Interview | Get to Know The Wedding Pro: Remarkable
Written by on May 29, 2017.
Tagged under: Get to Know The Wedding Pro: Remarkable, uae wedding planners, wedding planners Dubai
Get to Know The Wedding Pro: Remarkable
Each week, we shine the spotlight on Bride Club ME vendor club members, allowing you, our reader, to get up close and personal with some of the best wedding vendors in town. Here, you can learn more about the people behind some of the businesses you may be using to make your wedding day perfect!
This week we have the privilege of showcasing Victoria Shirran Green and Rikki Webster, Co-Founders and Directors of Remarkable. Below, Victoria and Rikki tell us all about their friendship and why they started the company, as well as providing some insight into how they can help couples plan a stress-free wedding.
How long has Remarkable been established and what makes your company different to other event planners in the region?
Rikki: Victoria and I are life-long friends, with a family connection going back over three generations. With 30 years combined international and local experience in the world of weddings, entertainment and events, we founded Remarkable in 2016 to fulfill a dream of running our own wedding planning business. With a passion for people and perfection, we founded Remarkable as a way to deliver outstanding life experiences and unforgettable weddings in the style that we wanted to work. We’ve built our brand and reputation on the principles of quality, service, and integrity, which are the cornerstones of our business. Your wedding is one of life’s most important events. Remarkable walks with you on the journey, every step of the way, turning your dream day into reality.
What made you decide to work in the wedding and event planning industry?
Victoria: I started my career as a professional dancer, so have been in and around the wedding and event planning industry for years. As much as I’d love to, I knew I couldn’t dance professionally forever, and found that I really enjoyed the planning side of the business. I moved into event management around eight years ago and quickly became hooked on the logistics of creating unforgettable occasions, whether large or small. When I had my twins two years ago, I took time to enjoy motherhood and hung up my dancing shoes, although I still enjoy the occasional Pas de Bourree around the house! You know, to make sure I’ve still got it!
Rikki: She’s always dancing around the office…and don’t get me started on when we secure a new wedding! It’s high kicks galore! Haha! Like Victoria, I’ve been in the events and marketing industry for my whole career, working across Europe and Asia Pacific. So where Victoria brings amazing local experience, I’ve had the fortune of working all over the world, experiencing new trends first hand. Most recently, before moving to Dubai, I spent two years in Sydney, Australia where a lot of the current wedding trends are coming from. When Vic told me on one of our regular Dubai to Sydney Skype calls, that she was looking to get back in the game after the twins were born, it seemed like perfect timing. We founded Remarkable there and then (although the name took FOREVER to get right), and set about creating the kind of company we’d always dreamed of running.
What do you love most about your jobs?
Victoria: I think for both of us, it’s that initial meeting with a bride-to-be. We love getting to know people and there’s something really special about that first conversation. Every bride is different, which means each wedding concept is different too. We’re not a copy and paste type of wedding planner, so coming up with new concepts and ways of delivering ideas keeps us on our toes. Information gathering and constant communication throughout the initial stages gives us great insight into a bride’s personality and helps us build a strong foundation to deliver their perfect wedding day.
Rikki: We love the people-focused nature of our job and enjoy nothing more than meeting brides to discuss their ideas in person. We felt that in the UAE, there was a gap in the market for a company to not only deliver beautiful weddings with flair and precision but to be incredibly hands-on and have fun doing it! Because of our history together, we know each other inside and out and laugh constantly every day. This positive attitude and passion for what we do definitely comes across in our work and we’re so lucky to run a company in this incredible industry, making people’s dreams come true.
Do you have any exciting projects planned for the future?
Rikki: We have a few weddings confirmed for later this year and early next, which we are excited about. One in particular, which really caught our attention in the initial meeting, was a desert destination wedding. We’ve done bridal photo shoots in the desert before, but never a full wedding set up. The location provides us with a number of challenges, however, it has been great exploring the endless possibilities a desert setting provides. Victoria’s logistics brain has gone into overdrive!
