4 Ways to Keep Your Wedding Guests Entertained in Montana

by | Jun 18, 2024 | General | 0 comments

Montana’s sweeping landscapes, with its rugged mountains, expansive plains, and pristine lakes, provide a stunning backdrop for any wedding. But beyond the breathtaking scenery, it’s essential to ensure that your wedding guests are thoroughly entertained and engaged throughout the celebration.

Here are some unique and exciting ways to keep your wedding guests entertained in Montana.

Dancing & Grooving on DJ’s Beats

One of the timeless ways to entertain wedding guests is through music and dancing. Look for skilled DJs in Montana who can set the tone for your reception if you want the dance floor to stay lively.

In Montana, you can elevate this experience by incorporating local flair into your musical selections. Imagine starting the evening with a mix of contemporary hits and transitioning into some classic country tunes, reflecting the region’s musical heritage.

As stated by RMF Entertainment, this personalization can give a memorable touch to your wedding day. Planning a marriage is hard, but professional DJs with years of experience can help you by eliminating the need for worrying about guest’s entertainment.

For a truly memorable experience, consider hiring a live band that specializes in country, folk, or bluegrass music. Local bands can bring an authentic touch to your celebration, encouraging guests to join in line dancing. The combination of a talented DJ and live performances will keep the energy high and entertain guests well into the night.

Performing Some Outdoor Adventure Activities

Montana’s natural beauty provides the perfect setting for outdoor adventure activities. This can offer your guests a chance to experience the great outdoors between wedding events. Depending on your location and the surrounding areas, you can organize multiple activities like:

  • Mountain biking
  • Hiking
  • Fly fishing
  • ice climbing
  • Snowshoeing
  • Golfing, etc.

For example, if your wedding destination is near any rivers like the Clark Fork or Blackfoot, take your guests from some fly fishing competition. You can also offer them the experience of riding a sleigh in winter. These outdoor activities entertain and create lasting memories as guests bond over shared adventures in Montana’s picturesque landscapes.

Experiencing Local Culinary Experiences

Incorporating local foods and beverages into your wedding menu can be a delightful way to entertain and impress your guests. Think of hosting a gourmet barbecue featuring locally sourced meats or a seafood feast with freshly caught fish from Montana’s pristine waters.

For a more interactive experience, consider organizing a cooking class or a wine and cheese tasting session. Partner with local chefs or wineries to provide an authentic culinary journey. Guests can learn about the flavors and ingredients that define Montana cuisine while enjoying delicious samples. This entertains and educates guests about the local culture and traditions.

Montana is known for many food items, including its huckleberry dishes and pastries. Bison burgers are also extremely popular because of the animal’s wild population in the state. Moreover, steak, trout, elk burgers, and cinnamon rolls are also greatly enjoyed by the locals.

For the best culinary experience in Montana, you can host your wedding reception in Livingston town. As mentioned by Food & Wine, it is an amazing rural town in the west that is worth exploring for its dishes and restaurants. There are many places, from Campione to Murray Bar, that can serve your guests some of the most delightful cuisines they have ever tasted.

Playing Fun Games and Competitions

Incorporating games and competitions into your wedding festivities can be a fantastic way to break the ice and bring guests together. Lawn games like cornhole, horseshoes, or giant Jenga are perfect for an outdoor Montana wedding.

They offer a fun and casual way for guests to mingle and compete in a friendly way. To make the competitions more interesting, you can create two teams, one from the groom’s side and the other from the bride’s.

As mentioned by The Knot, there are multiple games you can organize for the guests, including but not limited to:

  • Ring toss: Exchange rings with the wedding version of this game.
  • Ladder golf: Attach two golf balls at each end of a nylon rope and throw them on a ladder.
  • Giant Jenga: Show the guests that you can balance marriage just like you balance the Jenga.
  • Croquet: Whack wooden balls through the hoops.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do guests do at a wedding?

Guests can do a lot of things at a wedding, including hitting the dance floor, admiring the cake cutting, greeting the couple, etc. Actively participating in these activities will make the day enjoyable for everyone, the couples, and even the guests.

How to throw a fun wedding reception?

You can add a photo booth, some games, a scavenger hunt, karaoke, and more to make your wedding reception fun. It all depends on how well you plan the reception and also how actively the guests participate in whatever you have organized.

Do you need entertainment at a wedding?

While the wedding day is already special for the bride and the groom, it becomes memorable if the guests actively participate and are entertained throughout. Creating a fun and entertaining atmosphere at a wedding can keep the guests engaged.

To conclude, entertaining your wedding guests in Montana goes beyond the traditional reception activities. The state’s natural beauty, rich cultural heritage, and diverse recreational opportunities provide a wealth of options to make your wedding unforgettable. You can try something from this list or organize some other activities; there are endless ways to ensure your guests have a fantastic time.

In Columbia, Maryland, there’s a former grocery store that has been transformed into a department store for mythical creatures, time travelers, and intergalactic tourists.

