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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 [email protected] 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   By Carrie Stadtmueller, My Big Day Lead Event Planner & Marketing Manager Does the idea of accepting one more virtual happy hour invite with your co-workers and socially distanced friends fill you with a sense of loathing and dread? You might be suffering from the Zoom Blues! It’s been hard to watch the hopeful Summer of 2020 turn into the Summer that Wasn’t. People all over the world, country, and internet have been looking for ways to stay engaged and entertained - all while socially distancing and looking towards the slow process of reopening. We’ve pulled together an extensive list of activities for your summer at home - some just as fun and special as your traditional summer plans - check it out: Water Day Even though your public pool might not be open, that doesn’t mean you have to forego any water fun! Why not bust out your swimsuits and set up a sprinkler or slip-n-slide in the backyard? Cool off with some time in a refreshing kiddie pool - with a cocktail of course! If you have a small group of friends who you feel safe socializing distantly with, invite them over for a backyard game of Water Balloon Volleyball. You can spread out across the court - although we recommend that you find a facemask that matches your bathing suit ensemble.
Start a Virtual Book Club Use the encouragement of your friends to get excited about reading again! Take turns suggesting books, pick a regular date and time, and chat up your favorite characters and chapters! Bonus - have the person who suggests the book also come up with a special cocktail, beer, or wine for the evening, too!
Online Workouts If you’re like us, you may have noticed that quarantine hasn’t been your waistline’s best friend. How about gathering an online bestie for some Zoom/FaceTime at home workouts? There are thousands of fitness gurus who are offering exercise routines and advice on Instagram and Pinterest. Find your favorite and start sweating! Encourage your quarantine workout partner, and check in each week to keep each other accountable!
These are just a few fun ideas to pass your days away. While this time of social distancing is often boring, and thinking about how long it might last can be depressing, we hope you take the time to enjoy the little things. Adjusting to this time at home and social separations involves adjusting expectations. You can still feel like you have had a fun, productive and entertaining day with the right expectations. And at the end of the day, you can rest easy knowing that you have done your part to keep yourself, your family, and your community safe.  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 At a time when our world has been turned upside down and our business could have come to a screaching halt... we reinvented and reimagined what our business looks like. From March-July 2020 we have hosted 69 COVID-19 safe, socially distanced events & virtual/online events & fundraisers! Need help? We have experience! Contact My Big Day  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 Did you know NoCo’s farmers’ markets are still open this summer with social distancing measures in place? We’ve compiled a list of locations, times, and other details for you! If you are at increased risk for Covid-19, or live with someone who is, the Loveland Farmers’ Market even offers curbside pickup.  NOCO Virtual Farmers’ Market
 Fort Collins Farmers’ Market
10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
 Larimer County Farmers’ Market
Drake Road Farmers’ Market - now operated by Fort Collins Farmers’ Market (see above) Greeley Farmers’ Market
Loveland Farmers’ Market *curbside pickup available
 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 Congratulations, you’re engaged! Now what? Before you dive head-first into wedding planning, here are some of My Big Day’s to-dos immediately after you get engaged. 
 5. Discuss engagement length – Make sure you and your fiancé are on the same page about the length of your engagement and the timing of your wedding. For some people, a few months sounds just right. Others wouldn’t dream of an engagement lasting less than two years. You don’t have to pick a date yet, but make sure you and your future spouse’s priorities and timelines are in harmony. 6. Spend time together, alone – Celebrating your engagement can be great fun, but it can also be an overwhelming time that invites everyone’s opinions and advice – whether you ask for it or not. Take some time as a couple to have some fun dates and relax before throwing yourselves into wedding planning. 7. Brainstorm themes, budget, and guest list – Before you really start planning, have some casual conversations about your future wedding. Will it be an elopement, or a blowout event with 500 guests? Do you want to spend your savings on the wedding of your dreams, or would you rather have a small event and save the money for a honeymoon or down payment? 8. Hire a planner! – If we didn’t already help you plan your ideal engagement party, then this is where we come in. We offer packages tailored to large weddings or small weddings, full-service or day-of only, and everything in-between. Learn more about My Big Day’s wedding packages HERE.   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  My Big Day is a small business, and we know first hand how challenging it is right now to be a small business owner. As such, we are interviewing other small businesses so that we can help cross-promote them among our followers and offer support in this uncertain time. Today we are featuring John Buoniconti, the owner of Colorado Candy Company.  How long have you been in business? This is our fifth year in business. What inspired you to get into the candy-making business and how and why did you start The Colorado Candy Company? When I first moved to Fort Collins back in 1996, I applied to an ad in the newspaper that simply said. Do you like candy. Seasonal positions available. So I went to the address in the add and six years into working there I found myself trying to buy the business. The purchase didn’t work out and so I went and moved on. No matter what job I had, anytime someone asked me what my dream job was, the answer was easy, making candy. Then, in 2015 my wife and I bought and sold a business and decided to use the proceeds of the sale to start Colorado Candy Company. We came up with all original formulas for our products and started making candy batches in our home kitchen. I still remember making our first ribbon candy sitting on a kids stool in front of the oven to keep the candy warm. Once I knew the formulas were solid and we acquired some vintage candy making equipment, I knew I was going to need some help to get this business going. So I brought on two business partners, both long time friends of over 20 years. I actually met Brian at the original candy shop and he currently has 17 years of candy making experience. My second business partner Jade not only heads our packaging department but he is also a homegrown artist, born and raised in Fort Collins, Co. He actually made our two marble tables out of slabs from Marble, CO. He also has a piece of carved marble in the Benson Sculpture Park in Loveland, CO.
