Art of the Meeting: 7 Tips for the Perfect Vail, Colorado, Event

MEETING ROOM #2 1139From an industry trade show for hundreds to wildflower Vail weddings to a group of lawyers from all over the world meeting & skiing in Vail, the Antlers at Vail gets all kinds of group requests in the course of a year. Because each group’s needs – from high-tech audiovisual capabilities to catered fine dining to convenient ski storage – are different, we pride ourselves on our personalized – and personal – service for one and all. Along the way, we’ve come up with a few tips for meeting planners to consider when booking a Vail event:

One on One: Want to make sure everything goes perfectly from the first planning stages to the final checkout? Choose a hotel where the person who books your meeting is the one who services it. We can handle up to 100 people comfortably, depending on the type of event, but because we are a smaller venue, the meeting planner has the benefit of one person who can see the group’s experience through from start to finish – they don’t have to track down a separate ‘day of contact’ person from the person who books them, for instance. And details don’t “slip through the cracks.”

Can You Hear Me Now: Make sure a venue’s audiovisual system can handle your technology and presentation needs. While Antlers has just installed an all-new A/V system for winter 2014, hotels with slightly older systems may not be able to sync easily with whatever a presenter might be bringing. And many hotels charge extra for audiovisual services, which are provided by an outside company. At the Antlers, it’s all handled in-house. One additional tip, learned the hard way: When in doubt, put everything on a flash drive that can be easily moved from one computer to another in case of glitches.

Location, Location, Location: The number one rule of real estate applies to group events, too – from meetings and conferences to weddings and reunions. Your attendees or guests will be happiest if they have quick access to an area’s amenities – like the Antlers’ proximity to great restaurants, shops, your morning latte, a bike/hike path, the slopes (the Lionshead Gondola is just yards from our front door), and events from Vail Jazz Fest to the Lionshead Oktoberfest. And for everything else, the free Vail shuttle stops right outside our door.

RAWLINGS_0037Dine Al Fresco: An outdoor dining spot can bring a breath of fresh air to meetings – ask during planning stages if the venue includes the chance to step outside at meals. When you get your lunch at the Antlers (or even your continental breakfast), take it down the steps just outside the conference room and eat poolside, overlooking Gore Creek. Don’t miss the start of your meeting, though.

Fee or Free: Hotel “extras” can increase your bill significantly when each service comes with a price attached. Consider what services your conference-goers might need, including WiFi, parking, or even watching a movie, and ask about hidden charges. The Antlers at Vail prides itself on its many complimentary extras (including unlikely ones like bikes and snowshoes) – so much so that we wrote a separate blog post on the subject.

Community Props: A strong community marketing organization helps conference planners find your community and get the big picture on what the area has to offer. Vail is lucky to have the nonprofit Vail Valley Partnership – a 2012 and 2013 winner with Colorado Meetings + Events magazine for “best destination marketing” – representing the community to groups.

Know Your Audience: Tailoring a meeting for best results can be as easy as having a way to efficiently gather audience responses. Antlers meetings offer polling devices – used successfully with diverse groups including Vail Symposium – that project conveniently graphed results on the screen instantly.

Planning a Vail meeting, conference or group event? Come and check out the Antlers at Vail’s 2,600 square feet of group meeting space with four meeting room options and an executive boardroom. Some groups combine their meeting each day with popular Vail activities such as skiing, golf, or fly-fishing.  In fact, the Antlers has even promoted a scuba exploration course to our groups that was taught in our swimming pool right outside. Have an idea you’d like to try? Just ask. Looking for ideas? Check out our blog posts on past Antlers’ groups.

Piney Lake Hiking

Looking for a good short hike without getting too far from civilization? Try heading up to Piney River Ranch and checking out the trails up there. To reach Piney River Ranch from North Frontage Road in Vail, you take Red Sandstone Road to Piney lake road (or county road no.700)travel 11 miles up a gravel road (takes about 40 minutes). The ranch itself is worth a visit as (depending on the season) there are a plethora of activities offered. I highly recommend checking out the ranch’s website to see what activities are being offered before heading up there as they change frequently. On the north side of the lake theres a sign showing the Piney River trail (go right) and the Meadow Creek and Soda Lakes trails (go left!). Both offer very scenic mellow hikes. The falls are very secluded and beautiful and are a very popular photo op location. Below is an interactive google map showing the location of the trail respective to Antlers. The lines are the road up to Piney River Ranch, the Soda Lakes trail, and the Piney River trail.


View Piney Lake Trails in a larger map

Enjoy!
Tyler

Fondue Party at the Antlers at Vail

Chef Angelee Aurillo

Hello everyone it is Angelee, the Chef at the Antlers at Vail! Lent is coming to an end for those of you who have been dedicated over these last 40 days.  And, we have  a reward for all of you who gave up chocolate, or those that just want a fun time to spend with your friends and family this Easter Week.

