My Big Day Events Blog: Weddings, Events, Deals, Ideas, Planning, Colorado in the Know!

10 Tips to Party Safely

9/23/2021

At My Big Day Marketing & Events, event safety is important to us. As an all-women team, some of us have experienced firsthand dangerous situations – and even sexual assault – at parties. While we’re all about fun, everyone needs to feel safe to enjoy themselves.

As we enter the holiday party season, here are some tips for both men and women to celebrate safely.

1. Use the buddy system. If you’re going with a large group, divide into pairs so each person is responsible for one other. It’s much easier to keep track of one person after a few drinks than to try to remember who you came with and be sure everyone is accounted for. So buddy up, and look out for your partner throughout the night. Make a plan for how you’ll get home at the end of the night, and don’t leave until your partner is accounted for.

2. Never leave drinks unattended. It takes less than a second for someone to slip a substance into your drink without your knowledge, and date rape drugs are designed to be odorless, tasteless, and colorless. Don’t trust that your friend or acquaintance watched your drink the whole time you were in the bathroom or getting some fresh air.

3. Don’t accept drinks from others. For the same reasons you should never leave your drink unattended, you also should not accept drinks from others. This includes your friends, who may have set the drink down and inadvertently given someone else the chance to add unwanted substances to it. Likewise, don’t drink from communal containers.

4. Maintain situational awareness. Be aware of your surroundings. This is easier said than done when you’ve been drinking, which is why it’s important to utilize the buddy system and pace your consumption.

5. Keep an emergency kit with you. Have a small kit with your ID, phone, keys, and cash or credit card that you can keep on you at all times. Do not set this down or keep it in a loose pocket. If you have space, a phone charger or backup battery is also a good idea.

6. Eat and drink (water) first, and throughout the night. Not only will this give you energy to get through the night, it will lessen the negative impacts of drinking alcohol.

7. Set limits and pace yourself. Decide before you start drinking how many drinks you plan to have. Keep a tally on your phone or have a sober buddy keep track for you. Picking a number and having someone keep you accountable are the easiest ways to keep your intoxicated self from having “just one more.”

8. Avoid conflicts. Small arguments can escalate quickly into physical altercations with alcohol in the mix. If someone tries to provoke you, walk away and do not engage them. If you’re being harassed, it’s time to leave, but make sure to leave with a group.

9. Trust your gut. Sometimes your gut knows more than you do. If a situation feels “off” or uncomfortable, don’t hesitate to leave. It doesn’t matter if you just arrived, or if the party is ending in just a few minutes. It’s never too early or too late. Put your safety first.

10. Avoid alcohol. If you’re in an unfamiliar place and surrounded by strangers, skip the booze. You will be more alert and aware of what’s going on around you. Drinking is best reserved for when you’re with a group of people you know and trust.

Put yourself first, and get home safe this holiday season. Our team looks forward to celebrating safely with you for many years to come. Get in touch now and let us plan your next event!

Contact MBD Marketing & Events

Small Business. Big Impact.

Phone: 970-613-1455 or 303-886-3068

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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

Staying Safe This Fall, While Still Having Fun!

9/14/2021

The MBD Marketing & Events team supports a number of non-profits across the front range who serve families and children. Knowing that Halloween is just around the corner, and COVID is still here at full strength, we are getting tons of questions around event safety.

While we are event experts, we are not the CDC. We follow our county, state and government recommendations closely so that we can help our clients make educated decisions.

If you are wondering what you can do to safely enjoy Fall Festivities, this blog is for you!

Summer is almost over and with the Fall season right around the corner it is not too soon to start thinking about Halloween. In 2020 our entire world was rocked by the pandemic with most of our favorite events and activities canceled or closed. So for 2021 we are wondering, will we be able to check everything off our Autumn Bucket List in a way that is safe?

1. Outdoor Gatherings are the Safest
We have all been told that being outdoors is the best way to be in larger groups of people. If we can keep our distance and we are outside, we do not even need to wear masks! According to an article from USA Today, experts said “that activities such as visiting a pumpkin patch, going apple picking and other outdoor events generally pose a lower risk for you and your family.”[1]
Thank goodness for the AMAZING Fall weather we have in Colorado! Tons of outdoor time is possible here.

