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While the physical toll of this pandemic has been highly publicized and studied, we are just beginning to understand the social and emotional effects of this pandemic. Isolation and social distancing, while proven to help limit the spread of the virus, can also have long-term effects on individuals and society alike. One of the most visible social effects of this pandemic is the cancellation of many important milestone celebrations. This has been an issue that is at the forefront of our industry, but it has been felt far beyond. Milestones and events like weddings, graduations, anniversaries, birthdays, and funerals have all been impacted.  Why celebrating and acknowledging milestones is important: Celebrating milestones is how we as a society commemorate the progression of life. These celebrations serve as a connection - with family and friends and beyond. Missing these events can prove to be more than disappointing - they can affect emotional and social development milestones as well, especially in children and youth. While one benefit of social distancing is more dedicated time with family, we miss out on the connections with others that contribute to our development and emotional well-being. Important milestones are visual and experiential representations of growth. Without them, we miss opportunities for growth. Practical solutions: Cancelling important events and milestones can be hard to process - not just for children and youth, but for everyone involved. Milestones are typically “once-in-a-lifetime” events. Processing the disappointment of losing these moments is extremely difficult. Some strategies that might help ease the pain of these missed milestones are:
Ideas and recommendations for celebrating during Covid: As experts in the event planning industry, we have been tasked with coming up with creative solutions for celebrating milestones during these unprecedented times. We have developed and discovered ways in which our clients can safely celebrate life’s most important events. Here are just a few examples of alternative celebration opportunities: Birthdays We’ve already highlighted a variety of ways in which you can help someone feel special on their covid birthday. Our blog “10 COVID-Safe Ways to Make Your Child’s Birthday Special” is full of great ideas that can be adapted to celebrate someone at any age! Graduations Graduations bring a feeling of pride for both graduates and their families. Cancelled graduation ceremonies are difficult to replace, but there are some alternative options that will still allow you to celebrate these great accomplishments!
 Weddings If Covid has forced you to postpone your dream wedding and reception, why not consider the following as an alternative?
 Anniversaries While anniversaries tend to be celebrated by just the couple alone, COVID restrictions can still make planning a fitting celebration difficult. There are a ton of special date night options that can be planned to mark this milestone, but here are a few ideas that go beyond ordering in dinner and a movie:
Funerals Funerals might just be the most difficult event to miss. Families and friends often need the closure and social support that a funeral provides. Social distancing guidelines and the nature of a funeral make it even more difficult to plan. While postponing may be a viable option, some families might not want to delay or prolong this part of the grieving process.
Social Entertainment Just because you can’t frequent your favorite bar or restaurant together, it doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy some fun together while keeping safely apart!
When it comes to celebrating missed milestones, creativity provides limitless possibility. While we know that nothing will ever bring back the actual missed opportunities of these special moments, planning to intentionally acknowledge them is a good practice to adopt. Everyone deserves to celebrate these special times. If you would like help in planning a virtual milestone celebration, please reach out to our talented team of event planners and memory makers. We can help you plan an event that you and your family and friends will remember forever.  