Contest update – effective immediately

Due to an overwhelming response to this year’s contest, the deadline for entries has been extended to February 28, 2010, and the winner will now be announced on March 7, 2010.

In addition, all participants of the contest who do not win, will now be eligible to receive 15% off any standard wedding photography package or 50% off a portrait session.

Why did you change the dates? The contest entries received so far, have been simply amazing! I want to give everyone a chance to have their voice heard. Since there has been an overwhelming response, I decided to extend the deadline in order to give everyone an opportunity to participate in this unique contest, plus I’ve added a new judge.

A new judge! The final winner will not be chosen at random, and the deciding process is one of the most difficult parts of this contest. So, I have now enlisted the help of last year’s contest winner, Shaquia Sessoms, to be a judge with me for this year’s contest.

Shaquia is very excited to help pick this year’s winner. In fact when I asked for her help, she said that by me asking, she felt like she just won again. I also asked Shaquia to share her experience about her winning last year’s contest – here is what she had to say:

What was the experience like by participating in the contest?

Entering the contest was a great experience and scary at the same time. I entered not knowing how many others did as well – that in itself can really make you nervous, because you wonder about the odds of winning.  But I would ask myself – what if I won? How awesome would that be? What if I had a photographer come and take hundreds of pictures on my wedding day and I didn’t have to worry about a thing? I thought that not only would winning be such a blessing, it would also become one of many special things about my wedding that I could look back on.

Would you do something like this again?

Since this contest, I have entered everything. I used to feel that people could not win things or that there was always a catch. This contest proved me wrong. Its amazing to me that you have people like Chris Leary wanting to help others out and to give back where they can.

What was the best part about winning?

My husband and I did not have to stress out about the photography. We were able to concentrate on other things and had one less thing to stress about. Chris made the entire process so easy!  Almost too easy … it was like, you two won – I’ll see you on the 24th. I still can’t believe I won!

How did you feel when you won?

I was so excited!  I prayed about winning.  I waited hours the day I knew the winner would be announced and constantly opened my email. When I finally saw an email from Chris Leary my heart dropped. My husband did not believe me until we actually got the contract from Chris Leary that stated that he was providing our wedding photography.

What would you say to other couples considering entering the contest?

Enter! Chris is a great photographer, just take a look at his work.  This contest is more than just winning photography, its also about Chris Leary- he is also so nice! I think that Chris’ wanting to help brides out, is truly a blessing. His personality is great!  He was so nice the day of the wedding and everyone simply loved him. After the wedding, I received some teaser photos online and a disc with all my pictures as promised. Chris never asked or wanted anything else from us in return. This was a blessing.. a true blessing!

How did this make a difference to your wedding plans?

Winning a day of photography definitely helped us with our wedding budget. Sometimes I look back and ask myself how would we have paid for the photography if we had’t won. I still haven’t  come up with an answer to that question. Winning took a load off our shoulders and helped us afford the wedding of my dreams!

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Interested in submitting an entry to the 2010 Free Wedding Photography Giveaway Contest?

Rules, conditions and application: http://www.chrislearyweddings.com/contest/