 It’s no secret that planning a wedding can be stressful and trying at times. However, it can be even more complicated for the eco-conscious couple who want to host an earth friendly wedding. Suddenly, the happy bride and groom are faced with a variety of choices and, more often than not, will discover it isn’t alway easy being green. Suddenly, we are forced with the dilemma of choosing convenience over more sustainable items due to cost or time. Thankfully, all is not lost. Couples can still enjoy the wedding of their dreams with a little creative thinking. Yes, it’s possible to organize an eco-friendly wedding that gives you all the “feels” without breaking the bank or your principles. Afterall, we want our relationship to be the item that lasts for years down the road, not the trash leftover from the wedding. 12 tips on how to organize an eco-friendly wedding: Start planning early. Depending on where you live, it isn’t always possible to walk into a store and purchase green products. Don’t wait to the last minute if you want to organize an eco-friendly wedding and buy items in bulk to cut down on costs and unneeded packaging. You need to start now and allow plenty of time to locate or order items you want. Locate the perfect venue. Not all venues are created equal and this is especially true when it comes to being eco-friendly. Before booking or putting down deposits, look for a location that can host the ceremony and reception in one place to reduce driving. Also, consider the natural lighting and how much input you will be able to have over the food and products used. Purchase recycled paper invitations. When choosing invites, look for eco-friendly versions made from recycled materials. You can buy a variety of high-quality products that feature handmade paper, paper with seeds inside that can be planted, and so much more! Go digital. Ditch paper invites altogether and use digital options for inviting people to the wedding, reception, and even for RSVP’s. Buy local. Reduce your carbon footprint by hiring local vendors to buy local products and services. Also, purchase in-season produce and foods to add regional flare.  For flowers, pick organic or upcycle your own. There are a variety of eco-friendly options available. If you can’t find organically grown or sustainable flowers that are in-season, make your own from vintage fabrics or old books. You can also throw the bouquet and choose potted plants! Embrace reusable table coverings. While it’s tempting to get plastic tablecloths that can be rolled up and thrown into the trash, keep things classy and eco-friendly with cloth or reusable table coverings. Many venues may already provide this option, but you can always buy your own or borrow from friends and family. Find something borrowed. Rent or borrow reusable centerpieces, decorations, and other big ticket items. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel for each wedding and it makes financial sense while being better for the environment. Go vintage and buy used. Instead of buying all new items that come with packaging, hit garage sales, thrift stores, flea markets, and online resellers first. You can also repurpose items your family already owns for the wedding for one-of-a-kind items. Look for ways incorporate old doors, Mason jars, containers, bicycles, feeders, wedding dresses, lace, fabrics, and more on your big day! This will keep items out of the landfill and give your wedding personality for pennies on the dollar. Ditch the disposable silverware and table settings. Go old school and pump up the glam by using real plates, glasses, and silverware complete with cloth napkins. By saying no to the plastics, styrofoam, or paper products you will be eliminating these one time use items from heading to the landfill. If you don’t want to hassle with dishes, but want the convenience of disposable items, you can find disposables made from rice, wood, and potato products. These, unlike plastic, can be composted or dissolve naturally over a short period of time. Get lit. Many couples love the ambience white light provides at their reception, but this trend often involves a multitude of string lights and numerous outlets which require a lot of energy. Instead of buying any old strings of lights, look for LED options featuring Energy Star ratings to save power and prevent unneeded energy use. Donate leftover items. Many of us overplan and find ourselves with extra decorations, flowers, food, and more. Others would love to enjoy or use this surplus! Instead of trashing extras, consider donating your extra resellable items to a charity thrift store, giving flowers to a hospital or church, or ask about donating leftover nibbles to a mission or food kitchen.  What tips can you share for organizing an eco-friendly wedding? Authored by contributing writer, Shannon Lochwood.
