BRIDE Dubai Unveils Top Wedding Priorities for UAE Brides – With BRIDE Dubai fast approaching, Informa Exhibitions has revealed the latest findings from its annual wedding survey of more than 900 brides-to-be and their families in the UAE. Almost one third of brides-to-be surveyed are prepared to spend up to AED 100,000 on their big day!

• Family comes first

Results from the BRIDE 2013 survey showed that home is where the heart for the majority of brides-to-be with 40 per cent of respondents ranking family attendance as the most important factor for their wedding day. Coming in a close second in terms of priorities, wedding dresses received more than 20 per cent of the vote for brides-to-be and surprisingly ranked higher in terms of importance than the wedding vows which only received 15 per cent of the vote.

While UAE brides proved themselves to be more practical than romantic with only 10 per cent of participants considering the marriage proposal as the most important factor of their wedding story.

• Almost 5% of brides prepared to pay a staggering AED 500,000 or more for their wedding dress

The survey revealed good news for wedding dress designers, as bridal gowns clearly take centre stage in the hearts of brides-to-be, with 48 per cent of participants prepared to allocate up to AED 10,000 for their gown, whilst 27 per cent of participants are willing to spend a little extra to feel like a princess on their big day with a wedding dress budget of AED 10,000-20,000. While almost 5 per cent of participants expect to spree when it comes to their wedding dress, and estimate spending a staggering AED 500,000 or more for the perfect gown.

• Timeless classics gowns are in favour over celebrity fashion fads

When it comes to style, women in the UAE still favour the classic Kate Middleton inspired wedding dress which received over 37 per cent of participants votes, who clearly prefer the princess bride style of intricate lace, elegance and beautifully crafted detail.

The timeless traditional bride look also remains a firm favourite when choosing that perfect gown with more than 27 per cent of participants choosing traditional designs over celebrity fashion fads. The modern twist on the wedding dress is decidedly less popular (12 per cent) in the UAE with brides-to-be preferring classic trends, and coming at the bottom of the list in terms of popularity is the boho style showcased by the likes of Kate Moss with only 4 per cent of the vote.

•  Over 40% of brides plan to use a wedding planner

Good news for wedding planners! The survey also reveals that brides-to-be would love a helping hand on their wedding day with over 40% of brides planning to use the services of a wedding planner with a unanimous 58% of brides wanting help on managing the day itself – and just under 10% of brides would like the help of a wedding planner when it comes to choosing the dress and organising the catering.

To register for complimentary BRIDE Dubai tickets (taking place between the 10^th – 13^th April 2013) visit: www.thebrideshow.com.