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By Carrie Stadtmueller, Content Conductor Ok, now that you have said “Yes” - what’s the next step? Of course, everyone really wants to fast forward to all of the fun stuff – cake tastings, Pinterest surfing for reception decor, finding the perfect dress - but the best and smartest next step should be setting and sticking to your wedding budget. We know. This next step can be a real B. Whether you’re working with $100 or $100,000 (wow, wouldn’t that be a dream??), the general guidelines are the same. First Things First – Think about what kind of wedding you want This might be the easiest part of the whole process. Perhaps you’ve been dreaming about your wedding day since you were a little girl. But, if not - it’s time to get to work. Now is the time to have those conversations with your partner and see if you are both on the same page when it comes to the kind of wedding that you both want. There are so many different kinds of weddings out there - do you both want the same kind of wedding? Perhaps your dream wedding is traditional, but theirs is a destination elopement. Or would you prefer low key and relaxed instead of their formal and high class? This is where you need to start. Planning a wedding can put a lot of stress on a relationship. Make sure you are both on the same page before moving forward. This may mean making some compromises.  Figure Out Who Will Be Contributing Once you have decided what kind of wedding you will be planning, now decide how you plan to pay for it. Will you and your partner be covering most of the cost? Or will your families be helping? Whatever the case, finding out who might be contributing to your wedding is a good first step when you’re calculating your overall budget. It’s most helpful if you can get a handle on a nice “round” number or perhaps what aspect of the event the party will be covering. For example - will the groom’s family be paying for the rehearsal dinner as is tradition? Or perhaps you have a devoted Aunt who really wants to help cover the retainer for the photographer as part of her wedding gift. These conversations can be awkward, but they will be helpful in the long run as you make large financial decisions. Crunch, Crunch, Crunch the Numbers - Including Your Number of Guests Now is where the the math comes in and where you need to get serious about figuring out how much you have to actually spend. Figure out how much you can realistically and comfortably spend. This is also the time where you will want to start making your guest list. The number of guests you intend to invite will ultimately have an effect on your budget’s bottom line. Looking at your wedding as a “per-person” expenditure will help with this process. Take this number and begin negotiations By now, you and your partner will be pros at compromising and negotiating - especially if you had differing opinions on what your “dream wedding” looked like. Use those skills to negotiate what items to prioritize when it comes to staying within your budget. Make it an exercise - each of you can pick two things that are at the top of your wedding priority list. Budget for those items. Everything else is extra until the budget is maxxed out.  Savvy Brides Do Their Research There are a lot of hidden costs when it comes to weddings. Savvy brides do their research and find ways to save money. Even smarter brides realize that hiring a wedding planner can ultimately help you save money in the long run. (see this link on why you should hire a wedding planner). Wedding planners provide so much business to vendors, they are often able to negotiate discounts for their clients. They are also well versed at helping couples set budgets and are masters at sticking to them. At the end of the day….. One thing to remember - at the end of the day, the most important thing is that you will be married to the love of your life. It won’t matter if you have steak and shrimp or the most expensive dress. What matters is that you will be together. Don’t start out your new life together drawing in debt. You can still plan a beautiful and memorable wedding on a much smaller and affordable scale. There are ways to plan a champagne wedding on a beer budget - you just have to get creative. You focus on the feeling of the event, instead of the price tag. Here are some practical tips as you start planning:
