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

Fallicious Cocktails

10/20/2014

-by Randi Juric

Oh, it’s that time of year! Cool weather, warm smells, fall colors and Pumpkin!
It’s cocktail time.!!! There are so many new recipes out there for that special fall taste. After doing a little research My Big Day has found our top 3 favorites for this season. From hot to cold it was a lot of hard work and took many hours. We started with the warm and worked over to the cold.

It was a tough call to pick our favorites. There are so many good ones to choose from. The highlight for us was the moonshine. It comes in a plethora of flavors from apple pie, blueberry, blackberry to Pumpkin Spice Moon shine and it can be enjoyed on any kind of day. Hot or cold, it’s delish. We recommend trying the many flavors of fall.

Join us in our quest to taste the flavors of fall and find your recipe.

Please enjoy the recipes below!

Apple Pie Moonshine
2 quarts apple juice
2 quarts apple cider
2-4 cinnamon sticks
6 whole cloves
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 (750 ml) bottle of 100 to 150 proof alcohol such as vodka or Everclear®

Combine apple juice, cider, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and both sugars in a large stockpot. Heat over medium heat and bring almost to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cover. Simmer for about one hour. Cool completely.

Strain out cloves and cinnamon sticks and stir in alcohol. If giving as gifts, pour into sanitized mason jars. Otherwise, serve hot or cold garnished with a cinnamon stick and/or apple slice. Let stand for 5-10 days for potency.

Kahlua Hot Chocolate
   1                       Chocolate syrup drizzle
1                       Caramel, Salted drizzle
1/4 tsp            Cinnamon
1 1/2 tbs.         Cocoa powder, Dutch-processed unsweetened
1 Pinch            Nutmeg
2 tbs.               Sugar
2 cups             Milk
1                       Marshmallows, Mini
1 oz.                 Kahlua coffee liqueur (or pumpkin spice Kahlua)

In a medium saucepan, combine milk, sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon and nutmeg over medium heat until heated through, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Kahlúa. Serve immediately, garnished with mini marshmallows, salted caramel and chocolate syrup, if desired.

Pumpkin Cider Beertail
3 bottles of Blue Moon Harvest Pumpkin Ale
1/2 bottle Martinelli’s Sparkling Cider
4 cinnamon sticks
4 lemon wedges
a sprinkle of cinnamon

Start with a cinnamon stick. Place one in each glass or, in our case, each mismatched mason jar. Next, pour Blue Moon Pumpkin Ale until the glass is about three quarters full. Next, add your cider. You want a little bit of foam so don’t worry about extra bubbles.

Squeeze a little bit of lemon on top and place wedges on each glass for garnish. Last, add a sprinkle of cinnamon on the top! This brings the cinnamon aroma right into your nose as you take your first sip. Mmmm. (makes 4 glasses)

My Big Day has many events throughout the year but two of our favorites are coming up!

Halloween:
http://www.nocoboosandbooze.com/

New Year's Eve
http://www.eveningattheembassy.com/

2014 Halloween Costume Discounts in Northern Colorado

10/14/2014

Did you know....

If you purchase tickets to NoCo Boo's and Booze, (annual Halloween party in Fort Collins) the BEST costume shop in town will give you a discount! (Life of the Party)

We are SO happy to be giving our party attendees such tremendous value!
For each $25 Halloween Party ticket, you'll receive:

-- Event Entrance to the Exclusive Top Level Party
-- 2 Drink Tickets Per Person
-- DJ/Dancing
-- Costume Contest & Prizes
-- Discounted Bar Prices: Happy Hour ALL NIGHT!
-- Signature Cocktails
-- Free Appetizer and Sodas for DD's
-- Discount at Life of the Party Costume Shop
-- A donation to our chosen non-profit, Partners Mentoring Youth

TICKETS

Choosing a Menu for Your Fall Wedding

10/13/2014

- by Jessica Weimer

Fall is a great time to provide your guests with a unique experience at your wedding as well as with the menu. The foods in season now are very different than summer and offer a completely different experience. Take a look at these options for a fall wedding menu.

For cocktail hour a fun idea to start with could be fall inspired soup shots, such as butternut squash, this would be incorporating fall flavors and fall colors. Another great soup option is mini grilled cheese and tomato soup shots, a snack mainly enjoyed in the colder months will be sure to delight. Adding hot apple cider shots would be a nice touch for an outdoor cocktail hour as this would warm guests up as well as provide a traditionally fall treat.