How has the recent COVID-pandemic impacted your business? Are other social, economic, environmental impacts that affect your business? Like many other companies, our business model has been turned upside down. We were mainly a wholesaler and this time of year most Of our business revolved around tourism and events like weddings and fairs. None of which are happening any longer. Now 80% of our business is from our online store but joining the online space at the same time as some many other businesses has proven very challenging. How do you currently market your business? We market CCC online thru both social media and Google and with small print articles. We also use digital billboard marketing as well as product sponsorships. Where can we - your consumers - find your products? Do you have an online shop, onsite store, or do you partner with other businesses to carry your products? We have both an online store as well as many brick and mortar retail customers alongside the front range and in surrounding states. You can find both on our website www.coloradocandycompany.com. Is there anything else you would like our followers and potential customers to know about The Colorado Candy Company or yourself? For the Love of Candy is not just our tag line but it is why we started this small family business. It is why we make small artisan batches with great ingredients. Colorado Candy Company is one of just a few candy shops left in this country that still makes thin hand spun ribbon candy.  Join us in supporting Colorado Candy Company! https://www.coloradocandycompany.com/ Insider tip.... Did you know you can purchase their candy, and food from other small businesses AND have it delivered through NoCo Virtual Farmer's Market? Check it out! https://nocovirtualfarmersmarket.com/shop-category/food/  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  We wanted to express our sincere gratitude to each and every person who was part of our 6 week pop-up fundraiser, "The Loveland Drive In". We have received countless compliments from the public and amazing PR around this event. This was a BIG DEAL for Northern Colorado, and we were proud to have served our community. Some rough estimates worth sharing: In 6 weeks, we were able to....
Thank you for supporting the Thompson Education Foundation and the small businesses who put this fundraiser on. And thank you for being part of our strong community!  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  The past two years, My Big Day has had the opportunity to work alongside the board and administrative team at The Family Center/La Familia. From our perspective, it has been an exciting, challenging, and fruitful partnership. The Family Center-La Familia hired our team of event planners to help them with their annual Fiesta fundraiser and party last fall. They were our first non-profit client, and the foundation on which we have built our new fundraising and non-profit support arm of our event business. Through our work with The Family Center-La Famila, we have also been able to grow the marketing side of My Big Day. We offer social media and overall marketing support for the non-profit, and have been able to use this experience to expand our business with other non-profits and organizations. We are extremely grateful that Deirdre Sullivan, the Executive Director of The Family Center-La Familia, took some time to offer feedback on our partnership, the work we’ve done together, and our goals for the future! What was it like for The Family Center-La Familia before you hired My Big Day to help plan fundraising events and provide marketing services for the organization? We were relying on volunteers and an overstretched Executive Director to do event planning, marketing, and donor development. After attempts to hire full time staff, proving costly and also lacking specific skills for these duties, bringing on content experts of MBD was the best decision we could have made! Events and marketing were unorganized, lacked consistency, took a back seat to all of the other priorities of the organization and ultimately wound up costing the organization (loss of donors, missed opportunities, etc.) What problem(s) were you trying to solve with our services? We desperately needed content experts for event planning, marketing and donor messaging support. In addition, because this work is sporadic based on times of year, month, etc. the ability to have a contracted firm do this, rather than a full time staff member, was a win-win! What was the obstacle that almost prevented you from purchasing our services? Funding for the nonprofit sector is ALWAYS the issue but MBD made its portfolio of services attainable for our budget and the return on this investment has paid off beyond what we imagined. What features sold you on buying this service/entering this partnership with My Big Day? Content expertise of team; efficiency of services; affordability; skills that NP sector don’t have; ability to have specific, task oriented services and not be paying for a marketing staff member to sit in unnecessary staff meetings, etc. MBD’s experience elevated the quality of our events and marketing significantly. What made you happiest about working with our company? Success with fundraising; independence in hitting the ground running with little to NO guidance, taking a huge burden off ED and board’s plate, increasing the professionalism of the organization through marketing and communications. What have you been able to achieve since using our services? Increased donor support and engagement, consistent messaging, increased social media presence, increased board engagement, incredibly successful and professional fundraising events What has exceeded your expectations since working with us? All of the above but mostly, the independence and leadership you’ve shown. I have never worked with a contractor who is so confident, able, and had the expertise to literally take the work off my plate and run with it...and succeed. What is the main reason you would recommend our services to another business or non-profit group? You (My Big Day) have expertise we lack in the sector and is hard to find in current Non-profit talent. You somehow straddle the perfect line in understanding the limitations, issues, etc. of nonprofits, how to communicate our message effectively, and you bring a professional skill set extremely needed in the nonprofit sector. You work efficiently, make the absolute best of our limited resources and need zero handholding of overstretched EDs/boards.   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 Like every small business, we are working on being as creative as possible to still keep ourselves busy working and supporting other businesses and Big dreams our clients have... but we need to be as safe as possible for ourselves, our families, and our clients. As such, the following policy will be posted at every event My Big Day is associate with - and must be signed by all participants. Event Consent during COVID-19 Pandemic |
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My Big Day Company LLC 2006-2023 www.MyBigDayCompany.com
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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