Jeanette Trujillo and Chris Rondeau on the night of their victory in the New Mexico Dream Wedding Giveaway. Courtesy/NM Dream Wedding Giveaway
A professional engagement portrait of Chris and Jeanette by Frank Frost was one of the gifts given to contest finalists. Photo by Frank Frost courtesy of NM Dream Wedding GiveawayLos Alamos contestants Jeanette Trujillo and Chris Rondeau have won the New Mexico Dream Wedding Giveaway.
The winners were announced Tuesday. The couple’s prize is a dream wedding package valued at more than $50,000, including a seven-day Cancun honeymoon.
Everything, including rings, wedding clothes, the venue and much, much more are part of the package.
Rondeau is a firefighter and paramedic with the Los Alamos Fire Department. Trujillo is a commercial loan processor at Los Alamos National Bank.
Trujillo grew up in Chimayo and Rondeau in Albuquerque. The couple has been living in Los Alamos for a year and enjoys the access to year-round outdoor activities in town.
Trujillo and Rondeau are the first couple from northern New Mexico to win the contest, which raises funds for UNM Children’s Hospital.
This year’s five finalists raised a record $26,398 to benefit the hospital. Visit http://www.nmdreamwedding.com to learn more about the contest.
Trujillo and Rondeau raised $8,141, the most by any couple. The winning couple was chosen based on money raised, votes on the organization’s website, raffle tickets sold and “campaign etiquette,” which evaluated how well they ran their fundraising campaign.
Their dream wedding is Sept. 22 at Downtown Historic Bed and Breakfast in Albuquerque. Everything needed for the perfect storybook wedding is being furnished by NM Dream Wedding Giveaway sponsors.
“It’s everything you ever wanted and more,” Trujillo said.
Roneau and Trujillo credit hard work and creativity for their success in the contest.
In addition to selling raffle tickets and raising funds from local businesses, the couple had a Jazzersize Party and a Zumba Party. They set up “voting booths” outside local businesses where people could vote for them in the contest.
“Touring the Children’s Hospital was very motivating,” Rondeau said. “People were very responsive because it’s such a good cause.”
The fundraising campaign officially began March 14 for the five finalists.
“On the first day we were at the Farmer’s Market,” Rondeau said. “One key to our success was being organized and ready to start. We had flyers, T-shirts and business cards ready to go.”
“People in Los Alamos were so supportive. It was awesome,” Trujillo said. ”People who backed us feel like they are a part of it. It was all our supporters who got us here.”
The couple has enjoyed meeting more of their Los Alamos neighbors during their campaign. They plan to stay in Los Alamos after the wedding and hope to buy a house.
“Getting there has been fun,” Rondeau said. “It seemed like such a far away goal, and now here we are!”
