***Please scroll down to see the latest posts. This post will stay at the top the entire month of September. Thanks. ***

If you haven’t visited my blog in over a month, then you aren’t aware of the cool new thing I’m doing on here to reward my viewers. Each month now has a theme- and around that theme, I sponsor giveaways for my own photography and for local vendors. Last month was engaged couple’s month, each week I hosted a contest to give away an engagement session.  I loved getting the emails from my readers telling about their special proposals and such! We also sponsored a one day contest giveaway for a local bakery- a whole dozen gourmet cupcakes!  We wrapped up the month by giving away a free disk of wedding images to any client who reserved their wedding date with us on that last day of the month.  Phew! It was a BIG month for giveaways- we started the whole themed month giveaways- sprint style! Soooo, are you dying to know what this month is? If you are eligible for the giveaways this month? It’s… drum roll please….

Fall Family Month!!

OOOOh, aren’t you STOKED?? It’s september people- time for family pictures in the gorgeous fall weather! We are only 3 months away from the time to mail out  Christmas cards adorned with your family’s beautiful faces!

I’ve got big things up my sleeve for this month’s featured theme.  Let me tell you, it’s time to get pumped! This month is going to run a little differently than last:

1st giveaway announcement- Instead of giving away a free session each week, there will only be 1 session given away for the month- BUT… it’s not only a session. It’s a family session grand prize package!  It will be a free session, and a full resolution disk of images, and 25 custom made Christmas cards, and 25% off any print purchase!!!!!! Wowza! A giveaway that big needs as many entrants as possible, so the contest is going to run all 30 days of September. There is a catch- if I don’t get at least an average of 2 entrants per day (you can only enter once for the month) then this grand package will be reduced to a lesser package- a free session and 25% off prints and/or disk of images.  Still rockin’ but not as smokin’- so you need to get your friends and other family to enter too so that I can give away the grand prize!  Let me tell you how you enter and how you win.. it’s simple but involves a little more work on your part:

You enter the grand prize by commenting on this post. You must leave your name and email address. You must mention who told you about this contest giveaway (full name please!) and if not a person, then how you found out about it. Lastly, you must tell me why you and your family want this prize- whatever the reason. Let me give you an example:

Comment: “My name is Sally Smith, my email is sallysmith@thisisfake.com.  I found out about this contest from my friend Billy Black. I’m new to your website and blog but I’ve indulged in your delicious photography and let me tell you- I’m in love.  I’ve never had pictures of my family look like the photographs you take.  All I  can think about now is what a dream it would be to have such incredible photographs of my family on my walls and on a disk to cherish for years to come.”

Winning is something you can control this month.  Last month I picked winners at random since all their stories were equally great.  This month, if you want to win- be the most to refer new entrants! (Hence why in the entry submission you have to give the full name of who referred you).  Your entry counts for yourself obviously, but if you were referred by somebody, your entry also counts for that referrer. I hope this is easy to understand.  So Sally would get one entry, and Billy would get one for her as well.  If Sally wants to win, she knows that Billy now has at least 2 and she only has one, so she must go out and tell her friends and family to enter and include her name as the referrer in the submission. If Sally’s friends want to win, they now have to do the same as well. COMMENTS WILL BE HIDDEN FROM PUBLIC! Your information will stay confidential.  I will tally your referrals throughout the month.  You may email me to find out how many entries you personally have if you are interested. Make sense?  It’s simple right? Enter for yourself, then get your friends and family to enter too.  If I get minimum 60 different people entering the contest for the month of September then the grand prize will be given away.  Less than 60 the smaller prize will be awarded to the person who has the most entries. Questions? Email me or call me, I’d be glad to answer anything. **Loving all the entrants into this contest! As of one week in, the current in the lead has 18 entered referrals! Want to win?- Get your game on people!**

2nd announcement: Don’t think that the grand prize giveaway is all that will be happening this month! I love random one day contest giveaways… (hint, hint) so subscribe to the RSS Feed so you are never missing out on the giveaway action! Check back every day!

Let the contests begin!

Preston + Kasey | Wedding Photobooth from Jason McGrew on Vimeo.

Emilee + Dan!!

Her best date story is this:

“My fiance Dan and I have a pretty cute engagement story. We have recently taken up to hobby of hiking together. We love being in the outdoors, and keeping ourselves active, while being able to spend time together. We try and go once a week just so we can see all of the beautiful canyons our state has to offer. Last week, Dan called me while I was at work to ask me if I wanted to go hiking that evening after work. I agreed considering it seemed like good weather, and considering it had been raining on and off earlier, it seemed like a good opportunity. He picked me up after work and surprised me by telling me he had brought my favorite treats, cupcakes!! I was so excited! We drove to the base of Bell canyon and began our hike. Once on the trail it began to sprinkle a bit, and for a moment we considered turning around, but since Dan seemed fairly insistant, we continued on. About half way through the hike it began to rain. hard. it was a complete downpour! luckily, I didn’t mind and figured we might as well continue to the top since we were already there. We got to a stopping place at a beautiful lake that looks over the entire city. it was so picturesque, and there we were completely drenched, but totally alone. it seems as though the rain had scared everyone else off. We sat down on a rock and he proceded to pull out the cupcakes. He handed me a box very non chalantly and i thought nothing of it… until i opened the box, and there, stuck inside the frosting was a beautiful diamond ring. I teared up (which luckily the rain covered up) and i looked up at him. He told me all of the reasons why he loved me, and then asked me to marry him. Just then, the rain let up, and it was like he planned it! the clouds broke revealing a beautiful sunset. I couldn’t have asked for more. I was there with the love of my life in one of the most perfect places on earth, doing something we had shared all summer long.”

