The price of love

The price of love
By Shireena Al Nowais, Staff Reporter GULF NEWS Published: February 07, 2008, 00:15

Future brides and their husbands-to-be are discovering just how much it can cost to tie the knot at the Bride Show Abu Dhabi

With a few exceptions, I have to confess this year's bride show was less shocking than most years. It's either that or I've just seen it all.

I do my best to approach these events with an open mind and try very hard to mask the look of horror on my face when an exhibitor coolly tells me that the centre stage costs Dh300,000.

But there were times this week when I just couldn't help it at the Bride Show Abu Dhabi.

One of them is a stunning stall for flower arrangements and centre pieces from Paris. Space and Flowers' floral designs and centrepieces cost anything between Dh50,000 and Dh1 million.

And you don't get to keep the centrepieces or long flower vases! You do, however, get to take home all the flowers which will last longer than the Dh100 invitations (per piece) at Kazma for wedding cards.


Giveaways

And just when you think it can't possibly get any worse, you find a flock of soon-to-be brides trying to decide whether they should buy the Dh35 or the Dh50 giveaways, at Kazana and Raife.

It isn't enough that they will feed and entertain their guests, they have to give them gifts too.

This is at least an additional Dh10,000 to the groom's tab.

Thankfully, some brides are immune to the wedding mania and, in a show of sanity, choose to rent expensive Dh80,000 or Dh60,000 dresses for Dh19,000 or Dh5,000 from designers like Rahmanian.

According to exhibitors, those who do go all the way and buy the Dh80,000 or Dh60,000 wedding gown, can sell it back to the store and get half or a quarter of their money back.

Of the popular stalls at the bride show, where most brides were willing to cough up thousands of dirhams, were the spas, beauty treatment and make-up stalls.

At Helen Beauty Centre, a bride can get her hair and make-up done for around Dh3,000. Sharanis spa, on the other hand, has a Dh10,000 to Dh15,000 six-week intensive regime of facials and Moroccan baths for brides.

These beauty and make-up exhibitors promised to turn every bride into a sparkling beauty. And that's one area that no bride is willing to cut back on.

Did you know?

Exhibitors include Amato, Cygnet Fashion, Ghanati Couture and La Donna.

Fashion shows, held at 5pm, 7pm, 8pm and 9pm daily, include Cygnet, Arabesque Sheilas and Abayas and creations by Rahmanian.

Finalists in the Swarovski Abaya Design Awards will have their creations showcased on the catwalk at 5pm tomorrow.

About the event

What: The Bride Show Abu Dhabi

Where: Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.

When: Today and tomorrow.

Time: 3pm to 11pm.