Shannon Lochwood currently lives in Southern California. She has a passion for weddings and loves to write about anything related to special "I do" moments. In her free time she loves to hike and spend time with her family and her two lovely dogs @shannonlochwood http://shannonlochwood.weebly.com/  If you are not familiar with the expansive complex that is The Ranch at the Larimer County Fairgrounds, you’ll want to make sure to read this blog from start to finish! My Big Day Events is proud to have this premier Northern Colorado event venue as one of its 2018 Supporting Sponsors! The Ranch at the Larimer County Fairgrounds has a space for every kind of event imaginable – from the obvious county fair, to Trade Shows, conferences, business meetings, concerts, corporate parties, and weddings! We love the fact that we can recommend this spot to a variety of our clients!  Located in the heart of Northern Colorado’s Tri-City area (Fort Collins, Loveland, and Greeley), this 244 acre complex boasts expansive grounds, state of the art facilities – 5 separate dedicated building event spaces and arenas, plenty of parking and high end amenities, and of course, plenty of outdoor event space with coveted mountain views! With 5 specific venue spaces to choose from, The Ranch pretty much has every event option covered! My Big Day Events has been lucky to work with the friendly staff and event sales team of multiple occasions. We’ve hosted and executed large scale corporate parties in the First National Bank Building, and The Ranch, in turn, has sponsored some of our signature events that we offer throughout the year. We love this partnership and look forward to future events with this Northern Colorado gem! 
As Event Planners, we look forward to exploring new venues, envisioning what event we could plan there and sharing photos with YOU of our visit! We have been anticipating the opening of the new Elizabeth Hotel in Old Town Fort Collins for quite some time. We were delighted to be granted an early peek and tour for our entire team of this new gem in Northern Colorado! 
    Enjoy a slideshow from our tour The Elizabeth Hotel, Autograph Collection 111 Chestnut Street, Fort Collins, CO 80524 Phone: 1-970-490-2600 website: https://www.theelizabethcolorado.com/  Contact My Big Day "Dream Big, Live Big. For Life's Events!" Original Ideas, superior strategies, your own private party planner. ~Event Planning, Coordination & Management~ 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; 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 Sugar, Butter, Flour……….baking from the heart! In the musical, Waitress, the protagonist, Jenna, expresses her hopes, dreams, and fears through the whimsically named pies she creates and bakes each morning. Like Jenna, the owners and lovely people at the newest Downtown Fort Collins attraction, Ginger and Baker, had dreams of their own - specifically of opening a little pie shop where people could gather in fellowship and with food. They put their hopes and dreams to work, and their vision expanded from pies to much, much more.  The My Big Day team had the opportunity to take a private tour of the amazing new facility, and let’s just say we were blown away. The love, details, and innovation that went into the remodel of the Old Feeders Supply Company building, a staple of downtown Fort Collins since 1905, was apparent the moment we walked in. The coffee and bake shop were full of wonderful scents and cozy decor. The new building additions of the The Cache restaurant and patios offered a nice modern flare to the historic landmark, blending the past with the present and future. No detail in design was overlooked, making the entire facility a site to see!
 Our tour took us through all seven of Ginger and Baker’s unique spots: The Market & Bakery, The Cafe, The Teaching Kitchen, both levels of The Cache Restaurant, The Rooftop Bar, and two separate special event spaces - one upstairs in the old building, and a beautiful wine cellar below. All of our planners were giddy with all of the future event possibilities that Ginger and Baker could hold!
 There is event space for small groups such as book clubs, date nights, and small corporate functions, as well as larger spaces for holiday parties and receptions. We were so impressed and excited, we booked a reservation on the spot for our upcoming team Christmas party!
We couldn’t be more thrilled to promote this gem of an entertainment spot, and cannot wait to see the impact that this “little slice of heaven” has in Northern Colorado! *See our slide show below...
  Contact My Big Day "Dream Big, Live Big. For Life's Events!" Original Ideas, superior strategies, your own private party planner. ~Event Planning, Coordination & Management~ 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; 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 had the pleasure of sending our staff to do a site visit and have a meeting with the Greeley Country Club. We love this venue and hate to hear that some folks don't realize that they can host their event or wedding here because they think it's closed to the public. NOT TRUE. You do have to be a country club member to golf at the Greeley Country Club - but you do NOT have to be a member to host a party there!  The Greeley Country Club is diverse in it's offerings. For weddings, you have a choice of 3 different ceremony locations. They are all-inclusive, no heavy lifting on your part or additional fees! Dressing rooms for the bride and groom are available, and there of course are many different food and beverage packages to choose from! Also for weddings, they offer 3 packages that vary in inclusions - also really nice to have!
