Back in October I got the opportunity to be a part of something really special called the Whimsical Wedding Giveaway. Katie Guth of Katie Guth Photography is the one who came up with the idea to get a team of wedding professionals together to give away a FREE wedding to a couple in need. As soon as I knew what she was up to, I was in! Not to my surprise, we found a number of local businesses that were excited to participate as well. We started planning this contest in April and ambitiously chose a wedding date of October 23rd, which meant we needed to act fast!

The Landing 1841, a brand new barn in Burlington, was still under construction when they agreed to donate their space for this cause. Bubb’s BBQ provided a delicious buffet as well as their vintage china. Drink Inc. donated the bar and bartending staff. Xcite Entertainment provided music for the ceremony and the reception.

Bank of Flowers created some beautiful bouquets as well as ceremony décor.

Bucci's Bridal donated a stunning lace Stella York bridal gown. Just look at that train!

Windy City Linen provided linens and lace overlays for all of the tables.

Gertrude & Evelyn Vintage Rentals offered use of their many beautiful vintage rental pieces.

Miss Molly’s Pastries made a delicious three-tier wedding cake with multiple flavors.

Arrogant Beauty provided bridal hair and makeup.

Katie Guth Photography provided not only photography and videography, but custom designed stationery as well.

And I provided my wedding planning services to assist the winners in finalizing all of their wedding details to make sure their wedding day went off without a hitch! Together we were able to provide a wedding valued at over $24,000!

The contest was announced online in May and couples began submitting their personal stories of why they should be chosen.

On May 19th, Katie and I got to tell the winning couple, Amy and Lindsey, the good news and that was one of the best parts. It was so great to meet them and get to hear their story firsthand. These two have been through so much together, which obviously only strengthened their relationship.

These loving mothers have taken in two foster children and have one child of their own. As Amy was preparing to deploy to Afghanistan about five years ago, they discovered she had a rare brain disease. In just one year she had fourteen different surgeries. Lindsey spent that time caring for Amy and their children and ended up losing both of her jobs. The military tried medically discharging Amy on four separate occasions, but she fought it each time and was able to reenlist for another six years. They were both so grateful to have won this giveaway and be able to share their love with their family and friends. You can watch them tell their full story below.

Katie and I spent the next five months finalizing all of the wedding details with Amy and Lindsey. From food tastings to linen samples to dress shopping, the entire process was a blast, because these two ladies are just so sweet and down to earth.

The wedding day came together so beautifully thanks to everyone who was involved. I was able to see the pure joy on Amy and Lindsey’s faces as they laughed with their family and friends and danced the night away. Towards the end of the reception I found myself asking Katie “Hey, do you want to do this again next year?” So we have decided that we will be launching another Whimsical Wedding Giveaway soon! Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to be notified of when the contest will be open.