Again, remember - its who you’re marrying and the memories you make together that are important, not the wedding and the money you spend.  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  FREE Business Promotion: Support LOVE on Valentine's Day in Loveland, and we will support your business! Send us your LOGO, preferred link, and item for inclusion. (50 items) We will pick up for offers/samples by February 7th. Email us to participate.  The Loveland Sweetheart City Valentine's Day Wedding & Vow Renewal Ceremony is back for the 5th year! MBD Marketing & Events has been proudly based in Loveland, CO for 15 years - and passionate about supporting tourism in the city we work in.  Loveland's Annual Valentine's Day Group Wedding & Vow Renewal Ceremony Monday, February 14th, 2022 Location: The Giant LOVE Sculpture by The Loveland Visitor's Center Address: 5400 Stone Creek Cir, Loveland, CO 80538 Ceremony Time: 4pm A romantic ceremony with music you vote on, a customized ceremony, keepsake photos, a LOCK couples can use to "Lock their love" on the famous LOVE sculpture or HEART sculpture in Loveland, gift bags, signature wedding cupcakes, and a chance to win a huge gift basket! What an original way to celebrate your love ON Valentine's Day! Cost: $95 per couple Includes:
Tickets: https://www.valentinesdayinloveland.com/tickets.html  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 Almost a third of brides-to-be get engaged over the holidays, which means some of you will be stocking up on wedding magazines and poring over wedding checklists in the coming weeks (or maybe you already are, while you wait for that ring – we won’t judge). Weddings are part of our business at MBD Marketing & Events --- and for our client, On the Rocks, so we like to keep up with the latest trends, including this list of nine wedding bar trends for 2022. Did you know 2.6 million weddings are forecast to happen in the U.S. in 2022? That’s the most since almost 40 years ago, in 1984. If you’re one of these millions getting married in the new year, read on for what’s “in” in 2022.  Mobile Bars Hey, that’s us! Mobile bars are still big for 2022, especially those that are serviced. Portable or permanent bars are traditional at wedding venues, but traditional can get a bit boring. Opt for a unique, whimsical mobile bar like our Pearl instead. You’ll stand out from the rest and get tailored service from our TIPS-certified bartenders. Mocktails and Low-ABV Cocktails Having guests at your wedding who don’t drink alcohol is nothing new. But more and more brides and grooms are deciding they’d rather avoid drunken family drama and other inappropriate guest behavior by offering alcohol-free mocktails or “low-alcohol by volume” cocktails. Non-alcoholic beer has been around for decades, but alcohol-free spirits mimicking the taste of tequila, vodka, and flavored liqueurs are increasingly popular. Low-ABV cocktails still contain alcohol, but in percentages similar to those of beer and wine, rather than hard liquor.  Customization and Personalization We love the trend of couples wanting to infuse every part of their big day with their personalities and interests, and this includes cocktails. The signature cocktail came about as a way for couples to create their own drinks, rather than follow recipes from a bar book. Consider a signature cocktail for each newlywed, or one that celebrates the couple. Special touches like monogrammed drink stirrers or personalized napkins are another way to make a statement. Creative Presentations The signature cocktail movement has translated into seemingly endless cocktail presentation possibilities. Couples with a carnival theme may serve drinks in striped cups rimmed with frosting and sprinkles, movie buffs might skewer popcorn for a garnish, and dessert fanatics can serve boozy milkshakes in cookie cups or ice cream cones. Fresh Floral Bar Decor Fresh flowers and greenery aren’t only for bouquets and boutonnieres. Bars are becoming a decor focal point at weddings, incorporating the style of the wedding ceremony and reception. Whether your budget allows for some sprigs of greenery or elaborate bar arrangements, fresh florals make your bar an inviting focal point instead of an afterthought.  Canned Beers, Wines, and Cocktails Canned drinks are ideal for small, intimate weddings or at venues with a strict no-glass rule. They’re also convenient, with less spilling and easier cleanup. You’ll save money on drinkware rentals and washing. Plus, there are so many canned alcoholic beverages available these days, you can find can designs to suit your wedding colors or theme. It’s still good practice to let an experienced bartender (like our TIPS-certified ones) be in charge of canned drinks, to prevent incidents due to guests being over-served. In Colorado, for example, you could even be held liable for an over-served guest who drinks and drives after your event. Vintage Drinks Traditional cocktails are back in style, most notably the aptly-named Old Fashioned. Vintage touches lend elegance to modern weddings. Even the champagne tower, where champagne is poured over a tower of old-fashioned champagne coupes, is making a comeback that doubles as both refreshment and eye-catching decoration.  