Blog: Contest

To say that this has been a difficult decision would obviously be an understatement.  First of all, we were surprised as to how many entries we got!  We were impressed with the originality of the entries too.  Even the method of delivery.  Instead of an email submission we received a link to a blog post that our clients posted on their own blog.  The cherry on top was the idea of their followers commenting on the post as to why they should win.  Enough talk already right?

Judging.  The judging was based off of the creativity and content.  Because this became difficult for  us to decide on ourselves we recruited help in the decision making.  So with the help of a total of 6 judges and a dog we were able to find our winner.

Tomorrow we’ll be posting the winner on our blog.  Haha, just kidding.  The winners are Mark & Natalie! *horns sound*confetti falls from the sky*

How the heck did they do it?  I give you, their submission…

“Dear Michael and Melissa,

Please take our names out of the running for the photo booth contest.  We are afraid the sight of a photo booth would cause flashbacks to that infamous wedding. It all started with a simple, silly picture which began a series of events so cataclysmic and horrifying we have tried to block them out of our minds.

Just after dinner (a lovely stuffed chicken and mashed potato dish), Natalie suggested I have a picture taken with crazy uncle Greg. After a shot of me and Greg in an unforgettable barnyard scene, I told her to have a portrait taken with my wild cousin Cathy. Everyone was having a marvelous time trying on different costumes and making inappropriate drunken gestures. But then…it began.

It was a tropical island background with palm trees providing shade to the tiki huts on the beach. I wore a lobster costume and played a ukulele (having studied the uke under the late Charles Saybolt, a true master).  Natalie wore a hula skirt and a rather flattering coconut bra on her head. Uncle Greg and Cathy looked on with delight with their craft beer and sangria respectively. What happened next is known to all in attendance as “the flash seen round the world”.

With a click of the shutter the flash went off and sent a blinding beam into the eyes of cousin Audrey just as she made a desperate leap for the coveted bouquet. The flash caused Audrey to misjudge the distance between her and the caboose of the dancers congaing their way to Funkytown.  My brother, big Mike, had just joined the end of the caterpillar of death after a round of blackberry brandys, and once he lost his footing, it was all over. Mike crashed into Aunt Beth, who tumbled into Brittan. Brittan swayed to avoid Aunt Laura but instead bounced into Natalie’s brother Tim. Tim said, “what’s going on?” while flying forward into a waiter serving red wine to Natalie’s mom. The wine flew from table 12 all the way to table 4 (a new family record) and stained my sister Colleen’s new dress. All three of my sisters, Colleen, Mary Kate and Annie exclaimed, “Jesus Christ!” which caused Father Jack to turn and say, “I’m off the clock for the night”.  This comment made Natalie’s grandmother laugh so hard she fell back in her chair and dropped her drink on the floor.

Now at this point, everyone in attendance had become aware of the chaotic scene. Just as the conga line began to untangle themselves and stand up, the wedding photographer saw the scene and couldn’t resist some candid shots. On his way to the action, he forgot rule number 1 of an Irish wedding: Beware of spilled drinks! He took one step in the direction of the dance floor and went sliding across the tile like a greased up penguin.  The photographer slammed hard into the DJ booth causing the tunes to abruptly change from La Bamba to Love Shack. Natalie’s dad jumped out of his chair and moved across the room in a gyration that in some cultures may be considered dance. Definitely not any culture I’ve heard of, but he was having fun. So much fun in fact, he did not even see my father who had also arisen in a fit of unprecedented dance fever. The paternal collision that ensued made them both swear off the B52’s forever. It also caused my mother to begin dancing in a fit of laughter with the nearest waiter who just barely grazed the table holding the gorgeous (and over priced) red velvet wedding cake.

The bride, the only one in attendance who was not aware of the mayhem, stood a level below my giggling mother and the embarrassed waiter, just beneath the cake! With every “Bang Bang Bang on the door Baby”, the cake came inches closer to inevitable doom. “Knock a little louder sugar!” and in seemingly slow motion, the 25 pound masterpiece began its descent. Natalie in her grass skirt, and I in my lobster suit, could do nothing but stare in awe as the cake sank through the sky like a silent swallow of misery.

Needless to say the bartender was quite busy for the rest of the evening, not only pouring countless drinks for the shocked and shaken guests, but also doling out ice packs and club soda to the battered and soiled victims of the hurricane that began with the innocent butterfly flap of a photo booth portrait.

On second thought…that wedding was awesome. Free photo booth please!”

What do they win Jonny?  Mark & Natalie win a photobooth for their reception which includes a 3rd photographer, a backdrop set up with lighting. They also get fully edited full resolution files.

So Natalie, Mark and the friends and family attending the wedding… game on.  We’ll be showcasing some of your pictures on our blog.  If they are anything like your submission I know we won’t be disappointed.

Congrats!

Michael

Melissa’s been feeling a bit crafty lately and decided she wanted to make a few photobooth props of her own.  After many hours of turning our dining room into a craft room (a complete disaster) and a few swivel blades later….she’s just about done.  These props will be added to the collection of props we already have.  We allowed the girls to play with them a bit…and of course we took pictures.