For most people, winning a $10,000 nation-wide contest is about as
likely as being struck by lightening. For Jennifer Bergerson (formerly
Jennifer Joubert-Smith), it was a dream come true.
Because she knew that she and her husband-to-be, Wesley, would not be able to afford a honeymoon following their July 1 wedding, Bergerson searched the Internet for a honeymoon-give-away sweepstakes. While she didn't find what she was looking for, she entered a contest sponsored by Lifetime Television and SC Johnson cleaning products called Clean Start Challenge 2009.
The challenge had contestants working toward one main goal that would help them get a new start in life while performing monthly challenges from January through June 2009. Bergerson entered the challenge with the goal of planning her wedding for $500 or less. Not only was she entering a new phase in her life, she was trying to do it on a strict budget as she needs to be money-conscious as a new mother.
Aside from the main challenge, she also had to coordinate a fundraiser for charity, do something for the environment, perform a spring cleaning challenge and host a celebration for family and friends.
"I was up against women who were cancer survivors training for a half-marathon, people who were quitting smoking and losing weight. We all had our specific and very different goals," she said.
Bergerson was named a finalist in the Clean Start Challenge in May, but didn't find out that she was the actual winner until her wedding reception at Brindisi's Restaurant, just before cutting the cake with her new husband.
Everyone was gathered around us, and all of the sudden we see the camera crew come out and everyone screamed," she said. "It was such a great feeling; I've never really won anything before."
For her supplemental challenges, Bergerson held a fundraiser for the March of Dimes in which she raised more than $200, she organized a Mother's Day brunch for her family and friends at Brindisi's Restaurant, made a compost box for the environment which is still in use and she and her fiancée cleaned out their basement and held a yard sale.
"Between planning the wedding under such a strict budget and coordinating the other challenges, this competition kept me going non-stop," she said.
Throughout the competition, Lifetime Television would send camera crews to Saratoga Springs to tape updates on Bergerson's projects. The camera crews created a buzz around Saratoga Springs, especially Brindisi's Restaurant.
"When Jenn first came in it was just to quote prices for her reception -- we didn't know it was a part of the competition," Andy Brindisi said. "When the camera crews came in on Mother's Day we were all floored that this fell into our lap; and then to find out she won! It has been quite an exciting time to get national exposure of a Saratoga Springs girl, the city and our restaurant."
While planning the wedding ceremony, Bergerson said she got most of the things she needed at places such as A.C. Moore, Wal-Mart, e-Bay and Craigslist. A student photographer agreed to take wedding pictures for a mere sum of $50 and the owner of Electric Blue DJ Service, Bob Hawley, offered to DJ the reception for free as a thank you to Wesley for his service in the military. He previously served in the United States Marine Corps and will be sworn in to the United States Army in January. Pastor John Rice officiated the ceremony for free as a personal friend.
The wedding ceremony took place in Yaddo Gardens, the very place Jennifer dreamed of becoming a bride when she was a child. Wesley wore his dress blues from the Marine Corps and Jennifer wore a dress that she bought off a reduced-price rack at a shop called Torrid and also received an employee discount. In all, Jennifer spent $49.50 on her dress.
"It was challenging to plan a wedding under such a tight budget, but I really did a lot of research. I found Wes' ring for $.99 and mine for $15 on eBay. Overall the total came to $443.35. I was really impressed we had money left over," she said.
The news of Bergerson's win came at one of the best possible times, she added.
"My car is on its last leg. It seems like every day it's a new surprise. We'll pay some bills with the prize money and put the rest of it into a new car," she said.
The challenge had contestants working toward one main goal that would help them get a new start in life while performing monthly challenges from January through June 2009. Bergerson entered the challenge with the goal of planning her wedding for $500 or less. Not only was she entering a new phase in her life, she was trying to do it on a strict budget as she needs to be money-conscious as a new mother.
Aside from the main challenge, she also had to coordinate a fundraiser for charity, do something for the environment, perform a spring cleaning challenge and host a celebration for family and friends.
"I was up against women who were cancer survivors training for a half-marathon, people who were quitting smoking and losing weight. We all had our specific and very different goals," she said.
Bergerson was named a finalist in the Clean Start Challenge in May, but didn't find out that she was the actual winner until her wedding reception at Brindisi's Restaurant, just before cutting the cake with her new husband.
Everyone was gathered around us, and all of the sudden we see the camera crew come out and everyone screamed," she said. "It was such a great feeling; I've never really won anything before."
For her supplemental challenges, Bergerson held a fundraiser for the March of Dimes in which she raised more than $200, she organized a Mother's Day brunch for her family and friends at Brindisi's Restaurant, made a compost box for the environment which is still in use and she and her fiancée cleaned out their basement and held a yard sale.
"Between planning the wedding under such a strict budget and coordinating the other challenges, this competition kept me going non-stop," she said.
Throughout the competition, Lifetime Television would send camera crews to Saratoga Springs to tape updates on Bergerson's projects. The camera crews created a buzz around Saratoga Springs, especially Brindisi's Restaurant.
"When Jenn first came in it was just to quote prices for her reception -- we didn't know it was a part of the competition," Andy Brindisi said. "When the camera crews came in on Mother's Day we were all floored that this fell into our lap; and then to find out she won! It has been quite an exciting time to get national exposure of a Saratoga Springs girl, the city and our restaurant."
While planning the wedding ceremony, Bergerson said she got most of the things she needed at places such as A.C. Moore, Wal-Mart, e-Bay and Craigslist. A student photographer agreed to take wedding pictures for a mere sum of $50 and the owner of Electric Blue DJ Service, Bob Hawley, offered to DJ the reception for free as a thank you to Wesley for his service in the military. He previously served in the United States Marine Corps and will be sworn in to the United States Army in January. Pastor John Rice officiated the ceremony for free as a personal friend.
The wedding ceremony took place in Yaddo Gardens, the very place Jennifer dreamed of becoming a bride when she was a child. Wesley wore his dress blues from the Marine Corps and Jennifer wore a dress that she bought off a reduced-price rack at a shop called Torrid and also received an employee discount. In all, Jennifer spent $49.50 on her dress.
"It was challenging to plan a wedding under such a tight budget, but I really did a lot of research. I found Wes' ring for $.99 and mine for $15 on eBay. Overall the total came to $443.35. I was really impressed we had money left over," she said.
The news of Bergerson's win came at one of the best possible times, she added.
"My car is on its last leg. It seems like every day it's a new surprise. We'll pay some bills with the prize money and put the rest of it into a new car," she said.
Main Menu
Leave a comment