Love brought them together, but the luck of the draw sealed the deal.

Andrea Moore and Garrett Arnold were married Sunday, with friends, family and an estimated 1,000 strangers in attendance.

Moore and Arnold learned just nine days before their big day they were the winners from among 200 couples that vied for a free wedding experience. The "Tie the Knot" contest was promoted by Las Cruces radio station, Magic 104.9, which announced on-air the betrothed's names immediately following a random drawing.

The ceremony occurred in conjunction with the annual Bridal and Special Events Showcase held at the Las Cruces Convention Center.

"This is all so wonderful, I've never been pampered like this," said Moore, as she sat for hair and makeup services an hour before the ceremony. "I'm just a country girl."

"And it's all very cool, but it takes me out of my comfort zone," she said. "I'm pretty shy and reserved."

Staci Mays, director of Las Cruces Event Planning and organizer of Sunday's gathering, said conducting a live wedding ceremony was a first for the Showcase, now in its sixth year.

"We met with the couple on the day they were chosen to let them know it was really happening, that they were getting married in nine days," Mays said. "They knew they were going to be married in front of people they didn't know.

"But this was a couple that entered the contest because they really wanted to win it," Mays said, adding exuberantly that the ceremony went off without a hitch.

"It was fantastic," Mays reported. "There wasn't a dry eye in the room, or an empty seat."

Making Moore and Arnold's wedding magical, if not as they might have originally imagined it, were donations of all the bridal accoutrements from local businesses.

Mays explained that the couple was able to choose their gown and tuxedo, receive the rings they exchanged during the ceremony, and coordinate with the florist, photographer, videographer, DJ, caterers, and arrange most anything else they could have wished for. The entire plan for their nuptials were set within a day, Mays said.

"We couldn't have an event like this without our vendors," Mays said, noting all the available 60 vendor booths were purchased well in advance of the showcase. "Because the holidays are a big time of year for engagements, this is the perfect time to highlight what these vendors can provide."

A highly frequented vendor booth was one highlighting wedding cakes and specialties, including sample cupcakes snatched up quickly by showcase attendees.

"This is one of the biggest events of the year for us," said Stephanie Baumann, owner of "Let Them Eat Cake."

"It's been phenomenal being at this location to see everyone queue up to have one of our cupcakes," Baumann said, standing to the side of her prominently placed booth. "This is such a great event, not just for weddings, but for special occasions or other things being planned for the future."

Mays estimated that almost half of showcase attendees were likely anticipating their own pending weddings.

With nearly two years before her planned marriage ceremony and celebration, Coralys Robles attended looking for ideas. "I especially like seeing things like the table settings," Robles said. "A lot of this brings inspiration for what I'd like to see at my wedding."

Trying to image coordinating her entire wedding in just nine days, Robles said she would be "very, very overwhelmed."

"But it would be any bride's dream to be able to have everything done, everything chosen in one day," Robles added, in thinking about Moore and Arnold. "Good for her and congratulations to them both."