When choosing a dinner menu, feel free to get creative, you could choose to do a traditional buffet with fall inspired dishes or you could do stations that are autumn themed.

One station idea could be a harvest station; this would have local cheeses, fresh fruit, an assortment of artisanal breads and vegetables to nibble on. It could also have flatbread pizza with a bunch of fresh cooked veggies on top. Anything that is in season should be on this table.

The next station you could offer is a biscuit bar. This would have freshly baked biscuits and toppings such as fried chicken, gravy, hot sauce and pepper jelly. This would be a creative and unique idea for your guests and it's perfect for fall!

A festive pasta bar with great fall toppings would be a yummy addition as well. This is where a caterer could get creative and see about adding pumpkin flavors as well as apple flavors and tossing it in with a cold or hot past a to get something delicious! They could also get creative with sauces and make a hearty tomato sauce to really spice up the pasta as well. The different colored pastas would match a fall theme too!

Don't forget the desserts! Fall is full of tasty dessert ideas! Mini pies are perfectly sized and can be a bunch of different flavors. This gives each guest the choice of what they want and the mini pies aren’t as much of a hassle as whole pies that you have to slice and serve. You can’t get any better than pie in the fall.

Also you could to a caramel apple bar. This could provide an apple for the guest to then top with different flavored caramels and chocolate and then have all sorts of different toppings such as candies or sprinkles.

Of course cake is a must have at your wedding, whether it be a small topper or a many tiered cake, this provides fun pictures and experiences. If you want to incorporate fall into your cake try flavoring a tier pumpkin spice or apple, or even decorate the cake to match your fall theme.

For more event inspiration, follow My Big Day on Pinterest: CLICK HERE
And to hire your very own event planner, CONTACT US!

Pre-Sale Tickets for NoCo Boo's and Booze now ON SALE!

10/2/2014

NoCo Boo's and Booze Annual Halloween Party PRE-SALE tickets are ON SALE now!

Every year the young at heart, and the truly brave gather to celebrate at the wildest Halloween Party in Northern Colorado.

Once a private celebration called, "Massacre on Mahogany," the demand has grown for a truly authentic, public Halloween party for adults in NoCo. The theme each year is as elaborate as it is frightening! The crowd is lively, the beer is flowing, and the costume contest gets better every year! This year marks our 7th annual bash!

Tickets include:
-- Event Entrance to the Exclusive Top Level Party
-- 2 Drink Tickets Per Person
-- DJ/Dancing
-- Costume Contest & Prizes
-- Discounted Bar Prices: Happy Hour Pricing ALL NIGHT!
-- Signature Cocktails
-- Free Appetizer and Sodas for DD's
-- Discount at Life of the Party Costume Shop
-- A donation to our chosen non-profit, Partners Mentoring Youth

The place to be this Halloween in Old Town! This is not your next-door neighbor's house party... and this is not a teenagers club night.
This IS the perfect party for adults looking for a night out!

Learn More

Event Site Review: Pelican Lakes, Windsor CO

7/31/2014

The My Big Day team recently interviewed Taylor with Pelican Lakes and Water Valley, Windsor's event center, wedding site and golf course.

Whether you picture an indoor or outdoor reception Pelican Lakes can accommodate your dream. Looking for a beach wedding in the mountains? The two are hard to find, but there is a sandy beach and small island, suitable for wedding vows in front of your guests (up to 180 people).

While some brides look for venues offering a DIY option, Pelican Lakes truly is a full-service option for brides who don't want to worry about juggling multiple vendors and contracts. All catering, bar, tables, chairs, and service staff are offered with their event package. While you may pay a little more up front, a full-service event package helps make your day stress-free. As event planners, the My Big Day team appreciate brides who hire us when booking with Pelican Lakes, as we are able to focus on the larger details and pampering our clients vs. setting up tables, chairs, lines, etc.

For corporate, company, or family events, the Water Valley Banquet Room is flexible, and offers some of the best views in Northern Colorado!

Not only is the event space kept very clean, the decor is a mountain/rustic theme, which appeals to most Coloradoans.

For more information about events at Pelican Lakes or the Water Valley Banquet space in Windsor, CO, visit their website HERE.

Event Site Review: Party Island

7/11/2014

Recently My Big Day visited Party Island in Fort Collins to learn more about their event spaces for our clients. Kelly Benedict gave us a fantastic tour!

With 3 different event spaces to pick from, up to a 400 person capacity, Party Island can be the perfect space for your next event, no matter what the occasion!

