Now the playing field is leveled…no one is in first or last place.  The winner will be chosen this week by a panel of esteemed wedding professionals from Carolina Elite Events and announced at the bridal show on January 29.  If you are a semi-finalist, you MUST be present to win.  Stay tuned for us to announce our winner next week!

Weddings–I love them!  The fashion, the love story, the time I get to spend with awesome families…its all so much fun.  We get to create timeless heirlooms of the beginning of her life with the man of her dreams…how cool is that?  At each wedding, Chris and I pour our heart and soul into every image we create, and its definitely a passion for us.  And this year, we’re going to do something fun…something big…something different–we’re going to photograph a wedding for FREE!

 what exactly does the winner get?

~ TWO certified professional photographers at your wedding (only 42 in NC!)
~ Up to 6 hours of wedding day coverage
~ Your choice of a bridal or engagement session
~ Online photo gallery for sharing with friends and family
~ $250 album credit

why is this different than other free photography contests?

Because you get TWO Certified Professional Photographers at YOUR wedding, for FREE; no other studio in North Carolina can say that.  What happens if your main photographer breaks his/her leg?  You have another CPP to cover the wedding, not just an assistant.  What happens if the power goes out during the middle of your reception?  We are trained to light anything, anywhere.  Being a CPP tackles all of these things, taking the “what if…” out of your wedding day, while creating the most beautiful, emotion-filled, dramatic photos you can dream of.

 the rules:

1. Couples must be getting married within a 50 mile radius of Catawba and Burke Counties.  We will definitely travel anywhere, but locations 50 miles or more away will be subject to travel fees of $0.55/mile.  Accommodations must be provided for any location outside 150 miles of Catawba and/or Burke Counties.  Eligible wedding dates must occur between January 2012 and December 2012 and have a set date and location. The wedding date must be available; contact us to check on your date.

2. If you are a bride or groom who has already booked us for your 2012 wedding, you can enter too! If you win, $2000 will be paid toward your wedding contract balance. There will be no refunds on retainers.

3. The bride or groom must be a Facebook fan of both photography companies’ fan pages.

4. To enter, submit your story via email to cathy@seizethephoto.com and put “We want Cathy and Chris to photograph our wedding!” in the subject line and title.  Let me know your story in 300 words or less; it should include both of your names, your story about how you met and got engaged, wedding details, date, and location, and why you deserve to win.  The more creative, the better!  You must also include a recent NON-PROFESSIONAL photo of you and your fiance.  Parents, friends and family may also nominate a couple.

5. Entries are due by January 16, 2012 at 10PM.  The voting period will occur from January 17-21, 2012 and all entries will be posted on both company fan pages on Facebook.  Those entries will be narrowed down to five semi-finalists, determined by the top five vote-getters on Facebook.  Semi-finalists will be judged by a panel of fellow wedding professionals (non-photographers) and narrowed down to one lucky couple.  The winning couple will be announced at the Carolina Elite Events’ Winter Wedding Showcase on January 29 and MUST be present to win.

6. FINE PRINT: No changes or substitutions can be made to prizes and/or packages.  Prizes cannot be redeemed for cash and are non-transferable.  All taxes must be paid by the winner.  Winners must sign a model release (so that we can use your photos and story on our blog and in advertising) and wedding contract to redeem prize.

Chris and I wish you all good luck and can’t wait to award one lucky and very deserving couple some awesome wedding photography!

CJ and Brad’s wedding was held at the beautiful Wilhite House in Anderson, SC back in June.  I LOVED her colors, not because I’m partial to anything…okay, I love purple because I love WCU.  But, I digress.  Everything from the elegant Southern charm to the awesome families I got to work with made this a very unique and gorgeous wedding.  Enjoy a short video of the many beautiful photos we were blessed enough to capture…thank you for letting us share your day, CJ and Brad!

I cannot keep this off the blog anymore…she’s too much of a sweetheart and a stunning bride to not share with you guys!  Tricia got married at the Peacock Inn in Newton, NC, just down the street from my studio.  I love this place and the staff there is awesome.  Everything about the inn is gorgeous to say the least, and Martha and Mike have done an amazing job creating such a wonderful venue.  When Tricia told me she wanted to do her bridal session there, I was stoked.  Check out how the combination of an awesome bride and a breathtaking location turned out:

Another thing I love about her? Mikayla is one of those rare people who can nail a “model face.”  Remember taking your senior pictures and they asked for a serious face?  I always looked like a mad dorkus.  Not Mikayla!  Check out this photo!

She is simply stunning.  She’s got a sweet, innocent, quiet air about her that I love.  I have a feeling as I get to know her more over this year, I’m going to find out more spunk and spontaneity.  Why?  We’re going snowboarding for one of her sessions for the Senior Yearbook!  How cool is that?!?!  I’m having a blast with this young lady, and I can’t wait to spend more time with her.  Enjoy some more photos of the stunning “Young Blue Eyes!”

Erin hails from Freedom High School in Morganton, NC and is one of my 2012 Burke County senior models.  I’m VERY happy to have her in my portfolio because she makes me look so good!  She’s a country girl who isn’t afraid to walk barefoot on a gravel road or go hunting with the boys.  Don’t get me wrong though…Erin’s quite a lovely young lady.  After her first outfit change, she came back in an awesome skirt I’d love to have in my closet!  She’s not afraid to dress up either.  From her love of the outdoors to her desire to be fashion-forward, she’s quite a fun and beautiful young lady.

Erin, I’m very proud of you and I can’t wait to spend your senior year with you!  Enjoy some of my favorites from her session:

And then the tire went flat.  Luckily, we all had a great time and my good buddy Ben Earp came to our rescue.  We had an AWESOME day today and I could resist posting a few teasers from her session.  Enjoy!