#three women. and then there's the outfits like... the groomsman just get to be in gray with accent color ties/shirts but the bridespeople

[metamagic-adept]

being nonbinary in a wedding party is uhhh... stressful

[pillage-and-lute]

An Ever Fixed Mark (Part 3)

 Part 1 Part 2 (here) Part 4 Part 5 Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10,

Read it on Ao3 HERE

It’s back! The boys get hitched, and Geralt gets nervous. 

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Three days.

Three entire, fucking awful days until the wedding.

Geralt had paced in their quarters, he had paced in the halls, he had paced in the courtyard (after getting lost and pacing until a footman found him). He had taken Roach out for a ride and paced her.

It wasn’t just cold feet, pre wedding jitters, or the usual sort.

He was afraid for Jaskier, afraid for himself, and afraid of letting down witchers. If Jaskier became unhappy in their marriage the contract was void. Jaskier didn’t seem happy in Lettenhove but it was comfortable and he had plenty to eat and a warm place to sleep. Nice clothes. Like minded, well educated people. The list just kept getting longer.

Geralt had to keep him happy.

More than that, he’d have to keep him safe. The path was dangerous, no place for an Earl’s son who’d only known luxury. He understood Jaskier had been at Oxenfurt, so he must know something of the world, but only of the academic world. He’d studied literature and music, what good was that for a witcher’s companion?

He liked Jaskier. It would be hard not to. But would he like him on the Path, as a constant companion? Another person to look after, another mouth to feed? He liked Jaskier, but he also barely knew him. He knew he was young, thankfully unafraid of witchers, but could he fight? Would he do as he was told? 

And Geralt would be around him all the time. 

Geralt didn’t like being around anyone All. The. Time.

He needed space even at Kaer Morhen, sometimes disappearing into his room all day, or if the weather allowed just taking Roach into the forest for a day.

Eskel was beating the stiffness from Geralt’s muscles again, the evening of the day before the wedding, and said quietly, in between vertebrae numbing digs,

“You ever think all that worrying will be a self fulfilling prophesy?”

“Hmmm...OW Eskel the fuck!”

“Listen, first of all I didn’t even do it that hard. Geralt, you’re my brother, and I know you better than anyone. You get all trapped in your head, and you worry, ‘cause you don’t understand people. You think you’re different.”

“I am different.”

“Don’t interrupt me,” Eskel said, popping Geralt’s back with well placed pressure. “You’re different, okay. I don’t know what all they did to you with that extra trial. I don’t think Vesemir knows, really, no one does. But I remember you before, alright? You were like this before. It isn’t a bad thing, some people just don’t always get other people. Jaskier does though. Allow him to understand you, don’t try and understand him all at once.”

Eskel finished the massage with a truly bone-wrenching press. “I think you could be really good for each other, just don’t...don’t go and mess it up just because you think you shouldn’t have something good.”

“Hmmm.”

Geralt woke up on his wedding day feeling hungover, except he hadn’t been drunk last night. 

Eskel didn’t look well rested either, although he had a sort of stupid grin on his face. Mabel had been by a few times in the past days, and Eskel at least was having the time of his life. 

Judging by the scratch marks she’d left all down his back, she’d been having the time of hers as well. 

Geralt sunk into the bath, which had been tepid by the time the tub had been lugged up the stairs and servants had filled it with water. Igni took care of that, and Geralt sat and steamed behind a little standing wooden panel that the servants had also brought. 

The little modesty panel room divider had been a source of some amusement for the witchers. Body shyness was bred out of witchers before it had time to form. Lambert did comment, however, that it would be nice not to have to watch Geralt sit and cook in the bath like a boiling potato.

Rosewater had been put in the bath, not much, and it wasn’t a strong scent, but to witcher senses it was heady. 

Geralt scrubbed his hair. Then Vesemir scoffed and told him he was too gentle. Vesemir practically beat his scalp into submission.

Geralt had a gold doublet and he felt like a ponce. Lambert insisted that he couldn’t wear black to a wedding, and certainly not his own. Geralt wanted to protest, but he couldn’t, not really. None of the wolves were wearing black, and if the occasion had pried black from Vesemir, then it really was time for colors.

Lambert was in a mahogany brown-red, and looked almost dashing, if a little rougish. Eskel was in dark green, he looked good, too. If Maybel was serving at the wedding there would almost certainly be some appreciative remarks. Vesemir was wearing brown. If he couldn’t wear black, Geralt supposed a neutral color was the next best thing. 

It was still inexplicably a party brown. There was some quilting on the sleeves of the doublet done in a coppery thread and, all in all, Vesemir looked as festive as Geralt had ever seen him.

Geralt didn’t look festive, he looked like Midas had touched him, then, when apparently that wasn’t enough, covered him in glitter and embroidery. The wedding was to take place outside, and Geralt wondered if he wouldn’t blind people. Still, looking at the School of the Wolf, he thought he at least had a rather handsome entourage. 

His face was scrubbed and, short of the miraculous disappearance of a couple scars, he was as handsome as he could get. Lambert had pulled his hair back with a couple braids. Also, in Geralt’s opinion, poncy, but he’d seen a few of the other nobles in a similar style so perhaps he’d best leave it to fashion and not put up a fuss. 

They were lead by a footman, more a foot boy, with a face full of freckles and unfortunate ears, to a garden. It was probably a bower but Geralt didn’t know about horticulture. Trees had been planted and then twisted by someone dreadfully patient into a sort of cathedral of arching limbs. Spring meant flowers, and they were everywhere. The trees were the flowering sort, almond trees with fragrant blossoms. Delicate petals had fallen to the ground in a sort of pale carpet. Every time a breeze blew a few more drifted to the ground like spring snowflakes. Smaller, brighter flowers abounded near the edges of the manmade clearing. Their perfume was giving Geralt a headache, but he couldn’t blame the knee-knocking terror on them. 

Little stone benches had been arranged in rows, but were empty as of yet.  Vesemir sat in the position traditionally meant for the father of the groom. Eskel was best man, with Lambert beside him as the other groomsman. 

And they waited in silence, blossoms falling around them as Geralt’s knees turned progressively into liquid.

He felt sick.

He might throw up.

The image of stuffing his head into one of the bushes of pink and yellow roses and puking lurked threateningly in his head.

Lambert smirked at him unsympathetically. 

Ladies swept in, dusting petals from benches and hanging little baskets of flowers off the back of the benches. Geralt absently wondered what for, all the while fighting his roiling stomach.

He’d been too nervous to eat this morning, and now he was worried it would growl during the service, but if he ate now he’d vomit for sure.

His flower question was answered when a broomstick-thin lass came up to him with a basket in hand and nervously proffered a little twist of flowers. He took it, baffled. One of the funny pink and yellow roses, something purple, a bit of greenery, and a couple almond blossoms. He glanced at Vesemir, questioningly, who pointedly stuck the flowers in a decorative slit in his doublet. 

Next to him, another girl nudged the skinny, nervous one out of the way. He recognized Mabel. She gave him a cheerful grin.

“Switched places with Leeann for the day,” she whispered to Eskel. One of her hands slid slowly up his chest, wrapped in green silk. “And I’m so glad I did.” She stuck the boutonniere into the collar, his doublet lacking anywhere else, and sent him a wink that, in more conservative countries, got women jailed.

Past Eskel, the nervous girl was holding flowers out to Lambert. They shivered in her grip. Instead of the vicious grin Geralt expected, Lambert gave her a polite smile and an attempt at a courtly bow. She scuttled off and he tucked the flowers into a small pocket on his doublet, looking at his brothers and shrugging.

Geralt looked at the twist of flowers in his hand. They seemed very easily bruised and broken in his fingers. He didn’t have anywhere to tuck them. 

Eskel came to the rescue.

“There’s a little slit here somewhere,” he said, poking at the embroidery on Geralt’s chest. He found it. “Ah, here we go, just stick those in there.” Geralt did. “You almost look presentable.” Eskel said, not totally unkindly. 

Then he must have seen the raw terror in Geralt’s eyes. 

“It’ll be fine, brother,” Eskel said, clapping him on the shoulder. “You look good.”

Eskel stepped back into place, sending a wink towards Mabel, lined up near the back with the other housemaids. 

Guests slowly filtered in. 

There were more jewels and crystals about the throats and in the hair of the ladies than Geralt had ever seen before. Geralt felt a little better about his golden doublet, because there wasn’t an outfit on the benches that didn’t glitter. 

Then a couple minstrels struck up a sweet, simple tune, and two little children entered. A girl in an almond blossom crown was scattering pink petals on the already well-petaled floor. She was so sweetly serious about her duty, solemnly distributing the petals, that coos and chuckles filtered through the crowd. The little boy was holding a cushion with wedding bands. 

Geralt cursed mentally and began to panic. He’d left Jaskier’s mother’s ring in their rooms. It was too late to get it. He felt even more sick. Vesemir gave him a worried look and Geralt took a deep breath. They could always swap the ring out later.

A young woman in a pale blue dress entered, holding a small bouquet of the white almond blossoms. She was followed by another young woman, in the same dress and a very similar bouquet. Bridesmaids, Geralt supposed. One of them reached down and took the hand of the little flower girl. The ring bearer, slightly older, stood without a hand, but fidgeted. Geralt could sympathize.

The music changed.

A slow processional began and a hush fell on the crowd.

 The Earl stepped forward, Jaskier on his arm. The earl wore grey, like a dove, but Jaskier.

