You saved my sanity, now I'm saving yours.

Remember last month when I got all schmoopy and decided to do a giveaway?  No?  Well, read it here then.

Caught up?  Good, because it's time to announce who won!

I received a hell of a lot more responses than I could have ever imagined.  Seriously.  You all proved that there are a hell of a lot of couples out there that are keeping it real, and keeping what's important - your relationship - at the top of your plans.  The way you described your partner and your relationships was incredible.  No matter who you choose as a photographer, I can't wait to see the photos.

I used random.org to pull an entry, and I'm super excited to photograph Catherine & Carl's wedding next September!  An outdoor wedding on Carl's family property in the country?  WITH food trucks?  I think random.org knows me way too well.

Cathy wrote a very genuine email to me, describing the two of them:

"As I said before, we're both botanists and we love being outside. We have a lot of interests in common, which is awesome and definitely helps keep us in sync with each other. More than that, though, we complement each other. I'm kind of grumpy, and as my mom says, Carl "sparkles." I tend toward being dramatic, and he is calming and stable. I fixate on daily interactions with coworkers or the guy at the grocery store, and he lets them roll of his back like nothing. I've lived in large cities for most of my life, and he grew up an isolated country boy. These things could result in conflict, but because we can talk it all out, we help each other see the diversity of reactions and emotions that people are capable of. "

 Seriously.  Anyone who can admit to a stranger that they're "kind of" grumpy is someone I want to know (because when it comes to grumpy, I totally am - especially pre-coffee.  Or when hungry.  Or tired.  So pretty much most of the time). 

I like authenticity, and Catherine and Carl are as authentic as it gets.  I can't wait for next September.

The contest may be closed, but remember - I learned the hard way that people won't remember if you had mason jars or chalkboards, but they will remember if the marriage doesn't last.  It sucks.  Put yourselves first, and the details second.