Our bride and groom, Chris & Greg chose Estes Park as the home for their dream destination wedding! The Black Canyon Inn and Twin Owls Steakhouse hosted this lovely couple and made their day absolutely perfect! Wedding Professionals: Event Planners: My Big Day Ceremony: Black Canyon Inn Reception: Twin Owls Steakhouse Photographer: Liz and Nate Hergert Photography Hair/Make-Up: Jen Goodrich Florist: Florals by Rhonda Cake: Colorado Rose Cake Company Music: String Quartet Con Brio My Big Day was honored to be the chosen planning team!
We are seeing some exciting wedding trends for 2015! My Big Day loves working with brides who have a vision and are willing to try new things. With every wedding season trends change and we can see patterns in popularity. Here is what we are seeing for 2015: Destination Weddings to the Colorado Mountains: Living and having a business based in Colorado, we see 'mountain themed' weddings all the time. But in 2015 we are seeing more destination weddings to the Colorado mountains than ever! We have brides coming from out of state and getting married in Silverthorne, Breckenridge, Estes park, Vail, Beaver Creek, Granby, and Steamboat Springs. Why are mountain weddings so popular? We think it's because a wedding outdoors makes for great photos, Colorado has reliable weather, and Colorado is more affordable than having your friends and family fly to Bora Bora for your destination! Classic Making a Comeback: Everything old is new again! Simple elegance, white, gold accents, distinguished details... We are seeing the word "Classic" everywhere! Think lace... pastel pink... fine china ... crystal.... what weddings were, and are again! CLICK HERE for more wedding inspiration on Pinterest! Laser-Cut Wedding Invitations: In 2015 laser cut and laser scribed invitations have definitely become popular. We are seeing "Classic" make a comeback, and laser cut invitations are a statement piece that can convey a classic theme to your guests. With the array of designs and intricacies available, these invitations set the tone of a wedding! They are great for Save the Dates too! We received this laser scribed invitation from bride, Alicia: "Frozen" Winter Weddings: Blame it on Disney... weddings are not just for the summer (they never really have been). But more than ever, winter weddings are gaining in popularity. And why not!?! Snow makes the perfect background for soft, clean, sparkly elegance! CLICK HERE for additional winter wedding inspiration on Pinterest. Wedding Cinematography: Forget the words "wedding video." Wedding movies are the new trend! My Big Day has worked with some incredible videographers who turn weddings into short films. We LOVE this trend! Below is a wedding film from one of our recent weddings: Craft Beer Weddings: Being from Colorado, and having a business in Northern Colorado, "The Napa of Beer"... we find that craft beer has made it's way into the wedding scene - BIG TIME! Signature cocktails will always be a fun offering for guests. But local, craft beer and spirits make your Big Day a celebration of you, and where you are from! Have Fun. Be Young. Let us know how we can help!
Original Ideas, superior strategies, your own private party planner... Christine Kovacs Forster, Owner/ Party Planner My Big Day llc Phone: 970-613-1455 or 303-886-3068 Located in Loveland, CO As event planners, we serve the entire front range; Northern Colorado, Southern Wyoming and mountain venues. -by Marissa Max The man of your dreams just proposed! Congratulations!! You’ve got the ring you’ve been hoping and praying for and cannot wait to start planning your perfect wedding with your handsome husband-to-be! One of the first things that we recommend that brides begin their search for is their wedding dress. If you were anything like me, you’ve been flipping through bridal magazines or perusing Pinterest wedding gown boards for months and want your dress to be, well, absolutely perfect! To help you in your search for a spectacular wedding gown, we’ve compiled a list of some of the best bridal shops in Northern Colorado! Dora Grace Bridal in Fort Collins, CO Dora Grace Bridal is owned and operated by Timiry, who is originally from Indiana. Her team of associates are fabulous and try their very best to find each bride a dress that fits their personality and budget. This local shop carries the latest styles from many different designers including, but not limited to, Maggie Sottero, Mori Lee, Pronovias, La Sposa, Stella York, and W Too. Not only do they carry a wide selection of wedding gowns, but they also have bridesmaid dresses, tuxedos, and prom wear! You are able to browse and choose some of your favorite gowns to try on, including a sale section of the store where you can find great dresses at fabulous discounts! It has the feel of a very high-end dress boutique, while still offering a wide range of prices to fit many budgets. Encore Bridal in Fort Collins, CO This bridal shop is one of Fort Collins’ oldest independent bridal shops, which obviously means that they know how to do good business and offer brides what they want and need! Located