Announcing our $20,000 Wedding Giveaway Winners!

First of all, we wanted to take a moment and thank everyone who registered to win our wedding giveaway!  It was delightful to see the sheer amount of people who were hoping to get married in our beautiful Bitterroot Valley!  We would also like to send a huge thanks to Destination Missoula, who put together the terms of the giveaway, promoted the event for us, and selected our winner.  And of course, this wouldn't have been possible without the support of the Bitterroot Wedding Association members who donated their services, giving one deserving couple the wedding of their dreams!

Without further ado, we'd like to introduce Ashlee & Jesse Murphree!  Their story is absolutely incredible, and we're honored to plan their wedding.



Ashlee and Jesse went to high school together, although they didn't know each other very well in those days.  After graduation, 9/11 took place, and Jesse enlisted in the Army.  While serving in Afghanistan, his humvee was hit with an anti-tank mine.  He sustained life threatening injuries, including traumatic brain injury and the loss of his legs.  Ashlee told us that he actually died 6 times before becoming stabilized in the hospital.

When he had recovered enough to travel, he would make another life-altering trip - this time, to his home state of Colorado.  He met up with a group from his High School, who wanted to thank him for his service.  Ashlee was attending the event.  She says once they reconnected that night, they were inseparable!  It just seemed natural that Ashlee would step into the role of caretaker, and that allows them to live a relatively independent life.

You may have noticed that they share the same last name.  The photo above is from the night that Jesse proposed to Ashlee.  But, as you can imagine Jesse has had to go through incredible amounts of surgery and rehabilitation from his injuries.  If you're a married couple, it's helpful when working with insurance & the V.A.  So Jesse and Ashlee went to the court house to make their marriage official.

That being said, they never had a true "wedding," and that's one thing that they still wanted to do.  Jesse was actually born in Montana, though he didn't grow up here.  He still has family in the state, so Ashlee thought it might be fun to try to win our wedding giveaway.   Jesse talks frequently about Montana with Ashlee, and she has never made a reason to visit.  Well, we've certainly given her a reason now!  :)

Jesse has made incredible progress with his rehabilitation and was actually walking on prosthetic legs for a period of time.  But additional surgeries were required, and unfortunately, one of those surgeries left him with even more nerve damage to his legs.  He is currently in a wheelchair, but is still working hard at rehabilitation.  Ashlee said he had been looking for a reason or a goal to help him work towards walking again.  He now has a date in mind, of October 15th - the day of his wedding - where he wants to walk Ashlee down the aisle.

We are so thrilled to have this deserving couple as the winner of our giveaway, and we'll be posting more about their planning progress and of course, we'll document the wedding too!  We encourage you to follow our blog, as we help them plan their dream wedding in Montana!

And again, special thanks to our participating vendors:

• Bitterroot Wedding Association
• Destination Missoula
• Hamilton Party Rentals
• Johanna B Photography
• Events by Autumn
• A Moveable Feast
• Purcell Ranch
• Oh So Chic Boutique
• Vintage 44
• Bitterroot Floral Shop
• Badlander Beverage Catering
• Kalyn Halamandris of Teased Salon
• RMF Entertainment
• Wedding Cakes by Ambrose-Barton & Brown
• Happy Huckleberry Studios
• Sweet Pea Sewer & Septic
• and Rococo Bridal

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.  

Transportation in the Bitterroot Valley

Transportation is key to putting together a successful wedding weekend in our beautiful valley, so we'll run through a bunch of options for you to consider.  First and foremost, public transportation is fairly limited in the valley.  There are ride-share programs and such, but no busses or trains for public transportation.  But that doesn't mean that the Valley is limited!  Quite the contrary - the Bitterroot Valley has some fun and one-of-a-kind options for transportation for you wedding.  Read on to find out just how many fun options the valley has to offer!

Below is a map of the Valley to help you visualize the distance.  It takes about an hour to drive from Missoula to Hamilton on Highway 93.

 AIRPORTS:

The Missoula International Airport (MSO) offers easy access to the Bitterroot Valley from major cities throughout the west. There are also two small airports in Stevensville & Hamilton, but they only serve private planes and scenic flights.

CAR RENTALS:

All the major car rental companies are available in the town of Missoula.  You can rent from the airport kiosks, or you can visit their businesses individually, since most are not on site.  There are also more limited rental car options in the town of Hamilton.

BUSSES:

There are a few bus companies that operate throughout the Valley, and will provide chartered transportation for your wedding guests.

LIMOUSINE SERVICE:

Hamilton and Missoula both operate fully licensed & insured limousine services.  Variety of options available, including stretch hummers, town cars, and traditional limos.

VINTAGE CARS:

These are typically offered through collectors.  Look for local car clubs and reach out to them about the use of their vintage vehicles for your wedding needs.

 SPORTS CARS:

Check in with an auto dealership in town.  They may be willing to give you a "loaner" car for the day.  Or reach out again to the car clubs in town.  If you're not traveling a long distance, and possibly let the owner of the vehicle chaueffer you, you may be able to snag a really beautiful sports car for the grand exit!

HORSE DRAWN CARRIAGE:

There's a company in the valley that offers horse drawn carriages with a wide variety of buggies, carts, and wagons to choose from.  Other companies can offer hay drawn wagon rides & such.

OR, GET CREATIVE!! 

HELICOPTER RIDES:

The smaller airports offer helicopter tours which you can charter to whisk the bride and groom away after the reception!

HOT AIR BALLOONS:

Of course you can take off in a hot air balloon after the wedding!  

BOAT:

With the Bitterroot River flowing right through our backyard, why not pull up to your venue in a river raft?  The currents aren't too crazy, and you wouldn't have to go a long distance in your dress in between stops.  It might be fun to escape after the ceremony with the groom in a raft - especially if you're having a fly fishing themed wedding.

SKI:

Are you an avid skiier?   There's a ski resort in Sula, where you can ski into your ceremony!

RIDE:

Whether it's a bike, a vespa, or a horse, just make sure you practice IN your dress and heels before the big day!