Online contest delivering a wedding to remember for young couple

WEDDING WINNERS: Katie Durham (right), daughter of long-time Douglas Orr Plumbing employee Tom Durham, found out last week while still being stationed in Afghanistan with her fianc? Bobby Hill that the two had won a national wedding contest.

Gazette Photo

??? You?ll forgive Katie Durham and her fianc? Bobby Hill if they haven?t been able to tend to their wedding plans next year. They?ve been a little busy lately ? specifically fighting a war as members of the same U.S. Army unit, Operation Enduring Freedom, over in Afghanistan for the last eight months.

??? Durham is the daughter of Tom Durham, a long-time employee of Douglas Orr Plumbing in Miami Springs, and his wife Annie.

??? Having announced their engagement at Christmastime last year when he proposed to her on a dock in Key West at sunrise, the two were then deployed off to Afghanistan a month later, which made it impossible to plan a wedding. Or so they thought.

??? That was until Katie, while surfing the Internet one day, learned of a $50,000 wedding package giveaway contest by Magnolia Plantation and Gardens out of Charleston, S.Ca. Katie went ahead and entered it. Magnolia launched the wedding giveaway contest in February where couples were asked to submit short videos explaining how they met and why they?d want a wedding at Magnolia and honeymoon in Charleston.

??? She wrote their ?love story? to the Magnolia folks and by last June, seven judges chose four finalists and Katie and Bobby learned that they were one of them. At that point, videos were posted on Magnolia?s website, allowing people around the country to vote for the couple with the most compelling story. Durham and Hill received the most votes, tabulated by an independent company.

??? Last week, they got the great news. On Saturday, Feb. 9, 2013, Durham and Hill, a native of Boaz, Ala., will be married in grand style at the Carriage House on the grounds of Magnolia Plantation in Charleston in a wedding complete with all of the first-class trimmings.

??? ?I cannot thanks the folks at Douglas Orr Plumbing or from around the community enough,? said Tom Durham. ?From the beginning, they continually asked me about Katie, how she was doing and how the contest was going. We are a family here at Orr Plumbing and their support means so much.?

??? ?Bobby and I are overwhelmed with excitement,? Katie Durham said via her Facebook page. ?We never could have imagined something like this happening in our lives. We knew that we wouldn?t be able to afford the wedding we always dreamed of and that we would have to save our money earned in Afghanistan to be able to pay for one that all our friends and family could enjoy.?

??? Wedding planner Cindy Zingerella of Engaging Events will now help Durham and Hill plan their dream wedding, which will include a laundry list of perks.

??? ? A Charleston Wedding and David?s Tuxedos: limo and tuxedo for the groom.
??? ? Atlantic Tent Rental
??? ? Two nights hotel stay at the Charleston Place Hotel
??? ? Classical Charleston ceremony music
??? ? Complete Music of Charleston, DJ and videography
??? ? Elaine?s Events: cake
??? ? Fabulous Frock?s: bride?s dress
??? ? Ice Box Bar Services
??? ? Mosaic Catering
??? ? Richard Bell Photography

??? ?Having just started off our careers out of college, it was going to be difficult,? said Katie. ?February, 9, 2013 will no doubt be one of the best days of our lives and we can?t wait to share it with all of those we love at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens in true Southern style.?

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Source: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/09/15/2999001/online-contest-delivering-a-wedding.html

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