than in other parts of the state.  We're able to grow more produce due to the moderate temperatures as compared to the rest of the state.  Bitterroot Valley weather is known for ideal summer conditions with daytime high’s normally in the 80′s and cool, crisp evenings that dip into the 40′s and 50′s.  Spring and fall are also mild and tend to be drier and warmer than the rest of Montana, and are excellent times to visit the area.  Some of the cities in Montana, like Missoula and Kalispell are known for their cloud inversions, which sit over the Valley for extended periods of time.  We typically don't see that weather pattern down here, and the sun shines almost all summer long!

3.  WILDLIFE.

In order to get to the Valley, you have to drive by one of the larger bison herds in the area.  You're almost guaranteed to see deer, and other wildlife like pheasant, fox, coyote, bald eagles, and elk are often visible out in the fields along the highway.  On rarer occasions, you may even see a bear, mountain lion, or moose!  If you or your guests are coming in from out of state, seeing these animals is a pretty awesome, and it's a uniquely Montana experience.  You won't see much wildlife in the cities of Montana, but head southwest to our Valley, and see it all! 

4.  GREAT ATMOSPHERE.

If you've seen a "River Runs Through It, you'll also know that Norman Maclean was quoted as saying:  “The world is full of bastards, the number increasing rapidly the further one gets from Missoula, Montana.”  Part of the valley (Lolo, MT) is located in Missoula County, so we're a stone's throw away.  Need we say more about that?

5.  ALL THE VENDORS YOU COULD NEED.

If you need it, we can get it!  It may be small town Montana, but we are wedding professionals!  We can get those Chiavari chairs you want, that teepee lookin' tent, and a fancy 5 course meal.  You just have to know where to look!  And if you don't find it through our association website, call one of our listed wedding planners.  They know exactly who the perfect vendors are for your needs!

6.  MONTANA LIFESTYLE

No need to book that super expensive rustic venue in the big city.  We have the real deal!  Vintage barns galore, or custom log cabins, or antique homes that were built over 100 years ago.  Our venues are all reasonably priced compared to larger cities, very well maintained, and loved by brides! 

7.  ENJOY ANNIVERSARIES HERE.

If you get married here, there are SO MANY activities to enjoy when you return to celebrate an anniversary!  From hot springs, to fancy restaurants, to hiking, snowmobiling, skiing, floating & fishing the river, attending rodeos, and more.  Get married here, but enjoy coming back with your partner for many years to come.