A 4 Day Summer Wedding Weekend in Montana

We love summer in Montana for so many reasons: Endlessly blue skies, long, sunshine-soaked days, the most epic sunsets, and colorful wildflowers in bloom, just to name a few! One of our absolute favorite things about summer though is that it’s perfect for turning a summer wedding day into an all-out wedding weekend adventure! Summer here is when Montana truly shines. All parts of Glacier National Park and its outdoor activities are open, from hiking to fishing to biking to boating. The weather is nice nearly every day and with the sun setting as late as 9pm, you can maximize every day of your trip here! 

Just take it from Steph and Phil’s summer wedding! They had an incredible four day summer wedding weekend in West Glacier with about 60 of their loved ones. Each day presented a unique way to make memories together, creating an experience that felt like a vacation as much as a wedding celebration for everyone involved. 

We’ll walk you through each day of their summer wedding weekend so you can get inspired for your own celebration. This wedding format is becoming increasingly popular and for good reason! With three or four days to celebrate, nothing feels rushed and you have the chance to truly soak in the experience while exploring the local area to the fullest. If you’re on the fence about turning your wedding day into a wedding weekend, Steph and Phil’s celebration is a beautiful example of what that experience can look like. 

Thursday: Welcome Dinner at Paddle Ridge

Steph and Phil selected Paddle Ridge as their wedding venue, and they loved it so much, they used it every day of their summer wedding weekend! On the first day of their celebration, they invited all their wedding guests to a laidback welcome dinner. It was a classic but still elegant Montana barbecue with 406 BBQ providing a delicious buffet with all the fixings. 

If you know anything about our team here at Big Day Celebrations, you know we make every event feel intentional, elevated, and beautiful, no matter if it’s a black-tie affair or a more relaxed soiree. So for this evening, we had checkered sage green linens on the tables that matched the background pattern of all the signage that evening, lawn games set up outside, and coloring pages on the kids’ table. These simple but impactful details kept the evening feeling relaxed while still creating a cohesive design that made guests feel comfortable and cared for. 

Steph and Phil provided their friends and family with a fun guest activity as well called “Steph and Phil’s Guest Quest!” These were scavenger hunt booklets that encouraged guests to mingle with one another by finding people who matched prompts based on their Montana adventures and life experiences. For example, some of the prompts included “I went on Going-to-the-Sun Road,” “I ate or drank something made with huckleberry,” and “I knew the bride or groom as a child.” 

And because Steph and Phil are the absolute best, they included the prompt, “I gave some praise to Katie, the world’s best wedding planner!” Such a sweet surprise! 

On the last page of the booklet, guests were invited to write a personal message to Steph and Phil. Later in the weekend, Steph’s mom compiled all the messages and sealed them in an envelope for the newlyweds to read to open and read together on their first anniversary. 

This incredibly meaningful component was definitely a highlight of this summer wedding weekend! 

Friday: Adventure Day & Rehearsal Dinner 

Destination wedding couples, take notes! If you have your friends and family scattered across the country, we know how hard it can be to plan pre-wedding events, like an engagement celebration or bachelor/bachelorette parties. That’s why we loved how Steph and Phil used the day before their summer wedding to celebrate everything with their wedding party! 

Steph started the day with her girls for a bachelorette breakfast followed by a boat tour on Lake McDonald with the rest of their entourage. This quality time together doubled as a thank you for being part of their big day, and these adventures were a big hit! Experiences like these are such an amazing way to maximize your wedding weekend and time together.

That evening, Steph, Phil and their wedding party returned to Paddle Ridge for their ceremony rehearsal and intimate rehearsal dinner. They spent the evening sharing a meal filled with laughter and conversation, which was the perfect way to wind down an already wonderful day. Steph and Phil’s parents also gave heartfelt toasts, along with anyone else who wanted to say a few words to the bride and groom. Delivering speeches at the rehearsal dinner is a great option for loved ones who want to share something special, but may feel more comfortable speaking in a smaller, more intimate setting than the wedding itself. 

And with that, it was time for Steph and Phil’s summer wedding day! 

Saturday: Summer Wedding at Paddle Ridge

Saturday was wedding day for Steph and Phil! Our team had a blast working on their wildflower-inspired wedding design. This included a color palette of soft orange, pink, yellow, and green. Flowers were everywhere, from the arrangements framing the ceremony altar to those running down the length of each reception table. Dainty wildflowers in glass bud vases decorated each cocktail table while similar fresh floral accented their three-tier wedding cake. These colorful roses, ranunculus, and daisies helped create a light and joyful atmosphere for this celebration. 