[1] https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2021/09/11/halloween-hayrides-experts-explain-covid-risks/8276516002/

2. Halloween Themed Masks are Fun and Safe!

Wearing a mask on or around Halloween has been a popular thing to do long before COVID entered our lives. Luckily now your fun or spooky Halloween mask. Can also help protect you and others at Halloween events and parties! Prevention.com informs us that, “Halloween costumes actually originated from the ancient Celtic tradition of dressing up to ward off wandering spirits on October 31—so this might be the only year when doctors and druids alike agree that your costume is necessary to keep you safe.”[2]

[2] https://www.prevention.com/health/g33584965/halloween-face-masks-covid-coronavirus/

3. Vaccinations
We' are all aware of the available vaccine. And soon it could be available for children. According to a Forbes article “Vaccines for children ages 5 to 11 could potentially come as soon as October under a “best case scenario,” Dr. Scott Gottlieb, the former Food and Drug Administration (FDA) chief who serves on Pfizer’s board.”[3]

[3] https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2021/09/12/covid-vaccines-for-kids-could-be-approved-by-halloween-under-best-case-scenario-gottlieb-suggests/?sh=30260500378a

4. Find Alternative Ways to Stay Festive

From Halloween movie marathons to decorating the house as spooky as you’d like, you can get creative with how you celebrate Fall and Halloween festivities. A fun way to celebrate with your neighbors and friends from a distance is “Boo-ing” them! Click here on more information on how to “BOO!” https://indywithkids.com/how-to-boo/[4]

[4] https://indywithkids.com/how-to-boo/

5. Attend Noco’s Drive Thru Trick-or-Treat

A socially distanced Halloween for families, with something for everyone. Picture a reverse parade! Kids can trick-or-treat safely from their car window. Families will slowly drive through a long series of Halloween scenes decorated by local businesses, schools and nonprofits. COVID safety measures will be in place. Last year this event sold out in just 5 minutes, so we recommend you follow the TEF FB event page to learn about ticket sale date/time.
*This is a fundraiser for Thompson Education Foundation.

Link: https://www.facebook.com/events/140202334926374?active_tab=about

Covid Response - Events during the Delta Variant

9/9/2021

Covid Response - Events during the Delta Variant

After a year of virtual and hybrid events, we thought our industry had turned the corner. We were ready and we were confident with in-person events. We began advising clients that it was safe to gather together once again. Our calendar was bursting at the seams. Events were back, and they were back BIG.

And then, just as we were getting used to our new “new normal”, this pesky rumor started circulating around industry bulletins -- a new, more dangerous variant of the coronavirus was making its rounds. The Delta variant was here. Not an announcement worth celebrating.

Events during a global pandemic

This past year and a half, the events industry has had to learn to adapt quickly. Shifting on the fly from fully in-person to full cancellations to hybrids to covid safe events has been a metamorphosis to behold. The change in dynamics within our company alone has been amazing to witness. And while we can all agree it has been one of the most challenging periods, the growth that we have seen - both personally and professionally - has been life and business-changing.

We (My Big Day Marketing & Events) have learned a lot during the pandemic. We have discovered how to creatively manage and pivot live, in-person events, into exciting and engaging virtual and hybrid events. We have figured out ways to deliver points of connection for our communities and clients in covid-safe events when it hasn’t been safe to gather together. And while we are more than ready to be back together, celebrating weddings, anniversaries, business milestones, and community accomplishments live and in-person, we know that we can continue to do so in creative ways until it is safe to do so together in one place.

Our Covid-Safe Practices

Event planning begins months and sometimes over a year out. We have been living and workin moment by moment, day by day, following every recommendation and order by our counties, our state and the CDC. Our clients are counting on us to help them decide what events to keep and how to 'get creative.'

