Win a diva dress at fair on Friday

WHO  says the bride has to have all the glamour?

This weekend The Herald Boardwalk Bridal Fair is rolling out the red carpet for designers to showcase evening and couture wear – and for more visitors to win more prizes than ever before.

Bridesmaids,  matrics going to a farewell, wedding guests, mothers of the bride – anyone, in fact, who wants to look drop-dead gorgeous at that special event – will find gowns galore on show from Friday afternoon at 2pm at the Boardwalk  International Convention Centre in Summerstrand.

As well as wedding dresses, there will be sizzling red carpet glamour and magical matric farewell style – with Port Elizabeth designer Leandra Fourie offering a dress worth R5000 from her exclusive L Designs in an attendance-only prize.

“The matrics definitely ask for bridal-inspired designs, the only difference is it’s in colour,” said Fourie this week.

“Pastels, nude shades are  popular with  waistline emphasis and a soft ‘flowy’ look for the skirt.  However, she said, stronger colours were “always an option.

“From my point of view I do take the trends into consideration when designing for my matrics but –  at the end of the day – the colour and design must suit the client’s figure.

Another important factor is to keep all the girls from one school’s design and colour scheme different.

“That’s not always easy, because they are often interested in the same design concept!”

The prize of a dress from L Designs comes with the winner’s name to be drawn at the start of the first fashion show of the fair at 6pm on Friday evening, and here is how you can win: show up for the  show!

That’s it. It’s that simple. Our elegant show compere, Carol-Ann Kelleher, will do a spot prize draw of one person in the audience in the auditorium at the Boardwalk.

The fair organisers will hook the winner up with the designer, who asks that the winner take up the prize before November this year.

Fashion is just one of many drawcards for the fair, however, as our one-stop collection of  more than 120 professional businesses in the wedding market aims to include absolutely everything a bride and her entourage need to plan the perfect wedding.

Guests will be treated to five one-hour  bridal fashion shows, starting on Friday with four further shows at noon and 4pm on Saturday and Sunday. Don’t miss the 23rd annual bridal fair,  presented for the second year at the Boardwalk.

●Further information from event manager Linda Harwood of Harwood Promotions, or 083-310-0750. - Gillian McAinsh