Jaskier.

Well.

Wow.

He wore pearly white, with a crown of almond blossoms and roses, and every inch of his doublet was covered in tiny, delicate seed pearls. In this beautiful bower, with delicate flowers all around, he looked like the spirit of this place. Like a dryad made of almond blossoms and sunlight. 

He was beautiful. Truly breathtaking.

He wore no boutonniere, and his hands were free of bouquets. Geralt’s stomach chose this exact moment to remind him that he really, really wanted to throw up right now. His head pounded and his knees felt weak.

He vaguely registered the slow procession being brought up at the rear by a priest in white. Next to Jaskier, the white looked dull and lifeless as the priest took his place.

“Who gives this man,” the priest croaked.

“I do,” the earl said, linking Jaskier’s hand with Geralt’s and sitting in the mirror of Vesemir’s position. 

Geralt looked at that hand, so delicate in his giant paw. He thought of the flowers tucked into his doublet, so easily crushed. 

The priest was saying something about eternity, but Geralt’s blood was rushing in his ears. Jaskier was looking at him too, but Geralt’s gaze was locked on their hands. 

Vows were said, and Geralt was lucky they were short. 

“From this cup we shall drink,” Geralt repeated, taking a sip of wine from a goblet that appeared out of nowhere and handing it to Jaskier. 

“And we shall share this wine as we share our lives,” Jaskier said, taking a sip.

“All the days of our lives,” the priest said, taking the goblet.

“All the days of our lives,” Geralt and Jaskier said in unison. Their eyes met for the first time, and Geralt’s stomach protested. 

“Have you the rings” intoned the priest. The little ringbearer stepped up. Jaskier took a wedding band and thanked the boy with a smile. Eskel nudged Geralt and palmed a ring into his hand, Jaskier’s mother’s ring. 

The ringbearer took this well in his stride and went back to his place. 

Jaskier smiled up at Geralt, then carefully slipped the little golden band onto Geralt’s finger. Geralt gulped, Jaskier’s smile slipped a little, looking concerned, and Geralt wondered what he’d seen in his face. 

His big fingers fumbled a little with the delicate ring, but he slid it into place on Jaskier’s finger. It fit as exactly as it had in the little study, which seemed very long ago now.

“You may kiss the groom,” said the priest. 

It felt like a badger was gnawing Geralt’s intestines. He slid his hands hesitantly around Jaskier’s waist. The young man’s arms wrapped around his neck. It would have been nice if Geralt wasn’t so nauseous. 

Geralt gave Jaskier a peck. 

He pulled back and caught Jaskier’s disappointed look, but then they were being ushered back down the aisle and into the hall and there were congratulations. Bells were ringing, people were throwing rice, Geralt’s head was pounding like his brain was about to leak from his ears. 

Out on the steps of the chateau they were handed plates, most of the wedding party were, and they smashed them on the ground, to the misery of Geralt’s poor head. 

Jaskier seemed to be having a wonderful time, laughing as the porcelain smashed and shining even brighter in the bright sunlight on the steps. Geralt longed for the dimmer lighting of the glade. Jaskier kept looking over at Geralt, and the laughter in his eyes kept dimming. 

It made Geralt’s ribs ache to see. He knew he must be scowling, but the thought that Jaskier’s day was being ruined by him was awful. He wasn’t an ideal husband but surely he wasn’t that bad. It definitely didn’t bode well.

The tide of people bore them into the great hall, and they were sat at the front table with the earl and Amaria. Vesemir and Geralt’s brothers were at another table and Geralt felt very alone. 

“Is everything alright?” Jaskier asked, leaning in close to whisper in Geralt’s ear.

“Headache,” Geralt grunted. 

“I’m sorry,” Jaskier said, rubbing his thumb over Geralt’s wrist. On his finger, the opal caught the light. The young man’s shoulders slumped a little. “I’m sorry too that you’ve been roped into all this,” he released Geralt’s wrist. “I know this isn’t your choice.”

It wasn’t Geralt’s choice of course. But if he was getting married, Jaskier didn’t seem like a bad husband. There was something in Jaskier’s eyes, though, a sort of wistful distance. It occurred to Geralt that Jaskier was in this arranged marriage too. This wasn’t his choice. From what he’d said before, the viscount had probably grown up believing he’d be able to marry for love, or at least someone he liked and was of suitable social status.

Geralt wondered if the young man wasn’t looking around at his own wedding, wishing love were the base of it after all. True love, a smile during the procession, giggles during the ceremony and little jokes and kisses during the reception, instead of a witcher with a headache. 

Geralt realised that he didn’t know if Jaskier liked men at all. Perhaps he was looking around wishing some pretty noble lady was wearing white instead of he. 

Clanging started up as first one, then many people tapped spoons to glasses. 

“They want us to kiss,” Geralt said numbly.

“Yes,” Jaskier said, turning towards Geralt and leaning in. At least he didn’t seem to horribly mind kissing men. Geralt rested a hand, the one towards the audience, on Jaskier’s face, hiding the view of their lips. Then he leaned in and kissed the air less than a centimeter from Jaskier’s mouth. 

It satisfied the crowd, but Jaskier looked unhappy as he pulled back. Had he minded the play acting? Did he just want Geralt to let them ring the glasses indefinitely? Had Geralt crossed a line, even pretending to kiss him? Jaskier stared at his lap.

Geralt stared at his own.

They both picked at dinner. Sounds swirled in Geralt’s ears.

“Geralt.”

He wouldn’t have heard it but for his enhanced hearing. To anyone else it was just another murmur of conversation, the susurrus of the ballroom. Geralt looked up, to meet eyes with Eskel. 

“Geralt,” Eskel said. “Don’t mess it up, you deserve nice things.”

Geralt nodded, and Eskel broke their locked gazes. 

Some of the headache had subsided by now, and it was too late to be nervous. He took a big swig of the wine. 

Jaskier may not have wanted to marry him, may be dreaming of a different wedding day, but Geralt could still make it memorable. He took another swig of the wine and wished it were stronger.

Dancing hadn’t been planned, but there was music and a clear space between tables. Geralt stood and took Jaskier’s hand, giving him an only slightly wan smile.

Jaskier looked baffled, but followed Geralt to the impromptu dancefloor. The minstrels picked up on what was going on, and a rather cheerful waltz was struck up. 

Geralt wasn’t much of a dancer, but he’d been taught the basics long ago, and Jaskier was an excellent partner. His skill made up for Geralt’s more clumsy footwork. Geralt slid his hands to Jaskier’s hips, keeping his grip firmly appropriate, then lifted Jaskier into a twirl he’d seen once before at a ball he’d been forced to attend.

In that case, the lady’s skirt had swirled and swished most attractively. Here, Jaskier’s slightly wilted flower crown came off, but Jaskier was laughing, head back, the sound like sunshine. The crowed oohed appreciatively at the display and Geralt guided his new husband down to the ground again.

Jaskier’s fancy footwork saved them from stumbling into one another but Geralt wasn’t paying attention. He’d saved Jaskier’s wedding day, or at least he hoped, this portion of it. Out of the corner of his eye he saw motion, Lambert flinging the recovered flower crown to Geralt. He snatched it from the air and placed it firmly back on Jaskier’s head, to applause. 

More couples joined the dancefloor, and soon it was pretty crowded. Jaskier led them back to the head table, giggling a little. 

The earl wasn’t dancing, and Amaria looked wistful, or perhaps just distant, it was so hard to tell with her.

“Look,” Jaskier whispered, pointing surreptitiously at a couple. It was Eskel. Geralt half expected him to be dancing with Mabel, but she was busily serving tables.

Besides, Geralt reflected. Theirs wasn’t a romance, per say, more simple physical appreciation.

No, Eskel had the little flower girl standing on his boots, and was happily spinning them about the dancefloor. He took great, hopping steps that bounced her about, holding her hands gently to keep her grounded. Geralt listened carefully and, in the din of the hall, picked out her delighted, pealing laughter. 

Lambert liked dancing, and Geralt carefully pointed him out to Jaskier, as he showed the shy, thin housemaid how to do one of the fancier spins. 

Jaskier seemed to delight in the people watching, and they chuckled together at a couple, a very large, glamorously dressed woman with her small, slim beau. She whirled him about, sometimes holding him entirely off the ground. 

“He doesn’t seem to mind,” Jaskier said.

Geralt looked at the man’s expression as he was crushed against a frankly enormous bosom. It looked blissful. “No, he certainly doesn’t.”

Vesemir approached their table.

“My congratulations,” he said to Jaskier. He gave a handshake and then pulled the lad into a warm hug. “Welcome to the family,” he whispered. 

“A fine party,” he then said, to the earl and Lady Amaria. “If you do not care for dancing,” this was adressed to the earl. “Would the lady perhaps wish to join me for a dance?”

“By all means,” said the earl, waving Vesemir away. Lady Amaria smiled absently and limply took Vesemir’s hand. 

Geralt knew trading dances was usual, but he was curious to see his mentor dancing. As he watched the couple, he saw Vesemir conversing with her ladyship, whispering into her ear. Even Geralt’s advanced hearing couldn’t catch the words.

After the dance Vesemir returned Amaria to her seat. Perhaps it was a fluke, but she looked more alert. Then the earl tapped his knife to his crystal goblet. 

It had the same effect as a drop of ink falling into clear water.

Silence spread through the hall, twisting between couples and curling around tables until everything was still.

The earl stood. 

