One Love: Fresh off the Press Release

Lovely Girls Events & BG Productions Offer Free Same Sex Civil Union Ceremony: ONE LOVE Couple Contest Winners and Others to take part in January 7th Group Ceremony

(October 17, 2011—Wilmington, DE) To celebrate the implementation of the same sex civil union law in Delaware, all engaged gay, lesbian and transgender couples are invited to take part in ONE LOVE on Saturday, January 7, 2012, at 7pm at the Delaware Art Museum. ONE LOVE is a series of activities that culminates in a collective same sex civil union ceremony that will solemnize the legal union of any gay, lesbian or transgender couples who have obtained a Delaware civil union license and registered to participate. As part of ONE LOVE, the guests of each couple will be able to share in the joy of not just one, but multiple, unions and meet representatives from businesses that welcome the LGBT community with open arms. Among the couples taking part in the ONE LOVE Group Civil Union Ceremony will be three couples who have entered and won the ONE LOVE Couple Contest.

          Says event co-organizer Nikki Brennan, of Lovely Girls Events, “Many LGBT couples and their loved ones have waited years to enjoy a ceremony in Delaware, and they shouldn’t have to wait one more day…nor settle for a courthouse ceremony. For those anxious to wed, I wanted it to be SOON, and I wanted it to be FABULOUS!” Brennan and her event partners agreed that giving the public a preview of some love stories of soon-to-be-wed LGBT Delawareans would add to the excitement of the collective ceremony, and devised a Couple Contest.

The ONE LOVE Couple Contest

LovelyGirls Events and BG Productions, in conjunction with Sodexo Catering, The Wilmington Photo Booth Co., and Bliss Unisex Day Spa and Salon are the presenters of the ONE LOVE Couple Contest. Three prizes are offered to contestants in the contest—one prize to each of three couples to include one gay couple, one lesbian couple, and one transgender couple.

ONE LOVE Couple Contest entrants will be asked, in 100 words or less, to share “what makes you laugh, what makes you cry, and what makes you unique as a couple,” by email to onelove@lovelygirlsevents.com . Deadline for email submission is November 3, 2011 at 12 Noon EST, and the email should include the names of each member of the couple, a phone number and email address. Winners will be selected on November 4^th and announced on November 5^th, and photo/video shoot will take place by November 23^rd. Additional contest rules available here.) A panel of judges, made up of representatives of ONE LOVE’s sponsoring businesses, will choose the top three responses (one from each category—gay, lesbian and transgender) and highlight the three winning couples’ stories on the LovelyGirls website.

Says event co-organizer Cathie Berrey-Green of BG Productions, “We know there are some moving love stories out there, and we want to capture and highlight those stories through our lens.” The prize for each of the three ONE LOVE Couples Contest winners is an engagement photography/videography session with BG Productions, resulting in a free 8”x10” print of their choosing and a free video of their “love story” on DVD (a $400 value), each to be used on the Lovely Girls website. One grand prize winner, selected by Facebook fans from among the three winning couples, will also receive a complimentary floral order and spa or beauty treatment (a $150 value) on the day of the ONE LOVE event.

the ONE LOVE Group Civil Union Ceremony

Couples who wish to take part in the ONE LOVE Group Civil Union Ceremony are not required to enter the ONE LOVE Couple Contest; however, they will be asked to: RSVP by December 1; acquire a Delaware Civil Union license between January 2 and January 6; and, show proof of licensing upon arrival at the ONE LOVE event. Each couple who RSVPs will be allowed ten total guests at the group ceremony. Nondenominational officiants and staging areas for each ceremony, as well as music, ceremony décor, hors d’oeuvres, and cake will be provided; couples are encouraged to provide any ceremonial elements they desire (vows, ring pillows, toasting glasses, cake cutters, guest books and bouquets/corsages/boutonnieres).

A complimentary group toast will take place, and a cash bar will be available for additional refreshments. Guests will enjoy passed hors d’oeuvres and a DJ. BG Productions will photograph the event, and participants can purchase photos online following the event. The Wilmington Photo Booth Co. will also be on site with a photo booth, and guests will be able to take home keepsake photo strips.

Nearby accommodations include Mariott, Doubletree, Hotel DuPont, Sheraton and Hilton (click here for a searchable database), and the event will conclude in time for couples and their guests to retire to the venue of their choice for a private celebration.

Sponsors: LovelyGirls Events / BG Productions / Sodexo Cat. /  Bliss Salon / the Wilmington Photobooth