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Covid Response - Events during the Delta Variant
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:
 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.  Being in the event planning industry for 15 years, we have experienced ups and downs -- arguably more ups than downs! We have had the pleasure of creating and executing some awesome events, and undoubtedly awesome experiences and memories. Along the way, we have often had to educate our clients and the larger community on what it exactly is that we do. There are many myths out there regarding what it is we -- professional event planners -- do. Event Planners Like to Party All the Time, Party All the Time… While many of our events are actually parties or celebrations, we are actually working throughout all of the festivities.  It is a pleasure to watch our clients and their friends have fun. Occasionally, we get to participate, too -- just one of the many benefits of working in this industry. During any event, we are working tirelessly behind the scenes to make sure that everything is running smoothly. This event is the culmination of months and sometimes years of planning and hard work. Event planners are the cushion between the client and any emergencies that might arise. I Planned My Best Friend’s Wedding, So I Can Now Add Wedding Planner To My Resume! Wedding planning is a major part of event planning -- arguably an industry in and of itself. Weddings garner a lot of attention in this industry because of the romance, excitement, and drama that can surround this type of event. There are event planners that focus entirely on weddings. These planners are wedding planners.  Wedding planning and event planning are high-stress jobs. Planning your own wedding can certainly be stressful and of course, rewarding, but planning with someone else’s dreams and expectations at the forefront is something on an entirely different level. There are short timelines, cancellations, tight budgets, and other details that creep up that an event planner must tend to, on behalf of their client. It’s very different handling all of these for a paying client. Event Planners must have a keen business sense. They work for years to build organization, problem solving, and master communication skills. The Bigger the Better. When it comes to our clients and the events that we plan - no event is off limits. Big or small, we are ready to step in and make it a success.  It is a myth that event planners only work on large scale events. We have had the pleasure of planning all sorts of events from large garden parties and backyard concerts for 600+ guests to small, romantic wedding proposals. No event is too big, or too small for our team! Event Planning is Glamorous Hollywood tends to spin this myth. Movies such as 'The Wedding Planner' and pop-culture shows about wedding planning can make it seem that everything is luxurious and glamorous. In reality, event planning involves:
When you commit to becoming an event planner, you need to be prepared to be on your feet for hours upon hours. We have worn through many pairs of shoes, and oftentimes pack extra outfits and shoes as backup throughout the event. Event planning means always having an emergency kit ready for use. It means managing not only the details of the event, but also people and personalities, too.  A Well Polished Instagram is a True Reflection of What an Event Planner Does As we have already mentioned, Event Planning is not all fun and games. Event planners work evenings, weekends, early mornings -- we work until the job is done. In between the actual events, we focus on all of the work that goes into building and running a business. Why We Do What We Do We wouldn’t put up with tired and sore feet or Bridezillas if we didn’t love what we do. Nothing can replace the sense of pride and accomplishment that a successful event or campaign can provide. For 15 years we have enjoyed creating outstanding events. We have loved building healthy partnerships within the communities we serve. And, we absolutely look forward to what the next 15 years brings. We have a feeling it will be more connections, more memories, and more fun! Call our talented team of professional event planners to receive a consultation for your next event or life celebration!  Contact MBD Marketing & Events Small Business. Big Impact. 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  Summer is in full effect and as we begin to see the world open back up, a number of events are back in full force. A constant favorite is golf tournaments. Thompson Education Foundation is a partner with MBD Marketing and Events and this August we have planned their first ever golf tournament fundraiser! Planning an event for the first time always takes time and energy researching how others have done it in the past and asking for helpful tips from experts. While we have planned others, no client wants a carbon copy of someone else's event. Here are some ideas on how to make any golf tournament a success!  1. Location Location is key to a successful golf tournament. Christine with MBD Marketing and Events say that “It's great to have a committed and supportive golf course partner, as they can make all the difference in the success of the event!” Part of this process involves being prepared for bad weather so having a golf course that can accommodate tents or an inside venue for your guests is something to consider when choosing a location.  2. Number of Players and Inventory The location of the golf tournament can determine how many players you can accommodate. Some golf courses will open up the entire course for your event while others like to reserve only nine holes at a time. You also need to consider the style of play. Timed play, shotgun, 'best ball' or scramble? Each has pros and cons regarding timing. Once you have your head count confirmed, figuring out inventory such as golf carts, caddies, food, goodie bags and any other things needed for the event is important!  