We are offering to all of our guests a Fondue evening Thursday night & Easter Sunday!  Dark and white chocolate fondue served with delicious dipping options:  Strawberries, Bananas, Rice Krispy Treats, Marshmallows, M&M’s, Pound Cake, Colored Sprinkles, Cookies, Pretzels and Vanilla Wafers!

Thursday Night Fondue has been a great success with children and adults, alike…Usually we have the fondue party on Thursday evenings (from 7-9pm), but I thought it would be a great idea to offer it twice this week.  What better way to celebrate!!  The cost is $10/person and includes milk and coffee.  We also sell red wine (a natural partner to chocolate) for $5/glass (cash only, please.)

If you and your family will be attending an evening Mass on Sunday night and cannot make it at the time offered, don’t worry, we can deliver it to your room for when you return!  All you have to do is (gently) re-heat the chocolates; all of the dippers will be there!  Just let Katie know how many people are in your party and that you would like it delivered to your room also on what night your party will be attending…You can reach her at:  970.476.2471 or at: [email protected].  She will respond with all of the details.  Come one night or both nights, we would love to have you!!  Please reserve your place as soon as possible; we fill up pretty quickly. We look forward to seeing you and your family!!

Colorado Destination Weddings- 5 Most Asked Questions

Mountain and Meadows Wedding

JoAnn Moore-Mountain and Meadows Wedding

Destination Weddings- 5 Most Asked Questions

 

JoAnn Moore, CWC from Mountains and Meadows Weddings is a very good friend of the Antlers at Vail.  She wrote this article about destination weddings, we would love to share it with you!  We hope this information helps you with your wedding plans.

” Couples are choosing Destination Weddings for the reason of wanting a spectacular location, but also a different location than their hometown, to minimize their guest list and to give their family and friends an adventure – not just a wedding. As a Certified Professional Wedding Consultant I am often asked:

1. Is it more expensive to have a destination wedding?

Destination weddings can help couples decrease their overall cost through a subsequent reduction in the guest list Up to two-thirds of their guests won’t be able to travel for various reasons. A lower guest count can reflect a decrease in cost. Destination resort areas such as the Colorado Mountains have an array of venues to choose from, including spectacular outside ceremony locations and beautiful banquet facilities for the reception. Having such a huge selection of venues means you can shop around for a location that fits both your vision and budget.

2. Should I hire local vendors or bring my vendors with me to a destination location?

Definitely hire local vendors. They are wise to the changes in weather and they know secret locations for both venues and photo opportunities. They have experience working with the other vendors in the area, making for a great team. Local vendors also save you money by requiring little or no travel or accommodation fees.

3. Outside ceremonies, do I really need a back up plan?

Yes you do! The Colorado weather is very unpredictable and can change within minutes. You need to be able to take care of your guests in the event of lightning; having a back up plan is a must. You will be glad you didn’t scramble at the last minute to make a decision of where to go. Your back up plan location should be easily accessible from the original ceremony site and be ready to walk into for as little of a delay in your ceremony time line as possible.

4. Colorado Marriage Licenses, what do I need to know?

It’s not difficult to obtain a marriage license in Colorado. You may obtain the license from most County offices in Colorado. You will both need to be present with photo identifications; both of you will need to sign the license. You must be at lease eighteen years of age and if either of you have been married previously, you will need to provide the county with a copy of the divorce decree with the date and county court the divorce was finalized. Any ordained minister, judge or rabbi may perform your ceremony. A couple may choose to solemnize their vows without an officiant, but no other person may perform the ceremony and sign the marriage license. Once the license is obtained, your marriage must occur within 30 days of issue. There is a fee which various from county to county ranging from $30 to $80. Following the wedding the license must be mailed back to the county where it was obtained to be recorded. A blood test is not required.

5. Should I hire a Wedding Planner?

Absolutely! You will appreciate a wedding planner familiar with the venues and their expertise in finding the best vendors for you and your budget.  A local wedding planner is also experienced dealing with the Colorado weather and is someone who takes the stress off of you so that your special day runs smoothly, allowing you to enjoy every moment. Your wedding planner is your destination point person when you can’t be at your venues. Your wedding planner can assist you with your budget and negotiate fees with vendors and venues. Your wedding planner works behind the scenes as the team leader to give all vendors their timeline and troubleshoots any and all problems that may come up. Your wedding planner is the go to person that resolves any last minute changes and vendor issues. They oversee set up and break down of the venues, keep track of all your personal items you brought, pack up your gifts and cards and assist the guests with any thing they may need. Wedding Planners are detailed, multi-taskers, creative and resourceful. You absolutely will want the assistance of a professional Wedding Planner with any destination wedding!”

Contributor: JoAnn Moore, CWC

JoAnn Moore, CWC is the owner and founder of Mountains and Meadows Weddings based in Vail, Colorado. JoAnn’s 30 years in the Vail Valley gives her an unsurpassed knowledge of the local landscape which brings her clients a wide range of design options for either indoor or outdoor venues. JoAnn is currently the only Certified Professional Wedding Consultant in the state of Colorado, a member of ACPWC and ABC. To find out more about JoAnn and her work, visit www.mmvail.com.