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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 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 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  Christmas in July? It may seem early, but now is the time to book your 2021 corporate or private holiday party with MBD Marketing & Events. As the world has opened up, demand for venues, hotel rooms, plane tickets, and event rentals have skyrocketed. We’re seeing venues booking events for 2022’s holiday season, so the time to reserve your ideal venue is NOW. 
Booking a venue is one of the first steps to planning any event, including holiday parties. Here is an example of a corporate holiday party planning timeline: 12 Weeks Out
8 Weeks Out
6 Weeks Out
4 Weeks Out
3 Weeks
1 Week
3 Days
1-2 Days
 When you book with MBD Marketing & Events, we do all the heavy lifting. Our holidays are already filling up with contracts, so book ASAP with our team of creative, experienced event planners for an unforgettable company holiday party.  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  While the world may be opening up after a year of isolation, fire season in Northern Colorado is forcing another alteration in many July 4th plans. There aren't very many fireworks displays planned to honor our nation's Independence, but that doesn't mean that there aren't other entertainment options! We've pulled together a list of 4th of July festivities for families and people of all ages. Make your holiday weekend plans here: Fort Collins
 Loveland
Wellington
 Greeley
 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 celebrates the big 1-5 in June – fifteen years of fun, dynamic, groundbreaking events powered by a team of outstanding women. We’re ready to start celebrating our achievements for the remainder of this year, so we’ve come up with a list of 15 (see what we did there?) ideas for celebrating a business milestone. Keep your eyes on MBD’s social media and website for our upcoming 15th anniversary celebrations, and in the meantime, enjoy these ideas for celebrating work milestones with your employees, coworkers, bosses, and customers.  Update company branding A big anniversary is a great time to implement updates to your company logo, website, tagline, and even name to better reflect your company’s current image and goals. If you haven’t noticed, MBD’s own website and logo have undergone some updates this year, and there’s more to come! Create a timeline to show off business achievements A timeline of business achievements is a great way to reflect on how far your business has come and remind longtime customers of (and introduce new ones to) your company’s history. Looking back on growth is a morale booster for employees and owners and shows current and potential clients that your company is constantly developing, expanding, and achieving goals. Buy anniversary-branded company swag Dress up your employees in some new company swag (think: anything from pins to t-shirts) with a special-edition logo. This could include additional logo elements, like anniversary numbers, new or additional colors, and/or decorative accents. Offer anniversary-themed, short-term offers or discounts For companies that offer buy-it-now products, a discount percentage or amount to match the anniversary is a fun offer to retain customers and attract new ones. For example, a mattress company might offer 20% off a new mattress to celebrate a 20-year anniversary. Businesses that provide services can still find fun ways to incorporate anniversary numbers into offers; a home cleaning service might offer the fifth cleaning free to celebrate a five-year anniversary. Give out humorous and/or sincere employee awards Smaller companies especially can create a fun, morale-building night out of hosting an employee awards ceremony. Awards can be humorous (i.e. “always wears the coolest glasses to work”) or serious, or both.  Take a commemorative photo If your company doesn’t take a yearly team photo already, an anniversary is a great time to do so. For small companies, one photo can capture the entire team – larger corporations can divide employees and supervisors by department for a group photo. We especially love this commemorative customer appreciation “Thank You” photo collage, which is social-distancing friendly since it can be done remotely.  Involve customers in a company trivia game Engage with customers in a social media-friendly game of company trivia. Start by compiling a list of fun company facts, then create a question for each fact. These can be multiple choice or open-ended. Offer a prize, experience, or discount for the trivia winner, and post one question per day on social media for a predetermined number of days or weeks. If you’re worried about missed posts or participation on social media, another option is to have people opt-in to play by email. Design a commemorative logo This one takes some design investment, but a commemorative logo can translate to a full marketing campaign and is useful for a variety of digital and print goods – employee t-shirts, pins, website decoration, social media profile images, email marketing, etc. “A Look Back” infographic by the numbers This fun infographic follows the “before and after” format with two columns: one for the year your business began, and one for the anniversary year. You can choose which items to compare: number of services provided, number of happy customers, number of employees, etc.  