in a fabulous older building off of College Avenue near the Colorado State University campus, Encore Bridal is a great place to start if you are looking for a smaller-shop feel. Each room in the shop is divided by price so that you can browse dresses within your price point. They even have a room devoted consignment dresses! You pick four or five dresses to start with by placing a clip on the dresses you like, and then get to model them for your friends and family. The dress selection is not quite as large as some of the other shops, but they do feature quite a few popular designers including Allure Bridals, Allure Romance, Saison Blanche, Eden Bridals and Ellis Bridal. Like many of the other shops, they also offer tuxedo rental, bridesmaids’ dresses, Mom’s dresses, and more which makes it a great one-stop shop! Blushing Bride in Windsor, CO Blushing Bride has been locally owned and operated since the late 1980’s, making it one of the oldest bridal shops on the list. Today, they carry a wide variety of dresses from designer and off-the-rack wedding gowns to plus size gowns. They also have a good selection of bridesmaids’ dresses, flower girl and first communion dresses, prom and eveningwear gowns, and accessories. As far as wedding gowns are concerned, they have a limited choice of designers, but some of the most popular ones, which include Allure Bridals, Alfred Angelo, and Maggie Sottero. Many of the most popular wedding gowns come from these designers, though, so don’t let the limited list of names fool you! Another plus is that this shop does not require you to make an appointment to try on gowns, however we do recommend calling ahead in order to avoid a line at the fitting rooms! This popular local shop is another great stop in your journey to find your dream wedding gown. Wed Wisely at the Loveland Wedding Center in Loveland, CO One of the fantastic things about this dress shop is the fact that every year, the owner Dianne Carpenter gives away wedding gowns to those who need them. Many of these gowns were either floor models or donated gowns and when asked why she does this, she said it is because she wants to bless others. The wedding gowns could sell for $500 and up when they were brand new, but Carpenter wants to use her shop to help others and does exactly that once a year. When the sale is not going on, she has a wonderful selection of new, donated, and vintage dresses to choose from. Not only does she sell wedding gowns, but she also has a selection of bridesmaids’ dresses, flower girl dresses, Mom’s dresses and also does alterations! It is a wonderful place to start, especially if you live in the Loveland area! The Bridal Connection in Longmont, CO For over 25 years now, the Bridal Connection has been serving brides in Colorado. According to their website, they carry nearly 200 sample bridal gowns from a variety of designers, which means that you have lots of dress options to choose from. Like the other shops mentioned above, they also have bridesmaid, flower girl, and mom dresses, as well as tuxedos. Some of their designers include Maggie Sottero, Mori Lee, Venus, Allure Bridals Romance by Allure, Stella York, and Essence of Australia. Because they have a wide selection of dresses, it makes it fairly easy to try on a variety of styles, especially if you are not sure what might look best on you. This shop also recommends that you start your dress search early as it takes about 6 to 12 months for their dresses to arrive in store and then you must factor in the alterations. They are open Monday through Saturday, so make sure to make an appointment before you go!
Informal -Place a large dinner plate in the middle of a place mat. -If soup is being served, a soup bowl is placed on top of the dinner plate. -The fork is placed to the left of the plate. -The knife and spoon are on the right. The knife is positioned directly next to the plate with the blade facing in. The spoon is right of the knife. -Soup spoons can be found to the right of the beverage spoon. -If salad is being served, include a smaller salad fork to the left of the dinner fork. -And what’s dinner without bread? The bread plate is placed above the forks with a butter knife on top. -Place the water glass directly above the knife. -As for the napkin, placement is at the discretion of the host. Under the forks or between the dinner plate and bowl are two popular choices. Formal A formal place setting is very similar to the informal, just with a few more add-ons. -Begin with the informal setting. -Include a wine glass next to the water glass above the knife. -A dessert spoon can be added to the right of the beverage spoon, a fork can be placed to the right of the dinner fork, both placed above the plate, or simply brought out with the course. -To dress your table up a bit, add a charger beneath the dinner plate for extra flare. As with any event, make it your own! The above instructions are simply guidelines and are not absolute rules. Feel free to create your own table setting that will make your table unforgettable. My Big Day is an Event Planning company based in Northern Colorado.
