‘Community hero’ during COVID could win $40,000 wedding, NC group says. Here’s how
A castle tucked in the mountains of North Carolina could be the site of one lucky couple’s wedding.
A marriage ceremony worth $40,600 is being offered to a “hard-working community hero and their fiancé” who had to put off tying the knot due to COVID-19, the Jackson County Tourism Development Authority and Bear Lake Reserve said Monday in a news release.
The winner of the contest gets to have a wedding at Castle Ladyhawke, a remote event venue roughly 60 miles southwest of Asheville, according to organizers.
“We know that love prevails, and this is our way of showing that,” Craig Smith, president and general manager of the castle, said in the release. “We love our beautiful home in Jackson County, NC, and want to share its beauty as our way of saying a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to our front-line workers.”
While some companies have allowed their employees to work from home during the coronavirus pandemic, some people in health care, emergency services and other fields that are deemed “essential” continue to do their jobs in person. In North Carolina, many front-line workers are currently eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccines.
Though the vaccine rollout is underway, the pandemic is still upending special occasions.
In the past year, officials have put restrictions on event venues and limits on the number of people allowed to gather in person to help slow the spread of the coronavirus. The measures have left some couples scrambling to postpone their wedding days or make adjustments to adhere to health guidelines.
What to know about the contest
The wedding giveaway is open to couples living in the continental United States who had to put off getting married in 2020, according to the Jackson County Tourism Development Authority.
Grand prize winners are set to receive credits to travel to Asheville for a Nov. 4 wedding. The package also includes cake, flowers, photos and other services for an event with up to 100 guests, Castle Ladyhawke said on its website.
The 11,000-square-foot venue is modeled after a Scottish castle and is near Bear Lake Reserve, which offers water sports and other activities, officials said.
To enter the contest, couples must create a one-minute video and fill out a form at castleladyhawke.com/giveaway. The deadline is April 30, according to the tourism group.
