First off let me just start by thanking everyone behind the eleven eleven WEDDING Giveaway. Thank you to everyone who voted for us and thank you to the amazing sponsors!
The past month has been intense! We spent the whole voting week glued to our computers, phones, and pounding the pavement. We pestered our friends and family, we contacted every media source we could get our hands on, and utilized social networking websites to promote the contest in every way possible. We were so shocked by the overwhelming response from everyone that voted for us, shared our link, or wrote about our story. Our story and the contest was shared all around the world! We received such wonderful responses from long lost grade school friends to the It Gets Better Project. Regardless of whether we won or lost, we felt like this contest showed us that we are loved, that we are accepted, and that there is so much support for our relationship and for same-sex marriage. We never dreamed of this much support.
When we found out that we were finalists we were even more surprised! All our hard work (17 hour days of tweeting, sending out press releases, going to local businesses and organizations) really paid off. The next step was the interview processes. We were so excited to meet the Greatest Expectations team! Poetic Productions made us feel so comfortable in front of the camera! After the interview we waited a few weeks for the live reveal event at Nellcote. Let me just say that we were sitting on pins and needles waiting to hear who won!
Tuesday night finally came and we were so excited to be able to bring three of our closest friends and Jessica’s mother to Nellcote for the live reveal. The staff at Nellcote was wonderful, the food and drinks were amazing, and the space was stunning! It was a pleasure to finally meet the other finalists and generous sponsors, but as the event went on we grew more and more excited for the big reveal! Luckily having a blast in the Shutterbooth photo booth kept us at ease.
And then.. all of a sudden there we were, watching the interviews with the other couples and ourselves. Everyone had such an amazing story, some of which brought us to tears. It was such an honor to be in this contest with the three other couples. Then finally.. the big moment when last year’s winners Amy and Howard came to announce the 2012 winners and it was (Drum Roll Please!) Connie and Jessica! We were beyond shocked, but as we held each other close and cried, the applause from the crowd and the love from our friends and family affirmed our win.
The sponsors and other couples rushed to congratulate us with hugs and kind words. Our friends and family, who have been so supportive throughout our relationship and this contest cried. It was overwhelming and emotional and we couldn’t have felt more love and acceptance in that moment. We are truly blessed.
We cannot wait to start the planning process with all the wonderful sponsors of the eleven eleven WEDDING Giveaway! We look forward to keeping everyone up to date throughout the process! And guess what? We’re getting married… IN NOVEMBER!
We are so pleased to announce that the 2012 winners of the eleven eleven WEDDING Giveaway are Connie and Jessica! This adorable couple impressed the sponsors with their beautiful love story and zest for life!
Connie and Jessica will be documenting their entire wedding planning journey so be sure to keep checking back for fun details!
We would like to give an extra special thank you to Nellcote for hosting the most amazing Live Reveal Party last night, Cris from BKO for the entertainment and to Amanda Hein for capturing these stunning images (she promises more will come very soon)! It was fantastic to see so many of our sponsors come out for the big reveal … This giveaway would not be possible with out them!
Thank you to ALL of our amazing finalists for taking this exciting journey with us and congratulations to Connie and Jessica! Buckle up, this will be a fun ride
We are excited to have the beautiful and talented Becca Kaufman back with us this year! BKO has agreed to provide all of the entertainment for the 2012 eleven eleven WEDDING Giveaway. Becca will work with the winners to create the right ensemble for them. All of the guests will have a ton of fun dancing the night away!
We love this picture of Becca from Amanda & Mike’s 2010 eleven eleven WEDDING Giveaway!
Words cannot describe how amazing Amy & Howard’s wedding was, but it wasn’t just the wedding day, they were such a pleasure to work with from the first moment we met them.
It was such a pleasure for all of the event sponsors to work hand in hand with Amy & Howard to create their dream wedding. We took great care to make sure the event beautifully represented their personalities and their cultures. I can speak for each sponsor involved, this was an extraordinarily fun event to be part of!
As Amy & Howard began the planning process it was clear that they wanted something elegant, sophisticated and slightly modern. The talented women of Greatest Expectations worked tirelessly to ensure that the process was fun and exciting for the couple and also each of the sponsors. Their dedication and hard work spanned months of planning and you should have seen them in action on the big day! This stunning wedding would not have been possible without the onsite assistance of so many extra hands including the entire Greatest Expectations staff, Susan from The Left Bank, Sheshe from Berghoff, Kelly and Caleb from Fleur, Barb from the Chicago History Museum as well as countless others brought in by individual sponsors.
The bridal party started the day at Hotel 71 where the ladies had hair and make up done by Mario Tricoci Salons and were then transported to the ceremony in style by Chicago Trolley.
All of the little details, which we all know are not so little, were attended to by Magnificent Milestones and Rosemary Hall Calligraphy with the most beautiful menu cards, programs and hand done signage.
Because this was a brunch wedding, Berghoff Catering offered an amazing pancake bar, savory station and beverage bar featuring speciality champagne cocktails. It was really so much fun! Amy Beck Cake Design seriously blew our minds with the most spectacular cake ever and the guests were treated to delicious custom created favors by Truffle Truffle.
I am not sure what you were doing at 1:00 p.m. on 11.11.11, but I can tell you that all of the guests at Amy & Howard’s wedding were dancing their butts off! The Larry King Orchestra gets a party started like no other band! They are so amazingly good that it’s impossible to stay in your seats. It was extra fun because the guests were really into music. Seriously one of the best afternoons ever.
