Hitched at the Mall

hitchedEuan Crawford must have felt pretty confident when he entered The Scottish Sun newspaper’s Win a Wedding competition. Not only was girlfriend Laura Macdonnell unaware that they were participants, but she didn’t even know that he was about to pop the question.

The double surprise came this past February, when Crawford signed them up right around Valentine’s Day. The two ended up winning a full wedding ceremony and reception package that included a honeymoon in Turkey and was worth over £12,000 (nearly $20,000).

The ceremony took place in Kingdom Shopping Centre’s Lyon Square, turning into the main attraction for shoppers, the couple’s 11-month old daughter Elsie, family and guests. Even the mall staff got dressed up for what would be the first wedding ever to be held in an UK shopping center.

“Everyone at the center was very excited about the wedding day and we are so pleased with how it’s all come together,” said marketing manager Anna Bluman, who came up with the idea and organized the event.

“We also owe a big thank you to all the event sponsors and Tracey Blyth at Fife Registration Service who made the day possible.”
Suppliers and sponsors included Rothes Halls, Greggs the Bakers, Kingdom Kilts, Ramsay Travel, Holidays 4 U, The Flower Gallery, Links Media and the Fife Council, which granted the mall a special license to host the wedding and whose registrar performed the ceremony.

According to Fiona Grant, Glenrothes Area Committee chair councillor, the wedding also provided a boost to the local economy, thanks to the more than 100 guests who booked rooms in area hotels.

On the other side of the pond, other couples are crossing their fingers in the hopes of saying “I do” at the mall as California’s Lake Elsinore Outlet Center holds its Dream Wedding Giveaway contest.

Like Crawford and Macdonnell, the winning couple will enjoy an all-expenses-paid wedding. That’s thanks to a team of sponsors that features KOLA 99.9 Radio, Discover Cruises & Travel, Fantastic Sam’s, Glen Ivy Hot Springs, LVI Commercial Signage, Studio Z Advertising & Design, Inc., A Better Party, Pila’s Pantry and Jim Dorsey Photography.

In this case, though, the winners won’t only require the nerves to get married in a public place. They’ll also have to relinquish all control over their own wedding details. Lake Elsinore Outlet Center’s shoppers will take care of that.

Participants have until July 31 to complete a Dream Wedding Giveaway application and send it in to the mall, along with a 4×6 photograph and 60-second video.

Then, on August 8, five finalists will be picked and introduced to the public, which will be invited to vote on every aspect of the wedding, including the theme, invitations, bridal party attire, bride’s hair style, wedding meal and cake, flatware and even the rings. The center says it will post the various choices on its LED billboard and in storefront windows throughout the property so that shoppers can cast their votes before a winner is chosen on September 6.

The actual wedding is slated for Sunday, September 27.


Aug.
2009
Posted in Bitz
Bookmark and Share
« »