This place is AMAZING! I absolutely adore the Star M Barn, and want to help anyone that is still looking for a venue, or if you’ve already chose the Star M and just need some tips and advice while you get started on your planning!
A little bit about the Star M… This BEAUTIFUL barn was built around 1917 with a gothic arch roof and a huge ceiling. There’s a 12-foot x 14-foot glass garage door that opens up so you can expand your party onto the deck, especially when it gets warm in the summer! The barn was also just recently upgraded to provide your event with the electricity and power for your party! There is also a 220-Volt power hookup for a food truck/catering.
There’s a spacious loft on the second floor which displays beautiful craftsmanship and can be used for ceremonies, dinner, receptions, or all of the above! It has about 2,200 square feet of useable space inside. The most recent update to the barn is a spacious deck which adds around 1,000 square feet to the venue. It was gorgeous large windows with views of the Bridger Mountains range!!
Star M sits on almost 34 acres of farm land off Springhill Rd in Belgrade, MT, conveniently located roughly 15 minutes from downtown Bozeman, and about 10 minutes from the Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport. Perfection!! If you fly into Billings, or are coming from Billings, it’s about a 2-hour drive to the Star M. It’s a gorgeous new venue that is ready to make your ideas come to life! But you do have to be willing to rough it just a little bit on your wedding day… There is a canvas tent to get ready in for one partner and horse stalls to possibly get ready in as well for someone else. The big reason I say ‘roughing it’ is that they only have a port-a-pot trailer to use the bathroom for the entire event. With that said, it’s still a very nice port-a-pot trailer, but I know some of my brides cannot imagine using a trailer on their wedding day. So, if that doesn’t bother you, I say you can keep reading!
One thing to keep in mind about the venue is parking and the drive there… Just make sure to take your time getting out there to take in the gorgeous Bridger Mountains as you drive in. You will have to park in lot about a 5-minute dirt road walk away from the actual venue. But if you need, they will let you drive right up to the barn and get dropped off, you just need someone to go and park your car after.
Why Have Your Wedding at Star M Barn?
The number one thing that always sticks out in my head about the Star M is how amazing the family who runs it is. They are the perfect amount of helpful on the day, but also not in everyone’s business. They are ranchers on the land, so a lot of guests love to chat with them and ask them all about the property and the history! Which they love to chat about!
Another great thing about the venue is that they are very happy to make your vision come to life. They don’t have a list of people you have to choose and they don’t make it feel like a business deal or a sale. They want to make your vision come to life and want you to have the day you’ve always dreamed of! And of course, the views are truly unmatched of the Bridger mountain ranges.
There are very few amounts of homes built around the property so you have a magical view no matter what. In this wedding you’re seeing photos of, you can see it rained that day at Star M, but I think the nice thing is that the reception space is upstairs and you can still see the mountains the whole time while you stay cozy and warm inside! So, no matter the weather, there are beautiful options for you in the venue space.
They are also very dog friendly which means you can have your pup with you on the wedding day! I also love when venues have something for every wedding guest when it comes to different spaces for them to hang out in. Star M tries to have dancing outside on the deck if they can, and seating inside of the reception space so you can watch all the young kids shout and scream on the dance floor but still have a conversation. They also have a fire pit surrounded by chairs where some guests can retreat to have conversations and take in the night sky. They also have an under the deck patio where people can sit in if it’s a super sunny day and they want to have it made in the shade! SO many options, it’s incredible!!
Some top venue features (in my opinion):
- Access to the venue for one site tour during the months leading up to the event (must be communicated and agreed upon by the venue).
- Use of the event space for setup and/or rehearsal.
- On-site Parking.
- A luxury restroom trailer for use during wedding weekend.
- A wall tent for groom and groomsman use the day of the wedding (2023).
- 220-V power outlet on the south side of the barn for food truck/catering use.
- Power outlets throughout.
- Interior and exterior LED barn lights.
- Dry bar located in the southwest corner of the second floor of the barn. Freezer for ice included.
- Use of our rustic farm-style wood tables (twelve 9-ft and five 6-ft), 24 wood benches (each nine feet long), and thirty wood cross-back chairs with cushions.
- Arbor for ceremony use if desired.
- One wine barrel (for cake table, cocktail table, etc).