Contact My Big Day Marketing & Events Phone: 970-613-1455 or 303-886-3068 Email Us We serve the entire Front Range; Denver, Southern Wyoming, the CO Mountains, and Northern Colorado: Loveland, Fort Collins, Greeley, Windsor, Berthoud, Estes Park, Lyons, Longmont, Boulder, Wellington, Johnstown, Evans, Severance, Timnath, Mead, Frederick, Firestone, Milliken  One of our many passions is supporting local non-profits in our community. The Family Center/La Familia is an agency that is a vital resource in our community. We are proud to be their trusted partner in 3 core areas: Events, Marketing and Development. As part of our development focus, we launched their "GROW" campaign, which is an effort to grow their monthly, continuous donors. This is the best way for a non-profit to predict what resources they can offer based on projected donations. With the help of a couple strong community partners, our campaign has received $30,000 in just the first month as a way to kick-start our lofty $100,000 goal. Below is the public statement made about this initiative. Over the course of three months, Fort Collins Foothills Rotary helped raise $93,000 to benefit six local organizations who are directly serving families impacted by the pandemic: Food Bank, Rescue Mission, Neighbor to Neighbor, La Familia/The Family Center, Teaching Tree, and Putnam Elementary. This was in cooperation with each organization's fundraising efforts and partnering with Community Foundation of Northern Colorado. We are SO thankful for the heart Foothills Rotary Club of Fort Collins has for Early Childhood Education. Their 10k donation was a great kick-off to our GROW campaign, and a 20k donation from the Community Foundation of Northern Colorado is such a blessing. We are filled with gratitude! "With the generous contribution made by the Foothills Rotary Club of Fort Collins and the Community Foundation of Northern Colorado we will make the required concrete leveling of the preschool playground and install a long lasting and secure fence around it. This work has been desired for a long time and thanks to this funding it will be possible!" -Gloria Kat, Executive Director & Family Support Services Director
If you are able to give a little extra, we encourage you to support The Family Center/La Familia. Their GROW Campaign can be found HERE. Thank you for supporting us and the community we serve. -My Big Day
Contact My Big Day Marketing & Events Phone: 970-613-1455 or 303-886-3068 Email Us We serve the entire Front Range; Denver, Southern Wyoming, the CO Mountains, and Northern Colorado: Loveland, Fort Collins, Greeley, Windsor, Berthoud, Estes Park, Lyons, Longmont, Boulder, Wellington, Johnstown, Evans, Severance, Timnath, Mead, Frederick, Firestone, Milliken Many couples – including some of our My Big Day couples – are opting to elope rather than postpone or cancel weddings due to Covid-19. We did the work and searched lists of unique elopement locations in Colorado and Wyoming – here are our top 5 picks for each state.  Colorado
 2. Maroon Bells (Aspen) – These incredible mountains are Colorado’s most photographed spot. What to know: You must reserve the amphitheater for a $200 fee to have your ceremony at the Bells. Slots are released a year in advance, and regular Bells guests are still allowed to visit the site, so weekdays are your best bet. Plan for afternoon thunderstorms in the summer. If you want fall colors, aim for September. Consider going early for stunning sunrise ceremony photos and no tourists photobombing your wedding. If you have urgent questions about your wedding or conditions at the Bells, you’ll need to call the ranger station. 3. Denver Botanic Gardens at York Street (Denver) – The gardens offer a wide range of backdrops, from water and rose gardens to greenhouses. Another perk: The downtown Denver location makes this a convenient site for couples. What to know: Fees vary by location in the gardens, and it can be pricey, but you will save on travel fees from your florist, photographer, and officiant. You can bring your own alcohol for an intimate couples’ champagne toast. Click HERE to submit an inquiry.  4. Pikes Peak (Colorado Springs) – This scenic mountaintop offers a view all the way to Kansas on clear days. What to know: No need to hike – weather permitting, you can drive to the top of Pikes Peak. No permits and no fees, but keep in mind that tourists can come and go throughout your ceremony and no décor is allowed.  5. Guanella Pass (Georgetown) – A valley with breathtaking blue-green hills and water features. This is a fantastic backdrop for moody photos that are even more stunning during cloudy summer afternoons. What to know: No permits, no fees, no reservations. Wyoming 1. St. Alban’s Chapel (Centennial) – Historic, open-air chapel surrounded by beautiful scenery, including a lake. What to know: The chapel is usually accessible only in the late summer. It must be reserved for a small fee through St. Matthew’s Cathedral. Despite being called a chapel, the structure is very old and not quite a building, so there are no restrooms. You will not be allowed to decorate the structure because of its age, but you won’t need to! 2. Lake Marie (Medicine Bow National Forest) – A beautiful, green-blue lake with a snowy mountain backdrop. What to know: This location is drive-up friendly, but only accessible during the late summer when Highway 130 is open. Click HERE to see whether the area is currently open. No permits, no fees, no guaranteed reservations.  