Its FINALLY time to announce the winners of the 10 canvas give-a-way!! OMGeeee we had a good time looking through the entries and reliving the last 10 years. Before I give the names, I want to share a few of my favorites of YOUR favorite moments: {PLEASE excuse the resolution on a few of these! I didn't have the original files within easy access, so I had to post the compressed ones} ;)
Here's my fair warning: You definitely may need your hankie for a couple of these!!
If this doesn't make you a little warm in your chest, I don't know what would... Bennett wrote about this bridal shot of Cassie:
"The majority of life's moments are really rather mundane, trivial even. The decisions that happen in those moments are often rather, sadly, equally insignificant: Tall or Vente? An extra lump of sugar? What novel will it be THIS vacation? As if any of it really adds up to much in the end.
And then there is that moment. That moment when every decision within that split second sums up the whole of everything you are, everything you've worked for, longed for, and...
In a moment, the moment is gone. But it is seared into your being, now. And, perhaps as a matter of grace or sheer luck, becomes a new source power and hope through which everything else in life gains it's significance and becomes, nearly, holy."
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You may recognize this sweet family from lots of blogs. We are getting ready to celebrate Nora's 4 year birthday!! A HUGE day for this family, and I can't believe she is growing up SO FAST!!
"I am submitting one of my very favorite photos when Nora was 18 months old. This and every picture of our family is special to me because we never that the time will come when Nora will no longer be with us. Your photos are beautiful and will forever be cherished."
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LOVE THIS one from back in 2009... "{This photo} is my favorite because it shows a side of my husband Jeremy most people don't get to see. Jeremy deployed to Iraq 3 weeks after we got married. He is as Army guy through and through and has that tough exterior. He is a true softie at heart and I see that side of him all the time but the rest of the world does not. To me this photo captures his sweetness and I love that."
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"This is my favorite photo from our wedding day. I love the lighting and style, but most of all I love that it reminds me the way that Lucas hugs me all the time. He'll sneak up behind me and wrap his arms around me. This was also the only time during our reception that we were able to spend one-on-one time with each other too, a time that I will always cherish."
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"You shot our wedding over 2 years ago and we still look at the CDs all the time. Every time we look at our album or the images, this one stands out everytime as my highlight from the whole day. Oscar and I were already elated about the whole getting married thing, but when he surprised me with George (the Santa monkey) it was the first time I cried the whole afternoon.
George the monkey was given to me when I was 13 and found out that my father was sick. My dad died holding George's hand so growing up whenever I held George's hand I felt like I was holding my dad's. Silly perhaps, but it was very soothing when I was emotional. When my niece was born I passed George on to her, moving to Texas and away from George...
Oscar and my sister are sneaky, but usually I can figure out what they are up to. He was SO PROUD when he was able to surprise me he still brags about it!
It was set up perfectly... I wanted to get a certain shot (staged but perfect) of us holding hands "pre-wedding." So we go around the corner, I hold out my hand, and to my surprise it was a small, furry red glove that I was holding instead of my husband's hand...
George being there for that special moment was like my dad holding my hand just when I needed it. This shot captures my emotion, Oscar's pride in himself :) and George... and that makes me happy!"
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"If I HAD to chose, I would chose the pic where our momma's are looking at each other with pure emotion, overwhelming joy, excitement, genuine happiness, and maybe even relief that the wedding finally occurred (ha!), and it sums up the wedding perfectly. And they look like real hot moms. {Jennie here:hahahahahahaha} Knowing our mothers were that happy after the moment we were married is such a wonderful feeling that we are grateful was captured like it was."
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"There are soooo many reasons this pic and our engagement pics mean so much to Michael and I. For starters having someone who I have known for years and who is not only an unbelievable photographer but also an incredible friend is a pretty awesome blessing. Especially since she already knows my crazy style and princess probz! :) Thank goodness I didn't have to explain that to a stranger! ;) But also for the 13 years...(yep 13 long, wonderful years) Michael and I have been together we have never missed a date to the Tennessee Valley Fair!! As a matter of fact one of our very first dates was at this very same place and I remember like it was yesterday.....the funky smell in the air, fireworks in the sky, sticky candy apple on our hands, and love in our eyes!! He had me at.....Demolition Derby Baby!!! Nothing like having no clue what you're gettin yourself into and wearing your cutest outfit of course and sitting on the front row and the first 2 cars smacking in front of you slinging mud into your eyes, hair, nose....Thank goodness I loved him cause I could've killed him! But of course I couldn't let a lil dirt get me down and we've gone back year after year and still laugh to this day.....so I couldn't of dreamed of a better place then the fair for our engagement pics.......for this is the place where memories were made and laughs were shared. My favorite picture from the shoot is this one....I get a warm butterfly feeling in my tummy when I look at it....its perfect from the lighting, to the kiss.....it simply shows how in LOVE we are...despite how hard it was to kiss on a moving horse or how many people were staring at us....Because at that point and time....nothing else mattered, time stood still!!!"
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And now... for the list of winners...
{if you are listed, simply send me an email with your choice of image and your mailing address and I'll get them ordered asap!!} Thank you to EVERYONE who submitted! I wish I could've shared them all!!
1.Bennett Giles
2.Kristi Laube
3. Samantha Boldin
4. Dakota Montgomery
5. Amanda Rowland
6. Tawny Plate
7. Trevor Cox
8. Renee Dial
9. Jaime Gooden
10. Adam Minner