A DEARLY BELOVED GIFT FROM OPRAH.Byline: Valerie Kuklenski Staff Writer Sharon Brathwaite and El Sanders had been planning to get married but had not set a date because they were saving to host a wedding that would be an enjoyable party for their friends and family. ``We wanted to make it a great celebration for everyone and a wedding for us at the same time,'' said El, who lives in Valley Village with his new bride. El, 34, is a fashion designer and Sharon, 32, works in television production. The night owls have a habit of watching the 1 a.m. reruns of ``The Oprah Winfrey “Oprah” redirects here. For the show, see The Oprah Winfrey Show. Oprah Gail Winfrey (born January 29, 1954) is the American multiple-Emmy Award winning host of The Oprah Winfrey Show, the highest-rated talk show in television history. Show'' and were doing just that last spring when the talk show began promoting its contest for a fantasy wedding, complete with designer attire and coordination by party planner extraordinaire ex·tra·or·di·naire adj. Extraordinary: a jazz singer extraordinaire. [French, from Old French, from Latin extra Colin Cowie Colin Andrew Wilkie Cowie (born January 3, 1962) is a famous lifestyle guru and party planner to the stars. Born in Kitwe, Zambia, and educated in South Africa, he moved to the United States in 1985. . ``We used to watch it and say, 'Somebody's going to win a really nice wedding,' '' Sharon said. ``It didn't even enter our minds to enter. It's like, things like that don't happen - '' `` - to real people,'' El said. Well, sometimes they do. Mr. and Mrs. Sanders had the wedding to die for on Oct. 30, and they'll relive it with Winfrey's fans during today's episode, airing at 3 p.m. on KABC KABC Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (Channel 7). After prodding from friends and family, they entered the contest close to its deadline. A short time later they were among six couples in Chicago - El's hometown - undergoing 12 hours of interviews with relationship and marriage counselors, body language experts and other judges who would narrow the field to three couples. In May, Winfrey's studio audience chose Sharon and El as the winners, and they began making plans for the ceremony and reception at the Hotel Bel-Air The Hotel Bel-Air is a 5-star boutique hotel located in Bel-Air, Los Angeles, California. Since opening in 1946, the 91-room Hotel Bel-Air, located on Stone Canyon Road, has served many celebrities, heads of state and dignitaries. . Vera Wang Vera Wang (Chinese: 王薇薇; Pinyin: Wáng Wēiwei; born June 27, 1949) is an American fashion designer based in New York. provided Sharon's strapless strap·less adj. Having no strap or straps, as a dress or an undergarment. n. A garment having no strap or straps. strapless Adjective gown as well as dresses for eight attendants, while florists arranged 15,000 flowers from around the world. Oprah tended to such details as carrying Sharon's gown and lining up big-name talent for the reception - jazz trumpeter Chris Botti Christopher Botti or Chris Botti (born October 12, 1962) is a trumpeter and composer; born in Portland, Oregon and raised in Corvallis, and spent two years of his childhood growing up in Italy. and country singer Shania Twain, who rendered Sharon's favorite, ``Still the One.'' ``It was the perfect day,'' El said. Valerie Kuklenski, (818) 713-3750 valerie.kuklenski(at)dailynews.com THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW What: Valley Village couple celebrates fantasy wedding. Where: KABC Channel 7. When: 3 p.m. today. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Oprah Winfrey and party planner Colin Cowie, standing, share a moment with newlyweds Sharon and El Sanders. The Valley Village couple won Oprah's fantasy-wedding contest. |
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