Expert Advice From Mennat Al Hammami: Ballroom Or Outdoor Wedding?
Written by on July 20, 2017.
Tagged under: Cloud 9 Weddings & Events, Outdoor weddings, ballroom or outdoor wedding?, ballroom wedding dubai, uae wedding venues
Ballroom Or Outdoor Wedding?
As the new UAE wedding season rapidly approaches and recent brides-to-be begin making plans, one of the main decisions that first needs to be made is whether to have an outdoor wedding or to make use of the beautiful ballrooms that UAE venues have to offer.
Mennat Al Hammami, our expert panel member and founder of Cloud 9 Weddings and Events, discusses the advantages of both below in her latest expert feature. The UAE is blessed to have a huge range of ballroom and outdoor options thanks to its wealth of luxurious hotels, meaning that couples can be assured that catering and facilities usually come as part of the overall package. So, would you prefer a pretty outdoor setting or a grandiose ballroom? Read on to find out more about both options.
With every new couple, I am reminded of the weight the day carries with all of its uncertainties of how to begin the planning process. This begins with me helping couples decide on where they would like their wedding to take place.
Let’s start off with acknowledging that every couple is different with their own dream-wedding venue. For some couples, it can be as simple as an intimate affair in a private outdoor space. For others, it may be a special location with a view, and for some, a lot more grand and formal. For the most part, the two clear options are an indoor wedding versus an outdoor wedding. The main influences to think of if choosing between the two are space, wedding style and weather.
Ballrooms, contrary to popular belief of being the more boring option, actually serve us planners (and in turn, couples) a lot better because they are what we like to call the safe option. Every hotel ballroom in the UAE will offer all-inclusive packages that include catering, entertainment, rentals, decoration, and of course, accommodation. Each ballroom is allotted a specific capacity, with some hotels offering more than one room. Not to mention, every ballroom is decorated in a specific interior colour and couples need to choose wisely according to their theme.
From a wedding styling and decor standpoint, the possibility of weather ruining the day is nil, this affects set up timing which can affect the start time of the wedding. In addition, it is easier to plan hanging structures and installations, particularly lighting. Today, most indoor venues in the UAE especially will have built in hanging points that cater to extravagant décor and AV technics.
Unlike ballroom weddings that can have a formal feel, outdoor weddings are more chic and relaxed yet no less beautiful! They can be trickier to plan around sometimes due to the space itself, with existing features and landscaping, to name a few elements. Those after trendier themes should look for lots of greenery around the area and possible structures that could aid in creating the desired set up. Planning where to place structures to hang equipment and décor elements may be limited depending on the space and the couple’s budget.
Structures typically cost a lot more money, which is why picking the right venue for your wedding theme becomes even trickier for some couples. Moreover, they need to think about the season and always plan ahead for any unpredictable weather. Luckily, there are a number of outdoor venues in the UAE that offer indoor spaces as well, namely the larger resorts in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
We are so fortunate to have good weather for most of the duration of the wedding season in the UAE, and are truly spoiled with an abundance of both indoor and outdoor venue options! Therefore, my final recommendation would be picking the venue that compliments the theme and vibe that you are after. Remember that you can always find more venue listings on Bride Club!
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