Like his son he was a fairly tall man, and in the grey, with his steely eyes and sharp demenour he didn’t just command attention, he demanded it. He got it, too, as men rich enough to have dungeons in their basements tend to.

“I wish to make a toast to my son,” he gave a smile like a stiletto. “And his new husband.

“Before, witchers have been seen as wicked mutants, monsters,” a tiny pause, like the glint of a crossbow bolt. “Butchers.” 

Unease was in the hall, and there was something in the earl’s voice, he was a truly charismatic speaker. And a dick. 

“Long has it been known how they viciously kill, dismember, and pillage.”

“No,” Jaskier whispered under his breath. The words had really set the cat among the pigeons. A few short sentences reminded the crowd of their distrust. The flower girl, still standing next to Eskel, was ushered away from him. Lamberts dance partner was edging away.

“Of course, not anymore,” the earl continued, snakelike. “And it behooves us to make a contract, that so long as they act appropriately, they are to be treated as other migrant workers.”

Damn, Geralt thought. Migrant workers weren’t treated that well, and after this speech...well. 

“It brings me great joy to marry off my only son,” the earl gripped Jaskier’s collar and hauled him to a standing position. “Although many of you know, he is more of a daughter,” here the earl gave an unpleasant chuckle. “And a troublesome one at that, not much of a warrior, too headstrong for knighthood...but today he sacrifices for his people.”

The earl’s voice swelled, an impressive, ringing oration, like a good preacher ringing home the moral point. “He sacrifices much, and it is sad, I am, that I may never see my son again, to submit him to the ravages of a witcher,” a vicious breath, “’s lifestyle.”

Lambert looked murderous, Eskel betrayed. Vesemir’s face was entirely impassive. Granite. Unreadable.

“But we each make sacrifices for the greater good, and I place my faith in our people, as I have always done. My, admittedly troublesome, shameless son has become part of a new...family.” Family was said like it poisoned the tongue. “And my people become my children. I work for your benefit, my beloved subjects, and today, so does my son, Julian. Three cheers for the new couple!”

Three very hesitant cheers were given, then Geralt and Jaskier were very nearly pushed into a room.

“What the fuck?”

“Evil, stupid, bastard,” Jaskier cursed at the same time. 

Jaskier looked furious, but there were tears in his eyes.

“Jaskier,” Geralt said, crossing to the young man and guiding him to sit on the huge, lavish bed. Their marriage bed, Geralt supposed. “Jaskier I don’t understand, what was all that.”

“He couldn’t resist humiliating me, his last chance, I suppose,” Jaskier said, pulling off his boots. “But it’s worse what he did to you lot.”

A tap at the door. Geralt opened it hesitantly, but it was the wolves, and there was fire in Vesemir’s eyes.

“I didn’t know,” Jaskier said, looking up at Vesemir pleadingly. “I swear I didn’t know what he would do.”

“I understand lad,” Vesemir said, but the fire in his eyes didn’t bank. At least it wasn’t directed at Jaskier, who looked positively wilted.

“I don’t,” Geralt said. “He said, some awful stuff, he referenced Blaviken, I get that, but what does it mean.” 

“The common people don’t know the specifics of out contract,” Jaskier said. “Most of them can’t read, and they’ll never see the document in any case. He implied that you’re going to...well, that ravaging bit, he implied that there is a consumation requirement, and the rumors about witchers...”

“Ah,” Geralt said. The rumors about witchers were never kind, what they said about their sexual interests he didn’t know, nor cared to find out, but they wouldn’t be kind. 

“I’m rather well liked by our people,” Jaskier continued, tearfully. “Father’s convinced most of them that I’m simple, but I make a point to be kind and a kind reputation goes around. They’ll hate and fear witchers even more.” He began to cry in earnest, not loudly, but hot, angry tears rolled steadily down flushed cheeks.

“Worse, now,” he said, looking up at the witchers. “He’s some sort of martyr, sacrificing his son to keep the horrible witchers at bay.”

“That’s not even what he said!” Lambert exploded. He’d been fuming this whole time, but his temper was short and he was done.

‘No,” Eskel said. “But that’s what rumor will make of it. He’s going to be seen as some sort of a self-sacrificing hero.”

“He’ll probably use it to raise taxes,” Jaskier said, damply. “And I doubt witcher treatment will get better either.”

“But then, is the contract void?” Geralt asked. 

“Not officially,” Vesemir grumbled. “Improved conditions hold de jure, but not de facto.”

Jaskier shivered. “If the contract is voided everything will only get worse.” The witchers looked at him. “Whatever reason the contract becomes void, Father will say I was mistreated. That’d be enough to convince most of the country to go to war with witchers, all witchers.”

“It wouldn’t take much,” Vesemir mused.

“And I’d be a ruined woman, except that I’m a man.”

“What?” said the witchers.

“I’d have been married,” Jaskier explained, fiddling with the ring. “And no matter the situation, in Lettenhove the woman is almost always blamed for the failure of the marriage. There is no woman in our marriage, but I take on that role, If I’m mistreated, I should have better pleased my husband.”

“That’s idiotic,” Lambert said.

“I’d never be married off again either,” Jaskier continued. “Not only was I ruined, I was ruined by a witcher.”

A deep, heady pause.

“I could probably even be put to death, for failing the contract and shaming my father.”

‘But your people like you,” Geralt said. 

“They won’t if I’m the reason we go to war with the witchers,” Jaskier said. Then, a little more brightly, “At least whatever happens, I wont be an earl. My father may be a rat bastard and a small minded pig and a...” he paused searching for more insults.

“A cunt?” offered Lambert. 

“Yes, thank you, a cunt. But he’s right about one thing, I’d be a very poor earl. No head for politics, I can understand it, I just can’t do it.” He looked up at the witchers apologetically. 

“And now because of me,” he said, “You’ve all been dropped right in it.”

“No worries, lad,” Vesmir said, clapping him on the shoulder in a gesture that made Jaskier’s spine visibly buckle. “We’ve been dropped in it before. As it happens, I may have caused some political trouble for your father all by myself, and it might even be better if we leave a little earlier than planned.”

All the boys looked baffled, but Vesemir looked satisfied.

“Can we leave tomorrow?” Jaskier asked hopefully. “I don’t have much stuff and I want to get out of here.”

The witchers agreed, and then Jaskier and Geralt were left alone with just one bed.

Geralt coughed awkwardly.

“I thought there wasn’t a consummation requirement,” he said.

“There isn’t,” Jaskier said, taking off his flower crown, now quite battered. “There isn’t explicitly, I mean, but there is a hidden fidelity agreement.”

“Hmmm,” Geralt said. He meant a panicky, ‘what!’, but couldn’t say it.

“We both need to be happy in our marriage, if word get’s back to father that either of us is sleeping with someone else, well...”

Shit. Geralt thought. Shit shit shit.

“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it,” he said aloud. 

There were no extra clothes in the chamber, meaning no sleep clothes, so they both undressed to undershirts and smallclothes, then Jaskier snuffed out the candle.

On either side of the large bed, there was plenty of room between them. 

Geralt heard a sniffle. 

“Are you okay?” he asked, feeling awkward.

“I’m fine,” Jaskier said. “It’s silly anyway.”

“Can’t be silly if you’re crying over it.”

“It’s just, this isn’t exactly...” Jaskier trailed off, but Geralt thought he had it.

“Isn’t how you pictured your wedding day?” he asked.

“Exactly,” Jaskier sniffled.

Geralt didn’t know what to do, but he stretched an arm out, above the soft covers, and covered Jaskier with an arm. The young man turned over, so they were facing one another, and inched a little closer.

It wasn’t an embrace, not nearly, but it had a whisper of the same emotion.

Geralt listened to his new husband silently cry himself to sleep on their wedding night, and wished there was some way he could help.

A part of him, long suppressed, was crying too, for the bright and cheerful young man in his arms.

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Wow  5000 words that I basically had to thumbscrew from my brain. 

Taglist! Tags were being weird, let me know if I didn’t add you, forgot to add you, added the wrong person, etc.

@llamasdumpsterfire @stinastar @aziz-the-fangirl @mordoriscalling @bastardofmothman @negativenuggetz @morte-mistrata @ailorian @hayleynzlive @filledepluie @bygodstilliam @sociowithatardisachevyandawand @faery-god @honeysuckletook @theflurtifly @saibowtie @1stbonesfan @frywen-babbles @the-kewlest @innocentbi-stander  @aqueenrisesintheeast @toothhurtyam @marauders-fan-account @ineffable-lasagna @limevodka @rocknrollphanda @seralyra @permanently-exhausted-witcher @aj-itated @watchthewolvesfall @00qtee @the-blondey @birds-of-forgiveness @west-moor @abstractartwithoutpaint @darkonesdagger7437 @onwardsandfourwords @underwaterattribute @whenrainbowsend @goldbvtton @in-love-with-writing002 @flustratedcas @fontegagrilledcheese @little-piece-of-tamlin @somanyfandoms @werevampiwolf

[crimsondomingo]

Day 17: Coffee Shop/Flower Shop/Bookstore

For my July AU a Day Challenge

(I added the bookstore part)

Len finished the last sentence of the chapter to riveted expressions from the children watching, a few with worried, tearful faces at the fate of the main character—and with sympathy for the villain—just as Len had hoped.

He closed the little paperback with a flourish.

“And if you’d like to find out what happens next, you’ll have to convince your parents the merits of supporting your local businesses.”

