Free Photography Contest!! - BDW Exclusive!! - 'Real Love is...'

[michaelwachniak]

Hello everyone! Tis' the Season for giving, so I am extremely happy to announce my 2009 Destination Wedding Contest! I have been SO STOKED for this moment to come and I am extremely excited to share this with all of you!!

 

If you are having a 2009 Destination Wedding and are still in need of a Photographer, listen up! All you have to do to enter is post your wedding date and location in this thread, and finish this sentence as truthfully as you can:

 

"To me, Real Love is..." .

 

It can be as long or as short as you want, but it MUST be posted here for everyone to see. In the next little while I am reconstructing my presence, both in Business and being physically here on this beautiful planet, and one of the things I am strongly focusing on is the awareness of Real Love. The best way to explain is by asking if you have seen the movie "Love Actually"? The message is essentially that Love is All Around, and the more we strip away the hussle and bussle that has become greatly known as LIFE, the better this world will be. If all of the 'contestants' post what Real Love means to them, then for the next few weeks that this thread floats around, maybe we can all have a place to come and be reminded (if necessary) that Love really is All Around.

 

Ok, well, all of you came to see what the contest includes! Here we go!

 

The winning couple will receive:

 

- unlimited coveraged on all wedding events (welcome party, rehearsal, wedding day)

- edited photos on DVD with printing permissions

- online gallery for 6 months (for viewing and family ordering)

- online slideshow (with option to buy on dvd)

- choice of either TTD, Day after session, or engagement session (with photos on CD)

 

- edited photos, and slideshow guaranteed to be online within 2 weeks, and CD to be sent after 3-4 weeks.

 

- Photography by myself (and my girlfriend, the 'photographer-in-training')...let me explain

 

in addition to the photography (and the real COOL part that should set this contest away from others) is:

 

the winning bride will also receive free hairstylist services for her AND her bridesmaids (if time permitting) on the wedding day from my girlfriend. She is a master hairstylist from germany with 16 years experience and has done TONS of weddings, but has only recently started with photography. She is amazing at that too, so I thought the best way to get her more experience in photography is to include her directly in this contest. She obviously wont be able to shoot during the time of styling hair, but the bride will have option to decide if she wants 2 photographers at that time or 1 photographer and 1 hairstylist after the hair is done, my fiance will take off the hairstylist hat and put on the photographer hat I of course will be a photog all day!

 

- and finally, when all is said and done, the Bride and Groom will receive 15% off album purchases.

 

The Bride and Groom in return must pay for all flight+hotel costs, as well as any other costs like food and water, transportation, misc fees etc. Basically any necessities should be paid by B+G within reason of course.

 

If B+G book flights etc. for us rather than sending us the money so we can do it, a $500 deposit is required as a security deposit. The full amount will be returned once we arrive to the destination. (this is just to ensure that we are protected as well)

 

Now, the winner will be chosen simply based on location. Don't get discouraged, Italy doesn't always win LOL (besides, I'm already shooting a wedding in Italy next year, NOT to say that I wouldn't go back a 2nd time lol!). My girlfriend and I have done a lot of travelling (we worked on cruise ships for 2 years, thats how we met!), and we have our favorites, but we also are very open to places we have never been. I would just really like an exotic location with an amazing couple that isn't afraid to express Real Love. Your photos will be amazing!

 

This contest is EXCLUSIVE to the members on this forum!

 

Please check the availability on my website for 2009 before entering.

 

***Edited to add:

Current Dates I am NOT available in 2009:

 

Feb 14th-20th (In Vegas for business, but I am free so far before and after these dates, so this could help some of you!)

May 16th

June 20th

June 28th-July 9th (I will be in Germany and Italy shooting a wedding ... but since I will be in Europe at this time, this could help some of you!)

July 4th

July 11th

July 12th

July 18th

August 15th

August 29th

 

And local inquiries at the moment mean I am also potentially booked July 25th and Oct 10th.

 

Contest runs from today, December 12th 2008, and runs until December 23rd 2008 at Midnight PST.

 

Contest Winners will be announced on Christmas Day! How awesome would it be to wake up Christmas Morning to a Free Photographer Package for your wedding?!

 

and to get things started, here is MY kick-at-the-cat for the Real Love question:

 

"To me, Real Love is waking up warm and smiling."

 

Good Luck to all!

[TammyWright]

Great contest Michael...this is gonna make someone's christmas for sure.

[LCBride2007]

great contest - so generous of you to offer. i can't wait to see who wins, and what the answers are!

[rodent]

Great idea for a contest.

[MarieSam]

WOW what a fabulous offer, and your own hairstylist? It's a girl's dream ~ Can't wait to see all the responses

[Nic Dragomire]

great contest!

[Geralyn]

awsome idea...too bad you're already booked for my wedding date

[leahstafford]

love it! too bad i can't enter!

[michaelwachniak]

Thanks everyone! The best part about having my girlfriend there all day is that she can do hair touchups for the photos! Its going to be so awesome, I can't wait! {

[~*Kathy*~]

This is an awesome contest, whoever wins is soooo lucky! I'd enter but I already booked my photog (who I'm sure will be amazing too!). Good luck with your contest Michael!!