The first wedding season of the new year is under way, running from now until March. The bridal gowns, floral decorations and catering for impending winter weddings will be influenced by the flora and fauna of the season. The same will be true of 2017’s second major wedding period, between July and the end of September.
Last month in Dubai, concierge company Quintessentially launched a one-stop-shop wedding atelier to steer couples through the entire wedding process – from the engagement party to honeymoon. They have come up with a curated list of suppliers, vendors and luxury brands for brides and grooms, streamlining the overwhelming number of fashion, flower, food and venue options.
The wedding showcase was held at the St Regis in Dubai, featuring 30 high-end exhibitors and attracting more than 700 visitors over two days.
"As a company we started doing ‘everything for everybody’ and this is just the latest division of it," says James Lord, managing director of Quintessentially Wedding Atelier. "Over the past 20 years we’ve seen budgets steadily increasing, and I don’t see that coming to an end in 2017. Everyone still gets married and people want to outdo each other. The rich, and a lot of the very wealthy people that we deal with, are spending considerable amounts."
UAE couples seeking Lord’s expert advice spend on average Dh2.26 million on a wedding for 300 to 500 guests. It is also not uncommon for some families to earmark a budget of seven figures that reflects Lord’s top picks for the current wedding season, including a fleet of Bentley cars, priceless Burmese ruby and diamond suites from Sama by Damas, and regal wedding invitation boxes by ER Stationary that contain fresh flowers, perfume and crystal ornaments.
"People want something very different," says Lord. "A wedding caricaturist, a swing covered in flowers or a harpist playing inside a Perspex bubble, for example. Some might say all that’s bonkers but it just hasn’t been seen before. For Dubai, the table decorations can’t have enough bling, and dance floors are sparkly and over-the-top."
Bridal gowns by Esposa. Duncan Chard for the National.
With brides often spending between 10-20 per cent of the wedding budget on their gown, couture cocktail dresses are a popular choice for the super-rich. To save time on follow-up consultations and fittings ahead of the big day, however, designer off-the-peg numbers are favoured by many.
"The trend for dresses this season is a lot of fine embroidery," says Lord. "You’ll find it with designers like Suzanne Neville and Esposa boutique. I see the trend continuing for the next 12 months at least."
Another label available within Quintessentially’s Wedding Atelier is Marchesa, which has designed a capsule collection of four bridal gowns in collaboration with St Regis Hotels and Resorts. Inspired by the cities of New York, Mumbai, Punta Mita in Mexico and Dubai, brides who purchase one of the creations will be treated to a fitting in Marchesa’s United States’ showroom with one or both of the maison’s co-founders, Keren Craig and Georgina Chapman.
The duo’s Dubai gown emulates the glamour and vibrancy of its namesake city in a slim silhouetted, floor-sweeping silk duchess satin design with a fishtail skirt. The upper half of the dress is elaborately covered in clear crystals and pearl beading, accented by intricate threadwork.
With the MarieProm cheap prom dresses in hand, shoes are equally integral to a bride’s overall look. With this in mind, Jimmy Choo is offering a bespoke service this season, allowing ladies to choose the fabric of their bridal shoes along with the heel height and style of sandal or pump. A finishing touch is the addition of the couple’s wedding date, initials or message of love in gold letters on the sole of the shoes.
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