We specialize in weddings, private parties, corporate events, non-profit fundraisers, and our own signature events. As event planners, we serve the entire front range; Northern Colorado, Southern Wyoming and mountain venues. My Big Day llc Phone: 970-613-1455 or 303-886-3068 Email Us Located in Loveland, CO www.MyBigDayCompany.com
Of course, My Big Day has worked with many more of the wonderful florists in Colorado!
If you need planning advice, you know who to call! Have Fun. Be Young. Let us know how we can help! Original Ideas, superior strategies, your own private party planner... Christine Kovacs Forster, Owner/ Party Planner My Big Day llc Phone: 970-613-1455 or 303-886-3068 Email Us Located in Loveland, CO As event planners, we serve the entire front range; Northern Colorado, Southern Wyoming and mountain venues.
The highlight of the day for us was the love between Julian & Charlotte. There were so many emotions and nerves leading up to the ceremony. Julian could not wait to see his bride! Thank you to all the vendors who made Julian & Charlotte's wedding a spectacular celebration of love! Wedding Professionals: Event Planners: My Big Day Ceremony: Kiwanis Community House, Lakefront Reception: Kiwanis Community House, Cheyenne Flowers: Love Letters Floral Photography: Ben Bradley Photography Music: Jim Cox Officiant: Maria Cox Video: Ampersand Family Rentals: Dan D Party Rentals My Big Day would also like to thank Bob & Courtney at Kiwanis Community House for their extreme helpfulness! We love working with these guys!
Kiwanis Community House 4603 Lions Park Drive Cheyenne, WY 82001 (307) 638-4356 -by Jessica Weimer, My Big Day Keeping your wedding memento’s or selling them is a tough decision. If you’re sentimental you will most likely keep most or your décor, but is it worth the space it takes up in your home/garage? If you sell everything most likely you will regret it when that special occasion comes up and you are missing the cake knives you didn’t think you’d need. Here is a list of must keep items and some items you need to sell. Toasting Glasses: While this might not have been the item you spent days deciding on, it is still something that could come in handy in the future! If you are fond of traditions this could be something worth saving for future anniversaries. They are a great conversation piece when people admire your glass cabinet; it could remind you of that great toast your brother gave. These are also something that may be hard to sell, especially if they are engraved or have a personal touch. Cake Knives: Cake knives are something that can be sold or kept. If you are an entertainer then they may be a must to keep, since you will probably need something to cut a cake in the future. In that case they are also a great conversation piece, every time you pull them out you can reminisce of the cake at your wedding. Or maybe you really want to store them in a shadow box and show off the amazing detail or engraving you chose. They can be used as a tradition you hand down to your child when they get married. If you aren’t attached to them they could be sold or even give them to another friend who is getting married soon! Wedding Gown: This is definitely a personal choice by the bride, some brides really don’t put much sentimental value into their bridal gown but to others it is the most important dress you will ever wear. There are some businesses who will preserve it in a box for you, or even a more unique idea is to get it preserved in a shadow box and hang it in your closet one day, depending if your closet is big enough! If you don’t mind changing up your dress, you could alter it into a different dress you could wear for a vow renewal or a significant anniversary! These are great ways to keep the dress looking good and the sentimental value intact. If you don’t mind selling your wedding gown, there are always re-sale shops you can go to. (My Big Day recommends Wed Wisely in Loveland, CO.) Or even donating your dress to be given to a woman less fortunate who needs the help and would love her dream wedding! Décor: When your wedding is over you are left with great memories and tons of the décor you spent many hours perusing and then purchasing! If like most people, you don’t have use for 50 cylinder vases, there is hope to still sell some of it. Recycle Your Wedding is a great website that lets you list your wedding goods and the suggested price and people can look through and buy. It also has a wanted section in which people describe what they’re looking for and the amount they would like to pay. This will at least let you hopefully sell the majority of your things. There is no good or bad time to sell your wedding goods, as brides look year round for the perfect find! Though if your wedding was trendy it is best to try to sell as soon as possible, because chevron may have been the cutest thing ever this year but next year it may be out. Craigslist is also a good site that can help you unload your wedding decor, but don't expect to get even half of what you paid. The site is best for re-homing your goods, but not making money.