We are making sure that we are keeping our clients and our employees safe by implementing and following all CDC recommended guidelines and best practices for events that take place in person. This means we are:

Recommending social distancing and masks at all in-person events, regardless if they are planned for indoors or outdoors. We post signage and reminders at every event that we host and manage.
Proposing that all of our clients only plan for pre-registration or RSVP events only. This is extremely helpful in the event of potential exposure and a subsequent notification trail. Thorough records and signed guest waivers -- where guests indicate that they are not experiencing any covid symptoms or have not knowingly been exposed -- are helpful tools.
Providing multiple PPE stations throughout the event venue. We always come prepared with plenty of hand sanitizer, wipes, extra masks, and gloves for our employees and guests.
Implement symptom monitoring protocols upon request. Clients may request that we provide waivers for guests to sign, stating that they are symptom-free. We also can check for temperatures and provide screening questions.
Strongly encouraging unvaccinated individuals to wear masks.
Providing touchless points of service during the event. This means we recommend shifting from buffet service to plated, full service, or boxed meals. This also means online or live auctions for fundraising events instead of hand-written bids for silent auctions.

How We Are Planning for the Fall and Beyond

Typically during this time of year, our workload consists of venue tours and vendor meetings for the busy upcoming holiday party season. And while our calendars are still filling up with community events, non-profit fundraisers and weddings, many of these are hopeful events for later, reaching further into 2022.

Unfortunately, we are feeling the effects of this latest surge in hospitalizations due to the Delta Covid Variant. With the new CDC recommendations that everyone - regardless of vaccination status wear masks indoors, businesses and corporations are rethinking their holiday parties and celebrations. Many are canceling. Our own MBD team is even considering hosting a virtual holiday party happy hour instead of gathering together, just to play it safe.

Moving Forward

As we move forward, we will continue to create events with multiple scenarios in mind. We aim to have a plan A, B, and sometimes a C in place -- just in case lockdowns, restrictions, and other regulations are put in place by the government and local agencies.

Part of being an event planner means being prepared for anything and everything. This is the nature of the job. We must say, however, that it is getting somewhat tiresome, trying to keep up with all of the constant changes that this pandemic has thrust upon our society and industry as a whole. We have had to add the title of “community health expert” to our role, and that is a hefty expectation to fill. We are learning on the fly - and we’re just as scared and confused as the next person. That is why we rely on experts to lead and guide our decisions.

We have learned a lot over the last year - a lot of new, exciting, and somewhat scary stuff. We hope that if we can continue to apply what we have learned, listen to each other, and follow guidelines with each other’s health and safety in mind - we’ll find that normal we are all so desperately wanting again.

11 Ways to Stay Safe at College Parties

9/7/2021

MBD Marketing and Events is working hard to support the Colorado State funded campaign, "No DUI Larimer" which is in its 5th year of DUI prevention and education. This month we are focusing on safe partying. With so many universities in a concentrated area, we have thousands of college students back to school this Fall. Statistically, this time of year yields this highest number of DUIs, fatal accidents and hospitalizations for young adults.

Every August, Larimer County welcomes tens of thousands of college students back to campuses in Fort Collins and Loveland (and in the other university towns that surround us). With that influx of students comes increased DUI risk, especially for freshmen in their first six weeks of school. Research shows that not only are these first six weeks the most risky, they are the time college students form drinking habits for the remainder of their time at school.

At No DUI Larimer, we don’t expect college students not to drink (or use marijuana). Instead, we encourage safe drinking and use habits.

Whether you’re new to college this year or about to graduate, try these tips to stay safe at your next college party.

Go with a buddy – If you’re going with a large group, divide into pairs so each person is responsible for one other. It’s much easier to keep track of one person after a few drinks than to try to remember who you came with and be sure everyone is accounted for. So buddy up, and look out for your partner throughout the night. Make a plan for how you’ll get home at the end of the night, and don’t leave until your partner is accounted for.

Eat and drink (water) first – Not only will this give you energy to get through the night, it will lessen the negative impacts of drinking alcohol.

Don’t leave drinks unattended – It takes less than a second for someone to slip a substance into your drink without your knowledge, and date rape drugs are designed to be odorless, tasteless, and colorless. Don’t trust that your friend or acquaintance watched your drink the whole time you were in the bathroom or getting some fresh air.

Don’t accept drinks from others – For the same reasons you should never leave your drink unattended, you also should not accept drinks from others. This includes your friends, who may have set the drink down and inadvertently given someone else the chance to add unwanted substances to it. Likewise, don’t drink from communal containers.

Maintain situational awareness – Be aware of your surroundings. This is easier said than done when you’ve been drinking, which is why it’s important to utilize the buddy system and pace your consumption.

