Dressing for dinner

zoom

Salt & Pepper’s Escada Ocean Lounge.

Middle East venues have played host to some spectacular gatherings over the years; but now, without the bottomless budgets of pre-crunch patrons, how can events hope to pack equal punch? Top events organisers share their decorative expertise and tell Lucy Taylor why the devil is in the detail.

From weddings to cocktail parties, from corporate gatherings to private soirées, over the years the Middle East has established a reputation for throwing spectacular events.

There are numerous reasons for this — not least the high standard of the region’s chefs and the array of attractive venues.

But on the big day, when the client enters the room, there is one element that will ensure they are bowled over by what they see: the décor.

Dressing a venue has become an art form — and in a region where competition is rife and you are only as good as your last success, only the best accessorising will do.

As Al Faisaliah Hotel, A Rosewood Hotel director of sales and marketing Khaled Al-Idrissi notes, the setting and décor “really make all the difference; the success of the event hinges on the atmosphere we create”.

At Dubai World Trade Centre, a venue that hosts a huge number of weddings every year, the manager for weddings and OSC, Najah Al Mulla, says that décor is one of the central elements of her role.

“It’s part of our job to make sure the wedding exceeds the client’s expectations by 200% — but of course this has to be achieved by following their wishes as well,” she notes.

“Right at the start, I will sit down and really talk to our clients to find out what kind of tone they want to set.

“I will not use the word ‘no’; anything our clients want, we will find for them,” she emphasises.

Jaya Java, director of Artaaj — a full service agency which handles events and promotions, integrated marketing communications, strategic business events and exhibitions — agrees that the right décor is vital to ensuring client satisfaction.

“Setting and décor go a long way toward reflecting the client’s message and are opportunities for us to show that we think through every last detail,” she explains.

“While impressive stage sets, special effects, lighting and branding are decorative highlights, customised menus, linens, table favours or centrepieces are the finishing touches that bring the theme together for the guest.”

Salt & Pepper managing director Philip Westphal agrees: “Anyone can put a stage in a ballroom and play some music, but we want to take guests to a different world the moment they step into the room.”

Print | Email | Discuss this article

| Share |

READERS' COMMENTS

Click here to post a comment

Add your Comment All posts are sent to the administrator for review and are published only after approval. ArabianBusiness.com reserves the right to remove any comment at any time for any reason. Please keep your responses appropriate and on topic. Arabian Business would like to point out that only comments relevant to the story will be published. Any containing personal insults or inappropriate language will not be approved.
Name *
Remember me on this computer
Email *	(Your email address will not be published)
City
Country
Subject *
Comment *
Notify me of further comments
Enter the words above *
Please click post only once - your comment will not be published immediately.

MORE FROM ARABIANBUSINESS.COM