Naples, Fla. (April 17, 2008) – It is said that a marriage requires a lot of hard work, and one Arizona couple started before their nuptials to ensure they won a free Naples, Fla. destination wedding contest. Hollie Harrah and Jeff Gorden of Chandler, Arizona marshaled a TV station, restaurant waiters, friends, business associates, complete strangers, and the Internet to help them win a June 8 Naples, Fla. beachfront Wedding in Paradise package from the area’s convention and visitors bureau.

The bride-to-be and her fiancé recently won the online Wedding In Paradise contest, created by the Naples, Marco Island, Everglades Convention and Visitors Bureau. In winning the contest, the lucky couple will have a Naples beach wedding on June 8, 2008 with virtually everything provided for them, including hotel rooms for friends and family, a wedding planner, the wedding ceremony and reception and a Naples honeymoon at a luxury resort.

Describing herself as a “crafty person,” Cape Coral, Fla. native Hollie Harrah made winning the wedding a full time job. After posting their two-minute video online describing why they should win the wedding, Hollie created “vote for Hollie and Jeff” cards with bits of candy attached by a colorful ribbon and handed them to friends and strangers, even waiters at restaurants, throughout the Phoenix area. An Internet-savvy scrap booker, she posted Vote-for-Hollie-and-Jeff e-mails on scrapbooking message boards, receiving votes from people as far away as the United Arab Emirates. Her fiancé, Jeff, a native of Ukiah, California, also got involved. As a member of the Chandler Toastmasters club, he continually reminded other members to spread the word to vote. The only catch? If they won, Hollie would have to attend one of the 6 a.m. Toastmasters meetings and give a speech in front of the group.

“We feel we are so blessed to have won this wonderful wedding. It’s almost as if the stars lined up because while we are on our honeymoon we will also be celebrating the fourth anniversary of the day we first met,” said Hollie. “I used to go to Naples when I was younger and always thought of it as such a beautiful place, and now that my wedding is going to take place there it just makes it that much more special.”

The Wedding in Paradise package includes accommodations at the romantic Inn on Fifth in downtown Naples for 20 including the bride, groom and their families and friends with arrival on June 6 and departure June 9. In addition, the package includes local ground transportation; a rehearsal dinner for all the guests and the wedding officiate; beach wedding ceremony with officiate, flowers and music; limousine transportation; a horse drawn carriage ride for the bride and groom; photography and video of the wedding; a wedding reception with DJ at the Inn on Fifth; a wedding cake; a farewell brunch for the wedding party; and a Gulf-view deluxe room for two for five nights at the luxurious LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort for a romantic and relaxing honeymoon.

For complete details on Hollie and Jeff’s Wedding in Paradise package visit www.paradisecoast.com.

The public was invited to visit the www.paradisecoast.com Web site where they found compelling video stories from five couples describing why they should win the destination wedding of their dreams. People were then asked to click on the video they found most deserving of the free destination wedding and an unforgettable start to a new life together. Voting took place from March 21 through April 13, 2008. The winning couple was announced April 15, 2008.

For more information on visiting Naples, Marco Island and the Everglades – The Paradise Coast, call 1-800-688-3600 to request a copy of the free Official Visitors Guide magazine, Discover Florida’s Last Paradise, or start planning your visit, or your own dream destination wedding, at www.paradisecoast.com.

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