That unforgettable wedding look
A wedding is always a very special occasion for the bride, groom and their families. The occasion is more than just a union between two people, as it also unites two families, two businesses, two ethnic groups or even countries.
One of the most unique features of a wedding that attracts much attention is the bride's dress or the wedding gown as it is popularly called. The bride's dress gets everybody talking about how beautiful she looked and how the groom's eyes lit up when he saw her.
Different styles
Wedding gowns come with different styles, some with various colours and the ceremonial importance they deserve, depending on the religion, culture and status of the participants. According to information from Wikipedia, the white wedding gown was made popular by Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom in the 19th century, after her wedding with Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha in 1840.
Contemporary Western wedding dresses are usually white or ivory, and follow a pattern that is designed to give the bride a flattering silhouette. Some brides prefer wedding gowns sewed by a seamstress, according to their own design, while others buy already designed gowns from boutiques.
Modern types
Modern types of weddings gowns include the Empire, Meringue, Mermaid, Princess, Bulk and Trumpet. In Ghana the common types are the Mermaid and the Bulk gowns.The mermaid gown comes in the form of a close fitting through the bodice down through the hips to about the mid or lower calf where the skirt flares out, while the bulk gown has gathers or flare at the waist.
With the current trend of rental, other brides also prefer to rent the gowns with the reason that they would have no need for the gown after wearing it for the brief wedding ceremony.
Making the choice
To know how business of selling wedding gowns is going on in Accra, this reporter took to some shops. The first was the Laura Bridal at Abeka Junction, where various designs and sizes of wedding gowns had been displayed on dummies.
According to the sales attendant, Ms Happy Dagadu, a lot of people pass by the shop every day to ask about prices of the gowns, which ranged from GH¢800 to GH¢1,700.
Although she could not give the details of how much she sells in a month, Ms Dagadu said business was quite good.
At Menyame at Kingsway, the sales attendant, Madam Selina Modzi, said prices of the gowns ranged between GH¢450 and GH¢1,800.
She revealed that a lot of brides came back after their wedding to ask if they could sell their gowns because they did not have any need for them.
At the on-going JOY FM Bridal Fair in Accra, prices of the gowns range from GH¢600 to GH¢3,000. The prices, according to the dealers of the gowns, are informed by the types.
For Marysantray bridal, they blend the African print with the white fabric to give a sense of African touch. According to the Founder of Marysantray Bridal, Mrs Mary Boateng, the business is quite good although they have to compete with the imported gowns.
She said lack of trust in the designers and the fake fabrics were some of the challenges they had, adding that her gowns ranged from GH¢900 to GH¢1, 800. She also revealed that most of the importers brought their gowns for alteration, which incurred higher cost.
Renting of gowns
The Manager of Unique Bridal at Abeka Lapaz (where gowns are rented), Madam Akua Sarfoa, said the cost of renting a gown ranged between GH¢200 and GH¢300 per day.
She said business was not brisk because a lot of people did not know that there was an opportunity for them to rent gowns for their weddings, while others preferred to buy their own gowns.
