Business | Features
Bigger, brighter and better weddings
Demand for expensive ceremonies remains high in region despite global recession.
- By Cleofe Maceda, Staff Reporter
- Published: 23:01 April 3, 2009
- Image Credit:
Celebrities, crown princes and business tycoons aren't the only ones who tie the knot in lavish, opulent ceremonies. Many average-income earners like to show off their dough with grand weddings as well.
Market research conducted by IIR Middle East during The Bride Show last year in April revealed that while many consumers around the world are tightening their purse strings, couples in the UAE are still planning to spend heavily to celebrate their union.
Among those surveyed, about 34 per cent said they will spend between Dh100,000 and Dh250,000 on their wedding, up from 26 per cent in 2007. About 24 per cent will spend between Dh250,000 and Dh500,000, while 19 per cent will splash out more than Dh500,000.
Although the survey was conducted last year and couples might make adjustments to their budgets in view of the recession, Daphne Cota, The Bride Show exhibition manager, says they are still expecting "great things" from the region's wedding market.
"While we cannot say for certain whether some brides' budgets may be reduced due to the current global economic climate, we do know that for the majority of brides in this region, the demand for the biggest, brightest and most expensive weddings is as high as ever," Cota says.
Many wedding planners agree that Emiratis or Arabs top the list of big wedding spenders in Dubai, primarily because of the sheer number of guests they normally invite. Asians come second, followed by Europeans.
The cost of throwing weddings therefore is largely dependent on couples' requirements.
Experts in the industry say the length of planning, whether it's short term or long term, does not have much bearing on the budget.
"What makes the real difference is the number of guests, and the additional arrangements such as flowers, musicians, transportation. Dubai offers multiple choices and price range for each of these categories so that it is possible to mix and match properly, according to one's budget," says Paola Camilucci, wedding planner at DubaiWed.
Typically, Camilucci says, a huge chunk of the wedding budget, or about 30 per cent, goes for food, venue and the wedding cake. Other consultants calculate that the reception alone can bite 40 per cent to 55 per cent of the wedding outlay.
The rings, as well as the attire of the couple, flower girls, bride's maids, among others, could normally eat about 20 per cent of the budget, while transportation and the wedding officiant (priest, minister, consul, judge, etc) could add up to around 15 per cent, according to Camilucci.
When combined, all the other elements like musicians, choir or band; disc jockey, photographer and videographer could also eat a significant portion of the budget or about 25 per cent.
As to how much money is spent on weddings, Camilucci observes that on average, Muslim or Indian ceremonies with usually a high number of guests can cost between $20,000 and $50,000, (Dh73,000 and Dh183,000) while a Christian or symbolic wedding goes for around $10,000 to $20,000 (Dh36,000 and Dh73,000).
According to Emma Pope, wedding planning consultant at Couture Events, Arab weddings tend to be larger than many non-Arab expat weddings, with the guest list reaching 1,000 people, so it is not surprising that they spend more than expatriate couples with an average of 150 guests.
"If the allocation of the budget leans towards 50 per cent being spent on food and beverages, the simple calculation of menu price multiplied by the number of guests will offer a fair idea of where the budget is going. Even where the expat wedding is something of a grand affair, the Arab wedding is always going to be more expensive due to the sheer number of invitees," explains Pope.
Pope recalls they have arranged nuptials where the celebrations have spanned several days and they have also set up weddings for parties of only four people: the bride, the groom and their two witnesses.
"Taking this into consideration, in terms of the cheapest and most expensive weddings, the range is from Dh3,000, which covers little more than the fee for the officiant conducting the ceremony, and runs into millions of dirhams," she adds.
For Rochelle Malaika, head wedding planner at Marriagement, the cost of throwing weddings, whether short term or long term, entirely depends on what the bride and the groom want to spend and what their requirements are.
"I have had a crowd of 30 spend Dh100,000 with grand flowers, helicopter rides, limos and another crowd of 150 spend Dh100,000 on hotel, food, simple décor, photos and videos. It also depends on the kinds of vendors they select."
In her experience, Malaika notes, Europeans tend to come with smaller budgets while Asians spend more. Emiratis, however, spend the most as their crowd is anywhere from 600 to 2,000 guests.
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