Keep an emergency kit with you – Have a small kit with your ID, phone, keys, and cash or credit card that you can keep on you at all times. Do not set this down or keep it in a loose pocket. If you have space, a phone charger or backup battery is also a good idea.

Plan ahead, and stick to your limits – Decide before you start drinking how many drinks you plan to have. Keep a tally on your phone or have a sober buddy keep track for you. Picking a number and having someone keep you accountable are the easiest ways to keep your intoxicated self from having “just one more.”

Pace yourself – Just as important as the number of drinks you consume are the intervals at which you consume them. A good rule of thumb is one (or fewer) drinks per hour. Three shots taken in three minutes will leave you far more intoxicated and at-risk than three shots taken over the course of three hours.

Don’t leave with someone you don’t trust – Don’t trust your instinct that someone seems like a good person when you’re intoxicated. The best plan is to leave with the buddy you arrived with. If you can’t, make sure your friends know when you are leaving and who you are leaving with, and that you have a way to call 911 in case of an emergency.

Don’t walk alone – Especially after dark, stay on well-lit, busy streets as much as possible and don’t stray from your buddy. This helps keep your buddy safer, too.

Make the Call for a sober ride home – If you drove, biked, or walked to a party but don’t feel you can get home safely, leave your car or bicycle secured and get a ride home. Even if something happens to your vehicle, your life is far more valuable. You can ride with your friends, or, if you become separated from them, send a text or leave a voicemail letting them know when you’re leaving and which ride service you’re using. If you live in Larimer County, get $10 off a zTrip ride by texting #NoDUI to 970-224-2222. This code can be used once a month, every month. Or, check out our list of all ride services available in northern Colorado.

Follow No DUI Larimer on Facebook and Instagram for more safe drinking tips and local news.

Favorite Colorado Wedding Venues

9/6/2021

With 15 years in the business, the My Big Day team has seen a lot of wedding venues. Over the years, we’ve developed rewarding working relationships with some of our favorite venues that brides and grooms rave about year after year. Don’t plan your Colorado wedding without checking out these venues:

YMCA of Estes Park
The YMCA of Estes Park in the picturesque Rocky Mountains is inclusive and affordable. Lodging and catering are available on-site, along with outdoor activities so you can choose to make a whole weekend out of your visit. Various locations on the property accommodate anywhere from 15-450 guests. Get married indoors or in the mountain air. The YMCA schedules weddings throughout the week.

More information, including the wedding pricing guide, is available here.

Contact the Special Events Coordinator at 970-586-3341 ext.1024 or weddingsepc@ymcarockies.org.

Silverthorne Pavilion

Weddings at the Silverthorne Pavilion include an outdoor ceremony space and industrial indoor reception space. This venue offers alcohol services, use of the grounds, setup of tables and chairs, access to a centerpiece materials closet, use of sound systems, bride and groom suites, and an on-site attendant. Kitchen use, A/V equipment and tech support, and fireplace use are available for a fee. Silverthorne is located near several Rocky Mountain attractions, making it ideal for destination weddings.

For more details, email alydon@Silverthorne.org or call 970-262-7391. 2021 rates, fees, and floor plans are available online.

Lone Tree Creek Event Center

The Lone Tree Creek Event Center is a DIY venue with a beautiful, rustic backdrop. Get married in the grassy fields surrounding the venue and follow up with a reception inside the modern barn.

To get a quote, reserve a date, or for any other questions, call 970-405-7057.

Della Terra Mountain Chateau

Della Terra is Mountain Luxury at its finest. Located in Estes Park, nestled up alongside Rocky Mountain National Park, guests can enjoy a true chateau, fresh mountain air, and the occaisional woodland guest during a ceremony.

You can reach one of their planning experts at 970-586-2501 or weddings@dellaterramountainchateau.com

To get started planning your wedding with My Big Day at one of these venues, contact us here or call 970-613-1455. Follow us on Facebook for wedding planning tips and to see our most recent work.

10 Tips to Party Safely

Staying Safe This Fall, While Still Having Fun!

Covid Response - Events during the Delta Variant

11 Ways to Stay Safe at College Parties

Favorite Colorado Wedding Venues

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