A Month In Events – October/Sept

Hello brides-to-be.

It’s been yet another event filled month for Team Bride Club ME.  From media partnering with some of the region’s leading wedding fairs, attending art exhibitions with a bridal twist, to getting up close and personal with some of the UAE’s top up and coming fashion and accessories designers, we talk you through our ‘Month in Events’.

 The Address Hotel + Resorts wedding fair

For a fifth year, the Address Hotels + Resorts hosted yet another successful “Wedding fair” for brides and grooms looking to make their day an unforgettable one. Bride Club ME were official online media partners for the fair, and had our own stand at the event promoting our website. We met many of our readers as well as new brides, and really enjoyed the two-day event.  It had a relaxed vibe and a beautiful set up, helped along by furniture suppliers Catertainment and florists, Contempo flowers. The wedding fair offered a variety of exhibitors, all of whom were handpicked and vetted beforehand.

Above: The Address Hotel + Resorts wedding fair (Sept 2013)

We saw many of our own vendor club members at the event including the lovely Mylist.ae, Fabulous Day wedding planners and Canvas and Wood. It was great to spend a few days meeting new brides and networking with industry professionals. Next to our stand was fellow blogger Joelle from My lovely wedding, with whom we had a good catch up about the world wedding blogging.

Brides attending next year’s event can expect to see exhibitors such as wedding planners, dress designers, florists, event managers, professional wedding photographers & videographers, entertainment, sound & lighting companies, hair and make-up specialists, jewelry designers & retailers, gift companies and invitation designers. Bride Club ME look forward to partnering with the event once again in 2014.

 DIVAlicious exhibition and bridal trousseau

A particular favourite within the Asian female community, the DIVAlicious expo was back again, this month with a bigger bang. The shopaholic’s paradise included high-end boutiques, Fashion week designers & exclusive brands for Ethnic & Western Apparel, fashion accessories, home decor, beauty, gifting solutions, edibles & much more! Bride Club ME attended as media partners for the first time.

‘Moments in Time’ Photography Exhibition

Imagine that your wedding is captured in a style and elegance that you yourself could not have conceived, or even envisaged as possible. That your special day, entrusted to the keen eye and creative talents of your still photographer, takes on a life and pulse of its own, seized for good in high resolution and as an hour by hour depiction in the lead up to the moment you utter “I do.” Well, Bride Club ME did not have to do too much imagining of wedding bliss, because it was all captured faithfully, fittingly and with an air of grace at the exhibition of Emirati Artist Alia Rashid AlShamsi, a former bride herself.

Beginning in the month of October, photographer Alia exhibited her work at the Ritz-Carlton, Dubai International Financial Centre wherein intimate memories from her own wedding day provide the inspiration of the collection.  ‘Moments in Time’ is Alia’s first solo exhibition, and includes 15 photographs taken by the talented young artist, beautifully curated within the hotel’s fine interiors.

The photographs tell the story of a bride’s thoughts and feelings during the 48 hours surrounding her wedding day. Simple yet significant and often intangible elements of the wedding that are often overlooked by both brides and their photographers are blown up and presented as pieces of artworks. And befittingly so.

Above: Photographer: Emirati Artist, and former bride, Alia Rashid AlShamsi

Visitors were be able to scan a QR code, which revealed the inspiration behind each picture, and a behind-the-scenes video from the making of the exhibition can be viewed on The Ritz-Carlton YouTube channel.

Above: Bride Club ME meets Alia’s wedding photography …..

Needless to say, those of us listening to Alia speak with such warmth and sentiment over each image wished that maybe, just maybe. we could have own wedding captured again, by this young talented artist blessed with vision. Ah, fancy that: wedding day dress-ups, all in the name of art and posterity, of course!

By Alice Hartley

FashionForward

With our press passes in tow, we headed to the much anticipiated Fashion Forward event held at the Madinat conference centre Dubai. Fashion Forward aims to be the definitive fashion platform for the Middle East – a fashion movement that highlights strengths, inspires and nurtures industry growth and its wealth of talent, with the ultimate goal of driving forward the entire fashion industry in the region. We think they are doing a pretty good job at becoming the ‘definitive fashion platform’ here in the Middle East. As someone who attends a lot of events, I thought ‘Fashion forward’ was well organized, classy and easy to navigate.

My colleague and I enjoyed wondering around the many creative stands showcasing gorgeous hand crafted accessories and trinkets. My personal favourite were the stunning head pieces from Aura Headpieces. I was so impressed that I shall be meeting with the designer ‘Carolina Chammas’ to discuss a bespoke piece for my own pre-wedding beach drinks in November, and I will also be bringing you more from Aura headpieces in an article dedicated to the boho-bride.

In addition to the stands, we witnessed creative catwalk presentations from top regional designers, inspiring talks and panel discussions led by global industry experts and fashion academia. There was entertainment, through a string of social events and parties, which we thoroughly enjoyed.

The Bridal Affair

For the second time, Bride Club ME were once again delighted to media partner with the Bridal Affair, another event popular within the Asian bridal community. Held in the Samaya Ballroom at the Ritz Carlton Dubai on the 19^th October, the one day event, attracted hundreds of brides-to-be. With dozens of exhibitors to talk to, many brides-to-be left having found a supplier and/or gaining some invaluable tips and inspiration for the experts.

Above: Photography by Vikram Kacher

Above: Photography by Vikram Kacher

This month’s event also aimed to attract brides across various nationalities, and we noticed an increase in Arabic and western style exhibitors this month too. We were excited to  meet some of our readers and fans who popped by our stand to say hello, we also sat with some new subscribers to Bride Club ME and offered wedding planning advice, tips and supplier contacts.

Above: Bride Club ME readers come to our stand to say “hello”

Bride Club ME is really happy to announce that ZEE TV Middle East, watched by over 1 million viewers, chose to interview us, click here to watch the video. The next Bridal Affair is due to take place in February 2014. Keep a look out on our events calendar for further details.

The FifiArabia press conference and Awards

After the staggering success of the FiFi 2011 and 2012 awards, the Fragrance Foundation Arabia, brings forth the Fifi Awards 2013, considered the “Oscars” of the fragrance world. Bride Club ME were invited to attend the official press conference and FiFi Awards & Celebrations which tool place last night. Bride Club ME, will be compiling our very own ‘Best bridal perfumes’ soon, with the help of some fabulous perfumery experts, so watch this space.

Don’t forget to log back into our blog at the end of November for our monthly round up of all the latest events in the bridal industry and for an update on my own wedding, I’m getting so excited and nervouse now, he-he.  If you would like Team Bride Club ME to attend and cover your event, feel free to email us [email protected].

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