Have a special love story to share?

Write and send it The Mitchell House and Gardens in Lexington, which is giving away a free wedding in December for couples living in South Carolina.

          Applications for the semi-annual “Holiday Dream Wedding Contest” are being accepted until 2 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 1. The winner will be announced Friday, Sept. 3, and the wedding will be held at The Mitchell House in December.

               The contest is open to couples who want to share their stories of love and inspiration. A panel of judges will select 10 finalists from the stories submitted, and the business will choose the winner in a random drawing from the finalists' entries.

            “All of us love a good story, especially a love story. During our 18 years in business, The Mitchell House and Gardens has enjoyed getting to know couples whose love stories have touched our lives and hearts,” said Patsy Kiser, vice president of The Mitchell House and Gardens. 

            The “Holiday Dream Wedding Contest” is the fifth for The Mitchell House, which gave away its first free wedding in December 2008 when the economic downturn was causing many couples to postpone their wedding plans. Other contests have led to weddings in July and December 2009 and July 2010.

"The first contest was so enjoyable that our staff talked about what we could do next," said Phyllis James, owner of The Mitchell House and Gardens. "We take great pride in making wedding dreams come true for brides and grooms of all ages. The ‘Holiday Dream Wedding Contest’ that began in 2008 is another way for us to celebrate love and to throw a wedding for a deserving couple.”

             The wedding package will include the use of the historic home and grounds for five hours on a date selected in December 2010 when the house will be lavishly decorated for the holiday season. The package also will include a fully catered reception for up to 75 guests, flowers, a wedding cake, champagne toast, planning sessions with one of The Mitchell House wedding consultants, wedding candles, and other special services, including those of a wedding director. Couples will choose from an available date on The Mitchell House calendar for December.

The contest rules include: Both the bride and groom must be 21 years of age or older – and live in South Carolina; the couple must submit a 350-word story and photo; at least one of the couple must schedule an appointment and tour The Mitchell House to ensure that the facility is appropriate for their event; and the couple must present a legal marriage license on the day of the wedding.

“We love people being in love, and we look forward to helping another couple have the wedding of their dreams,” said Karen Petit, wedding director.

 The Mitchell House, established in 1992 as the Midlands' first full-service wedding business, is recognized for its weddings, receptions and special events with Southern charm and elegance. Call 803-359-5325 for information on the wedding giveaway or email Mitchellhouseandgardens@gmail.com.

                To learn more about The Mitchell House and Gardens and the services that it provides, visit www.themitchellhouseandgardens.com.