Several kids groaned and whined, while most of the parents laughed. The Vampire Who Came For Christmas was hardly a title to break the bank, and he’d distracted these fine folk’s children for half an hour with a reading from near the middle of the book, where he felt they were most likely to get invested. The parents couldn’t be too upset with him for getting their kids interested in reading.

It also helped that he was dressed in a snazzy medieval outfit with plastic fangs to set the scene.

“Lenny,” Lisa stood with hands on hips after the children had started to disperse. “It isn’t Christmas or Halloween. Why that book? Just an excuse to play dress up?”

“Please, Lisa, I choose Children’s Corner based on more important timing. A little girl purchased the book recently and could not stop regaling me with how much she loved it.”

“Plus, the dress-up.”

“Well I do look good in black.” Len winked.

Rogues Corner was a shop passed down to Len from his mother with local authors and hard to find books, a little section for gifts and flowers, and a café in the back where people could grab coffee and a snack—a little bit of everything in a compact package. Len loved it, and he loved running it with his sister and best friend.

Mick handled the flowers and gifts. Lisa handled the books, though Len always read for Children’s Corner on Saturdays. And Len manned the coffee shop. They had a few additional workers to share the load, but for the most part, the place was theirs.

“Don’t look now, Lenny, but your favorite customer just walked in.” Lisa nodded over his shoulder.

Silly, unfair flutters churned in Len’s stomach before he turned around to see the young man who’d been coming in regularly for the past few months. Sometimes for a book, sometimes a gift, always for coffee and a treat, taking time to chat with Len each time. Lisa kept telling him to ask the guy out, but Len was unsure.

He was too old for the young Mr. Allen—“Call me Barry.” Oh but he was beautiful and adorable and so easy to talk to. Len just couldn’t be sure if Barry felt anything for him.

In that next moment as Lisa chuckled at his expense and headed off, he suddenly knew the answer.

Barry wasn’t interested—because he was in love with the girl he’d brought with him today.

She was a knockout. Dark skin, vibrant smile, flawless and petite figure. The way Barry looked at her was with such obvious adoration, Len stood no chance. No wonder their banter and what Lisa had insisted was flirting never went anywhere. Barry already had someone in his life.

They were headed for the flowers and gifts section, so Len bee-lined for the café. He shooed his extra cashier, Axel, to help Lisa with book sales, and hid behind the counter, wiping it down and serving the people who lined up for muffins and lattes.

He completely forgot he was still in costume from Children’s Corner until Barry and the knockout appeared out of nowhere.

“Did I see The Vampire Who Came For Christmas on display for Children’s Corner? I loved that book as a kid!” Barry exclaimed, without a single comment about Len looking like Lestat with shorn hair.

Knockout raised an eyebrow though. “You really get into your work, huh?”

“It’s for the kids!” Barry defended, then smiled at Len with a warmth that made Len’s knees week. “And the fun, right? You make fangs look cool again, Len.”

“There was a point they weren’t cool?” Then Len realized what he’d said and he, Barry, and Knockout all said at once, “Twilight.”

“Still a long road to recover from that,” Barry snickered. “Oh this is Iris. Iris, this is Len, one of the owners. He makes the best chocolate coconut mocha you have ever had.”

“You just made my order easier.” Iris smiled.  

“Make it two?” Barry looked at Len hopefully. “And a cinnamon scone for me, please.”

“Coming right up.”

It was when Iris paid, waving Barry’s wallet away, that Len noticed the glittering ring on her finger.

“When’s the happy day?” Len asked, feeling his stomach sink deeper as he accepted her cash and readied her change.

“Next weekend. I’m losing my mind, so Barry is trying to keep me distracted. Best Man of Honor ever,” she said, and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “I’m going to check out the gift section again. There might be something over there perfect for a bridal party gift, so you, sir, cannot come with me for a while.”

“Wouldn’t dream of peeking,” Barry gave a little salute.

Off she went with her mocha, while Barry sat at the café counter to enjoy his. He didn’t immediately look down at his scone though, but watched Iris walk away with longing.

It was worse than Len thought. He should leave things alone, he really should, but he found himself asking anyway, “So tell me, Barry…she know you’re in love with her?”

Barry startled, nearly choking on his first sip of coffee. “I… It’s that obvious? But yeah, she knows. I told her before they got engaged, but…”

“She chose the other guy.”

“We don’t want it to make things weird. She’s my oldest friend. My best friend, and she always will be.”

“Doesn’t change that you’re hung up on her.”

“Like a jerk.” Barry picked at his scone, only taking a small bite, which wasn’t like him at all. He was a hearty eater for such a slim guy. “Her fiancé, Eddie, is the best too. Like, even I love him. It’s not a case of her choosing the wrong guy, I’m just out of luck.”

Len felt for him, intimately familiar with unrequited love. “Well…” He tried to think of something comforting to say.

“Mr. Len?”

Len peered over the counter beside Barry where one of the regulars from Children’s Corner was clutching a book and some cash. He went around to crouch in front of her. “Yes, Eleanor?”

“I only got three dollars and fifty cents, but the vampire book is six. Can I bring you the rest later?”

Eleanor’s parents insisted she earn and pay for her own books, trying to teach her patience and restraint, though they gave her fifty cents here and there for easy things to give her a sense of accomplishment too. Len could see them in the distance, watching her closely.

“You most certainly can,” he said, since he appreciated a negotiator. “We’ll write an IOU.”

“A what?”

Len pulled a pen and paper from his pocket, turning to write on the empty stool beside Barry so Eleanor could see. “I,” he wrote and pointed at her, “O,” he tapped the money in her hands, “U,” he pointed at himself. “And we’ll write the amount left on your tab so we both remember. What is six minus three-fifty?”

“Um…two-fifty!”

“Good girl.” He wrote that down on the paper along with Eleanor’s name, and handed it to her. “You go give all that to Miss Lisa and say I said it was alright.”

“Thank you, Mr. Len!” Eleanor bounced on her feet before dashing away. Her parents shot him a sly look but he simply shrugged.

Then he noticed Barry smirking at him, right there above him where Len was still crouching.

He quickly stood. “What?”

“Nothing. You’re just amazing. You’re really good with kids, you know.”

“Easy to be good with them when you can give them back to their parents.”

Barry chuckled and started eating his scone with more gusto.

“Wedding, huh?” Lisa appeared just as Len got back behind the counter. She must have grilled Iris.

“Shouldn’t you be up front?” Len glared at her.

“Axel’s got it, and I took the IOU, you big softy.” She looked back to Barry for an answer.

“Oh, yeah, next weekend.”

“Do you have a date?”

“No?” Barry said more like a question.

“Going stag to bag a bridesmaid?”

“No!”

“Groomsman?”

“Lisa,” Len snapped. She did not need to ask that—or hover so close to Barry.

“Not these groomsmen,” Barry said with a glance away that said he might be interested in some groomsmen—in men as well as women, which should not have made Len feel so hopeful. “They’re all friends of mine.”

“Then you should take Lenny.”

“What?” Len’s attention whirled back to his sister.

“You get a plus one, don’t you?” Lisa grinned at Barry mischievously. “Lenny loves weddings.”

Len hated weddings.

“At least then you’d have someone to dance with and not feel awkward during the reception.”

“I couldn’t ask that.” Barry turned to face Len with that typical nice ‘no thanks’ expression. Or at least Len thought that’s what he was seeing until a swirl of hope entered Barry’s face. “Unless you…really wanted to go? Would you?”

Len resented and loved his sister so much in that moment because it didn’t seem like Barry was only being polite. “If you’re really asking…I could be available.”

“Really? Coz I think I am asking. I would love to not have to go through next weekend alone, especially if you were the one with me.” Barry seemed to realize how he’d said that and promptly blushed.

Lisa looked so damn smug, but maybe she wasn’t wrong about Barry.

“Great,” Len said. “It’s a date.”

[messterpiecetheater]

Hope is not to late, but a Christmas wedding for Harrisco would make my summer

AO3

Cisco was finally getting Christmas wedding of hisdreams.  The cake was a chocolate towerwith white fondant that he couldn’t wait to smash into Harry’s face—or feed to,or both, he was too excited to choose. The priest looked like a Princess Bride Bishop cosplayer.  The groomsman were hot, and so was the maidof honor.

Lisa does realize nowomen are getting married, right?

As if such a thing would stop Lisa Snart from takingwhatever she wanted.

It’s not like she hasany lady friends who are getting married any time soon.  If my BF wants to go all out, then why thehell not?

She’s your ex, Ramon.

Who’s also my BF!

Why are you shouting?

Why are you making sucha big deal out of this!?  You think I’mgonna leave you at the alter!?!

Of course not!  This is simply… unusual.

Oh, that’s yourproblem, is it!?  Well, news flash,buddy, I’m a bootylicious nerd who crossdresses, travels to other universes,and remembers alternate timelines; so you have a problem with unusual, I’m notthe person for you!

Cisco—

I don’t need to dealwith your unusual-hating BS, so I’ll take my unusualness to my BF who’sperfectly fine with it!

The whole affair had been called off so many times that thelast three cancellations just had people sighing and starting betting pools asto when it’d be on again.  The proceeds helpedfund the honeymoon that would give them all a break from their beloved disasterbi and disaster demi.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when the weddingactually, finally arrived and proceeded relatively smoothly.

Harry stood proud and triumphant like a king in a tux thatwas so dark, only the exact right light showed that it wasn’t actually black:the most vibrant color he’d worn all year. His boutonniere matched Cisco’s red and purple rose crown.

