With winter settling in, you’re probably thinking winter white. But if you’re a bride planning a wedding, you’re thinking wedding white, because wintertime is when the bulk of summertime wedding planning occurs. Especially if you’re planning one of the fastest growing market segments—destination weddings.
Ten years ago the destination wedding didn’t even exist as a market; these days one out of every ten weddings is a destination wedding. It’s become a chic way to make your wedding more memorable and even cut costs. And with so many urbanites wanting to relish some Western styled relaxation—Montana weddings are thriving and the Flathead Valley is an epicenter for wedded bliss.
A destination wedding is essentially a wedding away from your home—a combination of honeymoon and wedding where guests combine a vacation with your vows. While the wedding may occupy the better part of the weekend, guests are encouraged to stay and play where the wedding is held.
But why Montana? For most brides and grooms, it starts with a connection to the outdoors.
At BruMar Estates in Bigfork, their elegant log lodge was completed a mere two years ago. Since its completion, owners Bruce and Margie Solberg haven’t had a dull moment. “We’ve been booked solid both wedding seasons,” owner Margie Solberg explained, careful to emphasize that they have stayed true to the Montana backdrop, “We’re not like a country club. Guests want Montana. 95% of our guests want an outdoor wedding.”
What leads people away from the big cities and to Montana to exchange vows is a memory or even just a long-standing desire to visit. Sometimes brides have always dreamed of visiting Montana or have memories of a family vacation in Glacier National Park or on Flathead Lake.
Once they are lead to Montana, they make the most of it. Natural features are often a theme—names of Montana mountain ranges are used to label tables. Guests are given vacation scenarios that make the most of the area—itineraries allow guests to play tourist with the wedding party or alone if they need some solo time.
Aside from the natural beauty of the area, destination-wedding guests are charmed by one of Montana’s secret charms—the sincerity and quality of their service sector. Guests are surprised that our pristine beauty is accompanied by the technical expertise in event planning. After all, celebrations are nothing new to Flathead Valley residences.
“Sometimes they think of us as the wild, wild West. They don’t always expect the breadth of service that we can provide,” explained Marc Wold, president and owner of Wild Horse Limousines, “We have incredibly talented people in the Flathead Valley who come here because they love the area.”
And of course, there is the potential for western flair in the Flathead Valley. Over at the Bar W Guest Ranch in Whitefish, the wedding party can opt to ride to the ceremony on a wagon (though one bride and groom did request a golf cart) and then take their guests on a horse ride afterward. While the western opportunities abound, what Bar W manager Ted Harvey notes that what guests enjoy most is just relaxing on the porch and admiring the scenery.
For Harvey, the birth of the destination-wedding sector has been an unexpected development in the dude ranch business. With 20 years of experience in the dude ranch industry, it was a transition he has made with the grace and etiquette of a cowboy, even if he does concede that conversations with the mother of the bride and bride can be awkward.
In addition to destination weddings, Montana's Flathead Valley is an ideal location for family reunions, meetings, retreats and family vacations. For more information or to order a FREE Vacation Travel Guide, please visit www.montanasflatheadvalley.com or call 1-800-543-3105.
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