For all events, the Greeley Country Club offers numerous menus to fit every palette and every budget. We find their pricing to be very reasonable! We are especially impressed by their bar packages! As event planners, we see a lot of pricing variety, and read tons of contracts. Their hosted bar pricing is impressive. Best of all, their packages are easy to read - very straight forward. We think you'll find them very easy to work with! 
Knowing that the holiday season is nearly here, we recommend that folks book their venue ASAP! The Greeley Country Club should be on your list of favorite venues to host at! They offer a number of rooms that can host your group- large or small. From 20 guests to over 200, you can find a space that will fit your needs.
If you are ready to book, or take a tour, contact Laura: Laura Twogood Event Sales Manager Greeley Country Club 4500 W 10th Street Greeley, CO 80634 P (970) 353-0528 ext. 14 And if you need event planners... you know who to call!  Contact My Big Day Have Fun. Be Young. Let us know how we can help. Original Ideas, superior strategies, your own private party planner. ~Event Planning, Coordination & Management~ 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; 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 Fall weddings have always been a favorite of ours and My Big Day, and Nicole & Tyler’s beautiful fall ranch wedding was no exception!
Hosted by the fine folks of Ellis Ranch outside of Loveland, Nicole and Tyler crafted the perfect celebration of love that merged her love of all things shiny and sparkly and his love of BBQ and the Broncos! There were special touches throughout the event, from shining votives on the dinner tables, to pops of orange and blue in the wedding bouquets and floral arrangements.    Following a beautiful gazebo ceremony, guests were treated to an open bar, staffed by the talented Ellis Ranch crew, and appetizers provided by Nicole’s Father and Step-Mother. After the wedding party concluded their after-ceremony photos, the entire party moved into the dining area where Hog Wild BBQ was served, complete with brisket, shredded pork, chicken, and peach cobbler!
Following a beautiful gazebo ceremony, guests were treated to an open bar, staffed by the talented Ellis Ranch crew, and appetizers provided by Nicole’s Father and Step-Mother. After the wedding party concluded their after-ceremony photos, the entire party moved into the dining area where Hog Wild BBQ was served, complete with brisket, shredded pork, chicken, and peach cobbler!
We are so excited that we were able to be part of this couple’s special day, and we wish them a fantastic honeymoon cruise to Alaska, as well as many, many years of happiness and love!
 Contact My Big Day Have Fun. Be Young. Let us know how we can help. Original Ideas, superior strategies, your own private party planner. ~Event Planning, Coordination & Management~ 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; Southern Wyoming, the CO Mountains, and Northern Colorado: Loveland, Fort Collins, Greeley, Windsor, Berthoud, Estes Park, Lyons, Longmont, Boulder, Wellington, Johnstown, Evans, Severance, Timnath, Mead, Frederick, Firestone, Milliken  My Big Day was honored to plan a bridal shower for this lovely Fort Collins family. Mackenzie and Allison will wed this upcoming August.
Mackenzie's family hosted the shower in their home. Her mom, Nancy, is known for her martini parties. Their deck became 3 martini stations, where guests could mix their own drinks. A new food truck in town served up some amazing eats! And a dessert display took over the kitchen, with tons of bite sized sweets.
Contact My Big Day
Have Fun. Be Young. Let us know how we can help. Original Ideas, superior strategies, your own private party planner. ~Event Planning, Coordination & Management~ 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; 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 Recently the My Big Day team was invited to tour the Fort Collins Palmer Flowers location, meet the staff, and learn all about the floral industry. We toured their entire facility- who knew it was so big!?!?! We learned about all of their coolers, the process for keeping flowers fresh and buying direct from farmers... about holiday business, event rentals - and best of all... their wedding an corporate business! Thank you to the Palmer Flowers staff for the incredible tour and floral education! What a fun site visit for the My Big Day LLC crew! So many coolers... so many choices... we were in heaven! 
Contact My Big Day
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.
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We love a theme. Every party needs one, every event deserves one. Follow us on our journey down the path of creative party planning & exceptional events! Monthly Archives
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