In addition to the flower crown, Cisco was wearing a blackwedding dress that was dramatic and poufy in the back and showed off his silkysmooth legs in the front.  A deep V-neck teasedso much of his chest he might as well have gone topless.

“Maiwwage… Maiwwage is what brings us here togethertoday.”

Cisco had to keep himself from exploding with glee.  Harry smiled.

“Maiwwage, that bwessed awwangement, that dweam wiffin adweam.  Wuv, two wuv, will fowwo youfoweva, so twessa your wuv, and your wuv will twessa you,” the impwessivepwiest wooked to Hawwy and Cisco. “Have you the wing?”

Harry and Cisco happily exchanged rings.  Now their outfits were perfect.

“I now pwonounce you gwoom and gwoom,” the pwiest beamedwiff dewight.

They couldn’t wait for permission to kiss.  Eyes flew wide, collars were tugged, whistlesrang out, and a couple tongues whetted some lips.

Both Harry and Cisco endedup smashing their cake into each other’s faces, but they got more to feed eachother with.

[clarencenicholsonata]

50 Fun Contest Ideas You Can Use Today

Social media contests are one of the best ways to build your brand, while simultaneously helping to boost social media engagement and build a targeted list of customers.

They're quick to set up, easy to manage, and can provide an astronomical return on investment if done properly.

Wondering how you can get started with a contest today?

This article will give you 50 fun contest ideas for 10 major industries - 5 specific ideas for each. I'll also include a few real-world contest examples for each, so you can see these ideas in action.

Simply select your industry below (or scroll down to see them all!).

Enjoy!

Social Media Contest Idea by Industry:

Women's Ecommerce

General Ecommerce

Men's Ecommerce

Hospitality/Spa

Fitness

B2B

Photography

Restaurant

Dental/Cosmetic Medical

Auto

DON'T SEE YOUR INDUSTRY?

We'd love to brainstorm fun social media contest ideas with you one-on-one! We've worked with hundreds of businesses from every sphere, and run successful competitions in all of them. Book a time to chat with a contest expert today.

1. Women's Ecommerce

When it comes to social media, women are the biggest sharers - responsible for 62% of total shares on Facebook.

Women are also more talkative with their friends (rather than men, who tend to just put things on social media and leave them there, expecting acknowledgement).

How is this relevant to your business and contests, though?

It means that you should be running referral and bonus entry contests - a competition idea which rewards your entrants with more chances to win whenever they share your contest with their friends.

Women are more likely to share than men, and their friends are more likely to get involved in your contest (enter themselves, support their friends, vote, etc). In the process, your social media contest will increase in visibility and you'll get the contact information for more new prospective customers.

Women's Fashion Contest Ideas & Examples:

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These women's ecommerce contest examples were built with Wishpond.

Our ready-made contest templates make building your next contest a matter of minutes. Click here to create an account and try out the builder today (no credit card required).

Ideas for the Women's Ecommerce:

Shopping Spree: Offer a gift card for your eCommerce site, but pitch it as a "Shopping spree." On your contest page, be sure to show exactly what people can buy with the gift card (rather than the gift card itself).

Holiday/Seasonal sweepstakes: Give away a gift card or product based around the primary "buying" holidays and seasons (Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Christmas, Pre-Summer, Pre-Fall, etc). For an example of marketing on a holiday, check out some St. Patrick's Day Contest Ideas.

Partner up: Partner with a yoga studio or gym around New Year's and give away a complete workout outfit and 6-month membership. Alternatively, partner with another brand and give away a workout outfit alongside a mat, ball, etc. Promote to both brand's customer lists (yours and theirs) and you'll get their contacts as well.

"Night-on-the-town" contest: Give away a complete "going out" outfit/gift card alongside two tickets to a show in your area.

"Summer Swing" contest: Run a summer-themed contest which gives away a summer dress and accessories (or a gift card which can buy those things).

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2. General Ecommerce

Ecommerce is the #1 business for running contests, hands down.

Your products make excellent prizes and your target market is tech-savvv and active on social media. Better yet, if someone makes one purchase from you, you're the business most likely to make two.

The mass majority of the contests we run are for eCommerce brands. And I highly encourage you to give them a shot. There's no better way to generate buzz about a new product, boost sales in the slow season, or get the details of new prospective customers (and all their friends).

General Ecommerce Contest Ideas & Examples:

×

These ecommerce contest examples were built with Wishpond.

Our ready-made contest templates make building your next contest a matter of minutes. Click here to create an account and try out the builder today (no credit card required).

Ideas for General Ecommerce:

Run a pre-winter contest giving away a gift card. Pitch your products as a "winter necessity." It doesn't matter what your products actually are, but how you portray them as relevant to what your entrants are already thinking about.

Run a Valentine's Day contest giving away a "his and hers" package for Valentine's Day. Alternatively, offer a "Just for Her" prize on Mother's Day (or a "Just for Him" prize on Father's Day). Remember, with these contests, that your market is your usual target market's partner, family, or friends (so target accordingly).

Run a contest that gives away a prize pack of your products. This improves the chance of someone being interested in at least one of the things you're giving away.

Offer free shipping for a year. This is a great contest to give to 10 winners with the message "Get a chance to win every day for 10 days!" And it's particularly valuable because all you're doing is cutting into your profit margins, rather than giving away something completely free.

Reach out to another brand with a similar target market as your own. Create a co-contest Send this campaign to your existing list so they'll send it to theirs. This enables you to trade contacts. See the example below:

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3. Men's Ecommerce

Despite the fact that women control around 80% of household spending, it's men who are more enthusiastic about buying from their couch

40% of men ages 18-to-34 "would ideally buy everything online" while only 33% of women say the same.

It's even more prominent among teens. 86% of male teens say they shop online whereas only 76% of teen girls say they do.

What does this mean for your next competition?

It means that, when it comes to driving online sales, men are upsetting the stereotype.

Men's Ecommerce Contest Ideas & Examples:

×

These men's ecommerce contest examples were built with Wishpond.

Our ready-made contest templates make building your next contest a matter of minutes. Click here to create an account and try out the builder today (no credit card required).

Ideas for the Men's Fashion:

Run a Father's Day competition to your normal target market's partners. Consider giving away one of your more expensive products, particularly if you're not going to offer a gift card.

Partner with a barbershop in your area. Give a "manly makeover" with product prize package.

Run a summer BBQ-themed contest, where you offer a (humorous or not) BBQ/summer party outfit. Also consider teaming up with another brand to offer a BBQ, fireworks, meat, etc.

Offer a Groomsman gift package. Offer three or four product prize packages - items could include a watch, a tie, a flask, a satchel/messenger bag, a smoking jacket, etc.

Run a themed competition. This could be anything from the Super Bowl to Christmas to National Hotdog Day. Get creative with your contest theme to drive sales in your slow season.

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4. Hospitality/Spa

The hospitality and spa business has a strength that none of the other industries have: a super valuable product.

A two-night stay or spa day is a contest prize that results in huge numbers of competition entrants.

They're also a really exciting thing to win because they're such luxuries. Sure, it's great to win a new vacuum or outfit, but a romantic getaway for two - away from the kids and in a location they wouldn't normally see? That's a prize you really want to win.

Top Tip: Whenever you run a social media contest, you need to be considering how you're going to convert those entrants who didn't win. We recently had a client who gave all their entrants a secondary offer via email - 30% off their first booking - which resulted in a huge return on their competition investment.

Hospitality/Spa Contest Ideas & Examples:

×

These hospitality/spa contest examples were built with Wishpond.

Our ready-made contest templates make building your next contest a matter of minutes. Click here to create an account and try out the builder today (no credit card required).

Ideas for the Hospitality/Spa:

A two-night stay. Be sure to give a reason: Valentine's Day, Father's/Mother's Day, etc.

A free upgrade to your President's Suite (or equivalent). Pair with "You deserve it!" messaging.

Partner with a restaurant, spa or theater in your area. Give a romantic weekend getaway for two.

Give away a "Girls Weekend" spa day. When you're creating Facebook Ads for this competition, try creating an ad set targeting the boyfriends/husbands of your target market.

Offer 7 deep tissue/Swedish massages. To increase the perceived possibility of any given entrant winning, offer a massage every day for a week.

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5. Fitness

There's no beating around the bush here: we run more fitness contests than any other activity except eCommerce. Your business is absolutely perfect for contests (which I, unfortunately, can't say for B2B).

You have clearly valuable prizes: 6-month membership, free personal training, whatever. You have the benefit of a lot of great visuals, and price is one of the main pain points in your trade. When you tell someone they can get fit and healthy for free? The perceived value is priceless.

Any competition you run needs to have what we call a value proposition - the reason that people see you as valuable. But it can't just be "get 50% off" or "get your first month free".

Instead, you should consider the emotional value of your offer. For instance, "Get ready for summer," "Burn those Christmas calories," "We'll help you stick to your resolution" etc.

Fitness Contest Contest Ideas & Examples:

×

These fitness contest examples were built with Wishpond.

Our ready-made contest templates make building your next contest a matter of minutes. Click here to create an account and try out the builder today (no credit card required).

Fitness Competition Ideas:

Free membership for brides. Facebook advertising will enable you to only show your contest to women who are engaged. You can also target female friends of engaged people.