That day, Steph and Phil exchanged vows under Montana’s Big Sky. They had a clear view of the mountains and forest behind them, as 60 of their loved ones bore witness. Their wedding rings were blessed by their loved ones in a ring warming unity ceremony. Then, both of their dads recited special readings. Like the rest of their summer wedding weekend, their ceremony was marked by sentimentality, togetherness, and love. What a great moment it was when they were pronounced husband and wife! They kissed then walked back up the aisle together to an instrumental version of “How Sweet It Is” by James Taylor! 

Summer Wedding Cocktail Hour

While the new Mr. and Mrs. took photos, their guests enjoyed cocktail hour outdoors. Here, The Kopper Kitchen passed appetizers of bacon wrapped dates, gougeres with pimento cheese, and elk empanadas. Meanwhile, the duo from Mike Murray Tunes played live music for everyone.

To transition from ceremony to reception, Katie and our BDC team repurposed the ceremony floral to the sweetheart table. We also utilized Steph and her bridesmaids’ bouquets to serve as additional decor on the head table. As cocktail hour wound down, we moved the lounge area to the ceremony deck. That way, everyone could enjoy the views and fresh air here throughout the reception. 

Last but not least, Katie bustled Steph’s wedding gown, lit all the reception candles, and made sure all the vendors were set and ready before inviting guests into the main reception space. 

Summer Wedding Reception

The ceremony and cocktail hour spaces seamlessly flowed into the indoor/outdoor reception area. This part of the evening kicked off with a buffet dinner. This included dishes like standing strip loin with house chimichurri, Flathead Lake trout, and brined airline chicken breast with huckleberry gremolata. Steph and Phil enjoyed a special private meal together as Katie released tables for the buffet. Then, as dinner service concluded, The Second Story Band started the party by formally introducing the newlyweds into the reception! 

They went right into their first dance to the song, “Harvest Moon.” This was followed by Phil and his mom’s dance to “What a Wonderful World.” After toasts and a speech by the newlyweds themselves, it was time to cut and serve the cake! Steph and Phil’s main wedding cake was a funfetti cake with huckleberry filling and cream cheese buttercream. They also served mini cupcakes to go with it! With additional flavors of cinnamon sugar cake with cream cheese buttercream and classic chocolate cake with vanilla buttercream, there was the perfect sweet treat for everyone!

At that point in the night, the formalities concluded and it was time to dance! A live band always brings an electric energy to a reception, never failing to keep people on the dance floor. The moment the music started, the entire space shifted into full celebration mode and didn’t stop until the end of the reception! 

This is when Steph and Phil shared one last wedding moment as they had a private last dance together before living happily ever after! 

Sunday: The Adventure Continues! 

On the final day of this summer wedding weekend, all of Steph and Phil’s guests were invited back to Paddle Ridge for a post-wedding brunch catered by The House of S & M. It was one last chance to gather and soak in each other’s company before parting ways once more. A brunch like this always serves as a great guest sendoff after a full wedding weekend! 

But the fun wasn’t over just yet! Steph and Phil ended their wedding celebration in the best way possible: With an adventure photo session in Glacier National Park! They spent that night exploring the ins and outs of the park’s lakes, mountains, and meadows, capturing both photos and memories to last a lifetime. 

A Word from Katie: 

Steph and Phil, what an incredible weekend!! I cannot thank you enough for trusting me with your epic summer wedding. I just adore the two of you and will forever treasure our time together! You guys deserve all the love and happiness in the world and I hope our paths get to cross again one day (Vow renewal perhaps?)! 🙂  Congrats guys!

-Katie

Montana Wedding Vendors: 

Wedding Planner: Big Day Celebrations

Venue: Paddle Ridge

Photography: Renske Photo

Videography: On the Fly Films

Floral: Conrad Floral

Catering: The Kopper Kitchen 

Rentals: Empress Tents & Events 

Musicians: Mike Murray Tunes

Band: The Second Story Band

Cake & Desserts: Mountain Mamas Cupcakery

Hair & Makeup: Melanie Hobus

Welcome Dinner Photography: Thewmatt Photography

Welcome Dinner Catering: 406 BBQ

Brunch Catering: The House of S & M

Invitations: Minted

Let’s Plan Your Summer Wedding Adventure!

Big Day Celebrations offers full-service wedding planning, coordination & design services, and micro-wedding packages, so no matter how you envision your wedding, we will make it happen and have a whole lot of fun along the way!

Ready to get started? Drop me a note below and let’s do this!