The wedding day was set. Ces and Edgar Jyrwa were just about one month from the day they had always dreamed about. But the bridal dress or rings had yet to be purchased. Neither the reception venue nor the caterer was booked.
The Filipina bride and Indian groom had to pull their wits together and ask for assistance from some friends to throw a nice wedding on very short notice.
About four weeks later, On May 8, 2008, the couple's dream came true. They exchanged vows and shared a romantic poolside wedding reception with 35 of their family and friends. All of this for under Dh10,000.
"In the end it was successful. We pulled it off in just one month. And the best thing is, we had all the basic elements of a nice wedding but spent less money. I have always been practical. For me, the marriage is more important," Ces says.
Here's what they did:
1.) Instead of buying a traditional wedding gown, the bride picked a simple white dress for the ceremony and a cocktail outfit for the reception - all for under Dh1,000.
2.) The couple used their own car. No chauffeur was necessary: the bride drove herself to the venue.
3.) A friend of the bride's cousin took photos, while her former roommate took the videos - all for free.
4.) The groom's officemates volunteered to make the invitations and the traditional wedding banner.
5.) There was no need to hire a disc jockey: one of the guests volunteered as the host during the reception.
6.) They combed Bur Dubai's hotels and found a nice one that offered a poolside buffet, along with some cool wedding lighting, music and tasteful decor, for a highly reasonable price.