Some décor is worth keeping such as the gorgeous arch you may have constructed to get married under. If you and your new husband are moving into a home and have a backyard, it would be the perfect garden accent and be a really good conversation piece. My Big Day offers affordable rentals for clients looking to have the latest trends with decorations, but who don't want to purchase 25 centerpieces that will never see the light of day again. When it comes to selling things from your wedding, it can be a tough decision to part with things that have so many memories, but also it could save you the headache of having to store it and then just throwing it out eventually. by Randi Juric, My Big Day Being a good hostess doesn’t take a lot of skill. Being a good hostess is all about the timing and the come one come all attitude. All you need to remember is smiles, full drinks, full plates, great atmosphere. Here are a few structure points to being the best hostess you can be. As a hostess you are the greeter, server, entertainer, problem solver, and cleanup crew unless of course you hire someone for any of these jobs. Even if you hire someone a super hostess still eyeballs the help to make sure it’s getting done right. A great hostess can super charge the room just by their smile and presentation as you greet a guest. Be infectious and make the crowd happy and go lucky with a smile! We call that a Super Hospi Hostess, hospi stands for hospitality. 1. Set a clear start and end: When you send out an invite be sure you list time, place, start and end dates. This will allow people to plan for the event accordingly. This will also ensure your party loving friends don’t overstay their welcome. Be sure to add an RSVP due date for a better had count for your event. 2. Confirmations: Be prepared to make confirmation calls to those who haven’t RSVP yet. Always be sure to ask if you think you may need to make special accommodations for some one. 3. Comfort: When guests start to arrive be sure to make the rules clear “take your shoes off and head on in” or “There is/is not a smoking area out back”. Be sure you keep the environment comfortable for all guests and you too! Welcome them in and shoe them the layout. Everyone loves snacks and drinks, it’s the best part of the party!! Remember as your walking around mingling and welcoming new guests it’s OK to eyeball everyone’s plates and drinks. Be sure to ask in passing if they need a refill on any food or drink or if you can take their plate. Remember to SMILE SMILE SMILE! 4. Mingle, Mingle, Mingle: It is very important to mingle and mix things up. Walk around and talk with your guests, catch up and maybe get people who may not know each other to start a conversation. Keep your background music in mind should you decide to play some. Always put together a playlist that fits your crowd and don’t play it too loud. We want the music to entertain but not blast away! 5. Clean up: Clean as you go! It makes things so much easier as you go to pick up and clean as your walking around mingling. Offer to take some ones trash for them. A hostess never leaves their guest with their hands full. 6. The wind down and long good bye: Read your crowd! Timing is everything on the wind down. About an hour to thirty minutes before your scheduled end time take the time to look around and see if your guests seem to be winding down or going strong. If they are winding down you can turn your music down in the background more and start cleaning up a little more heavily as you mingle and say your goodbyes to those leaving. You can also thank people for coming as you’re cleaning up in their area before you move on, this will give the guest the impression the party is coming to an end politely. On the other hand if your guests seem to still be going strong and you don’t have to be out by a specific time start asking for refills again or if you can get them anything else. You can also turn the music up just a smidge. Mingle and ask your guests if they have met so and so yet and see if you can make some new connections. 7. The morning after: Give some of your guests’ calls over the next week and thank them for coming again and see if they have any feedback for you good or bad, just listen to what they have to say there is always room for improvement. This helps you refine your hosting skills and see what works and doesn’t so well. This also gives you an opportunity to give more invites if you have other events you want to have some guests to join. Your guests will love the follow up and the time you took to say thank you again. It leaves a great impression that you cared to call them and ask if they had a good time. These hostess tips have been brought to you by My Big Day Events! Serving the Front Range, Mountains and S. Wyoming. Parties - Planning - Weddings & More! |
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