2010 Wedding Photography Giveaway: Let the Games Begin!

After months of anticipation, the final stage of the 2010 Wedding Photography Giveaway is here.

This past weekend was a blast as I met with each couple for their engagement session and I hope that the next few weeks will be even more fun as they marshal friends and family to help them claim victory. Unfortunately there can only be one winner, but each couple was a blast to work with and I hope that - free or not - I can be a part of their special days.

To vote, simply leave a comment on a couple's album on my Facebook fan page by 5:00 pm on May 1, 2010. Each unique user commenting on an album will be counted as a vote that will put that couple closer to the finish line.

Heather and Jenn - I met up with Heather and Jenn at Roger Williams Park in Providence, Rhode Island. We scouted out the mock-Japanese garden, marveled at the foliage and had a great time during this shoot.

Andrew and Liz - It was a lovely Saturday afternoon, and google had gotten me a little lost on my way in to Sommerville to meet with Andrew & Liz. They had a big day planned and we set off for teh Charles to get some great photos of teh water and city skyline (as well as some boats) but the sun was a little harsh. It was a really fun shoot that crawled along the riverside and wound up back at their home with a bit of baking.

Holly and Luke - It was early in the morning when I met Holly & Luke and Water Place Park in Providence. The sky was nice and overcast, creating a smooth and even light all over. It was really great to meet them and they were a real blast to work with as we circled around the park looking for great photo opportunities.

Good luck to all of the contestants, I wish you could all win (well that's not entirely true, ideally a rich stranger would just pay for each of you to have the deluxe package).

Congratulations Finalists

I'd like to congratulate everyone who took part in the first Wedding Photography Giveaway. There were a lot of great entrants from Cape Cod to Connecticut, but in the end there could be only three.

Things could have been a little more fun, and a little more interactive but everyone walked away with something. Entrants are all eligible for a $50 print credit with any package they book from me (I can't really offer print credits for other photographers).

The finalists each will receive a free engagement photography session and two will receive a $100 print credit. The grand prize winner will be decided by a vote between April 15 and May. Sure it's a bit of a popularity contest, but in the end I hope that everyone has a great time and gets some great photos.

So without further ado I'd like to congratulate the three finalist couples:

1. Jennifer and Heather: They're planning a fun July beach wedding bringing together their friends and family to celebrate their love and commitment.

2. Katie and Craig: This couple are getting married at a beautiful historic site in Peabody in September.

3. Liz and Andrew: They are planning a beach wedding on the North Shore in June of 2011.

Wedding Photography Giveaway: Update

With only a few weeks left in February I'd like to declare that my first wedding photography giveaway has been a pretty big success.

With more than 20 entrants it helped to drive a lot of traffic and inquiries to my Web site and it's poised to do even more once the final round begins. I'd like to thank everyone who signed up and everyone who visited, your support has been vital in moving this contest forward.

It's my most sincere belief that no one will walk away too disappointed from this contest (though the grand prize winner will probably be a lot happier). The three finalists will all receive a free engagement shoot and a $100 print credit, good for getting out set of Save-the-Date cards or a guest book.

Entrants who didn't make it to the final round still receive a $50 print credit that they can apply to their package. So everyone will walk away with something.

The next step is to randomly select the three finalists with sophisticated randomizing technology (known in the business as a hat). Those finalists will be contacted to schedule their engagement sessions through early April (and if they are not able to schedule a session another name will be drawn at random).

Once the shoots are finished the contestants will be able to promote their albums on Facebook to see who can drum up the most comments in support of their bid. A winner will be declared on May 1 based on the number of comments from unique users on their albums.

So good luck everyone and have a happy wedding season.

2010 Wedding Photography Giveaway

After wedding season is over, it's time to think about engagements and your own plans. Between Thanksgiving and Valentine's Day is a boom time for engagements, as friends and family are gathered around and nostalgia runs through the season like lights around the tree (that will not be taken down until late January, after the Christmas bills have gone as well).

So the winter is also a time for planning weddings, an activity full of its own headaches and hassles. Here at Ryan Richardson Photography I'd like to make that planning as simple as possible by giving away a deluxe wedding package to one lucky couple getting married from June 2010 through May 2011.

The winner, decided in March of 2010, will receive my deluxe wedding package - a $4,500 value. This great package includes:

• A 2 hour engagement session ahead of the wedding, to help announce your love to the world.
• 2 hours for a bridal portrait session or rehearsal coverage.
• 2 photographers on the day of your event.
• 8 hours of coverage on your special day.
• 100 image online gallery
• 1 heirloom wedding album, to share the story of your wedding.
• 2 small keepsake parent albums
• A CD of high-resolution and web-resolution files
• Artistic enhancement on all delivered files
• A spiral-bound proof book
• $250 Print Credit

Two runners up will receive free engagement sessions.

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