About Livingston Depot Wedding
The Livingston Depot Center is a quintessential Livingston, MT icon! It is located in the heart of downtown and this magnificent historic building caters to all kinds of celebrations. It is surrounded by the best bars and restaurants right across the street, and has a beautiful courtyard and park right outside the main door. It was built in 1902, and it has an incredibly beautiful backdrop for couples to host their big day.
There are indoor and outdoor spaces open for you to use which is great for those wanting options! It has an open floor plan which can seat over 200 guests and you can create any seating arrangement you want. The Depot offers two main packages that can be customized to suit your needs and wants. You will also get a two-day access option, which will give you time to make the venue yours to the fullest! Chairs, tables, and other decor items are available on-site, or you can bring your own! Whether you want an upright piano or open-air canopy, the Livingston Depot Center will work with you to make your day special and unique!
Where is The Livingston Depot?
The Depot is right downtown Livingston and super easy to find. Take any Livingston exit off I-90 and head into town. It’s a large brick building to the north side of Park Street along the tracks, just east of Depot Rotary Park and directly across from the Murray at Second Street, with their own parking lot along the park (which is SUPER nice to have on your wedding day, so guests don’t have to worry about finding parking downtown.)
Closest Major Cities/Towns:
In Montana we love to tell you how to get somewhere in time and not in miles. So, here are all the major cities near Livingston that people love to drive from…
- Driving Time From Bozeman: 30 minutes
- Driving Time From Billings: 1 hour and 40 minutes
- Driving Time From Missoula: 3 hours an 30 minutes
- Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport: Driving Time 37 minutes
- Billings Logan Airport: 1 hour and 50 minutes
How to Drive to Livingston Depot
It’s so simple to jump on I-90 and head straight to The Livingston Depot. I just suggest to download all of your favorite music beforehand for your road trip, because you are in and out of cell phone service the entire drive. BUT the drive is beautiful!
FAQ’s About Livingston Depot Weddings
What makes this venue more budget friendly?
Personally, as a wedding photographer, this seems like one of the most inexpensive options in Livingston and still take in all that it includes. The expensive things in a wedding that always shock me are the price of chairs, tables, linens, dancing floor, and tableware. Livingston Depot is VERY reasonable to get all of these things under one roof at a pretty good price!
Where do we get ready at the Livingston Depot?
The Livingston Depot does not have any formal places to get ready in. I feel awful for saying it’s affordable and then pointing out problems, but I have so many fun options in this blog to answer all your questions. With that said, I would highly suggest getting ready at the Murray Hotel and split or share rooms with your bridal party! The prices are very budget friendly and it’s just one crosswalk away from The Depot.
Do they have a day of coordinator?
I am going to shoot you straight on here and just say I feel like they offer someone from the Livingston Depot to help out the day of the wedding directing vendors just telling people where to go and to make sure that the rules are followed because it’s a historical building. I do not feel like they were truly helpful to my bride and groom on moving the schedule along, problem solving, or help with guests. So, I would really suggest scrolling down to the bottom of the blog and contacting some of the amazing wedding planners I have listed because I think they would actually be a huge benefit to your wedding, and loads more helpful than what they offer.
Is The Livingston Depot Wheelchair Accessible and ADA compliant?
I am pleasantly surprised to say yes! This space would be great for anyone that is in a wheelchair or those needing other access than stairs. Everything that your guests would ever need is on the main floor, and it’s easy to get around for everyone.
Planning Your Livingston Depot Wedding
Top Venue Features
- Table and Chairs
- 2 Day access
- Draping and decor
- Dance Floor and Stage
- Arch
- Catering Kitchen
- Tableware
- PA and Mic
- Wifi
- Off Street Parking
- Historical Downtown Parking
- Basic cleanup
- Indoor and Outdoor spaces
Ceremony Site Options
I have only seen ceremonies take place inside at the Depot. I think if you wanted to do something outside you might need to ask if that is an option! Contact them and chat about it for sure. The only thing I will say to look out for would be the train schedules, so you won’t have an engine roaring at your ceremony. Also, I would hire a security team if you decide outside (and even inside) for the ceremony because the community around Livingston knows this as being a park that they can walk around, smoke, and linger. When this wedding happened, a few tourists came into the space and started asking the groom questions about the history of the building during the reception. So, it’s not about hiring a security team to bounce your family and friends, but more the public. Maybe even put up some folding signs all around the space to say closed to a private event!
Reception Site Options
It’s the same as the ceremony site, which is so nice for everyone! No need to move. They tend to leave the tables and chairs set up and pushed back from the ceremony space. Then they invite the guests to enjoy the lawn for the cocktail hour! This, of course, only works when the weather is great! Luckily there is a good amount of space outside that is under an awning, so if you need to invite them outdoors for a bit there is a little shelter from the storm. Technically I think they have to have the alcohol indoors and not able to go out to the yard, but a fun way to make your guests flow outside would be having the bartender pop champagne right before you walk down the aisle and pour champagne for everyone so that when you are announced married they can hand out champagne and hand it out to all your guests as they head to the courtyard!
