Pandemic disrupt your wedding? Now you can win a free one

Did the pandemic postpone your wedding or that of someone you know?

Maybe you went ahead with it on a smaller scale but still dream of the day you originally planned?

That dream will come true for one winner, thanks to a group of Sioux Falls-area vendors who came together to give away their services this year.

The contest, led by Brookings wedding planner Renee Bauman, aims to help a couple who had to cancel their wedding in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Bauman, owner of Hitch Studio, saw firsthand the challenge brides and grooms faced last year in making decisions to postpone, modify or cancel their weddings, and she said it broke her heart. 

She brought in 20 area vendors to put together a wedding worth $33,000 for the winning couple.

“The local wedding industry is choosing to start 2021 with a fresh and positive outlook, and we think this will help couples do the same,” Bauman said. 

2020 was tough on couples, but it also was a challenge for the wedding industry. As a planner, Bauman said it has been a welcome challenge for her to help couples reschedule their weddings and take away the stress. 

“It was a tough year for the wedding industry as a whole, and it’s definitely carrying into 2021,” she said. “But none of that can stop the love shared on a wedding day, and that’s why we do what we do.” 

The winning couple will receive all aspects of their wedding, from major logistics like venue, catering and photography to small details like stationery printing and linens. All vendors are donating their services.

Winners will be selected by the team of vendors, who will do a blind review of all the entries. 

“What we’re looking for in a winning story and couple is a powerful message. … We’ll interview for things like gratitude, hope, positivity and an eagerness to participate,” Bauman said. “All in all, we want this event to spark all of those things in 2021.”

The winner will be announced on Valentine’s Day, and the winning couple will tie, or retie, the knot May 16, 2021, in a tented outdoor venue at Schade Vineyard & Winery in Volga. Some of the other vendors include Erica Lynn Photography, Marie & Marie Bridal, Thistle & Dot Floral Design and Prairie Lane Vintage Rentals.

Any couple interested in entering the contest can tell their story here: hitchstudio.com. All entries must be received by Feb. 7.