When we got married almost 9 years ago, Smitty and I planned our wedding (pre-Pinterest, thank you!) and paid for most of it on our own. We were young and poor, but crazy in love. There was nothing fancy about it, but it was ridiculously fun and it was ours, and that was enough. If you had told those two kids, with hearts for one another and heads full of dreams, that one day, just a handful of years later, we’d wind up as full-time wedding photographers, we never would have believed you. This small business adventure we’re on together is not at all what we imagined, but it has become one of the greatest blessings our family has been given, nevertheless. And from the beginning, we always knew that we wanted to find ways to use this business as a way to bless others.

Last summer, I mentioned to Smitty that I had a crazy idea and that I wanted to give away a wedding. Like, a whole wedding, not just photography. We love collaborating with fellow creatives and we thought it would be a great opportunity to support one another while simultaneously giving back to our community as a whole. At the same time, we know firsthand what it’s like to plan a wedding. We know the pressure that comes with it – especially, financially – and we wanted to find a way to alleviate some of that burden for one deserving couple.

Now, let me pause here to preface that we 100% understand that an extravagant wedding is not what makes a marriage. We’ve been a part of weddings on all ends of the budget spectrum and it doesn’t matter if you have a $1000 wedding or a $100,000 wedding, the day pales in comparison to all the days to come. That said, we also believe that every single lifelong marriage commitment should be genuinely celebrated and a gorgeous day surrounded by all the people you love is a perfect way to do that.

So with further ado, we are SO EXCITED to announce the St. Louis Wedding Collective Giveaway! With the help of a phenomenal team of wedding vendors, we are offering one deserving couple a wedding prize package valued at over $10,000! Y’all, I can hardly believe we’re actually doing this! Our hope is that this joining of forces will truly be a blessing to one couple eager to begin their marriage with an incredible day of celebration.

Below you will find all of the details and rules, so be sure to read carefully before entering! We cannot wait to hear your stories and to be able to gift one of you with this experience!

THE PRIZES

• Custom Photography Collection ($3750 value) with Kairos Photography + Films
  • engagement session
  • 6 hours wedding day coverage
  • 2 photographers
  • $250 album credit
• $300 Wedding Film Credit with Kairos Photography + Films
• Wedding Ceremony + Reception Space Rental ($2000 value) at Windows on Washington
• $2100 Credit toward Dueling Pianos Reception Entertainment with The Dueling Hobbits
• $200 Gift Certificate to Mia Grace Bridal
• Three Wedding Planning Coaching Sessions ($300 value) with Saving Grace Occasions
• Full Bridal Hair + Makeup Experience ($275 value) with Hair + Makeup by Malorie
• The Adele Wedding Package with Amanda Chasnoff, Ceremony Officiant (up to $725 value) from STL Wedding Celebrant
• Up to 100 Personalized Thank You Notes with Hand-Addressed Envelopes or 1 Set of Personalized Reception Signs from M.Haley Design
• One Bridal Bouquet ($150 value) from Rosie’s Blooms
• $300 Credit at Fish Eye Fun
• $150 Gift Certificate to Weinhardt Party Rentals
• 25% off any ice cream catering order from Clementine’s Creamery
• 50% off any wedding dessert order from Confections by Libby

FAQS

How much is the total prize package worth? The total package is worth over $10,000. Can you even believe that?! So, so awesome.

Can I nominate someone for the giveaway?  Absolutely! Just be sure they’re okay with it! Fill out the form with their contact info and yours and we’ll take it from there!

How many rounds are there and what do they entail? There will be 3 rounds to the giveaway. The first round is a simple entry form. Help us get to know you and why you’d love to win. After reading everyone’s entries, we will select 10 couples to move forward to round 2. Round 2 will give couples the opportunity to create a short video to share their story with everyone. These videos will be shared online and voted on by the general public. The three couples with the most votes will move forward to the final round. In round 3, a team of vendors + their representatives will cast final votes on the couple they feel deserves to win the giveaway!

When does each round of the giveaway begin and end? The giveaway will launch Wednesday, February 20, 2019. Round 1 entries will be open until Sunday, March 3, 2019. Round 2 video entries will be open from Wednesday, March 6, 2019 through Wednesday, March 13, 2019. Round 2 voting will take place Saturday, March 16, 2019 through Saturday, March 23, 2019. Round 3 will begin Monday, March 25, 2019 and the winner will be announced, Saturday, March 30, 2019.

What if I’ve already booked some of my wedding vendors?   We know you’re excited to start planning! If you’ve already booked some of your wedding vendors, just let us know that in your initial entry form and we’ll take that into consideration! Some of the vendors involved in the giveaway do have exclusivity clauses in their contracts (like photography, reception bands, venue catering, etc.) and we want to honor that as best we can.

What if I already have a wedding date set for 2019? Unfortunately, most of us book well over a year in advance, so your wedding must take place in 2020 or later in order to ensure availability from everyone!

Do I have to live in St. Louis to win? You don’t have to live in St. Louis to win, but since Windows on Washington has so graciously donated their venue, we simply ask that you use their beautiful space for your reception.

If I win, do I have to use Windows on Washington’s in-house catering? Yep! They are providing the space free of charge, they just ask that you honor them by using their in-house caterer, which is a requirement of holding your wedding there. Don’t worry, we’ve been there plenty of times. Their team is great! 🙂

Will the winner be chosen at random? No way! This is too big of an experience to leave it to chance, don’t you think? All applicants will be carefully considered and the final winner will be hand-selected by the vendors who are donating.

HOW TO ENTER

1. Fill out the giveaway form. Give us all the info you can so we can get to know you!
2. That’s it! Yep, really. If you’re selected to move forward to round 2, we will get in touch with all of the video-making details then!

FINE PRINT

1. Weddings must take place in 2020 or later.
2. Wedding date will be dependent on vendor availability.
3. If selected and couples utilize vendor donations, couples must agree to contractual obligations with each individual vendor, including exclusivity.
4. Couples must follow all entry rules for each round of the giveaway they advance in order to be eligible to win.

If you have any questions about the giveaway or need to get in touch, reach out to hello@kairosphotographystl.com and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can!