Anticipation is high for this Sunday's annual Bahamas Bridal Show at Melia Nassau Beach hotel. For one, prospective brides and grooms - joined by their family and friends - are looking forward to enjoying the festivities of this spectacular event with the participation of 40-plus wedding and home suppliers.

The treats will include a fashion show; food, cake and champagne sampling; and $30,000 in gifts and prizes, including honeymoon vacations at Atlantis, Comfort Suites at Paradise Island, Melia and British Colonial Hilton; round-trip tickets from Bahamasair, and wedding clothing for entire bridal parties courtesy of Buttons Bridal & Formal Wear, the event's organizer. Then, everyone in attendance anticipates whether a runaway bride will actually reappear after she disappeared February 21.

The Runaway
The bride visited Buttons Bridal & Formal Wear to fit and purchase a wedding gown. Then she did a strange thing: She left Buttons showroom fully dressed with headpiece adorned and bouquet in hand. And it was not her wedding day. Buttons staff realized the bride was a runaway when the groom returned to pick her up. No one knows what form of transportation she took or whether she is still in heels.

The runaway bride goes by the name of Ashley and has been described as 5 feet, 6 inches tall, of brown complexion with medium hair length. She is 24, speaks English and resides in Nassau. It is believed the runaway bride is on her way to tomorrow's show since she also purchased a show ticket just before leaving Buttons showroom.

The runaway bride, still wearing her wedding gown, has been spotted at numerous unique, but famous locations around New Providence as indicated by photographs sent to the Bahamas Bridal Show on Facebook. There is an attractive reward being offered for her return to the groom. Tips of her next whereabouts have been unsuccessful.

The runaway bride has been photographed in front of Queen Victoria's statute in Rawson Square; at Fish Fry on Arawak Cay cooling off; at Woodes Rodgers Wharf stealing an antique bicycle; inside the Western Cemetery, saying goodbye to a dearly departed; at the Straw Market shopping; praying at St. Mary's the Virgin Church; hitching a jitney ride; placing an order at a McDonald's drive-thru, and on and under the Paradise Island Bridge at Porter's Cay Dock making purchases.

The search should end this Sunday when the desperate groom expects to reunite in holy matrimony with his lovely bride on stage during the fashion show segment of the show. When it comes to planning a wedding or getting married, many brides pretty much lose their minds. Today, we could confirm that this bride has apparently lost hers. Hundreds in attendance plan to witness the emotional ceremony in the Independence Ballroom, or will they?

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