My Big Day often finds that some of our clients specifically seek out venues where you can choose your own caterer. Party Island does offer a preferred caterer list, but you can also 'pick your own!'

Their packages include something for everyone: a boat ride for you and your guests to/from the island, grills, fire pits, volleyball, water trampolines, canoes, slushie machines, stereo system, horseshoes, paddle boats and MORE!

My Big Day loves and original event venue... and Party Island is most certainly that! A tropical island in the middle of Colorado is certainly rare.

Contact Kelly at Party Island for more information:
islandpromotionevents@gmail.com

Event Site Review: Zoe's Cafe, Greeley CO

7/7/2014

Recently My Big Day visited Zoe's cafe in Greeley to learn more about their event space for our clients. Ben Fusco, the Director of Events gave us a fantastic tour!

With 3 different event spaces to pick from, an ideal soda bar, a stage perfect for a band or DJ, and with a 256 person capacity, Zoe's can be the perfect space for your next event, no matter what the occasion!

My Big Day often finds that some of our clients specifically seek out venues where you can choose your own caterer, and bring your own alcohol. Zoe's is one of the rare venues that allows both. Their basic package includes 2 bartenders, and security. Beer and wine can be provided by you! They don't enforce a preferred vendor list, so you can feel free to chose vendors of your liking.

In our opinion, the rental rate is extremely affordable, and the space is extremely flexible! My Big Day has assisted with a wedding at this location, and the staff was very accommodating. If you are researching venues for your next birthday party, holiday party, charity event, company event, shower or wedding, we highly recommend Zoe's Cafe in Greeley, CO!

How to Host a Great Sorority Social

7/1/2014

by Brooke Zeller, My Big Day

Let’s be real, most girls join a sorority to meet new people. Socials are a fun and unique way to meet other greek life members, so obviously for most sororities, socials are high on the list of important events. Coming up with social themes that haven’t been overdone or wore out can be a huge challenge. My Big Day has come up with a list of 5 sorority social themes to help your planning process run a little more smoothly.

1.    80’s Workout- Sure, we’ve all been to 80’s parties before, but this is an 80’s party with a twist…literally. Break out your neon leotards and scrunchies and put in an old VHS workout DVD. Not only will this fulfill your social goals, but it will boost your physical ones as well.

2.    Mad Hatter- Show off your favorite (or most ridiculous) hat by hosting an Alice in Wonderland tea party. Everyone can munch on pastel colored mini cakes and tea while entering contests like tallest hat, best hat, and ugliest hat.

3.    Geeks and Gangsters- See who can count cards the best and make the most monopoly money with a casino themed social in which everyone has to dress as either a geek or a gangster. Set up a couple tables including Blackjack and Texas Hold ‘Em so people have several options to choose from.

4.    Pajama Jam- This is a great social idea for finals or midterms because it’s comfortable and easy going. Wear your favorite pajamas and watch the latest blockbuster while cuddling up with popcorn and pillows.

5.    Draft A Date- Put a spin on the classic date dash in which sororities have a certain amount of time to find a date by making it an army themed party. The more camouflage, the better!

By putting a little twist on classic party themes, your socials can feel fresh and creative!

Affordable Event Rentals Now Available from My Big Day!

6/24/2014

As an added value to our clients, we now offer affordable event rentals! All My Big Day clients have access to our large list of party rental supplies.
Prices are listed, Additional rentals are available if you don't see what you're looking for, just ask!

A special thanks to Michelle Badger Photography for capturing all of our rentals on camera!

CLICK HERE to view party supply rentals from My Big Day Events

Event Site Review: Kress Cinema Lounge

6/9/2014

Recently My Big Day visited the Kress Cinema Lounge to learn more about their event space for our clients. The owners, Ron & Linde Thompson have done a great job making this space in historic downtown Greeley a desirable place to host a party, or to go for a fun date night out!

As an event rental option, the Kress Cinema Lounge offers multiple spaces broken out into rentals: the Fireplace Lounge, The Art Deco Bar, and the Theatre. You can also rent the entire facility by hour, by half day, or for the entire day. The entire space can hold up to 300 people.

In our opinion the rental rate is affordable, and the space is unique and fun! My Big Day has assisted with a holiday party at this location, and the staff was very accommodating. If you are researching venues for your next birthday party, holiday party, company event, shower or wedding, we highly recommend the Kress Cinema Lounge!