Victoria: As it’s a destination wedding for 50 guests, the bride, who has long-standing connections with Dubai, is keen to treat her guests to something different. I can see the photos already. It really will be an Instagrammer’s dream! However, as someone who obsesses about detail, I’m more than aware of what it takes to pull off a wedding like that. From transportation and weather to power and catering, it’s a lot to consider, but the kind of project that I absolutely adore.
Describe the experience a bride-to-be will have when hiring Remarkable for her wedding?
Victoria: From concept to delivery and everything in between, we always strive to create the very best experience, every single time. As wedding planners, Rikki and I are really hands on. We truly believe that the planning and decision-making process should be as fun and enjoyable as the wedding itself. It’s an exciting time, and it shouldn’t be stressful for our brides. We’re here to take care of everything and are flexible in how much, or how little they want us to be involved. I know it’s a cliché, but we really don’t believe in set packages. Our weddings are designed like a couture wedding dress, each only carefully handcrafted around the bride’s style and budget, to ensure the perfect fit.
What budgets do you cater for?
Rikki: Time and again we hear from brides that getting married in Dubai is expensive, and yes, while that can be true, there are also some incredible cost-effective options out there. Dubai boasts some of the finest hotels and resorts in the world, which of course make for outstanding wedding venues, but on the flipside, some of our favourite wedding venues and themes are the ones built around simple, elegant delivery. Whether you’re looking for simple style, impressive impact, or breathtaking opulence, Remarkable’s wedding services are designed to deliver unforgettable experiences, at any budget.
Do you have a favourite wedding ceremony and/or reception location in the UAE?
Victoria: Living in Dubai we love the outdoors, (when it’s not too hot)! We love beach set ups and are so lucky to have so many fantastic options across the UAE for brides to consider. A backdrop of glistening blue water makes our job so easy.
Rikki: Plus, coming from Aberdeen in Scotland, dipping our toes in the warm Arabian Gulf to celebrate delivering for another happy bride, is a far cry from the headache-inducing temperatures of the North Sea! While I agree with Victoria about outdoor settings, I think I enjoy wedding venues that start with a completely blank canvas. There’s nothing more satisfying than entering an empty space and finishing with a room layered with your ideas, waiting for your bride to see it for the very first time. That moment is why I got into this business in the first place.
If you could give one piece of advice to brides-to-be planning their weddings in the UAE, what would it be?
Victoria: What we suggest to all of our brides is to take some time at the very beginning of the planning process and really think about what you and your husband want. After all, your wedding day is the start of your married life together, so it should represent you both. While resources like Pinterest will offer up a million different options, try not to get caught up in the detail, as the choice can be overwhelming. And don’t worry if something doesn’t go exactly to plan. Believe me, no one will notice every single detail, they’ll be too busy having a wonderful time. So don’t stress and make sure you enjoy the day!
Rikki: Also, everyone is entitled to their opinion, and believe me, you’ll get a lot of them in the lead up to your big day, but remember this is your wedding day. If there’s something you really want, that doesn’t fit with tradition, or hasn’t been done before, who cares? Go for it! Those personal touches are what make a wedding memorable and your guests will love you for it. Also, you’ve likely spent months planning this day. Make sure you work with your wedding planner to factor in some time, even if it’s a quick five minutes, to take in the day with your new husband. It goes so fast, so make sure you stand back and enjoy the moment together. Check out our recent blog post “8 Top Tips for Selecting the Perfect Wedding Planner,” which features more handy information for brides-to-be during the planning process.
Lastly, why did you choose to list with www.brideclubme.com?
Victoria: As wedding planners, Remarkable offers brides a full range of services for all wedding styles and budgets, so we wanted the opportunity to reach as many brides-to-be as possible. We knew that the Bride Club ME platform offered a fantastic source of information, and came highly recommended by our contacts and suppliers. Rio and the team have been fantastic in getting us up to speed with the platform. It’s a vital source of information for event and wedding planning so it made perfect sense for us to list on the site.
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