Cashed up

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Hotels across the UAE are cashing in on the weddings market with extravagant packages to suit every bride's desire.

Is the United Arab Emirates a popular destination for weddings?

Johara Bacalso: Dubai is becoming one of the top wedding and honeymoon destinations. The world's finest luxury hotels, year-round sunshine, breathtaking beaches, mystical deserts and top class entertainment are at your fingertips.

And not to forget, the cost of a wedding in Dubai compares favourably to most European destinations.

Robin Stewart: Over the last few years Dubai has been a very popular wedding destination, as the cost of a wedding in Dubai compares favourably to most European destinations.

It is also due to its convenient geographic location, a multitude of unique wedding venues and an abundance of facilities offering exotic ambience and top class service.

Melque Verbo: Weddings in the UAE is popular because it is a big thing for the Emirati people. Families prepare ahead of time and make bookings for the venue months in advance. UAE weddings are serious and big affairs. They are lucrative events and are unlike weddings anywhere else.

What market does most of your wedding business come from?

Stewart: Although the market for UAE national weddings remains stable, there has been a healthy increase in the number of expatriates wanting to have their wedding ceremony in Dubai, with Indian sub-continental weddings still accounting for the majority of the non-UAE weddings, followed by Arabic countries such as Lebanon, Syria and Jordan, as well as some European weddings.

Simone Krill: Most of our business comes from Emiratis, followed by Indian and Pakistani nationals.

We hardly have any weddings for other expatriates and, as far as I can think back, we never had a wedding for guests visiting the country.

How important are weddings as a revenue stream for your property?

Bacalso: The wedding market never fails to be in the top five priorities in regards to revenue.

Stewart: In a destination like the Gulf, where wedding couples spend the highest amount per head compared to other countries, weddings contribute tremendously to the revenue stream of the hotel, especially during the summer season, where weddings compensate for the drop in corporate business.

Also, weddings usually fill the revenue gap during the weekends when corporate meetings and conferences are less frequent.

Melque Verbo: While there are a lot of preparations, weddings are money-generating events as each usually involves 400 to 600 guests on average. Because of the separate men's and ladies' wedding celebrations, they also sometimes have two meal requirements.

Are the costs of weddings rising?

Verbo: Prices are going up and everything is becoming more expensive - the cost of all the details needed for a wedding is increasing, from the gowns and flowers to the raw ingredients for the food. It follows that the whole wedding package cost will also increase. It all boils down to inflation.

Are weddings still profitable?

Krill: The wedding day has to be a day to remember - the most beautiful day in the couple's life - so money does not play the most important role.

An enjoyable and memorable wedding is the best PR [for the hotel] and creates great awareness, which guarantees more business.

Alejandro Betera: Definitely, in the entire segment of banqueting and events, weddings are the most profitable business in the hotel industry. Not only in terms of providing a service to the clients, but also in generating revenue for all departments.

Verbo: It is profitable, but inflation is causing a big increase in the capital expenses for services and food. Since we can only add a certain amount to our prices in order to remain competitive, weddings are becoming a much less profitable business now than before.

What are the main challenges when catering for weddings?

Verbo: The challenge comes when clients bring with them other suppliers who are not able to keep to our standards, like the florists - they sometimes finish their set-up much later than scheduled so, even if we are ready on time, these people delay proceedings.

Stewart: Accommodating last minute changes, something that always comes up in event planning, is a challenge that requires flexibility and quick reactions on our part. We try to be proactive and solve any issues before they arise.

What trends have you noticed in what guests look for in wedding packages?

Bacalso: Cuisine has become the entertainment - couples prefer a refined simplicity when it comes to their menu, with white china allowing the food to be the star on the table. Food trends include clean flavours, smaller portions, and healthy options.

Verbo: People are looking for a wedding package that covers everything required for their wedding. Soon we'll see an all-in-one package. This would mean an increase in demand for wedding planners and hotels may need to hire wedding coordinators on staff.

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