Free workout and healthy eating plan. This is also a great option to add to our website as a "lead magnet" - a free giveaway that you deliver to people when they submit their contact information. Create a series of emails (also called an email drip campaign) that are designed to turn your new contacts into paying customers.

Free personal training. Personal training, unlike a general gym membership, feels like a luxury (with higher perceived value). Be sure to add the dollar value of personal training into your value proposition/contest headline.

"Spin with the girls!" Consider giving away a pack of spin class passes (10), enabling girls to bring their friends to multiple sessions. This is an especially valuable contest for you as, when your winner's friends enjoy spin class, they're likely to pay full price down the line.

Free 12-month membership. Only consider a full free membership if you're running a bonus entry contest as you'll need to generate a lot of prospective customers to make the giveaway worth it. The last thing you want is to offer a $1,200 prize and only have two entrants.

Top Tip: Want to target friends of engaged people on Facebook? Simply type "Friends of" into the Detailed Targeting box within the Facebook Ad manager to see all your options:

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6. B2B

The honest answer here is that we don't run that many B2B contests. And that's because, in general, there's usually a better way for your business to find the results you want.

However, there is a single type of social media contest that I can confidently recommend, and it's one we've used to great success many times over the years.

Here's an example:

This is a partnered contest. And (again, to be totally honest) it's a super valuable campaign not because you're going to go viral on social media, but because when you notify your existing lists about the contest, you'll be legitimately trading contacts with a business similar to your own.

To learn more about partnered campaigns (and how we've used them), check out "A Behind-the-Scenes Look at How We Generated 1,263 New Leads (With a Little Help from Our Friends)."

This B2B contest example was built with Wishpond.

Our ready-made contest templates make building your next contest a matter of minutes. Click here to create an account and try out the builder today (no credit card required).

B2B Competition Ideas:

Partner with another business. Give a year's subscription to both your service/platform and theirs. Be sure to find a business which not only has the same target market as you, but also compatible products.

Run an internal contest (within your office/branches) giving away a gift basket or swag. Internal contests can be a great way to boost company morale.

Black Friday/Cyber Monday discount plan. If you're going to run a discount plan promotion, consider giving it to "10 lucky winners" - because you're going to be competing with other SaaS/B2B companies who simply run sales. Honestly my recommendation would be to just run a sale, rather than a contest, here.

If you're an office supplier, offer free shipping for a year. Consider running this as a month-long promotion and it's exclusively available to first-time buyers.

Sports team sponsorship. A contest where you offer sponsorship of a local youth team gets your name out there. Just don't expect it to drive final sales.

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7. Photography

If you're like most photography businesses, you get most of your clients through word of mouth. They ask a friend if they know any good photographers, you're mentioned, and the rest is history.

Contests, however, are like word-of-mouth marketing on speed.

Online contests are, by definition, online. And that means that information, recommendations and references can be shared and disseminated at lightning speed and shared with huge numbers of people.

Your target customer has 100 friends who are also your target customer. Contests, especially bonus entry and referral contests, are a fantastic way to reach all of them.

Photography Contest Examples from Wishpond:

×

These photography contest examples were built with Wishpond.

Our ready-made contest templates make building your next contest a matter of minutes. Click here to create an account and try out the builder today (no credit card required).

Photography Competition Ideas:

Offer a wedding package in the Fall. Be sure to time your contests correctly to engage with the maximum number of people who might be interested in your prize. Most people who are having late Spring/Summer weddings are planning their photographer in late Fall.

Offer a new baby photoshoot. Similarly to the above, you should know that most babies (in North America) are born around September.

Offer free photo framing. Do this for the first 10 booked photoshoots, then offer 50% off to everyone who books after the first ten.

Offer a "Friend's Day" photoshoot with costumes. Run a photo contest where one entrant can submit a photo and get their friends and family to vote on it (they'll need to submit their contact information to vote).

Partner with a hairdresser or makeup artist. Offer a photoshoot with makeover package. If you photograph weddings, it should be easy to connect with makeup/hairdressers before the wedding.

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8. Restaurant

Most restaurants don't think about online marketing too much. Much of your business comes from word of mouth and (if anything) review sites and Google search.

Nonetheless, a good social media contest is one of the best ways for a new restaurant (or one looking to increase declining patronage) to get people in the door.

Note: A contest is also a powerful way to get people to review your restaurant online. With a bit of help from our fully-managed team, you can use Wishpond's bonus entry contest builder to give extra chances to win to those contest entrants who review your restaurant on the platform of your choice.

Just be sure you only target people within your area. Online marketing is powerful in its ability to give businesses huge reach, but it can also be dangerous. Be sure you're not spending money or resources to reach people who are nowhere near your restaurant.

Restaurant Contest Examples from Wishpond:

×

These restaurant contest examples were built with Wishpond.

Our ready-made contest templates make building your next contest a matter of minutes. Click here to create an account and try out the builder today (no credit card required).

Restaurant Competition Ideas:

Reach out to a hotel in your area. Offer a romantic weekend away with your restaurant giving a three-course dinner and bottle of wine.

Is there a popular movie coming out? Buy tickets and offer a date night.

"Get Away from the Kids." While this is, ostensibly, just free dinner, the most successful contests are always those which tie into a well-recognized idea or theme. Consider running this contest in the middle of the summer, targeting parents with children who are on Summer break.

Offer a Thanksgiving dinner. Cater a family's Thanksgiving dinner with all the fixings. A cool idea for this (if you want to take it a step beyond, would be to offer a free dinner for the contest winner as well as a needy family in your area.

Create and offer a Superbowl party pack. My recommendation for this would be to make a big deal out of the winner. Have your chef, restaurant owner and waiters/waitresses pull up in a van and deliver the Superbowl food in person. Take some photos with the winners (and their friends) and post them on social media.

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9. Dental/Cosmetic Medical

Contests can actually be a very valuable marketing strategy for dental/cosmetic medical enterprises.

And there are three reasons for that:

1. Your services are expensive, so a prize has a high dollar value. This increases the number of entrants you'll likely get.

2. People who enter your contest will think of your business the next time they need your services (even if they don't win).

3. The people who do win will return to your business (if their experience is good) for any follow-up care or with a family member. It's far easier to keep going to a dentist or cosmetic surgeon you like than find a new one you don't know anything about.

Top Tip: My recommendation is to have multiple winners for your dental/cosmetic medical contest. It increases your entrant's belief that they'll win (which increases entry rates) and you'll get more people through the door who will become loyal clients.

Dental/Cosmetic Medical Contest Examples from Wishpond:

×

These dental/cosmetic medical contest examples were built with Wishpond.

Our ready-made contest templates make building your next contest a matter of minutes. Click here to create an account and try out the builder today (no credit card required).

Cosmetic & Dental Competition ideas:

Offer dental care or cosmetic medical treatment before Valentine's Day. My recommendation would be to create two contest pages - one which targets men ("Surprise her on Valentine's Day!)" and one which targets her ("Give him a surprise on Valentine's Day!").

Target engaged women on Facebook. Give a pre-wedding treatment (teeth whitening, wrinkle removal, etc) up to your selected dollar value.

Run a "back-to-school" or "before University" contest giving free dental treatment. Target parents of 8-18 year olds around August. Consider two different contest pages: one with a young child smiling and one with an older teenager.

Offer a "Golden Years" cosmetic treatment. Target men and women on Facebook who are 55+ to be sure you don't waste your money.

Offer a teeth whitening treatment. Consider running a standard contest like this a few times a year. Just be sure to exclude your previous contest entrants from your target audience on Facebook.

Want to learn more about Facebook Ads?

We wrote a complete guide to Facebook Ads last year with everything you need to know. Check it out!

Back to Top

10. Auto

The auto industry is one of those industries which hasn't fully embraced online marketing as a viable way for them to succeed.

For you, then (someone within that business who recognizes how powerful online marketing can be) the opportunities are massive.

Did you know that Facebook enables you to target, specifically, people who own a certain type of vehicle in your area? Can you imagine how powerful that would be if you owned a Subaru, Mitsubishi or Volkswagen auto shop?

But let's not get ahead of ourselves. We're talking online contests here.

Before the winter comes around, many of us consider winterizing our vehicles. We're perusing Facebook as we normally do and "Bam!" an auto shop near me is giving away free vehicle winterizing.

Or I'm looking to go on a family road trip for an upcoming long weekend. "Bam!" my friend shares with me an auto shop giving away a complete vehicle checkup for free.

Auto Contest Examples from Wishpond:

×

These auto industry contest examples were built with Wishpond.

Our ready-made contest templates make building your next contest a matter of minutes. Click here to create an account and try out the builder today (no credit card required).

Auto Competition Ideas:

Offer a free tire rotation or a new set of tires. This is the standard "product prize" for the auto business (rather than some of the more complicated campaigns or prizes). This kind of giveaway/sweepstakes can be run as many times per year as you like. Just remember to exclude your previous campaign's entrants from your targeting and email mailout.

Offer a vehicle checkup before road trip season. My recommendation would be to run a summer-oriented online contest around May to tap into what people are already thinking about.

Offer a free vehicle rental. Again, run this campaign before a major long weekend to increase the chance of your prospective customers needing your prize.

At the end of the road trip/travel season, offer windshield repair. My recommendation would be to give this to 10 lucky winners over the course of 10 days. This increases the perceived chance to win and gets more people to enter.

Offer free vehicle winterizing. Run this contest in early-mid Fall (and of course you should only run it in places where snow and ice is a thing...)