Thanks for entering this contest Emilee! I’m thrilled to shoot a session for the two of you!! You can expect an e-mail today with all the details!

What’s a post without a picture of a cute couple to celebrate the fun times I’m going to have with Emilee and Dan? Look how much fun we are going to have:

“Let me make something loud and clear- hiring me, you are commissioning a professional (meaning I have actual creditials to be a professional photographer) photography artist. I am not annoying about being an artist, but would like you to know that i don’t adapt to different styles of photography art, meaning that if you don’t love my work featured on my blog and website, don’t commission me! There are a billion other eager photographers willing to produce their style of photography art.  I urge you to make your selection of photographer by choosing on style and personality.  If you love my style of work, you are going to fall head over heels for the photographs I will provide you with. I can guarantee it because I’m a one man show…  which brings me to my next point- hiring me is not hiring a group company, like many photography companies around.  I believe that you should make your photographer selection based on artistry and personality of the photographer- how are you supposed to do that if you are hiring a company? How can you know that what you love on their website is what you will get? What if you love the work that one person created, but unknowingly got a different person photographing for you? How is that fair? I believe it’s not.  I do everything myself- from shooting your WHOLE wedding or session, to all of the editing, album designing, invitations, emails, phone calls, etc. etc.  My forte is in my artistry and my laid back, yet highly professional personality,  not in my grammar in my emails and business skills- so please bear with my lesser suits of business skills, as I try to give you everything and more that you would expect from me.  It also takes me quite a while to get images back to you because I do everything myself, but I promise, your images will always always be well worth the wait. (I can rush things if time is sensitive though.)”

The winner was….

Jacob

He shared this quote about love: “The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother.”
Theodore Hesburgh

Thanks Jacob, that was an exceptional quote on love!

I personally delivered this gourmet package to him:

After indulging in his cupcakes he emailed me this:

“Jason,

I just wanted to say thanks again for the cupcakes. They were Amazing! They just melt in your mouth, and the tastes blended together perfectly. I am adding Cakes De Fleur to the top of my list of favorite desserts.

Thanks,

Jake Kirchner”

THANKS CAKES DE FLEUR!!! You rock! And thanks to the faithful followers of this blog for entering into these contests!! You rock too!!

Ivy Nicole

She said:  ”My fiancee and I met through my cousin and his friend. His friend attempted to date me before my fiancee would make a move. Luckily he finally did!”

Well Ivy, I’m really glad you two met also, because that means I get another unique and fun couple to photograph! (I LOVE meeting new lovebirds!! Shooting engagement sessions is so dang much fun!) Thanks for entering- and please pay it forward by telling all your friends and family that these contest giveaways are legit and to continue coming to this blog for more chances to win every month!!

Love yourself some cupcakes? Love yourself some Cakes de Fleur? I know I sure do!! Enter your favorite advice or quote about love (since it is engaged couples month…) in the comments section of this post and make sure to include your phone # and email address so that you just might score this exquisite treat to indulge in first thing tomorrow morning!

Katie + Andrew!!

Here’s their proposal story:

My fiancee, Andrew, and I have been dating for 5.5 years. The time finally came for us to make it official and our engagement story is one of the best ever.

We both from Utah but currently live apart, I live in California pursuing an acting/dancing career and he lives in Utah. After not seeing each other for a month, Andrew flew into California and told me to have my bags packed for a weekend get-away to Carmel, California. Now, we have wanted to go to Carmel together for so long. We’ve planned prior trips and something always comes up to ruin our plans. So I was so excited about this. Carmel is a famously known as one of the most beautiful places in the world because it has towering cliffs, sandy beaches, beautiful old-world architecture and charm. Anyways so I picked Andrew up from the airport and we drove 5 hours to Carmel. We checked into our hotel, The Pine Inn. And Andrew said he had a surprise for me and that we had to go on a walk. We ran hand-in-hand, like little school kids to the beach (after not seeing your boyfriend for a month that giddy feeling is hard to contain.) We walked along the cliff/beaches and Andrew said to wait a minute. We had to wait until it was exactly 8. After a few anxious minutes, he said “turn around” and there was a bonfire set up, blankets, roses, and a lunch pail filled with the makings for smores. I was so surprised because HOW had he done it?? (later found out he arranged it through a company) anyways so we roasted marshmellows, ate our smores, cuddled and listened to the waves. Then he got down on one knee and asked me!! I of course said yes and the rest is somewhat a blur. But we spent 2 more glorious days checking out Carmel, Pebble beach & Monterey California. It was great!!

I chose this story because first of all- 5&1/2 years is a long time to wait to get engaged!!  And second, it’s just a cool way to propose!!

THANKS TO EVERYBODY WHO ENTERED!!! If you didn’t win this week- please enter the next two contests for your chance to win!!!