Americus resident wins Bridal Contest

Nov 30, 2008 (Americus Times Recorder - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- DABR | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- -- David's Bridal, the nation's leading bridal authority, today announced the winners of its "One Love" online contest. From September 7 to October 20, 2008, more than 1,800 hopeless romantics channeled their inner creativity and logged onto Davidsbridal.com to share the incredible story of when they knew they had found their "one love." Entrants were challenged to design a unique written and artistic entry and three lucky winners were selected and awarded an amazing wedding package.

Envisioning their ideal wedding, contestants were asked to create a collage of fashion, accessory and gift items including their dream wedding gown, bridesmaid dresses, bridal accessory, bridal party gifts, groom and groomsmen tuxedos and wedding bands. The collages, many of which included personal photographs and artwork, were submitted along with the story of how each couple fell in love. Entrants were then able to virally share their entries with family, friends and even strangers around the world, who could view, comment on and vote for their favorite love stories.

"We were amazed to see the wonderful response people had to the 'One Love' contest and were touched by the love stories that were shared, first by the entrants, and then by the online community" said Cindi Freeburn, Spokesperson for David's Bridal. "While it was tough to chose, our winners embodied the spirit of the contest and David's Bridal is thrilled to make their wedding dreams come true."

With so many stand-out entries, David's Bridal judges chose each winner based on creativity and originality in three different categories: Grand Prize, for the entry that had all-around romantic appeal; Highest Score, for an entry that was highly voted on; and Most Viral, based on how widely the winner shared her "One Love" entry with others through MySpace, Facebook and other social networking sites. By sharing their fun and romantic stories, all three winners were awarded gift certificates to purchase all of the items they selected in their wedding collage, with all women's bridal attire, accessories and gifts courtesy of David's Bridal. Wedding bands were provided by Ice.com, the trendsetter and tastemaker in the jewelry business and groom and groomsmen tuxedo rentals were provided by Men's Wearhouse, one of North America's largest specialty retailers of men's apparel with 1,298 stores. In addition, the Grand Prize Winner also received a $1,500 gift certificate towards their honeymoon.

The Grand Prize Winner, Erica Riggs, from Americus, Georgia, was literally "blown away" by her love for her then boyfriend Antonio. While the two met in high school, they did not begin dating until eight years later. A few months into their relationship, they were on the phone when a tornado touched down near Erica's apartment. The phone line disconnected and Erica hid in her closet as the tornado jumped over her apartment building. When she stepped outside to assess the damage, Antonio was already there to make sure she was safe. While a tornado may have destroyed much of their small town, it definitely sparked Erica and Antonio's love for each other.

Rochelle Bergman, from Riverside, California, received the prize for Highest Score. Her fiance Gregory was her best friend before they became a couple, as both are photographers and share similar interests in art, music and life. They began to spend quite a bit of time together and eventually realized that they also shared a passion for one another. They are now happily engaged and currently planning their "I do's."

Amber Williams, the winner of the Most Viral Prize, is from Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. She met her fiance, Wes, while working at the military police headquarters in Germany. She said that once she met him, she realized that love at first sight was no longer the talk of romantic movies. They became attached at the hip, but shortly thereafter, Wes received news that he was going to be transferred back to the United States. Before departing, he proposed to Amber -- in a song! They moved back to the United States together and are making their wedding plans.

Whether long lost loves reunited, fiances separated by war or high school sweethearts who stayed the course, entries from the "One Love" contest undoubtedly showed that happily ever after is not just a fairytale. As long as couples continue to plan for their special day, David's Bridal will be by their side to help make their wedding dreams a reality.

About David's Bridal

With more than 50 years of bridal experience, David's Bridal understands the importance of providing brides-to-be with a vast selection of exquisitely crafted dresses, available at affordable prices. Today, with over 300 locations nationwide, David's Bridal continues to expand its retail store locations, while maintaining its philosophy of superior quality, value and service. To locate a store nearby, consumers can call 1-877-693-BRIDE or visit www.davidsbridal.com

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