Weddings at the State Game Lodge Pavilion

No. As a full-service resort, your Wedding Package includes an assigned Event Manger, who will work with you to order all of the Catering and staffing needs for your meal(s) that are provided in-house from the State Game Lodge. The Pavilion will be set with tables, house linens and skirting, linen napkins, water glasses, silverware, banquet china, and chiavari chairs as you have requested and arranged in advance with your Event Manager. From there, our banquet staff continues to execute the cocktail hour, buffet, in-house desserts, and late-night snacks as ordered from us in your selected package.

Depending on your setup requirements, the max capacity varies. In banquet long tables, State Game Lodge Pavilion has a recommended capacity of approximately 350 with no head table. Additional seating can overflow around the fire pit.

A non-refundable $1,500 deposit (unless otherwise specified in your agreement) is due with the signed contract to confirm your date. This deposit will show as a credit on your account.

While the Pavilion has a bridal powder room, we still recommend that you get ready in a resort lodge room or cabin. Reach out to us at 888-875-0001 to snatch up your room and mention that you want to use it as a ready-room so that our team can find you the best option with the most space!

Yes! Our Tatanka Cabin and Reunion Cabin both make show-stopping designer hospitality suites. Each offers 4BR/5BA, full designer kitchens, and a fantastic open floor-plan for socializing. Additionally, we offer many other cabins with kitchens and/or living areas with that extra square footage you seek for hospitality suites and/or ready rooms. Insider Tip: Rent it for the night before, too, so you can get in, get settled, and start getting ready first thing the next morning! Check-in time is not until after 4pm.

The State Park quiet hour is 11pm, which is also your designated function end time.

We strongly encourage that you designate a family member to gather up anything that is important to you during the dance so that your items don't get misplaced during clean-up. Last call will be at 10:40pm, and at 11pm, the entertainment must conclude for the evening and staff will begin breaking down tables. All décor must be removed no later than midnight to avoid an additional fee. Custer State Park Resort is not liable for lost or stolen items.

Insider's Tip: Explore renting our group Reunion Cabin or Tatanka Cabin for a show-stopping hospitality suite and post-wedding campfire.

A professional decorator is required if you wish to have anything hung from the rafters. As you will have an assigned Event Manager planning the banquet services and timelines in advance with you, oftentimes Brides and Grooms find that the rest of their vendors can be hired independently; but the choice is yours!

Your rental of the Pavilion starts anytime after 10:00am on the day of your wedding. (Note: If you have hired a professional decorator, they must coordinate set-up details in advance directly with your Event Manager). If you are renting table runners or specialty linens from an outside source that you would like used, please inform your Event Manager. Specialty linens must be hand-delivered to the Lodge no later than 48-hours in advance if we are placing them for you, along with the rest of our resort-provided table settings.

Outside decorations are welcome. For anything hung from the raftors, a licensed decorating professional must be hired. Custer State Park Resorts takes its role as caretaker of our historic State Park lodges very seriously.

Nails, screws, staples, tape, command strips, push pins, confetti, glitter, rice, hay or straw, smoke machines, open flame candles are all prohibited.

Floral arrangements are welcome; when in doubt, please inquire! Easels may be rented through your Event Manager, and we provide beautiful whiskey barrel tables to help you display your memories and decorations. SD Game Fish & Parks welcomes birdseed, bubbles, and dried lavender at your ceremony; shepherds hooks for floral arrangements are also permitted. Thank you for taking good care of our 71,000 acre wildlife preserve!

The primary reason for having a cocktail hour (alcoholic or not) is to give your guests some mingling time before the buffet is open for dinner. For a wedding, this purpose is two-fold. Often times, you will have a few final photos with your photographer immediately following your ceremony, and having a cocktail hour (60 minutes) with hors d'oeuvres will help to keep your guests happy while they mingle. Because we are in the business of happy guests, all of our packages all offer a basic cocktail hour platter. Ordering additional hors d 'Oeuvres is strongly encouraged, but not required. Your designated Event Manager is here to help along the way!

Our banquet staff will clear plates throughout the event, and start full facility cleanup at 11pm. Please remember that you are responsible for the décor items that you bring in. Your personal items are valuable. To ensure that nothing gets lost as our staff cleans up at night, we encourage all valuables to be removed prior to the reception end time. All décor must be removed no later than midnight to avoid an additional fee. Custer State Park Resort is not liable for lost or stolen items.