–to wed March 29 at Roraima Holdings’ expense
IN the month of February, many couples make an extra effort to show their love for one another; and this was even truer for 10 couples, as they competed throughout the month for a chance to win an all-expenses-paid wedding in the second Annual “Race to the Altar” competition, which was launched on January 31.
Alas, there could only be one winner! And the lucky couple, announced last Friday evening on the last day of the month, were Ryan Fletchman and Maria Prince, who had to compete against the four other finalists for the honour.
During the course of the competition, the couples were taken on trips and filmed in a reality-like television show where they competed in various races, including kayaking. The public was invited to vote for their favourite couple via Facebook or text messages.
On the night of the announcement, which took place at the Roraima Duke Lodge in Kingston, Georgetown, attendees were asked to vote for their favourite couple in a secret ballot, after watching each couple perform a presentation together. On a scale of one to 10, the couples were rated on: magic (chemistry together), genuiness, overall impression and [whether they were] good ambassadors.
The pieces were interesting, as to be expected. Couple Number One, Denzel Dublin and Felicity Smith, performed a skit involving their three sons. That skit depicted the family preparing for church.
Couple Number Two, Pride Bacchus and Devina Narine, who have been together for 21 years (which is most of their life, since they are a young couple) performed admirably, with Pride reciting to his ‘intended’ a poem he wrote himself, and she, in turn, singing “You are my sunshine” to him.
Couple Number Three, Nigel Canterbury and his fiancée, Fareeda Gharry, sang a duet of “Your love is my love”, a song made popular by the late famous American singer, Whitney Houston.
The winner of the ballot voting on Friday night was couple Number Five, Romel McLean and Nazeema Kalil, who performed a skit which depicted them getting engaged, then deciding to enter the “Race to the Altar” competition.
However, in the end, it was Maria and Ryan who won the coveted prize, and they will be married in a public ceremony on the second day of the Sixth Annual Wedding Expo, which takes place from March 28 to March 30.
On the night of the announcement, Maria had serenaded her ‘intended’, while he publicly declared his love, telling Maria and those present that he wanted to be with her for the rest of his life.
Wedding Expo was launched in 2009, marking an initiative by Roraima Holdings to introduce Guyana as a wedding destination, and creating a public profile for wedding tourism, by which other countries in the Region are already making famous their name, internationally.
Wedding Expo also sought to provide a meeting place for couples contemplating tying the knot and sellers and buyers of goods and services. In 2013, the first “Race to the Altar” wedding competition was launched, and was won by Rudolph Davis and Oshani Waithe.
(By Michelle Gonsalves)