3. Food Depending on you golf course partner, food can be offered through their kitchen and snack carts! Now it is time to decide what will be offered to your players. Will you have an early start? Breakfast, mimosas and bloody mary’s are a great way to kick off your event! Maybe you have multiple starts throughout the day and would like to offer a buffet of finger foods instead. Some like to have a banquet after the tournament is over to celebrate and give out awards and say thank you to their guests. There are usually a lot of options when it comes to the food and snacks at a golf tournament. Food and beverage can be the greatest cost at any event, so weighing that cost with ticket prices for your foursomes to ensure monies are still being raised for your non-profit require careful planning and balance.  4. Fundraising Event Sponsors Is the golf tournament you are planning for a non-profit to help raise funds for a cause? Soliciting sponsors for each hole, snack cart, golf carts and to help ensure the players are well fed can be great ways to advertise local businesses while saving on costs. You can easily have 18 sponsors with 18 holes. The rest depends on how large the golf course is and how you would like to accommodate the other sponsors. Christine said that this was part of her more exciting and interesting aspects of the planning process stating, “Creating fun sponsorship opportunities and contests for our golfers brings me the most joy in golf tournament planning.”  5. Contests, Raffles and Giveaways! Planning interesting ways for your players to interact more than just playing golf at your event can really help peak guest interest. From trophies for all sorts of reasons to silent auctions, to having “Hole-in-One” prizes are all a great way to get your players excited to be there and hopefully to make them want to come back again to future events! Everyone loves to help raise money for a good cause but when you can add in a little extra fun with side bets and giveaways, people feel even more rewarded for being a part of a meaningful event! There are always unseen challenges, Christine said that “Making our tournament unique and special, so it's not like all the rest,” was one of her more challenging tasks. “Just like any event, there are tons of moving parts, so organization is key.” Remember to have fun and plan ahead! Happy Golfing!  Cheers to 15 years! My Big Day Marketing & Events is proud to be owned an opperated by outstanding women. We've been a lot of places and seen a lot of things. 15 years of hard work and community support. Thank you for being a part of our wild ride! Here is to 15+ more! Thank you to David Tutera for the shout out!  Contact MBD Marketing & Events Small Business. Big Impact. 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  MBD Marketing & Events is passionate about our work with nonprofits, and we are happy to announce that our client Partners’ first-ever NoCo Grocery Grab was a big hit! On April 30, MBD Marketing & Events brought TV’s “Supermarket Sweep” energy to Fort Collins’ Lucky’s Market, where winners of a month-long raffle won a shopping spree of $500, $750, or $1,000 in groceries. Camera crews were on hand to capture every moment, which will be revealed at a virtual watch party Wednesday, May 19. You might be wondering what went on behind the scenes planning Partners’ big Spring fundraising event this year…  After uncertainty surrounding Partners’ traditional St. Patrick’s Day 5K race this year – the fully-planned event was cancelled last minute due to COVID-19 last year – Partners needed a creative, alternate fundraising event. We designed this unique, COVID-friendly event to raise money for Partners and further their community involvement. After weeks of applications and waiting on our end, Partners received a raffle license through the state, and the event was on. We partnered with iHeart Radio and The VIA Company for production and promotions, including emcee and video production services during the event.
Our MBD team (with plenty of coffee in our systems), radio hosts, and raffle winners arrived at Lucky’s Market bright and early April 30, and each winning couple had the store all to themselves as they attempted to “spend” their winnings within a set timeframe. Volunteers completely reset the store between each round, so every raffle winner had a fresh shopping experience.
Partners, MBD Marketing & Events, Lucky’s Market, iHeart Radio, and The VIA Company collaborated on this event and were instrumental in securing this year’s spring funding for Partners’ work in our NoCo community. Please join Partners for a virtual NoCo Grocery Grab premiere watch party Wednesday, May 19th at 6:30pm, here.  Contact MBD Marketing & Events Small Business. Big Impact. 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  If you’ve been bingeing on wedding movies in preparation for your big day, titles like “The Wedding Planner,” “Bridesmaids,” and “Bride Wars” probably come to mind. We’ll admit, some of us enjoy a girls’ night in with these guilty pleasure films – but they’re not totally accurate in depicting the event planning world. Here are a few things the movies get wrong about what event planning REALLY looks like: The over-the-top weddings Movie weddings tend to be extravagant and exaggerated, which can set unrealistic expectations for brides-to-be. Many of the weddings shown in these rom-coms would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to recreate – some over a million dollars.  