The Best Time of Year to Get Married at Livingston Depot
The best time of the year to get married here is always going to be hard for me to pinpoint, because I feel like it changes every year. However, I think that May is a very under-booked month! June, July, and August will always be the busiest months for weddings because of those warmer temps. Also, keep in mind that we do tend to have afternoon storms in Livingston that last about an hour. So be sure to always prepare yourself and be a little flexible on the wedding day. August is fire season and will smoke out the mountains. We do and NEED to take fire season seriously in Montana or we can lose our forests, farmers crops, and people’s homes. So, if you are wanting a fire pit or fireworks at your wedding, look into May or October.
Our falls are unmatched here in Montana. I think September is stunning in Montana, but you have to be understanding of our ever-changing weather. Again, that is why it’s so important that you love the inside of Copper Rose just as much as the outside in case you have to bring things in. It can be a cozy and magical space inside if you lean into it! October is going to drop temperatures quickly, I normally promise that is going to snow the week before Halloween. As it snowed this year on October 26th… So, if you are looking for fall colors, Copper Rose Ranch isn’t going to be giving that. They keep it light with the trees because they don’t want to block the beautiful views. Then, as you get into November, December, and more into winter, I promise you that everything will be inside and the roads will be a little crazy. I would only suggest winter months for local people in the area who really know what they are getting themselves into.
“A drinking town with a wind problem” is what Livingston is known for. So, the thing we have to think about the most in Paradise Valley is that the area is a wind tunnel. I am going to be honest with you here. I have worked about 50 weddings in Paradise Valley and only one of those wedding days didn’t have wind. With that said, I highly suggest not wearing a veil if your wedding ceremony is placed outdoors. If your heart is set on it, please stick with it! But if you know that if would annoy you all day blowing around, maybe skip it.
While you are reading this I’m sure you are talking yourself out of getting married in Montana because the weather is so temperamental and you can’t count on anything. This is why you should hire local people from Montana to be on your vendor team because we are the people who wake up on a wedding day on September 1st to a foot of snow, shrug, and say “Let’s do this!” We are definitely calm in the storm, so we will be able to calm you as well when needed. Your florist will know the wind is heavy, and they will bring extra zip ties to anchor everything down. Your photographer will know that the sun sets an hour early in the mountains and make sure that you have time in your timeline for golden hour photos if you so choose. Your coordinator will know that they should bring blankets and umbrellas for the ceremony because your guests didn’t dress right. Your hair and makeup artist will make sure that you have sunscreen on even in the cold months because snow burn is a real thing. We got you!
Timeline for Robert + Delaney’s Wedding
I wanted to show you this to give you an idea of what you can do if you also want your special day at the Depot!
October 8th 2023
2:00 Delaney gets final touches on hair and make up
2:30 Delaney gets into her wedding dress
3:30 Groomsmen pictures
4:00 Bridesmaids pictures
4:30 Hide Bride and Groom Away
5:00 Ceremony
5:30 Family Pictures
5:30 Cocktail Hour Start
6:00 Whole Bridal Party Pictures
6:15 Couple photos
6:15 Ask guests to be seated in reception space
6:30 Grand Entrance
6:45 Dinner is served
7:45 Toasts
8:15 Cake Cutting
8:30 First Dances
9:00 Dance floor opens up to party all night!
Where to Stay Near Livingston Depot
Maybe I am biased because my parents lived in Livingston for years, but I truly think that Livingston Montana is one of the coolest towns in Montana!! I want your guests to be swept up in one of the best kept secrets in Montana! So here are some of my favorite places and spaces to enjoy!
Airbnbs/VRBOs
The Brick house Mansion in Downtown Livingston
Hotels, Lodges, & Resorts
Campgrounds
Livingston Depot Wedding Vendors
Your vendor team can make and break your day. It’s who you feel like best understands your vision and who you vibe with. That is why I offer multiple people! Go ahead and send a message to all of them and see what feels the most true to you after you chat with a few people.
Planners/Coordinators
Rental Companies
Hair/Makeup
Florists
DJ’s
Caterers
Videographers
Sweets and Treats
Hiring Your Livingston Depot Wedding 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, and the images in this blog are pictures I took of a wedding at The Livingston Depot in October 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, 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.
Fun Activities to Plan for Your Livingston Depot Wedding
Here are some other things to do while you’re here, or things you can tell your guests to do to keep them occupied… Honestly go ahead and copy and paste these all onto your wedding website! Truly slow down and take your time while you are in Livingston! The people here in Livingston are hilarious and genuine. So please, take your time to enjoy and have fun! We have such an amazing downtown so take a whole day to bump around, window shop, and eat all the amazing food!
Summer Time Milkshake and Burger
I hope this is helpful for you while you start your planning and start looking for your venue! The Depot is a great option, and there are so many wonderful things to do around the area as well! Happy wedding planning! You got this!