re-Ceremony Refreshment Bar Another growing trend is the pre-ceremony refreshment bar, which offers guests non-alcoholic options like fruit-infused waters in summer or a hot chocolate station in the winter. It’s not a bad idea to provide some light snacks too, especially for guests who traveled a long way the day of the ceremony and to prevent fainting at a hot summer wedding. Themed Bar and Drinks Your bar and drinks can emulate the overall style of your wedding, or you can get creative with themed cocktails and bar decorations that mean something to you as a couple. One popular option is a travel-themed bar, with cocktails from countries or regions you’ve traveled to as a couple. A cocktail hour bar can also be decorated to suit a theme different from your ceremony and reception style, such as a favorite hobby of the groom or the couple. Drinks themselves can be customized to suit that theme, with creative names and garnishes. Need a wedding planning team? Look no further than the gals at MBD Marketing & Events! You can learn more about our Colorado and Wyoming wedding packages HERE. Ready to book mobile bar services for your 2022 wedding? Contact ON THE ROCKS now. Choose from one of their ready-made packages, or they can create a custom package for you.  By Carrie Stadtmueller, Content Conductor We are smack dab in the middle of prime Engagement Season, and Christmas is the crowning jewel - no pun intended, of dates when smitten gentlemen like to pop the question. And it’s no big surprise why – twinkly lights, decorated trees, winter wonderlands – the setting and decor is pretty much-taken care of for you. It’s practically a Hallmark Movie waiting to happen! The holidays are already a romantic time of year, it’s no wonder, many couples capitalize on the romance of it all!  If you are looking into popping the question this holiday season, there are some things you may want to consider before you get down on one knee: Think about what your partner likes Is your partner a private person? If so, a proposal in front of your entire family over Christmas dinner might not be the best option – even if you both absolutely love each other’s families. If they are a more private person, perhaps a quiet walk on a snowy path in the woods? Or a horse-drawn carriage in on a crisp winter’s night under twinkle lights downtown? There are still ways to involve your families and friends after she has said yes — which leads us into the next consideration….. Check with your partner’s friends and family Are you thinking about asking your significant other to marry you during gift opening or some other party or event? You may want to let someone else know so that it isn’t a complete surprise to EVERYONE else there. They are all going to want to be a part of the big event. You’d hate to have someone miss out, and they can all serve as extra help! Weather If you’re planning an outdoor proposal, you will want to keep the weather in mind. If you live in Colorado - this is just a given - you always want to have a backup plan. We think a snowy proposal could actually be very romantic – however, a blizzard, not so much!  Plan ahead Don’t assume that you’ll be able to walk into your favorite restaurant or bar for drinks. We are still living in a pandemic. Some establishments are still operating under limited capacity. So please – plan ahead! Don’t wait until the last minute to call for reservations! This time of year is always busier and typically gets booked months in advance. You may also need to enlist other vendors to help you pull off your perfect proposal – florists, event rentals, musicians – whomever you may choose to help with your Big Day – this is a very busy time of year for event professionals. PLAN, PLAN, PLAN. Don’t have your dream of a holiday proposal thwarted by poor planning. Creative Proposal Ideas My Big Day has curated an entire Pinterest Board full of creative Holiday Proposals. Follow this Board of ideas to inspire your big ask: https://www.pinterest.com/MyBigDayEvents/the-perfect-proposal/ 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 had the pleasure of planning the early September wedding for long-time My Big Day friends Eriq Sanders and Ashley Schwindt. It was a joy to witness their beautiful wedding ceremony on top of the Elizabeth Hotel!  Classic Elegance with a Colorful Twist Eriq and Ashley chose The Elizabeth Hotel as the backdrop for their wedding because of its classic and elegant style. Ashley had dreamed of having their first look photos on the grand staircase, and her dream did not disappoint -- it was a bucket-list shot, for sure!  The Rooftop Terrace was a perfect mix of classic elegance that Eriq and Ashley spiced up with a mix of colors that fit their bright personalities. Their color palette of oranges and deep purples blended nicely above the beginning changing fall colors in the Old Town trees below.