Since the average amount couples budget for a wedding in the United States is $33,900, these weddings aren’t feasible for most couples to recreate. The good news is that we can help you create a magazine-worthy wedding even if your budget is less than a sixth of that national average. The drama Sure, we’ve seen some drama, but not every bride is a Bridezilla, not every mother-of-the-bride has a vendetta against the couple, and not every corporate client is difficult to work with. In fact, we love our clients, past and present. Events are often stressful for clients. After all, it’s your big day, and there’s a lot at stake. But that’s why you hired us! Our job is to relieve that stress and keep the drama to a minimum so you can soak up every memorable moment. Still - sometimes real life is even MORE unbelievable What if the picturesque trolley you hired to shuttle guests to their hotels after your scenic mountain wedding can’t make it out of the icy parking lot? Or, what if a water pipe bursts in the wall just before your ceremony on a -20 degree day? Yes, we have seen those things happen. Event planning requires equal parts perfectionism and flexibility. You don’t want your event planner to be a deer in headlights when something doesn’t go according to plan. That’s why you hire us!  We don’t get involved in clients’ personal lives As tempted as we may be if our client were Matthew McConaughey, you won’t catch us out drinking and dancing with a groom-to-be. We help our clients navigate personal circumstances from a logistical perspective, but we won’t be hanging around outside of meetings or gossiping with family members. We work as a team Certainly, there are solo event planners out there who make it work. But we find that event planning works best as a team. Remember that burst water pipe we mentioned? While some of our team was collecting gushing water in trash cans and throwing it outside, the rest of us were seamlessly conducting a wedding ceremony in the next room – on time, we might add. Meet our team of talented women here. We don’t use code words Okay, we could do this if we really wanted to, but we find it works just as well to communicate discreetly about what’s really going on. We always strive for transparency when it’s appropriate. And when we’re trying to mitigate your stress on the day of your big event, we’ll handle it as a team behind the scenes.  The perfect vision takes planning – and lots of logistics If events magically fell into place, we’d be out of a job. Having a vision is great, but what happens when your dream venue doesn’t allow you to work with the outside caterer you had your heart set on? Weddings and all other events require juggling lots of moving parts. If you have an event planner from the start, you won’t run into these issues. But even if you come to us further along in the process, don’t worry – we are great problem-solvers. We don’t trash talk past clients with our current clients (and we certainly don’t take bets on how long marriages will last) These things are unprofessional – not to mention just in bad taste. We wish all of our clients – couples, families, small businesses, and large corporations – the best, and we strive to give you the best. We won’t be broadcasting your pre-ceremony breakdown or the frustration you expressed during a high-stress time. All this said, there are some films that do get it right. If you want to know what event planning is like behind the scenes, check out “Fyre” (a cautionary tale of event planning gone wrong), “The First Monday in May,” or “The Ultimate Wedding Planner.” Need more convincing? Read about our top 10 reasons to hire a wedding planner. P.S. – these reasons also apply to work events, concerts, and anything else you can dream up! Hire My Big Day – for business, for community, for love, and for fun.  Contact MBD Marketing & Events Small Business. Big Impact. 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  MBD Marketing & Events receives questions nearly daily about what events will look look yet this year. We know everyone is looking for hope and we would love to give it. While we are event experts, we are not health experts or fortune tellers. Here is what we can tell you: We cannot predict how the current global pandemic will play out. The best we can do if follow current government guidelines and plan ahead with no less than 3 plans in place for events. (Plan A, B and C) All of our events in the past year have included hybrid elements to allow for participation remotely for the sake of safety. Come summer 2021, we hope that there will be more opportunity to gather traditionally. We do not anticipate that events will be back to 'normal' this summer. We plan on delivering events with the assumption that there is a 'new normal'. This means: outdoors as much as possible, including square footage calculators as part of our planning metrics, social distancing requirements, PPE supplies, COVID waivers, fewer elements that involve touch, and hybrid elements. We remain hopeful, but cautious. Now is the time where our creativity and ingenuity shines. We LOVE supporting businesses, non-profits and YOU and your life events. Can we have events? YES! How? Leave the careful planning to us!  Contact MBD Marketing & Events
Small Business. Big Impact. 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  Cause partnerships – when businesses and nonprofits work together toward a mutually beneficial goal – are a company’s values put into action. MBD Marketing and Events values creativity and fun, trust, authenticity, visionary ideas, and partnerships, and we manifest each of those company values every time we are hired to collaborate with a nonprofit organization. We love working with clients with similar values and goals for our community. We believe we have a social responsibility to the northern Colorado communities we live and work in. Below are just some of the businesses and nonprofits we have worked with and the services they provide to better the lives of our NoCo neighbors  The Family Center/La Familia The Family Center/La Familia (TFC/LF) supports families in the Fort Collins area by providing affordable childcare, health education, adult education, and emergency assistance funding. TFC is proud to serve culturally diverse families and offers bilingual (English and Spanish) community based education, and we are proud to support The Family Center!  Teaching Tree Early Childhood Learning Center Childcare in Colorado is notoriously unaffordable; infant care for just one child would take up 21% of a median family’s income in our state. The Teaching Tree Early Childhood Learning Center offers quality, affordable childcare and early education to culturally and socioeconomically diverse Colorado families, with an emphasis on child development before the crucial age of five.  