INTERVIEW: Juliana Khalife, Weddings At InterContinental Hotels Dubai Festival City
Written by on July 21, 2015.
Tagged under: Arabic weddings, Dubai Weddings, INTERVIEW: Juliana Khalife, Indian weddings, Wedding Venue, Weddings At InterContinental Hotels Dubai Festival City, Weddings in Dubai
Get to know the wedding Pro!
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 that you might wish to use to help make your wedding day perfect!
This week we have the privilege of introducing Juliana Khalife, who is Director of Conferences and Events at InterContinental Hotels Dubai Festival City. Below, Juliana provides us with an exclusive insight into hosting weddings at The Event Centre and Al Badia Golf Club by InterContinental, and shares with us what she loves most about her job.
How long has the InterContinental Dubai Festival City been established, and what makes your hotel different when it comes to hosting weddings?
As well as being a recognisable worldwide hotel brand, InterContinental is a respected hotel within the Dubai market place, with our hotel at Festival City being established for eight years now. This means that couples who choose to have their wedding here can rely on our reputation. We have venues to cater for any style and size of wedding.
For example, our two pillar-less ballrooms offer a stunning view of the creek, and our venue at Al Badia Golf Club by InterContinetal Dubai Festival City, is private and features the breathtaking scenery of the golf course and waterfall. Wherever you choose to celebrate your big day, our international team, who are experienced in catering to an international clientele, will provide excellent service. You will also enjoy a fantastic culinary journey thanks to our food and beverage team.
What made you decide to work in the events and hospitality industry?
I started my journey with InterContinental Hotel Group and Events over twelve years ago straight after my graduation. My passion for events grew rapidly as I experienced the diversity of what we do. To begin with, I dealt with clients and planned smaller events, before finally getting the chance to put a larger event together, witnessing it happening from start to finish and savouring the glory of its success. The sense of fulfillment that I get when an event I’ve worked on comes to fruition is a breath of fresh air and such an adrenaline boost that I just want to do it again and again.
What do you love most about your work?
I love building strong relationships and bonds with clients who become part of your being, as planning private events, especially weddings, involves a lot of emotion. The build up towards the event provides such a gratifying feeling, which makes me addicted to it.
Do you have any exciting wedding events happening at the InterContinental Dubai Festival City any time soon?
We always look forward to Indian destination weddings! These often involve over two hundred family members flying over from different parts of the world to meet here in Dubai, stay in our hotels and celebrate throughout a whole week. Five different events will take place in five different venues within our premises, which is always challenging but fun and rewarding.
Describe the experience a bride-to-be will have when hiring InterContinental Dubai Festival City for her wedding?
The bride will have a seamless experience with a dedicated events manager who will be there to cater to her needs right from the inquiry stage up until the end of the event. The bride can expect to deal with a team of professionals who will ensure that all of her requirements are met. We provide a wide variety of venues both indoor and outdoor, the setup on the day, excellent quality food and great service. Most importantly, we offer an overall experience which will be cherished by the couple throughout their lifetime.
How do you manage trust from your clients? After all it is the most important day of their lives.
We are genuinely interested in our clients and their plans, and our clients trust us because we deliver what we promise. By taking a personal interest in making the bride and groom’s dreams and visions come true, we feel that it is certainly something that they will be able to feel and appreciate. We have an amazing team of passionate people who put their hearts and souls into what they do every day.
If you could give one piece of wedding planning advice to our readers (brides-to-be) what would it be?
Enjoy the planning stage leading up to your big day. You can be as specific and demanding as you wish to be in the preparation stage. Hire the right people who are able to cater to your wishes, but most importantly remember to let go on the day of the event. Leave it in the hands of the experts and savour the sweetness of this milestone event in your life!
Lastly, why did you choose to list with www.brideclubme.com?
BCME is a professional website that is expanding with each day and reaching out to a bigger audience and targeted clientele.
Thanks Juliana! For more on InterContinental Hotels Dubai Festival City, click on their Bride Club ME Vendor listing, or head straight to their website. Any questions or comments for Juliana? Leave them in the comment box below!
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