Have a “Do Good Day” Giving back is a great way to highlight a company’s years of positive impact in a community and continued emphasis on community contribution. Volunteering doubles as a valuable team-building exercise, and has been shown to increase morale and self-esteem of participants. It’s important for companies to align with and support causes and demonstrate value to a community outside of the products and services they provide. MBD has made it a point for 15 years now to contribute something to our community with every event we create. Display company awards and accolades Take this milestone opportunity to remind current and potential customers of any awards or accolades your company has received over the years. These could be displayed in a front office, listed in a social media post or blog post, or (if they aren’t already) featured on your website. Share and celebrate your company’s achievements! What was popular in your company’s first year? This equal-parts-funny, equal-parts-nostalgic infographic highlights popular music, movies, slang, fashion items, you name it – all from the year your company was founded. You can ask employees to contribute their favorites from that year, or use a research tool to find the biggest pop culture phenomena by the numbers. Share with customers for an amusing, relatable experience.  Record a video message or interview with the company president This could be directed toward employees, customers, or both, and can take a lighthearted or serious approach. Ideas include a thank-you video message, a business-centric interview, or a personal or humorous interview (with questions like: What is your favorite guilty pleasure TV show?) Feature your video in a blog post or social media post for followers to enjoy. Host a celebratory anniversary event In the age of Covid, this may mean a small get-together in someone’s backyard or a larger, virtual meeting or team-building activity or class online. Virtual cooking classes and virtual escape rooms are just two of the many options available for safe, morale-boosting work events. If you’re a NoCo local, consider an after-work party in the work parking lot or someone’s neighborhood with drinks from a local bar like On the Rocks. Compile fun facts Create an infographic or list of fun facts unique to the services or products your company provides. Fun facts can include business items – for example, gallons of lemonade served or number of a product sold – and/or personal items like “number of shows binge-watched by our employees during lockdown.” Visit My Big Day’s anniversary celebration Pinterest board for even more ideas to celebrate a company anniversary or milestone. Celebration is our business, and we look forward to celebrating 15 years of memories and achievements with you!  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 proud to introduce you to our newest client, On The Rocks CO. These guys have an AMAZING concept and beautiful product - a custom mobile bar perfect for any type of gathering! Here is a bit about them:  We are Mike and Kate, and we are On The Rocks: the only mobile bar based in northern Colorado. Our renovated horse trailer, Pearl, is the third member of our team, and she has been through quite a journey. The Beginning We were married in 2013 at Gull Point State Park in Iowa at a beautiful lakefront lodge. Like many couples, we spent months searching for a beautiful, unique venue that would provide the flexibility we were looking for within our budget. It was a stressful experience that had us visiting dozens of golf courses, hotels, and event centers, ultimately finding that the more the venue charged, the more freedom we lost. We created Pearl to provide a flexible, elegant, unique, and affordable all-in-one bartending solution for anyone planning a wedding or other special event. Open bars shouldn’t cost thousands of dollars for limited options. We believe in an affordable experience, tailored to be exactly what you want. Pearl’s Journey Pearl is a 1960s horse trailer who spent a decade sitting in an open field overlooking the foothills of northern Colorado. In her past life, she hauled a young girl’s horse around the state for 4-H and other competitions. We saw her on our way to work one day, and immediately started dreaming of the possibilities. A full-body sandblast, metal-fill, custom weld work, and trim and body paint gave Pearl a new life. You can see Pearl’s renovation journey here [https://ontherocksco.com/gallery/]. With a self-serve four-tap “keezer” cooled draft tower on one side and a live edge bartender service window on the other, Pearl is ready to bring your event to the next level. Why On the Rocks? With Pearl, you can have an event anywhere – we’ll bring our luxury bar to you. Whether you’re a couple getting married, a company planning an employee retreat, or a concert organizer, customize your drinks, service, and even Pearl’s décor for a unique event experience your guests will be sure to remember. Not sure where to start? Check out our packages https://ontherocksco.com/reservations/or contact us https://ontherocksco.com/contact/ for a custom quote.
MBD is assisting Pearl with her website, messaging, marketing, social media, blogs and event connections! We love helping businesses launch!  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 We have been rocking around the Christmas tree all month to these tunes! If you want to update your playlist with some of our favorites - be our guest! https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1A5F8vdeA2BbM4lYKnEFcQ
And of course, everyone’s Christmas Favorite --- “All I Want for Christmas Is You” - Mariah Carey  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 We know there are many families who will not be gathering together over the holidays this year. Even though families won't physically be together, there are still ways to honor special traditions and celebrate with one another, virtually! Here are some ideas to spruce up your family’s online celebrations this year:
If crazy dress up is not your style, use this gathering as an excuse to ditch the covid sweatpants and fix yourself up a bit! 
Create a Christmas BINGO game, Christmas Pictionary, or a Christmas Scavenger Hunt. The possibilities are endless!
  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 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 |
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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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