The Sunday Mail
Andrew Moyo Leisure Reporter
THIS is it!
The must attend Sunday Mail Bride of the Year for 2016 crowning ceremony is on this Saturday, April 1.
The winner will be crowned at a lavish dinner ceremony to be held at the Rainbow Towers in the capital.
Various exciting programmes, tailor-made to suit audience’s needs have been lined up starting from 6.30pm and will run way into the night.
Dubbed the Festival of Love, The Sunday Mail Bridal Dinner is set to be an intimate affair where guests will not only be treated to good food and music from Dr Oliver Mtukudzi but will also get to listen to one of the finest marriage councillors on the land, Pastor Davison Kanokanga.
Being a red carpet event, people are expected to dress for the occasion with the best dressed couple set to be rewarded for it.
Tickets for the event are being sold for US$50 per couple and people are encouraged to purchase early to avoid disappointment on the night since there are limited tables.
Pastor Kanokanga is an interesting edition to this year’s bridal event. The man of cloth is well known for his wisdom when it comes to discussing marriage.
Certainly, his sermon on this unique day is one not to miss!
Organisers have also brought back the fashion show where various bridal garment outlets will be showcasing what they have on offer.
Thus, not only the taste buds will be taken care of as eyes and ears will also get equal satisfaction.
The part that everyone will be waiting for will undoubtedly be the prize giving ceremony which will see the best bride for 2016 being crowned.
But after the prize giving segment, there will be a raffle where a lucky ticket holder will walk away with a free wedding worth US$10 000.
Music superstar Dr Mtukudzi will headline the after party.
The revered musician who boasts of countless hits among them a love “Svovi Yangu” is expected to entertain guests until they drop.
Chief organiser of the event Charity Gwata-Chirume said everything was now in place for the event.
“Every year, we strive to host a successful event which is why we put a lot of effort in planning and ensuring that everything goes according to plan,” said Gwata-Chirume.
“We are satisfied with the way the preparations are going so far and I am sure nothing can stop us from pulling off a memorable event. In fact we are more than ready to host the event this week.”
Gwata-Chirume was excited with the new concept and hoped people would embrace it.
“I know that it might be difficult for people to adopt the dinner concept after years of having a gala but I am sure they will appreciate this better.”
Several companies including Gtel, Passion Events, Sunvalley Audio and Real Sound have pledged their support for the event.
Speaking in an interview, Real Sound CEO Munyaradzi Makaza said their involvement in the event was a way of giving back to their clients.
“We have realised that most of our clientele comes from weddings so basically it is one of the main reasons why we decided to also be part of this event that plays a pivotal role in promoting marriages,” said Makaza.
He also commended the organisers for coming up with the dinner concept rather than a gala as it was more befitting for such a ceremony.
Brian Musonza from Sunvalley Audio said partnering with The Sunday Mail was a good way to market their brand.
“The Sunday Mail is a big brand which means partnering with them will also put us on the spotlight. Besides the marketing aspect, we are also involved in weddings and it would be right for us to also get involved in this initiative.”
Tinei Muzondo of Passion Events weighed in, applauding organisers for coming up with a dinner concept for this year’s bridal prize giving ceremony.
“From what I saw last year, I realised that most of the people who attend this event are couples which means even if you host a gala, people who attend such gigs will not come so it is better to have a dinner setup for the couples.
“Despite being much more intimate, the inclusion of a marriage councillor also means people who are attending will get to learn a lot about marriages on the day.”
As with every year, the Bridal event will be accompanied by a two day Expo which begins on Friday and ends on Saturday just before the dinner kicks off.
The Sunday Mail Bridal Expo is the biggest of its kind and with entry being free of charge, it is a spectacle not to miss especially for those who are planning their weddings.
This does not only provide bridal businesses with the opportunity to showcase their products but also acts as a platform for players in the industry to meet and exchange notes.