Friends and family were treated to a beautiful ceremony that included deeply personal touches like a live musical rendition of “Two Men in Love” performed by friends, favorite movie quotes, and personal vows. It was intimate, beautiful, and Eriq and Ashley all the way!  Block One - Old Town Fun After the ceremony, guests made their way to the reception that was held at Block One Events, north of Old Town. While guests enjoyed a refreshing cocktail hour, Eriq and Ashley and their wedding party made their way throughout Old Town Square on a Bar Crawl to a couple of their favorite Old Town spots. They enjoyed shots and drinks at Lucky Joes and Old Elk Distillery.  Eriq and Ashley had originally planned for their reception to be held at the Agave Room above the Rio, but unfortunately, a fire in the facility made that impossible. Fortunately, The Rio was still able to cater their reception at Block One. Guests were treated to Rio tacos and nachos for dinner! Guests spent the evening dancing, drinking, and celebrating! Eriq’s son, Kobe, kept the fun and music going all night long as the event DJ.  We were thrilled that Eriq and Ashley asked us to be a part of their Big Day! It was an honor that they trusted us to help them navigate all of the uncertainty that came with planning a wedding during the time of covid and with all of the last-minute changes that the fire at the Rio threw at them. They met every challenge with grace and patience. Congratulations, Eriq and Ashley! Venue: The Elizabeth Hotel, Block One Events Photographer: PhoCo Florist: CC’s Flower Truck Officiant: Matt Workman, Friend  With 15 years in the business, the My Big Day team has seen a lot of wedding venues. Over the years, we’ve developed rewarding working relationships with some of our favorite venues that brides and grooms rave about year after year. Don’t plan your Colorado wedding without checking out these venues:  YMCA of Estes Park The YMCA of Estes Park in the picturesque Rocky Mountains is inclusive and affordable. Lodging and catering are available on-site, along with outdoor activities so you can choose to make a whole weekend out of your visit. Various locations on the property accommodate anywhere from 15-450 guests. Get married indoors or in the mountain air. The YMCA schedules weddings throughout the week. More information, including the wedding pricing guide, is available here. Contact the Special Events Coordinator at 970-586-3341 ext.1024 or weddingsepc@ymcarockies.org.  Silverthorne Pavilion Weddings at the Silverthorne Pavilion include an outdoor ceremony space and industrial indoor reception space. This venue offers alcohol services, use of the grounds, setup of tables and chairs, access to a centerpiece materials closet, use of sound systems, bride and groom suites, and an on-site attendant. Kitchen use, A/V equipment and tech support, and fireplace use are available for a fee. Silverthorne is located near several Rocky Mountain attractions, making it ideal for destination weddings. For more details, email alydon@Silverthorne.org or call 970-262-7391. 2021 rates, fees, and floor plans are available online.  Lone Tree Creek Event Center The Lone Tree Creek Event Center is a DIY venue with a beautiful, rustic backdrop. Get married in the grassy fields surrounding the venue and follow up with a reception inside the modern barn. To get a quote, reserve a date, or for any other questions, call 970-405-7057. Della Terra Mountain Chateau Della Terra is Mountain Luxury at its finest. Located in Estes Park, nestled up alongside Rocky Mountain National Park, guests can enjoy a true chateau, fresh mountain air, and the occaisional woodland guest during a ceremony. You can reach one of their planning experts at 970-586-2501 or weddings@dellaterramountainchateau.com  To get started planning your wedding with My Big Day at one of these venues, contact us here or call 970-613-1455. Follow us on Facebook for wedding planning tips and to see our most recent work. MBD was proud to plan this stunning summer wedding at the lovely Bonnie Blues Event Venue in Elizabeth, Colorado. Congratulations to Tony & Nicole!  A gorgeous ranch style wedding East of Denver at Bonnie Blues Event Venue. Perfect weather for romance and a summer celebration! Event Planners: My Big Day Ceremony: Bonnie Blues Event Venue Reception: Bonnie Blues Event Venue Music: DJ Connection Event Rentals: Colorado Party Rentals Bar: Peak Beverage Photographer: Ashley Tiedgen Photography Catering: Buffalo Gals
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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 Congratulations to Austin & Ashley who wed over the 4th of July holiday weekend! A stunning mountaintop ceremony in Estes Park. A few sprinkles which brought us rainbows. And OH, the dancing! Simply stunning photos from Hannah Bee Photography    
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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 |
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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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