3. Schwabacher Landing (Grand Teton National Park) – A spectacular viewpoint on Snake River with easy access to the water and reflections of the majestic Teton Mountains. What to know: Snowy spring and winter weather can make the gravel road impassable, so plan for a summer or fall ceremony. Bring your camera for wildlife sightings. No permits, no fees, no guaranteed reservations and no decorations allowed. Note that the area is popular with fishermen and tourists snapping photos. 4. The Wedding Tree (Jackson Hole) – Aptly named, the tree provides a natural arch to get married under with a view of the Grand Tetons in the background. What to know: You will need to take a trail from the parking lot (about 5 minutes), and then get off the trail to access the tree, so carry your heels and put them on at the tree. Camping is no longer allowed. A permit is required; contact the Bridger-Teton National Forest Office at (307) 739-5500. Aim for a fall or summer event so the roads aren’t snowed out. 5. Albany County Courthouse (Laramie) – If the wilderness isn’t your style, consider getting married at the Albany County Courthouse in Laramie and taking photos in front of the picturesque building. What to know: You will need to make your own arrangements for an officiant. If you would like to get married in the courthouse, there are several judges who perform marriage ceremonies, or you may bring your own ordained minister; contact information can be found HERE. As with any wedding in Wyoming, a marriage license is required prior to the ceremony. Ceremony fees vary by officiant. Same-sex marriages are allowed under Wyoming law. You don’t have to cancel your wedding if you were planning to get married this year. We believe the only ingredients required for a wedding are two people who want to spend their lives together. Contact us at mybigdayevents@outlook.com for help planning your elopement or micro-wedding!  Contact My Big Day Marketing & Events Phone: 970-613-1455 or 303-886-3068 Email Us As event planners, we serve the entire Front Range; Southern Wyoming, the CO Mountains, and Northern Colorado: Loveland, Fort Collins, Greeley, Windsor, Berthoud, Estes Park, Lyons, Longmont, Boulder, Wellington, Johnstown, Evans, Severance, Timnath, Mead, Frederick, Firestone, Milliken  Keep it small. Obviously, large gatherings are off the table right now. But birthdays can be just as special with immediate family members. Research shows kids find these birthdays just as meaningful and memorable as a big, expensive party. Create anticipation. Build up to the big day - present your child with seven envelopes, each containing a small privilege (15 minutes of extra screen time, 30 min. later bedtime, etc.) He can open one each day in the week leading up to his birthday. Celebrate the night before, too. This is a great way to help your child reflect on and feel proud of another year of life, minus the distraction of presents. Take this time to give them some special attention instead of material things. Surprise decorating. Decorate with balloons, streamers, and signs while your little one is sleeping. It will be a fun surprise and a great photo op in the morning! Entertainment via Zoom. Parents can book a virtual professional magic show or a video chat with Elsa. Check out Send In the Clowns .  Go for a birthday cruise. Deck out your family car with decorations and special messages written on the windows and drive around town! Your child is sure to get lots of honks and happy birthdays from passerby. Go on an outdoor scavenger hunt. Divide into teams with one adult and one or more kids each, and set out with a list of items and some phones or digital cameras. Have each team snap photos of a purple flower, someone with a stroller, a house number with the birthday child’s age. Give them a “Yes Day.” Let the birthday child choose all the day’s meals and activities (within reason of course). Let them create their own cake. The birthday child chooses the cake flavor, fillings or frosting, and decorations. It will be all the more special because it was their creation. Big-kid smash cake. If you don’t mind some clean-up, put a twist on the traditional toddler smash cake and let the entire family eat cake sans utensils. Laughs guaranteed!  Contact My Big Day Marketing & Events Phone: 970-613-1455 or 303-886-3068 Email Us As event planners, we serve the entire Front Range; Southern Wyoming, the CO Mountains, and Northern Colorado: Loveland, Fort Collins, Greeley, Windsor, Berthoud, Estes Park, Lyons, Longmont, Boulder, Wellington, Johnstown, Evans, Severance, Timnath, Mead, Frederick, Firestone, Milliken  |
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970-613-1455 or 303-886-3068 EMAIL US
We serve the entire Front Range; Denver, Southern Wyoming, the CO Mountains, and Northern Colorado: Loveland, Fort Collins, Greeley, Windsor, Berthoud, Estes Park, Lyons, Longmont, Boulder, Wellington, Johnstown, Evans, Severance, Timnath, Mead, Frederick, Firestone, Milliken
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