It’s called DoodleHATCH.

You can groom a unicorn, visit an intergalactic space station, climb onto a giant’s bed, meet guinea pigs, explore an artist’s studio, and discover approximately a million other things that somebody actually sat down and made.

It’s a nonprofit interactive art museum, a community project, an educational resource, and one of my favorite places I’ve ever discovered.

And it could be demolished as part of a proposed redevelopment of the Long Reach Village Center.

But there’s still an opportunity to help.

You don’t need to donate money. You don’t need to live in Maryland. And you don’t need to know anything about zoning laws.

You can start by writing an email.

🚨 Here's what's happening

Developer Columbia Concepts has proposed redeveloping the Long Reach Village Center in Columbia, Maryland.

The proposal would replace existing buildings with new housing, recreational facilities, and other development.

Unfortunately, that puts a whole collection of existing community resources at risk of being demolished, including:

  • DoodleHATCH Interactive Art Museum
  • Maryland Fashion Institute
  • A makerspace used for community education
  • Local restaurants, shops, and service businesses
  • Early childhood education and community programs
  • A 140-foot-long mural created by approximately 100 community members

This isn’t just about losing a fabulous museum. It’s about losing an entire collection of places that people have built, supported, and relied on.

And there’s another possibility!

🌈 Meet The REALM

Lee Andersen, the founder of DoodleHATCH, and her nonprofit ManneqART want to preserve the existing community resources and transform the village center into an arts and culture destination called The REALM.

Imagine a place where artists have studios, children have room to explore, students can learn creative skills, people can attend performances, and local businesses continue serving their neighbors.

There are plans for a performing arts space, more opportunities for artists, and a Witches Kitchen that might serve you a horrible-disgusting breakfast.

Which, personally, I think sounds promising.

The people behind DoodleHATCH are gathering support to oppose the developer’s zoning proposal and advocate for The REALM.

And they’d love your help.

💌 How to help in about two minutes

If you live in Howard County, Maryland

If you’re 18 or older, DoodleHATCH is asking eligible county residents to visit the museum and sign their petition in person.

📍DoodleHATCH Interactive Art Museum

8775 Cloudleap Court, Unit 101
Columbia, MD 21045

⏱️ Museum hours: Friday–Sunday, 10 AM–5 PM.

And while you’re there, I highly recommend exploring the museum. Bring someone who needs a reminder that being an adult doesn’t mean you have to stop enjoying ridiculous things.

If you don't live in Howard County

You can still help!

DoodleHATCH is collecting emails from people who oppose the proposed Columbia Concepts redevelopment and support preserving the existing arts and community resources through The REALM.

Send your email to: Lilou@DoodleHATCH.com

Suggested subject: Support The REALM | Oppose Columbia Concepts Zoning Proposal ZB 1132M

You can write your own message or use one of the templates below.

You don’t need to write an essay. A short, genuine message explaining what you support and why is enough to participate in this email campaign.

✍️ What should your email say?

To make your position clear, include these three things:

1. Say what you’re opposing.

State that you oppose the proposed Columbia Concepts redevelopment and zoning amendment for the Long Reach Village Center, case ZB 1132M.

2. Say what you’re supporting.

Express your support for preserving DoodleHATCH, the Maryland Fashion Institute, existing community resources, and the proposed arts and culture center called The REALM.

3. Explain why you care.

This is the part that makes your email yours.

Maybe you’ve visited DoodleHATCH. Maybe you’re a parent who wants more creative places for children. Maybe you’re an artist, an educator, or someone who thinks it’s important to protect the few spaces where people can explore and make things without needing to buy something.

Maybe you live across the country and just learned that there’s a department store for mythical creatures in Maryland, and you think the world would be a little less interesting without it.

That’s a perfectly good reason to care.

Automatically Build Your Email!

💌 Email templates you can copy

Option 1: Short, simple, and effective

Subject: Support The REALM | Oppose ZB 1132M

Hello,

I’m writing to express my opposition to the proposed Columbia Concepts zoning amendment and redevelopment of the Long Reach Village Center (ZB 1132M).

I support preserving DoodleHATCH, the Maryland Fashion Institute, and the existing community services and small businesses, as well as the proposal to create The REALM arts and culture center.

Creative and educational spaces like these provide valuable opportunities for families, artists, students, and the wider community. I believe they deserve to be protected.

Please include my email with the messages of support being collected for DoodleHATCH and The REALM.

Thank you,

[Your Name]
[Your City/State]

Option 2: For artists, creatives, and fellow merriment makers

Subject: Please Protect DoodleHATCH and Support The REALM

Hello,

I’m writing in opposition to Columbia Concepts’ proposed redevelopment and zoning amendment for the Long Reach Village Center (ZB 1132M), and in support of The REALM.

I believe communities need places where creativity, imagination, and play are actively encouraged.

