Charleston residents Andy Cook and Tina Berwanger have been chosen as the winning couple in Carnival Cruise Lines’ Race to the Altar contest and will receive the first ever Cooper River Bridge Run wedding in Marion Square – a first for Charleston, a first for the Run, and a first for Carnival!
Carnival launched a nationwide search and invited couples to submit an application for a chance to be the first to tie the knot in Marion Square, after racing to the altar in the 2011 Cooper River Bridge Run. The winning couple was selected from dozens of finalists based on their inspiring personal story, creativity of their submission, and their overall enthusiasm for the opportunity.
Carnival Cruise Lines’ Race to the Altar fundraiser will benefit MUSC Children’s Hospital as part of a year-long partnership. The fundraiser will occur at the Finish Festival where, for every Carnival slushy served, $1 will be donated to the hospital, up to $10,000.
“We are truly excited to give Tina and Andy a wedding to remember and to inject some fantastic, Carnival-style fun and excitement into their very special day,” said Jim Berra, chief marketing officer for Carnival Cruise Lines. “The festivities will not only be meaningful for the bride and groom, but for everyone at the Finish Festival who comes by and joins us for a celebratory slushy in a champagne cup to help raise funds for the MUSC Children’s Hospital.”
Andy and Tina will be the first couple to ever be married in Marion Square after running the Cooper River Bridge Run. In addition, they will also receive:
• First dance at the Cooper River Bridge Run Finish Festival in front of family, friends and 40,000 fellow runners
• Honeymoon in an ocean view stateroom on a five-day Bahamas cruise aboard Carnival Cruise Lines’ Fantasy