Ceremony options:
I would suggest getting married with the Bridger mountain range right behind you. There is a slight hill to walk down to get to this space, so make sure you take it slow and have a strong hand to hold! If you have a smaller guest list of about 50 or less, I think you could use the space right next to the grooms tent where there is no hill and it’s all the same level. A wheelchair could still access it easily as well! Then you can walk right back to the barn or tent to have your reception. Everything at one venue! Love that!
Site Option #1:
Use of the rustic farm-style wood tables and seating for up to 120 people will also be included in your package right upstairs in the barn with those giant windows showing off the Bridger’s.
Site Option #2:
Another thing you could do, is rent a tent from Montana Party Rentals and put it up right out on the lawn where most of the ceremonies take place!
The Best Time of Year to Get Married at Star M…
I think the Star M shines the most through late May to late September. It’s a place for clear mountain views and has a little bit of a rustic look! I think that the Star M barn is a summer or early fall wedding venue! If you are too close into the winter or in too deep in the fall, you might need to have people to bring jackets and provide blankets for them. It would be a tad more treacherous with all the stairs and terrain if it was cold, snowy and icy. The reason I also bring up fall at the barn, is if you are wanting fall leaves and those pretty fall colors in your pictures, they will NOT be here at this barn. They don’t have many shady trees because they don’t want to block that view. I can never promise any weather in Montana, we truly never know what to expect here, so with that said, I would think about if you’d be okay with getting married inside the barn (which could still be beautiful) if weather isn’t turning out to be what you wanted.
Where to stay near the Star M:
Okay so here is the part that I do have to say is a bit of a downfall of Star M barn. They don’t have the greatest area to get ready in. I know the owners are working on making a great space to get ready for the wedding couple and their parties, but they are a newer venue so they are still working on things! I would suggest that both partners go somewhere else to get ready the morning of, then get dropped off at the venue so you don’t have to walk after parking. It’s also important to think about this when it comes to pulling the trigger on securing the venue for your wedding, because you will have to add the cost of the stay at an Airbnb (or wherever you choose to get ready) into your budget.
You’ll also have to think about adding some time into your morning timeline for you to get to the venue the day of the wedding. Then when you get to the venue, the groomsmen can hang out in the canvas tent and the bride can put her dress on in the upstairs barn where the reception was held. The places that my couple in these photos stayed at the morning of the wedding were these two Airbnb’s listed below!
Bride:
Groom:
How Much Does it Cost to Get Married at Star M Barn?
Definitely head to their website, and reach out to them for exact prices, but packages are starting at $4,000.
What’s Included in Your Star M Wedding Package:
- They are an open concept venue, and encourage couples to make our venue their own.
- Their package grants full access to the event space (the barn and surrounding lawn areas) to clients, vendors, and guests.
- Each wedding booked will include access from 12 PM-4 PM the day before the wedding, and 10 AM-11 PM the day of your event. Set-up is welcome and suggested the day prior to the event.
- Use of our rustic farm-style wood tables and seating for up to 120 people will also be included in your package.
Wedding Vendors:
Some vendors this couple used or other couples that have gotten married here have used the following:
Planners/Coordinators
Rental Companies
Hair/Makeup
Florists
DJ’s
Caterers
Videographers
Photographer:
Well… I clearly love it here if I am writing a whole blog to try to get you to tie the knot here! But who am I??? I am Leanna Krenik, and I am the proud owner of Leanna Joy Photography! The images in this blog are pictures I took of a wedding at Star M Barn in August 2023! I am based in the mountains of Bozeman, but I love taking this one woman show on the road! My photography style is best described as bright and colorful and full of my client’s personality! When I’m shooting, I am a full-time photographer and part time hype woman. I am happy to crack jokes the whole time, help you pose, and pump you up! Feel free to check out my website to learn more about me, and look through some of my work!
I know you have a million options and ideas running through your head right now. I highly suggest taking a deep breath, a swig of your wine, and then contacting Star M Barn to see if they are the best fit for you! I always think that walking through the property is the best way to see if you can envision yourself saying “I do” here. I suggest making a date out of everything you do when it comes to wedding planning! Make it fun! So, go see the venue, then head to The Local or Mint Cafe for dinner and talk about it together! And as always, if you have any questions please never hesitate to email me at leannajoyphoto@hotmail.com. YOU GOT THIS!
