The Wedding Photography Contest

(I made this pan-sized cookie for Mike for Valentine's day. Awwwww you may call me Martha Stewart Jr.)

So in case you didn't know, Mike and I were selected as finalists in a wedding photography giveaway contest. Yay! We were chosen based on the love story that I wrote--which is all true, by the way. If this is the first that you've heard of it, I must presume that you live under a rock. I've been campaigning my little heart out all over Facebook for several days. I'm pretty sure that I've already been unfriended by dozens of people who just can't take the spam that I've been blasting onto their newsfeeds. Wow, I've never felt more like I belong in the tech age than after writing that sentence. #embarrassing 

This may come as a surprise, but I'm actually a shy person. When I was in Jr. High and High School, I hardly ever talked to anyone because I would get embarrassed. Mike likes to tease me that I don't have any friends. And in comparison to him, who is still close with 20+ dudes from high school, I really don't have any friends. I had one (and only one) friend in high school, my reigning bestie, Sara Grayce Judd. I was not the kid who ran for student council, plastering pictures of myself all over lockers and getting up to give speeches in my "cool kid" shoes and saying things like "I'd be rad as the historian". No, no, not me. 

It feels very ironic to find myself in what I consider the "adult" version, (what were YOU thinking?) of a popularity contest. I guess you could say that I've finally broken out of my shell-- and in some ways, that's probably true. But the reality is: we is broke. We ain't gots no money. We is payin' for dis hitchin' party basically all by's ourselves. We's reallys need yer votes 2 save us thousands o'dollars. 

Here's how you can help. Click on both of these links and click "like". And then put it on your Facebook and get all of your friends to click "like". And then make all of your friends friends click "like". And then... you get the idea. The contest ends at 1PM on this Saturday, May 11th. I've only got a few more days to rally and come up with at least 200 votes to pass up the bride currently in first place (assuming she doesn't get any more votes between now and Saturday). It's on, like Donkey Kong! 

Bless you! (sorry, my cat just sneezed) 

Click here: https://www.facebook.com/charisjohnsonphoto?fref=ts (find our picture)

And here: http://www.charisjohnsonphotoblog.com/2013/05/06/wedding-giveaway-finalists-juliana-mike/ (scroll to the bottom of our pictures)

The "Love Story"

Like most brides-to-be with half a brain, I'm always on the lookout for free wedding stuff. My mcBestie Sara showed me a cool contest for brides to enter. Part of the contest included writing down our "love story". So although this is the abridged version of our story, I thought I would share what I submitted:

(one of our first pictures)

Mike and I met one night when I was dancing at work. You see, I am an exotic dancer and Mike has an appetite for that kind of thing. Normally it's against club policies to date customers but this time----okay, okay. I'm going to stop right there. The truth of the matter is: the way we met is quite ordinary. 

Like many other Utah couples, Mike and I met at church in (approximately) January 2010. He was single, I was, well, NOT single at the time; scandalous! After a few innocent conversations on Sundays, I remember Mike said something to the effect of, "Oh, you like Little Caesars pizza too? Why don't I get your number and bring some by later?". Being that I was not "available" at the time, but yet not wanting to turn him down completely, I found myself teetering on the edge of disloyalty due to my impeccable manners. Naturally, I just turned right on my heel and without a word, walked away. 

I didn't see Mike for several months after that. I started asking around if anyone knew where "that Mike Martin" kid was; I got the same answer from almost everyone---he moved to Africa. Huh. Africa? Really? Wow, too bad I was single at that point. And that is a classic story of how sometimes timing just doesn't work out. The end. 

Just kidding! This wouldn't be the great love story that it is without a little bit of a twist.... Due to some very clever detective work on my part, (Facebook), I realized that he was indeed still States-side.(excited squeal) In August 2010, I summoned my inner strength and sent him a message on Facebook. The rest, as they say, is history. 

Mike and I dated for almost 2.5 years before we got engaged---that's right, long courtships in Utah aren't only an urban legend. During that time I finished my degree at the University of Utah, Mike coached two seasons of high school football, we went to Disneyland, we went to Disneyland again, and on our third (and most recent) California/Disney trip, we got engaged on January 3, 2013. If you've been keeping up, that's almost three years from when we first met. 

Our engagement is a story for another day, but just as a teaser, it included: a romantic, isolated, SURPRISE proposal on Huntington Beach pier (which Mike had been planning for 4-5 months), and two trips to Urgent Care and one visit to the Anaheim ER to prevent me from going into anaphylactic shock due to a severe allergic reaction from eating something at our celebratory dinner that night. Despite the bizarre turn of events, we came out swingin' and know we'll make it through just about anything together. 

We can't wait to be married and finally see each other more than once or twice a week (we've always lived at least 30 minutes apart). We anticipate lots of Disneyland trips and Little Caesars in our future---and just in case, Mike now knows how to shoot me up with an epipen! ;)

The Date!

That's right folks, we've finally set the date to be married: Friday, October 4, 2013.
                                          Wahoo! Yippee! Huzzah!!

The wedding is 23 weeks and 2 days from today. AHHHH! There's no time left!
                            MUST. ACTIVATE. BRIDEZILLA. MODE.
Okay, just kidding. I'm going to try really hard to be one of the few "nice" brides that's polite to all the vendors and doesn't stress about the details--- we'll see how long that lasts.
                        "I told them I wanted pink PEONIES, not pink PONIES."

On a more serious note, I am really excited to plan this partayyyy and know that with the help of my creative genius bestie Sara Grayce Judd, and the practicality of my motha, I know I'll be in great hands. Oh yeah, and I'm sure that one guy Mike will be very useful as well.

So mark your calendars, boys and girls. Friday, October 4, 2013

Stay tuned for more detailed wedding info---that is, once we have any details, we'll let you know.