When people were not dancing, they were having a blast with the photo booth from ShutterBooth Chicago.
A special thank you is due to Bev Albert from Ceremonies for your Life for creating a truly meaningful and beautiful wedding ceremony and Rappatone Boutique Training for helping the bride and groom get fit and healthy for their big day (and the rest of their lives).
Thank you for following along with us as we took this journey! Much love to Amy & Howard! We are very much looking forward to what 2012 has in store! Stay tuned for more details over the next couple of months!
We are so excited for you and cannot wait for your dream 11.11.11 wedding!
What an amazing evening we had last night at our Live Reveal Party hosted by ZED451!! The evening was filled with beautiful music from Paul at BKO, fantastic food and drinks from ZED451, and a crazy fun photo booth from Shutterbooth Chicago! A special thanks to Amanda Hein for photographing the event, Poetic Productions for both producing the finalists’ interviews and taping the event last night, Chicago Lighting Design for making everything look beautiful and Halls for providing the stage!
As an extra treat, last year’s eleven eleven WEDDING winners, Amanda and Mike, announced this year’s winners. It was so special to share this moment with them.
We are so looking forward to getting started with Amy and Howard! Be sure to keep coming back to our site to see some behind-the-scenes shots throughout the planning process!
What is perfect compliment to a fun and lively wedding reception? How about a photo booth chock full of fun props! Shutterbooth provides elegant and fun photo booths for weddings. Their photo booths are designed to blend in and compliment your event while adding another level of entertainment for your guests. Guests enjoy the spontaneity of posing for pictures and revealing their true personalities. Personalized photo strips make excellent keepsakes and save on additional favors!
For the eleven eleven WEDDING Giveaway 2011, Shutterbooth will be providing photo booth with unlimited photo strips, a custom guest book and a CD with all of the images after the event.
Click here to look through some of the great photo strips from Amanda and Mike’s 11.11.10 wedding!
It is with great excitement we announce that BKO has agreed to provide all of the entertainment for the eleven eleven WEDDING Giveaway 2011. Becca will work with the winners to create the right ensemble for them. We know that your guests will have a ton of fun dancing the morning away at your brunch wedding!
I always walk into a music meeting full of anticipation. Music defines people. At least I think so. What songs are going to make this couple’s night special? Uniquely theirs? Once I hear a few of the songs they like, will I be able to anticipate the rest?
I was very excited to work with Mike and Amanda, a great couple, and musicians just like me. The two were band mates before they became life mates. So I knew the music would play a very important part in creating their celebration-just the kind of clients I love. And sure enough, Mike and Amanda didn’t disappoint! Their first dance, the Ray LaMontagne song, “Let It Be Me” has a haunting, lilting melody, that captivates, grabs and stays with you. It speaks of a love that will withstand heartbreak and challenge and disappointment, because it’s a love that is pure and true.
That’s Amanda and Mike to me. Their love has withstood so much. BKO is honored to be part of the next chapter in their lives. We get to be a part of the story that comes after the hardships. And we get to celebrate that they found each other with music and through music. My job just can’t get any better then that!
Please let the video load completely before trying to watch it!
Welcome to the eleven eleven WEDDING Giveaway! On Thursday night, the eleventh of November, two thousand and ten, one lucky Chicagoland couple will be in the middle of their own dream-come-true wedding. The eleven eleven WEDDING is the brain child of us here at Greatest Expectations, but it is also a labor of love for each and every sponsor involved. We have gathered a group of Chicago’s premier wedding professionals to create this incredible all-inclusive wedding. The lucky winners will receive a wedding valued at over $60,000!!
From the largest and most obvious details to the smallest and most delicate touches, our sponsors have come together in an effort to do a really amazing thing for a couple who would not otherwise be able to have such a lavish affair. Make no mistake about it, this will not be your ordinary banquet hall wedding … We are talking a top-of-the-line, upscale wedding!
The celebrations begin with a rehearsal dinner on November 10th at ZED451, offering one of Chicago’s most unique dining experiences. The big event will be held at West Loop Studio, for 50-75 of your closest family and friends, featuring the scrumptious tastes of Berghoff Catering and the beautiful sounds of the Becca Kaufman Orchestra. Every single detail of the wedding will be taken care of and the winning couple will be dressed, spoiled and catered to in every way. Be sure to read about all of our sponsors to discover what each of them will be providing (this is one extensive list!).
You may be asking yourself “How can I win this amazing wedding?” Well, it’s pretty simple really; just send back the submission form and a photograph of you and your beloved. To be considered, all entries must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. (CST) on May 1, 2010. After receiving all entries, we will post 10 semi-finalists online and open the polls to the public for a week to vote for their favorite couple. Yes, that means you can have all your friends and family members voting and helping you win. Heck, you can even vote for yourself or someone you have never met!! The three couples with the most votes will be brought in for an interview and the grand prize winner will be announced at our live reveal party on June 1, 2010, hosted by ZED451. Make sure you read the contest rules to learn about all of the little details.
We have so many fantastic sponsors involved. Throughout the submission process we plan to highlight each and every sponsor so you can get to know them a little better but, in the meantime, take a look at this list of pros ready to make your wedding dreams a reality … Oh, it’s important to note we are still adding more sponsors to the list (and you thought it couldn’t get any better!)
Ok all you wonderful couples out there … Buckle your seat belts and join us on the eleven eleven WEDDING Giveaway ride, it promises to be one of the most exceptional nights of your life!! You’ll be hearing a lot from us and the other sponsors so please check back often!
