THE 7th Wedding Expo and the 2nd ‘Race to the Altar’ was officially launched on Wednesday with promises of an increased number of exhibitors.

It is expected that there will be more than 50 exhibitors and an estimated 5,000 patrons over the three-day wedding expo slated for March 27 to 29. Last year’s ‘Race to the Altar’ winners from 2014, Mr and Mrs Fletchman, were also present at the launch.
Mrs Fletchman, speaking at the launch of the 2015 Wedding Expo held at Duke Lodge in Kingston, explained that they could not have afforded to have a wedding as different priorities of life faced them, “whether it was a job opportunity, an education opportunity or acquiring a land that made getting married difficult.” The couple explained that the journey was a wonderful experience and they are very thankful to Captain Gerald Gouveia and the expo team for the opportunity of a lifetime.
MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES
Captain ‘Gerry’ Gouveia, Director of Roraima Group of Companies, said the annual expo, which showcases an array of wedding products and services, gives small businesses an opportunity to market their goods, and also encourages large companies to bring benefit to the country by being a part of the expo.
“It warms my heart to see so many small businesses being part of the expo, and with this opportunity and with them developing themselves after here, they are able to build our country,” he said.
Gouveia said the idea of a local expo originated from similar expos that take place in Jamaica, but he noted that while those chiefly featured only Christian weddings and white dresses, this expo takes into account all of Guyana’s religions and ethnicities.
WEDDING DESTINATION
President of the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG), Shaun McGrath, congratulated the Roraima Group on this 7th wedding expo and alluded to the fact that with the right tuning Guyana can be made into a wedding destination.
He made reference to statistics that indicate the cost for a wedding in the United States is approximately US$28,000. He urged the authorities to expedite the necessary policies to make “getting married in Guyana easier but still being stringent with the policies.”
Vice Chairman of the Private Sector Commission, Eddie Boyer, also spoke briefly, congratulating the committee on their persistence and determination for the seventh consecutive year in hosting wedding expos. He pledged the commission’s continued support for this event.
And Director of the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA), Indranauth Haralsingh, said that the wedding expo is the ultimate place and event to meet and experience the best collection of wedding suppliers under one roof in Guyana and the ‘WHO is WHO’ in the wedding industry.
NICHE EVENT
The Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce and the GTA have endorsed and supported this niche event from its very inception. “This event has grown and expanded and it is included in our Annual Calendar of Events,” he said.
The Director observed that one of the hurdles that is creating some interference is the fact that 15 days’ residency is required for non-nationals. “We are working on creating a special provision that caters directly and specifically for tourist marriages that will include non-nationals to three days,” Haralsingh said.
There are over 300 marriage licences that are issued per month in Guyana with a high percentage involving non-residents.
GTA’s Director in closing related that the wedding expo is catching on in Berbice. “They had their first wedding expo in December last year (2014) which by the way is the number one month for weddings.”