Connecticut Couple Wins $150K Miami Dream Wedding
CORAL GABLES (CBS4) – Love was in the air for five lucky couples from across the country who were named the finalists of the "Marry Me in Miami" contest but there could only be one winning couple.
The nationwide contest, launched earlier this year, culminated Wednesday with The Miracle Mile Wedding Day Challenge where couples went head-to-head to win a extravagant wedding worth nearly $150,000 at the Coral Gables landmark hotel The Biltmore.
The competition was fierce as the five couples ran an obstacle course that determined their wedding day destiny.
The challenge included a scramble to dress each other in veil and boutonnière, a cake-eating contest, a flower arranging race, and a test involving the groom placing a garter belt on his fiancé in the shortest amount of time.
"She put me through a boot camp for about 4 or 5 days before we came down here," said groom Chris Moore from West Hartford, Connecticut. His bride, Rachel Macgillis, said there wasn't a lot of time to prepare. "We only found out about this a week ago so he's had intense training but only for one week."
It seems that intense training paid off because Chris and Rachel were the first to cross the finish line and win the Miami Dream Wedding.
"Her dad needs this, he's a little sick right now and this just took a lot of stress off of us," said Chris. "Both families are going to appreciate it more than you guys will ever know."
Rachel agreed. "I haven't slept in a week worrying about this so it's just a big relief and exhilarating."
Chris and Rachel's Miami Dream Wedding not only includes the wedding ceremony and reception for 125 guests on Oct. 9, 2011 at the Biltmore but also roundtrip airfare for the bride and groom, hotel accommodations for the bride and groom plus their parents and wedding party (up to 24 people), rehearsal dinner for 30 guests at Seasons 52, cocktail hour, dinner, wine bar, wedding planner, wardrobe, hair and makeup, cake, flowers, music, photography, videography, tee-time for four players at the Biltmore golf course and farewell champagne brunch for 125 guests.
More than 95-hundred couples entered the contest on the wedding website TheKnot.com and five couples were randomly chosen to compete in The Wedding Day Challenge.
The Biltmore teamed up with TheKnot.com and the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau to host the "Marry Me in Miami" contest as part of Miami Romance Month, which was designed to promote Miami as the ideal city for destination weddings.
