Getting to Know: the Sarasota Pops Wedding Contest

If you are planning a wedding or vow renewal and love the Sarasota Pops, are a lover and supporter of local arts organizations and dream of having an entire symphony orchestra play at your ceremony, then the Sarasota Pops Wedding Contest is for you. As part of a wedding-themed season, the Sarasota Pops Orchestra is creatively merging love and fundraising in an innovative wedding contest.

The Contest: Between October 1, 2012 and March 10, 2013, the Sarasota Pops will match one of four finalist couples with a concert. The couples will compete to raise the most money through concert ticket sales, online donations or other fundraising activity. At the conclusion of the Sarasota Pops' March 10 concert, the winning couple will be announced.

What you win: The winning couple will have their ceremony during the second half of the final Sarasota Pops concert on April 21, 2013 at the beautiful Sarasota Opera House, with the Sarasota Pops Orchestra playing their song as they walk down the aisle! The runner-up couples will also have part of their ceremony taken care of by the generous contest sponsors. The Sarasota Pops have a lengthy list of dedicated sponsors who have committed to making the winning couple’s wedding or vow renewal a really special day. Sacino’s Formal Wear will provide a tux, while Kreations by Kathleen takes care of wedding dress alterations. Primping, makeup and general pampering will be more than covered between Hoch, Euduz Hair Salon, Cutting Loose Salon and Royal Spa. Lakewood Ranch Dental Center will ensure pictures, by photographer Stephanie Bubsky, feature bright smiles with a pre-ceremony teeth whitening. Beneva Florist will provide flowers while Sarasota Dream Weddings presides over heartfelt vows. The reception will feature a cake and sweets from Beautiful Cakes by Ron and Sweets Bake House, as well as music from Marc Mannino. The special couple’s night will end with a Limo Ride from Town and Country Limo and a night at The Hotel Indigo or Helmsley Sandcastle Hotel.

If you think that you and your special someone have what it takes to win, check out the Sarasota Pops website for more information and the contest application. Tickets for the upcoming Sarasota Pops season, featuring "old music, new music, borrowed music and blue music" are also for sale on the website.