|
Our blog has been neglected for a little while as we are still in the thick of wedding season (along with some corporate events and regular party planning)! We have been blessed with amazing couples with such loving families -and couples from all over the country this year! Below are a few weddings we took some photos of. Thank you to all the wonderful families who invited us to be part of their Big Day! Ethan & Callie
Joel & SallyWedding Professionals: Event Planners: My Big Day Ceremony/Reception: Private Residence DJ: DJ Connection Photographer: Manzanita Caterer: CDXX Event Rentals: RC Events Bartenders: Cocktail Caravan Shuttles: NoCo Party Bus Flowers: Wild Posies Tyler & LindsayWedding Professionals:
Event Planners: My Big Day Ceremony/Reception: YMCA of the Rockies Photographer: Ashley Tiedgen Caterer: Baldoriabaldoriaevents.com/ Linen Rentals: Colorado Tablecloth Shuttles: Denver Limo  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! 
Choosing the right wedding venue is all about finding the destination that strikes the right note. Your ceremony location should speak to your story, personality and even your passions. If the two of you love the outdoors, consider hosting your nuptials at a park or on the beach. Some museums and historic sites also may be open for wedding events. Know your budget before exploring sites, and always read reviews of venues before committing. No matter where you plan your big day, just remember that the vows matter most…not the location. 
Recently the My Big Day team went on an all day site visit with our friends at the Boulder CVB to get caught up on all the new, exciting venues in Boulder, Colorado. We traveled around town in style in their Volkswagon bus! While the day offered some weather surprises, our hosts, Angela and Fig made for great company!!!!  We started our day with a visit at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Boulder & Hilton Garden Inn Boulder. We loved both of these spaces - very fresh, clean and contemporary. Our team noticed all the natural light they offered, and amazing art! Groups large and small will love the variety of meeting and conference space now available - and at multiple properties so close to each other! Our favorite features:
 After our tour of the Hilton properties, we headed over to the Boulder JCC. What an outstanding building! There were so many thoughtful touches and state of the art features. Our entire team was really impressed! Our favorite features:
 Our next stop was in Downtown Boulder, the amazing Rembrandt Yard. Not only is the Rembrandt Yard an art gallery, but it is an event space that offers so many unique features. With 2 levels, wood floors and windows that look out on downtown Boulder, this space can be anything you dream it to be. Our favorite features:
We cannot thank our Boulder CVB hosts enough for spending an entire day with the My Big Day team, arranging so many tours, and for driving us around in their bus! Should your event lead you to Boulder, Colorado, we encourage you to reach out to us and the Boulder CVB for event help and resources!  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   At My Big Day we are known for our Signature Events, celebrating holidays, scavenger hunts, goofy sports, galas and balls - and now, celebrating MOM. We have partnered with our friends at DIY Creations to host a creative way to spend time with your mom, other mom friends, or even spouse this Mother's Day weekend. Concept: We've packaged together everything you enjoy when celebrating the mom in your life: Arts & Crafts project + Mimosas + Yummy food + Time together! Date: Saturday, May 12th, 2018 Times: 2 options available - 10am-12:30pm and 1pm-3:30pm Ages: The projects available are recommended for ages 10+ Location: DIY Creations, Loveland Outlets, 5625 McWhinney Blvd Loveland, CO 80538 Package: 1 craft (normally $45+), 1 mimosa, delightful finger foods, cash bar, time with Mom - Just $45 per person
Q&A Q: Can only 2 people register, or can a group of us go? A: You can register as many people as you'd like! Q: Can I do this with my other mom friends, rather than little kids? A: Of course! However you want to celebrate Mother's Day is up to you! Q: Would my husband enjoy this? A: Sure! We have tons of couples craft together at DIY Creations. Bonus: They have a full bar! Q: Is the menu a full sit-down meal? A: No, we designed the food to be easy to eat while you craft and visit. It is not a full lunch, but there is plenty of variety! Menu listed below. Q: Can I purchase tickets through DIY Creations? A: No, tickets are only available here, on the My Big Day website Menu provided by Fresh Plate Catering:
Cash bar and free mimosa (alcohol for adults only) provided by DIY Creations!  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 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
The owner, Simon, gave us a personal tour and we are happy to share some of our favorite features with you!
 We love meeting with venues and sharing our experiences with clients. We keep a list of hundreds of venues in Colorado as a reference. Call us if you need help finding the perfect fit for your event! 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  We have so many wonderful photos to share from this wedding - we had to post yet again! Enjoy the amazing eye that Megan from Megan Newton Photography has! We love the candid shots that showcase the laughter, love and personality of Brittany & Eric's guests. 
 
 
 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 |
About MBD
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
December 2018
Categories
All
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
RSS Feed