DoodleHATCH is an extraordinary example of what can happen when artists and community members are given room to create something that doesn’t fit into an ordinary commercial space.

Places like this are rare. They encourage people of all ages to experiment, learn, explore, and connect with one another.

I support preserving DoodleHATCH, the Maryland Fashion Institute, the existing community resources, and the vision for The REALM.

Thank you for collecting these messages and advocating for the creative community.

[Your Name]
[Your City/State]

Option 3: For people who've visited DoodleHATCH

Subject: Please Save DoodleHATCH | Oppose ZB 1132M

Hello,

I’m writing to express my opposition to the proposed Columbia Concepts redevelopment and zoning amendment for the Long Reach Village Center (ZB 1132M), and my support for The REALM.

I’ve personally visited DoodleHATCH, and I want to share why I believe it’s worth preserving.

[Write two or three sentences about your experience. What did you see? Who did you bring? What surprised you? What made you want to return?]

DoodleHATCH is more than a collection of exhibits. It’s a place where creativity is something people can actively participate in, and I believe losing it would be a tremendous loss to the community.

I support preserving the museum, the Maryland Fashion Institute, and the other existing community resources through the proposed arts and culture center, The REALM.

Please include my email with the messages of support you’re collecting.

Thank you,

[Your Name]
[Your City/State]

A few tips before you hit send

Automatically Build Your Email!

DO:

  • Use your real name.

  • Include your city and state so organizers can understand where support is coming from.

  • Clearly identify the redevelopment proposal you’re opposing.

  • Specifically mention your support for The REALM.

  • Add a personal sentence or two if you can.

  • Be respectful, even if you’re frustrated.

  • Share this page with other people who might want to help.

DON’T:

  • Pretend to be a Howard County resident if you’re not.

  • Claim to have visited DoodleHATCH if you haven’t.

  • Make up experiences or information.

  • Send threatening, insulting, or harassing messages.

  • Assume your email is the same thing as signing the official petition.

  • Worry about making your message sound impressive. Clear and genuine is better than elaborate.

💌 The Save DoodleHATCH Email Machine

A few clicks, a little personality, and an email that helps support DoodleHATCH and The REALM. No account or signup required.

What's your connection to DoodleHATCH?
Why does protecting places like this matter to you?
✨ Your email preview
To: Lilou@DoodleHATCH.com
Subject: 


✉️ Open in My Email App




Your information stays in your browser until you choose to copy or open the message. The email does not send automatically. Emails support DoodleHATCH's advocacy campaign; they are not the same as official petition signatures or zoning testimony. Please review the message before sending.
 





			

			

				
				
				
				
			

				
				
			

				
				
				
				
				
				
				

				

				
				
				
				
				

				
				
				
				
				
🐹 Wait. What exactly is DoodleHATCH?

			

				
				
				
				
				
			

				
				
				
				
				
I’m so glad you asked.


DoodleHATCH is an interactive art museum in Columbia, Maryland, created by artist, designer, and professional generator of wildly ambitious ideas, Lee Andersen.


The museum is designed as a pretend department store for mythological creatures, time travelers, and galactic tourists.


There are dozens of installations, and unlike most museums, you’re encouraged to touch things, explore, and participate.


There’s also an artist’s studio full of fabric and handmade garments, workshops, special events, birthday parties, free books, and opportunities for local artists to share their work.


The museum welcomes families and children, but adults are absolutely allowed to enjoy themselves, too.


And the woman behind it has spent decades bringing creativity into the community through fashion, festivals, education, and public art.


I discovered DoodleHATCH in 2020 and loved it so much that I started volunteering.


I’ve been back multiple times, and there are still things I haven’t seen.


That’s part of what makes it special. You can keep discovering things because people keep creating them.

			

			

				
				
				
				
			

				

				
				
				
				
				

				
				
				
				
				
You don't have to live near DoodleHATCH to care about it.

			

				
				
				
				
				
There are Merriment Makers everywhere.


People turning empty buildings into art spaces. People organizing parades. People teaching kids how to sew, paint, dance, or build things. People putting enormous amounts of time into projects that make their communities more interesting.


Sometimes they’re running nonprofits. Sometimes they’re working out of their garages. Sometimes they’re making something weird in a strip mall that you might drive past a hundred times without realizing what’s inside.


I hope you’ll help protect DoodleHATCH.


And I hope you’ll look around your own community, too. Visit the strange little museum. Go to the local art show. Find the person who makes giant puppets or organizes an absurd annual festival. Spend your money at the independent shop with the handmade things.


There are people everywhere creating reasons for us to be curious about being alive.


I’d like them to be able to keep doing that.

			

				
				
				
				
				
			

				
				
				
				
				
Help save DoodleHATCH. Help protect The REALM. Help keep the world interesting.

			

				
				
				
				
				
💌 Email: Lilou@DoodleHATCH.com


🌈 Visit: DoodleHATCH.com


🦄 Share: Uncustomary.org/Doodle