Planning a wedding in Bozeman, Montana, offers a beautiful backdrop of breathtaking mountain ranges, sprawling meadows, and charming rustic vibes. So, it’s easy to see why Bozeman is a beloved destination for many couples seeking a romantic and memorable wedding experience. When planning your wedding here, it’s easy to get sticker shock with some venues costing over $15k..and that’s before food and drinks.
But fear not, there are still a few venues in the Bozeman area that are home to several affordable wedding venues that will help you create your dream day without breaking the bank. In this blog post, we’ll explore some of the best bozeman wedding venues that cost under or around $12k for venue cost.
For Small Town, Vintage Vibes – The Sacajawea Hotel | Three Forks, MT
The Sacajawea Hotel is an absolute dream of a venue, I may be a little biased because it’s where I got married, but out of the few options we considered this was our top choice for a few reasons:
1) Even though my husband and I live here, 99% of our guests were traveling from out of state so they needed easy accommodations, which is exactly what this venue provided. We wanted to curate a wedding weekend by having wedding festivities from Friday-Sunday since this was a destination wedding. We basically had the entire town booked out (there are 2 other smaller motels in Three Forks and an RV campground!) for the ENTIRE weekend which was so much fun and so memorable.
Having your wedding ceremony, reception, and hotel at the same place means you and your guests don’t have to worry about transportation at the end of the night, which is a huge stress relief for everyone.
2) The hotel management was so accommodating and really let us do whatever we wanted. They have a wedding coordinator who helps you plan and oversees the day to make sure everything is in order for you. The staff goes above and beyond to make sure everyone has enough food, water and they help keep things clean and organized for you too. The next morning they kindly helped organize the remaining decorations from the night before.
The best part was tables, linen, dinnerware, and chairs were all included and set up by staff. We didn’t have to do any extra event rentals besides getting a tent heater for their event tent as we got married in May (which can get down to the 40-50s in the evening).
3) The food was AMAZING. We had the chef carved prime rib (HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!), Caesar salad, and 2 side options. By the end of the night all of the food was gone. Everyone commented and continues to comment how good the food was at the wedding even over one year later.
4) The hotel is historic and offers beautiful vintage vibes, which are great for photos and it really gives a cozy vibe too. The event tent is spacious with a large dance floor and decorated with string lights and beautiful drapery. Plus, get a very luxury experience staying at the hotel (example: warm lavender scented washcloths and a glass of champagne upon check in) and did I mention it has 3 bars?
Venue cost starts at $1000 for small, intimate weddings and for 100-200 people it’ll run you $3500. Food (which was amazing) costed us another $4,000 for 110 guests and venue capacity is about 250 people.
For Rustic Vibes w/ a View – Love Lane Barn | Bozeman, MT
Love Lane Barn is a smaller wedding venue located on the outskirts of Bozeman. It’s a beautifully restored wooden barn with a rustic setting and beautiful views of the Bridger Mountains. It’s more of a DIY set up where you have to rent tables and chairs, organize event rentals for dinner wares (unless you do disposables!), and get a caterer or serve a dinner family/buffet style. As for alcohol, beer and wine are allowed BYOB style and if you want liquor, you’ll have to hire a licensed bar tender to serve.
There are two getting ready suites which is great for the bridal parties to get ready separately and overall it’s a very laid back, charming venue. The owner is also fabulous and so accommodating. Similar to many venues in the Bozeman area, Love Lane Barn is not near a hotel so it’s smart to get transportation set up at the end of the night for your guests. As far as set up goes, you get access to set up from Friday evening and take down through noon (or you can work out through a later time if available) on Sunday morning.
Venue cost: around $2000
For Beautiful, Lush Garden Party Vibes – The Ponds At Dry Creek | Belgrade, MT
The Ponds At Dry Creek is another beautiful setting for outdoor wedding ceremonies. It’s a venue on 10 acres with a large pond and gorgeous mature trees on the landscape with views of the Bridger Mountains. They have a spacious covered reception area, several locations to choose from for your ceremony location, getting ready rooms for the bridal parties, outdoor lighting, a large parking lot, and a 3 guest cabins available to rent.
Your entire celebration can take place beneath the Pavilion’s “Big Top” or you may opt for an alfresco celebration beneath the blue Montana sky. This is another perfect venue for intimate gatherings or a large, fun-filled affair. The Ponds also provides chairs and tables if you want to use them, but you might need to get rentals for linens and dinner wares if you want. Bring in catering from their list of approved vendors and enjoy all of the serenity that the Ponds offers!
Venue fee: $3500-$4500
For Mountainous, Woodsy Vibes – The Woodlands at Cottonwood Canyon | Bozeman, MT
The Woodlands at Cottonwood Canyon is an enchanting wedding and event destination nestled in the rolling tree-covered hills and sprawling meadows. Here, couples and their guests can find a sense of tranquility that can sometimes be hard to come by. It is fringed with towering trees that create a gorgeous backdrop to any occasion. For receptions, the great room is an expansive and flexible location that can be transformed into whatever your imagination desires.
The patio sits just outside the great room and provides a spacious area where guests can relax, mingle, and enjoy brilliant views of the dense forests that surround the property. The venue has a pair of get-ready rooms where the bridal parties can prepare for the big day’s festivities in peace while enjoying the array of fine amenities available.
Venue fee starts at around $1500 for ceremonies and $3000 for receptions
For Romantic, European Countryside Vibes – The Chateau Event Center | Bozeman, MT
The Chateau is a stunning event venue unique to Bozeman. The pavilion itself is constructed in the European style of architecture, with thick stucco and stone walls, heavy beams and iron chandelier lighting. The grounds are located on 40 acres of conservation easement land with Hyalite Creek meandering through.
The lovely gardens and ceremony areas are set among towering cottonwood trees and lush undergrowth. In the pavilion, French doors open to quaint patios leading to ample grassy open space, flowering trees and comforting shade, creating one of Montana’s most beautiful and unique wedding event locations. T
he grounds also contain a large play area for big and little kids, including areas to set up games, soccer goals, tetherball pole, balls and toys for small children. The Chateau is located approximately 4 miles from bustling Bozeman with all its community events, shopping and excellent restaurants. Some amenities include bride and groom suites for getting ready, separate catering room for vendors, chair & table set up and break down.
Venue fee: This venue starts at around $6500
Other Incredible Bozeman Venues To Consider:
- Big Yellow Barn
- Firelight Farm
- Rockin’ TJ Ranch
- Star M Barn
- Foster Creek Farm
- Bridger Berries Farm
- Gallatin River Hideaway
- Bodhi Farms
- Hardscrabble Ranch
- Ross Peak Ranch
A few more tips for brides looking to save money on their Montana wedding
These are just a few of the affordable options available to brides planning their weddings in the Bozeman, Montana area. I’ll leave you with a few other suggestions that may help to keep wedding costs down:
- Book during the week days (most venues offer discounts for week day weddings). A weekday wedding is super practical considering that most people will have to take a few days off of work anyways.
- Hire a wedding content creator if a videographer isn’t in your budget
- Get your flowers in bulk from Costco or Rosauers.
- Use candles as centerpieces over a ton of flowers
- Mix in some faux flowers with the real ones in your DIY bouquets and bouts and decor, nobody will know the difference.
- Elope or have an intimate ceremony with close friends and family and then host a large reception. This is a good way to keep meal costs down, while still providing a great celebration for all of your friends and family.
