(c) Alicia Brown Photography
In a very Montana moment, while our bride was having her hair styled with her girlfriends in their chalet, I was in the reception meadow hoisting bales of straw. The bride’s uncle had donated a few of the blonde bundles to be used as rustic wedding decor, so as he unloaded them from his truck, I picked them up by the twine and carted them over to the cocktail area. The ensuing transformation was so exciting: with the addition of some washed linen, a few lengths of burlap, stems of wildflowers left over from the centerpieces, a coffee table and a vintage runner of the bride’s, we turned those few straw bales into a welcoming seating area. It was full of guests–lounging and chatting and enjoying their glass of champagne or local Montana beer–all night! Who knew straw bales could be so stylish?
Because the typical response to seeing this photo seems to be: “I want one!”, we thought we’d assemble a few alternative straw bale seating ideas as well. And don’t worry if you don’t have an uncle with spare straw laying around! We are happy to find bales–and all the necessary accoutrement–for you.
Straw bales, rather than hay bales, are sturdy and resilient: perfect for ceremony benches, cocktail hour seating or a rustic couch.
(See the Pinterest board for photo sources.)
A spectacular setting for a Montana wedding. 