Back to Top

Conclusion

There you have it, 50 social media contest & competition ideas to try out for your business.

See anything that intrigues you? Or do you have some that you've already put to use?

Let me know in the comment section!

Related Reading:

30 Amazing Examples of Branded Facebook Contests Done Right

How to Run a Facebook Contest or Facebook Sweepstakes

24 Amazing Facebook Giveaway Examples

Social Media Marketing Plan: An 11-Step Template

25 Awesome Ideas for Giveaways on Facebook

Did you know?

All of the examples in this article were created using Wishpond's easy-to-use contest builder. Get started building your own campaign with our 14-day free trial.

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[thetheoreticaljehovist]

Do not give your vital energy to women, nor your ways to [what leads to] wiping out kings...  

“And the sons of Israel engaged again in doing what was bad in Jehovah’s eyes, so that Jehovah gave them into the hand of the Phi·lis’tines for forty years.

Meanwhile there happened to be a certain man of Zo’rah of the family of the Dan’ites, and his name was Ma·no’ah. And his wife was barren and had borne no child. In time Jehovah’s angel appeared to the woman and said to her: “Look, now, you are barren and have borne no child. And you will certainly become pregnant and give birth to a son. And now watch yourself, please, and do not drink wine or intoxicating liquor, and do not eat anything unclean. For, look! you will be pregnant, and you will certainly give birth to a son, and no razor should come upon his head, because a Naz’i·rite of God is what the child will become on leaving the belly; and he it is who will take the lead in saving Israel out of the hand of the Phi·lis’tines.”

Then the woman went and said to her husband: “There was a man of the [true] God that came to me, and his appearance was like the appearance of the angel of the [true] God, very fear-inspiring. And I did not ask him from just where he was, neither did he tell me his name. But he said to me, ‘Look! You will be pregnant, and you will certainly give birth to a son. And now do not drink wine or intoxicating liquor, and do not eat any unclean thing, because a Naz’i·rite of God is what the child will become on leaving the belly until the day of his death.’”

And Ma·no’ah began to entreat Jehovah and say: “Excuse me, Jehovah. The man of the [true] God that you just sent, let him, please, come again to us and instruct us as to what we ought to do to the child that will be born.” Accordingly the [true] God listened to the voice of Ma·no’ah, and the angel of the [true] God came again to the woman while she was sitting in the field, and Ma·no’ah her husband was not with her. Immediately the woman hurried and ran and told her husband and said to him: “Look! The man that came the other day to me has appeared to me.”

At that Ma·no’ah got up and accompanied his wife and came to the man and said to him: “Are you the man that spoke to the woman?” to which he said: “I am.” Then Ma·no’ah said: “Now let your words come true. What will become the child’s mode of life and his work?” So Jehovah’s angel said to Ma·no’ah: “From everything that I mentioned to the woman she should keep herself. Nothing at all that comes forth from the wine vine should she eat, and no wine or intoxicating liquor let her drink, and no unclean thing of any sort let her eat. Everything that I have commanded her let her keep.”

Ma·no’ah now said to Jehovah’s angel: “Let us, please, detain you and fix up a kid of the goats before you.” But Jehovah’s angel said to Ma·no’ah: “If you detain me, I shall not feed myself on your bread; but if you will render up a burnt offering to Jehovah, you may offer it up.” For Ma·no’ah did not know that he was Jehovah’s angel. Then Ma·no’ah said to Jehovah’s angel: “What is your name, that when your word comes true we shall certainly do you honor?” However, Jehovah’s angel said to him: “Just why should you ask about my name, when it is a wonderful one?”

And Ma·no’ah proceeded to take the kid of the goats and the grain offering and to offer it upon the rock to Jehovah. And He was doing something in a wonderful way while Ma·no’ah and his wife were looking on. So it came about that, as the flame ascended from off the altar heavenward, then Jehovah’s angel ascended in the flame of the altar while Ma·no’ah and his wife were looking on. At once they fell upon their faces to the earth. And Jehovah’s angel did not repeat appearing to Ma·no’ah and his wife anymore. Then it was that Ma·no’ah knew that he had been Jehovah’s angel. Consequently Ma·no’ah said to his wife: “We shall positively die, because it is God that we have seen.” But his wife said to him: “If Jehovah had been delighted only to put us to death, he would not have accepted a burnt offering and grain offering from our hand, and he would not have shown us all these things, and he would not as now have let us hear anything like this.”

Later the woman gave birth to a son and called his name Samson; and the boy kept getting bigger, and Jehovah continued to bless him. In time Jehovah’s spirit started to impel him in Ma’ha·neh-dan between Zo’rah and Esh’ta·ol.”

Then Samson went down to Tim’nah and saw a woman in Tim’nah of the daughters of the Phi·lis’tines. So he went up and told his father and his mother and said: “There is a woman that I have seen in Tim’nah of the daughters of the Phi·lis’tines, and now get her for me as a wife.” But his father and his mother said to him: “Is there not among the daughters of your brothers and among all my people a woman, so that you are going to take a wife from the uncircumcised Phi·lis’tines?” Still Samson said to his father: “Get just her for me, because she is the one just right in my eyes.” As for his father and his mother, they did not know that that was from Jehovah, that he was looking for an opportunity against the Phi·lis’tines, as at that particular time the Phi·lis’tines were ruling over Israel.

Accordingly Samson went on down with his father and his mother to Tim’nah. When he got as far as the vineyards of Tim’nah, why, look! a maned young lion roaring upon meeting him. Then Jehovah’s spirit became operative upon him, so that he tore it in two, just as someone tears a male kid in two, and there was nothing at all in his hand. And he did not tell his father or his mother what he had done. And he continued on his way down and began to speak to the woman; and she was still right in Samson’s eyes.

Now after a while he went on back to take her home. Meantime he turned aside to look at the carcass of the lion, and there there was a swarm of bees in the lion’s corpse, and honey. So he scraped it out into his palms and walked on, eating as he walked. When he rejoined his father and his mother, he at once gave them some, and they began to eat. And he did not tell them that it was out of the corpse of the lion that he had scraped the honey.

And his father continued on his way down to the woman, and Samson proceeded to hold a banquet there; for that was the way the young fellows used to do. And it came about that, on their seeing him, they immediately took thirty groomsmen, that these should keep with him. Then Samson said to them: “Let me, please, propound a riddle to YOU. If YOU will without fail tell it to me during the seven days of the banquet and YOU do solve it, I shall in that case have to give YOU thirty undergarments and thirty outfits of clothing. But if YOU are unable to tell it to me, YOU yourselves also must give me thirty undergarments and thirty outfits of clothing.” At this they said to him: “Do propound your riddle, and let us hear it.” So he said to them:

“Out of the eater something to eat came forth, And out of the strong something sweet came forth.”

And they proved unable to tell the riddle for three days. And it came about on the fourth day that they began to say to Samson’s wife: “Fool your husband that he may tell us the riddle. Otherwise we shall burn you and the house of your father with fire. Was it to take our possessions that YOU people invited us here?” Consequently Samson’s wife began to weep over him and to say: “You only hate me, you do, and you do not love me. There was a riddle that you propounded to the sons of my people, but to me you have not told it.” At this he said to her: “Why, to my own father and my own mother I have not told it, and ought I to tell it to you?” But she kept weeping over him the seven days that the banquet continued for them, and it came about on the seventh day that finally he told her, because she had pressured him. Then she told the riddle to the sons of her people. So the men of the city said to him on the seventh day before ever he could go into the interior room:

“What is sweeter than honey, And what is stronger than a lion?”

In turn he said to them:

 “If YOU had not plowed with my young cow, YOU would not have solved my riddle.”

And Jehovah’s spirit became operative upon him, so that he went down to Ash’ke·lon and struck down thirty men of theirs and took what he stripped off them and gave the outfits to the tellers of the riddle. And his anger continued hot, and he went his way up to his father’s house.

And Samson’s wife came to belong to a groomsman of his who had associated with him.

And it came about after a while, in the days of wheat harvest, that Samson went visiting his wife with a kid of the goats. So he said: “I will go in to my wife in the interior room.” And her father did not allow him to go in. But her father said: “I really said to myself, ‘You must unquestionably hate her.’ Hence I gave her to your groomsman. Is not her younger sister better than she is? Let her, please, become yours instead of the other.” However, Samson said to them: “This time I must be free of guilt against the Phi·lis’tines in case I am dealing with them to their injury.”

And Samson went his way and proceeded to catch three hundred foxes and to take torches and turn tail to tail and put one torch between two tails, right in the middle. With that he set fire to the torches and sent them out into the fields of standing grain of the Phi·lis’tines. Thus he set on fire everything from sheaf to standing grain and the vineyards and the olive groves.

And the Phi·lis’tines began to say: “Who did this?” Then they said: “It was Samson the son-in-law of the Tim’nite, because he took his wife and then gave her to his groomsman.” At that the Phi·lis’tines went up and burned her and her father with fire. In turn Samson said to them: “If YOU do like this, there is nothing but for me to avenge myself upon YOU, and afterward I shall quit.” And he went smiting them, piling legs upon thighs with a great slaughter, after which he went down and began to dwell in a cleft of the crag E’tam.

