Having problems preparing for your wedding? Don't know where to start? Low on creative ideas for that special day? The Wedding Fair may not have all the answers, but it will certainly give you some fresh ideas and act as a live directory for places and services to meet all your wedding needs. A head start, perhaps, for a happily married life. Egypt s third Wedding Fair kicked off at the Grand Hyatt Hotel on May 3 and it is growing more successful every year. The fair holds fashion shows featuring both evening gowns and wedding gowns, presented by fashion designer household names such as Eva Fashion Boutique, Barbie, Dina Shoheb and La Perla. There are also live hair and make-up demonstrations being held daily. An array of lined booths and stands colored the fair offering various services for the soon to be married; newly created designs on the bride and groom's seating arrangements (the kosha) at the actual wedding party, and novel jewelry designs. And, to prepare brides and grooms alike for their matrimony, there are useful seminars on etiquette, romance and marriage held daily between 3 and 6 pm. Topics range from "How to behave as a bride to "Have you ever wondered why your mother-in-law gives you the looks? Wedding planners, a recent phenomenon which has been gaining popularity in Egypt, promise to relieve you of the frenetic and sometimes painstaking task of organizing the wedding ceremony. Alternatively, mothers - the more traditional take on the wedding planner - can gain ideas and tips on how to plan for their sons and daughters' weddings. Brides wandered around the stands, smiling from cheek-to-cheek, as they were guided through the intricacies of wedding preparation. As a reminder that the wedding is only the first step toward living "happily ever after, the fair also features travel companies peddling honeymoon packages. But the event lacked a crucial part: there was nothing addressed to the groom. While the fair provides answers for almost all wedding preparation queries, there was a distinct lack of grooms' fashions or clothes designers. This only emphasized the notion that the wedding is "her day. Weddings have become serious business in Egypt, and planning for one is no simple feat. So the Wedding Fair is a must for all future brides - and even grooms - as a good starting point for planning what you hope will be one of the most memorable days of your life. The Wedding Fair The Grand Hyatt Garden City, CairoUntil May 5, 2-11 pmFashion shows on May 5 start at 7 pm
