Atlantis Palm Jumeirah is expecting to book at least 25 weddings within the next year as a result of its participation in The Bride Show Dubai this week, according to Heba Rumheim, Senior Consultant to the Dubai landmark hotel.
Participating in the largest bridal event in the Middle East for the first time, Rumheim has been inundated with enquiries from Emirati, Western, Iranian and Indian women planning their weddings, one of the most important and lucrative celebrations for the hospitality industry.
Speaking from their spectacular exhibition stand at The Bride Show Dubai, which finishes on Saturday 10 April, Rumheim said, “Weddings are big business for hotels and especially so for Atlantis Palm Jumeirah because, with six beaches, a grand ballroom and a number of banquet areas we can cater for intimate family events and large scale celebrations.
And while the wedding industry has survived through the global economic downturn, with the average cost of a wedding in this region staying at approximately AED300,000 for the last three years, the tastes of Middle Eastern brides has evolved.
Rumheim added, “There has been a definite shift in the last four years in terms of the styles of weddings requested in this region. We have seen huge Western influences and a bigger focus on the theme and decorations of a wedding rather than the food. Brides want classic designs and elegance; the exhibition has allowed us to raise awareness of the ballroom at Atlantis Palm Jumeirah which can cater for up to 1,500 people.”
Another newcomer to The Bride Show Dubai who has also reported a good level of interest this week is celebrity make up artist Nina Ubhi from the UK. Nina has booked four weddings taking place within the next three weeks in Dubai and Abu Dhabi as a result of her participation in the event, which offers a one-stop shop for brides planning their wedding.
Ubhi, who is the beauty editor of UK magazine Asian Woman, as well as running her successful make up company is now planning to set up a studio in Dubai due to the demand in this region for her services.
“I was determined not to adapt my style to slot into this region and offer what is already available; I provide something different to women here – Asian, Middle Eastern and Western – and the response so far has been overwhelmingly positive,” Ubhi said.
Using products from MAC Cosmetics, Bobbi Brown, Make Up Forever and Screen Face, a brand not currently available in the UAE, Ubhi is also noticing a trend towards subtlety for bridal make up in the region. Her top tip for brides-to-be is to scour magazines for inspiration, piecing together looks and being realistic in expectations. Her must-have beauty treatment is a mirco-dermabrasion facial, which should start at least three months before the wedding.
Ubhi, who can be contacted through her website, will return to Dubai in June 2010 following bookings in Europe andIndia.
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