SummitStone Health Partners SummitStone Health Partners provides mental health support and addiction services in Larimer County, with locations in Fort Collins and Loveland. SummitStone is the largest behavioral health provider of Medicaid in Larimer County, providing care that would otherwise be unattainable for many in our community.  Realities for Children Founded by a former child protection case manager for Larimer County, Realities for Children provides for the unmet needs of children in northern Colorado who have been abused, neglected, or are at-risk. The organization provides emergency funding, youth activities, critical supplies distributions and collaboration with other child welfare agencies. Realities for Children exists to serve and empower children through immediate support, community education, and collaboration with other agencies.  Blue Federal Credit Union Blue Federal Credit Union (Blue FCU) was founded in Cheyenne, WY, and has a large presence in northern Colorado. Blue FCU builds company culture with their Do Good program, encouraging employees to volunteer on their own time and on behalf of Blue FCU at official events. MBD employees have spent time alongside Blue FCU employees building homes and working in thrift stores for Habitat for Humanity, and we recognize Blue FCU’s strong commitment to Realities for Children – this year, Blue FCU served as the presenting sponsor for the nonprofit’s largest annual fundraiser, Realities for Children NightLights.  Thompson Education Foundation Thompson Education Foundation (TEF) is a non-profit organization that provides educational opportunities for Thompson School District students and educators. TEF removes barriers and supports experiences students need to engage in their academic environment. My Big Day has enthusiastically partnered with TEF to bring unique events to the community and creative ways to fundraise during a global pandemic. We love being their Marketing & Events partner!  Partners Partners has been a nonprofit serving our community for over 40 years. Their mission is to empower youth and community members to achieve their full potential through mentoring, prevention education, and strategic partnership. Not only is MBD's owner, Christine, a former mentor with Partners, we are thrilled to be the planning team for their annual feature community event! Do you have a cause you want us to get behind? EMAIL US!
For nearly 15 years, My Big Day has been serving Northern Colorado in unique and creative ways... events, business development, media buying, marketing, website design, fundraising.... For over 25 years, Realities for Children has been supporting abused and neglected children in Northern Colorado through a wide range of services and with large event fundraisers. In 2020, Realities reached out to My Big Day to see if we would be willing to take on their annual NightLights campaign. During such a difficult year, fundraising was not the easiest job in 2020 - but MBD Marketing & Events rose to the challenge. Not only did we reimagine the event, we far exceeded their fundraising goal!  Here we are in 2021, and MBD has committed to a long-term partnership with Realities to manage all events and event marketing campaigns. This year will certainly present us with many challenges, but we are eager to help make a difference in so many children's lives. Carrie Stadtmueller is the event lead who will be managing all of the initiatives with Realities for Children. "I'm excited and honored to be be the lead on this full time contract, and even more so, because of the organization we are working with! Be on the lookout for some incredible ways to support children in our community!
 Contact MBD Marketing & Events
Small Business. Big Impact. 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  Non-Party Holiday Celebration Ideas Not ready for a virtual party but still want to show your employees you appreciate them this season? Check out these ideas for celebrating with them this year – no party needed. 1. High-end holiday gifts. Many employers are finding that the budget for hosting an in-person holiday party can easily cover very nice gifts for each of their employees. Trend forecasters have seen a surge in employer purchases of items like Apple AirPods and bluetooth speakers. Check out Swag in a Box to send custom employee gift boxes with your company’s branding.  2. Virtual group classes. Another trend in COVID-safe holiday experiences for employees is virtual group classes in subjects like cooking and crafting. Classes give employees a chance to bond outside the office, and a cooking class usually costs less per head than catering for your typical holiday office party. 3. Gift exchange. Organize an employee gift exchange via snail mail. Choose a White Elephant theme, or have employees choose gifts they think others would really like. Make sure to set a budget, and use a gift exchange tracking form to stay organized.  4. Virtual beer or wine tasting. Sites like Wine.com send tasting flights to your doorstep. Employees can do the tasting on their own time and view complimentary tasting walk-throughs on the website, or you can set up a virtual meeting for your employees to taste together. Colorado’s own Denver Microbrew Tour offers a structured 90-minute team building beer tasting activity starting at $200. 5. Virtual escape room experience. Colorado’s Conundrum Escape Rooms offers virtual events starting at $75 with a focus on teambuilding. Employees will solve a series of mysteries to “escape” and beat the challenge. Schedule easily online https://www.conundrumescaperooms.com. 
Contact MBD Marketing & Events
Small Business. Big Impact. 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 |
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My Big Day Company LLC 2021 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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