A Destination Wedding: The Montana Way

Most of the time when someone says they want a destination wedding, everyone thinks tropical, the beach, warm weather or maybe even Las Vegas. And yes, there are many great reasons to go to such a place to begin your marriage and celebrate your wedding day, including the warm weather, the beautiful ocean scenery and the amenities resorts in those places have to offer. However, have you ever thought of your having your destination wedding in Montana? Quaking Aspen Ranch is an outdoor wedding venue in Absarokee, MT that features almost everything Montana has to offer. Continue reading to see why our venue is the ultimate destination for your wedding. ​

Montana is a beautiful state known for its national parks, big blue skies, mountains and of course, cold winters. Many also take note of the open space, green scenery and lack of metropolitanism. Yellowstone Park is one of the world’s first national parks consisting of over 3,500 square miles, and is full of wildlife, hot springs and geysers. Absarokee is about a 2-hour drive from the park so while you’re here for you big day, you can also visit there. There are at least 100 named mountain ranges in Montana which provide year-round entertainment for outdoor enthusiasts, and the Beartooths are in our backyard. Red Lodge, a small mountain resort town, is a 30 minute drive from Absarokee and has lots of fun little shops and restaurants, including an old-school candy shop. From there, the Beartooth scenic highway is just up the road, one of the most beautiful drives in America. We’ve even had couples drive up there the day of their wedding to get pictures at the top of the pass, featuring amazing mountain views and blue lakes in the background.

Yes, many associate Montana and cold weather, however your wedding will be sometime during the summer months (May- September) so you won’t have to worry about our cold, harsh winter conditions. Typically the sun is shining, there are few clouds in the big blue sky and temperatures range from 70-90 degrees. On occasion we get showers that last 10 minutes to an hour but rain is not really something you need to be concerned about for your outdoor Montana Wedding, if anything the rain cools the air in the afternoon after a hot summer day. If the rain were to hit and stay we can accomodate for weddings of about 75 people or less. All in all; don’t let the weather scare or detour you from letting us host your big day for you and all your guests! ​

There are a variety of activities for you and your guests to take part in and enjoy while at The Ranch. The great outdoors in Montana offer fishing, hiking, horseback riding, whitewater rafting and much more. The East Rosebud River runs right through the property so bring your pole (or use one of ours) and go catch a trout or two. Horseback riding is a great activity for a group, so grab your wedding party and family and we can organize an excursion right from the ranch on horseback. These trips are usually an hour or two long and can take place any day during your stay at The Ranch. Whitewater rafting is another great, thrilling activity nearby. We can organize the trip for you and your selected guests who wish to take part, these trips are usually 4-5 hours long. On the property is also a  pond the kids can swim or fish in, there are fat-tire bikes available for the wedding party to take out for a ride and lots of yard games for the whole group to get involved.

Is the groom and his men looking for something to do the morning before the wedding while all the girls get ready? They can hit the golf course in Red Lodge, great for a quick round of golf or take part in a very ‘Montanan’ sport: shooting. We will set up a small shooting range on the other side of the property and the boys (or girls) can go target shoot with provided guns and ammo.

Camping, another popular summer activity in Montana is possible at The Ranch. Your guests can bring their campers or tents and camp out on the property for the weekend. This ensures they will be close by and can participate in all the festivities during the day. When the sun goes down and the stars come out, everyone can gather around the campfire at our designated bonfire site, a great place to roast some ‘mallows and sing campfire songs.
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When you choose to have you big day at Quaking Aspen Ranch, your wedding day will become a wedding weekend. Not only are there lots of activities to take part in but you will get to stay at the log lodge on the property which sleeps up to 23 comfortably. Your meals can be provided, all which would be made fresh right in the kitchen at The Ranch. We will cook for you, the wedding party  and also any guests you wish. Everyone will surely get good night’s rest and no one will go hungry. You can learn more about the log lodge under the “Venue Tour” menu option and to see other reasons why you should choose to have your wedding in the mountains, visit our blog posts.