Later the Phi·lis’tines came up and camped in Judah and went tramping about in Le’hi. Then the men of Judah said: “Why have YOU come up against us?” to which they said: “It is to tie Samson that we have come up, to do to him just as he has done to us.” So three thousand men of Judah went down to the cleft of the crag E’tam and said to Samson: “Do you not know that the Phi·lis’tines are ruling over us? So what does this mean that you have done to us?” Then he said to them: “Just as they did to me is the way I have done to them.” But they said to him: “It is to tie you that we have come down, to give you into the hand of the Phi·lis’tines.” At that Samson said to them: “Swear to me that YOU yourselves will not assault me.” And they went on to say to him: “No, but we shall merely tie you, and we will give you into their hand; but we shall by no means put you to death.”

Accordingly they bound him with two new ropes and brought him up out of the crag. He, for his part, came as far as Le’hi, and the Phi·lis’tines, for their part, shouted exultantly at meeting him. And Jehovah’s spirit became operative upon him, and the ropes that were upon his arms came to be like linen threads that have been scorched with fire, so that his fetters melted off his hands. He now found a moist jawbone of a male ass and thrust his hand out and took it and went striking down a thousand men with it. Then Samson said:

“With the jawbone of a male ass—one heap, two heaps! With the jawbone of a male ass I have struck down a thousand men.”

And it came about that when he finished speaking, he immediately threw the jawbone out of his hand and called that place Ra’math-le’hi. Now he became very thirsty, and he began to call on Jehovah and say: “It was you that gave this great salvation into the hand of your servant, and now shall I die of thirst and must I fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?” So God split open a mortar-shaped hollow that was in Le’hi, and water began to come out of it, and he proceeded to drink, after which his spirit returned and he revived. That is why he called its name En-hak·kor’e, which is in Le’hi down to this day.

And he continued to judge Israel in the days of the Phi·lis’tines twenty years.

Once Samson went to Ga’za and saw a prostitute woman there and came in to her. And report was made to the Ga’zites, saying: “Samson has come in here.” So they surrounded him and lay in wait for him all night long in the city gate. And they kept quiet the whole night, saying: “As soon as the morning gets light, we must also kill him.”

However, Samson kept lying till midnight and then rose at midnight and grabbed hold of the doors of the city gate and the two side posts and pulled them out along with the bar and put them upon his shoulders and went carrying them up to the top of the mountain that is in front of He’bron.

And it came about after that that he fell in love with a woman in the torrent valley of So’rek, and her name was De·li’lah. And the axis lords of the Phi·lis’tines proceeded to come up to her and to say to her: “Fool him and see in what his great power is and with what we can prevail over him and with what we are certain to tie him so as to master him; and we, for our part, shall give you each one thousand one hundred silver pieces.”

Later De·li’lah said to Samson: “Do tell me, please, In what is your great power and with what can you be tied for one to master you?” Then Samson said to her: “If they tie me with seven still-moist sinews that have not been dried out, I must also grow weak and become like an ordinary man.” So the axis lords of the Phi·lis’tines brought up to her seven still-moist sinews that had not been dried out. Later she tied him with them. Now the ambush was sitting in the interior room of hers, and she began to say to him: “The Phi·lis’tines are upon you, Samson!” At that he tore the sinews in two, just as a twisted thread of tow is torn in two when it smells fire. And his power did not become known.

Subsequently De·li’lah said to Samson: “Look! You have trifled with me that you might speak lies to me. Now tell me, do please, with what you can be tied.” So he said to her: “If they tie me tight with new ropes with which no work has been done, I must also grow weak and become like an ordinary man.” So De·li’lah took new ropes and tied him with them and said to him: “The Phi·lis’tines are upon you, Samson!” All the while the ambush was sitting in the interior room. At that he tore them in two from off his arms like a thread.

After that De·li’lah said to Samson: “Up till now you have trifled with me that you might speak lies to me. Do tell me with what you can be tied.” Then he said to her: “If you will weave the seven braids of my head with the warp thread.” Accordingly she fixed them with the pin, after which she said to him: “The Phi·lis’tines are upon you, Samson!” So he awoke from his sleep and pulled out the loom pin and the warp thread.

She now said to him: “How dare you say, ‘I do love you,’ when your heart is not with me? These three times you have trifled with me and have not told me in what your great power is.” And it came about that because she pressured him with her words all the time and kept urging him, his soul got to be impatient to the point of dying. Finally he disclosed to her all his heart and said to her: “A razor has never come upon my head, because I am a Naz’i·rite of God from my mother’s belly. If I did get shaved, my power also would certainly depart from me, and I should indeed grow weak and become like all other men.”

When De·li’lah got to see that he had disclosed to her all his heart, she immediately sent and called the Phi·lis’tine axis lords, saying: “Come up this time, for he has disclosed to me all his heart.” And the Phi·lis’tine axis lords came up to her that they might bring up the money in their hand. And she proceeded to make him sleep upon her knees. Then she called the man and had him shave off the seven braids of his head, after which she started to show the mastery of him, and his power kept departing from upon him. Now she said: “The Phi·lis’tines are upon you, Samson!” At that he woke up from his sleep and said: “I shall go out as at other times and shake myself free.” And he himself did not know that it was Jehovah that had departed from him. So the Phi·lis’tines grabbed hold of him and bored his eyes out and brought him down to Ga’za and bound him with two fetters of copper; and he came to be a grinder in the prison house. Meanwhile the hair of his head started to grow luxuriantly as soon as he had been shaved.

As for the Phi·lis’tine axis lords, they gathered together to sacrifice a great sacrifice to Da’gon their god and for rejoicing, and they kept saying: “Our god has given into our hand Samson our enemy!” When the people got to see him, they at once gave way to praising their god, “because,” said they, “our god has given into our hand our enemy and the devastator of our land and the one who multiplied our slain.”

And it came about that because their heart was merry, they began to say: “Call Samson that he may offer us some amusement.” So they called Samson out of the prison house that he might make sport before them; and they proceeded to stand him between the pillars. Then Samson said to the boy that was holding him by his hand: “Do permit me to feel the pillars upon which the house is firmly established and let me lean against them.” (Incidentally, the house was full of men and women and all the Phi·lis’tine axis lords were there; and upon the roof there were about three thousand men and women who were looking on while Samson offered some amusement.)

Samson now called to Jehovah and said: “Sovereign Lord Jehovah, remember me, please, and strengthen me, please, just this once, O you the [true] God, and let me avenge myself upon the Phi·lis’tines with vengeance for one of my two eyes.”

With that Samson braced himself against the two middle pillars upon which the house was firmly established, and got a grasp on them, one with his right and the other with his left hand. And Samson proceeded to say: “Let my soul die with the Phi·lis’tines.” Then he bent himself with power, and the house went falling upon the axis lords and upon all the people that were in it, so that the dead that he put to death in his own death came to be more than those he had put to death during his lifetime.

Later his brothers and all the household of his father came on down and lifted him up and brought him up and buried him between Zo’rah and Esh’ta·ol in the burial place of Ma·no’ah his father. As for him, he had judged Israel twenty years.

-Judges 13-16, NWT

Impulses of Dying Gods: The Esoteric Order of Dagon

[coxbro32-blog]

Affordable Faux Leather Winter Jackets For Men Under $100

The other three models are more expensive, even more stylish and also come with shiatsu massage on the back. Again, I found the massage to be rather disappointing. This was only because I've had an excellent shiatsu massage from a Sanyo massage chair, which was many times better, but the price of the Sanyo is also many times the price of the HoMedics AntiGravity. A gadget that can store as much as 1500 books, Kindle is what every bookworm wants. You can browse on it like an ordinary newspaper, book, or magazine anytime and anywhere you want it. Aside from reading, you can also update your blogs through this handy tool. This will surely make a nice gift for a book lover groomsman. in sổ tay giá rẻ would look gorgeous with a cute summer dress for a beach or pool party. The studs on the brown straps are a cute accent, as is the cut out wedge heel. These vegan women's party shoes are very stylish, with a 1 inch faux wood platform and a man-made rubber sole. You can also keep these heels on for a bit with a slightly cushioned footbed and at a bargain price under $50 - just $34.30.

Here's another classic black faux winter leather jacket. This jacket is so sexy, so rugged, and it's so warm, it'll make any man sweat! Its outer shell is made of polyvinyl and it is lined in polyester. Other features to note is a double-zipper closure, one chest pocket, and exquisite topstitching and seaming details. Cleaning is a breeze - simply wipe clean with a damp cloth. The only downfall to this jacket is that it doesn't have pockets for your hands. This could pose problems on cold winter days. Finally, it has 3 zones of heat for lower back, seat and calves. Again, the claimed 'shiatsu' massage does leave a lot to be desired but you're never going to get a decent one at this price. Having said that, I find it to be relaxing and quite invigorating. When trying to build an outfit around cropped leggings for a little girl, you want to make sure that you pair this simple piece with something that is fitted in a different manner. One way to do this is to match a pair of leggings with a loose sundress to make a great outfit. The loose and flowing material of the dress is in great contrast to the tight legging material. This can also help to keep your little girls legs safe from bumps and bruises as she plays. The Lost Journal of Indiana Jones is a imitation leather book that covers Indy's life in journal form. This book would be enjoyable for any Indiana fan to flip through. You can buy this for $25 dollars from your local bookstore or online at Amazon for $19.99. Usually Leggings for girls are worn under a dress or skirt to compliment the outfit, turning a look that is boring into something sassy. However fashionable they may seem; baby, toddler and girls need the protection that these leggings can offer. In the spring and summer when the pollen is in the air, often times, babies and toddlers will have allergies that can be minimized by protecting the skin from the outdoor environment with leggings.