Second edition of Perfect Wedding Show to be held at Expo Centre Sharjah from February 20

The Show will be the UAE's most comprehensive display of wedding related products and services.

Primarily targeted at soon to be married couples, the five-day event will display a wide range of innovative products and ideas including wedding decoration items, fashion and jewellery wear including bridal wear, health and beauty items, wedding stationery, catering services, wedding venues, wedding entertainment including traditional dance troops, sound and light services, car and limousine rental, and photography and video, besides travel agencies, home furnishings and appliances, and banking services.

Over 100 companies engaged in the wedding or related industries will be participating in the coming edition of the Show. Besides individual participation, country pavilions from Iran, Egypt, India, Lebanon, and Morocco, will also be having an imposing presence. The pavilions will be ideal to visit for getting an insight in to traditional weddings from other parts of the world.

'In the Middle East, marriage means not only the coming together of two individuals but also of two families, and there is a desire on the part of everybody involved to make the ceremony a lavish and gala affair,' said Mr. Saif Al Midfa, Director General, Expo Centre Sharjah.

'The Perfect Wedding Show is an event that displays the A-Z requirements of a wedding under one roof. The exclusivity of the show ensures that every need of to be married couples and their families are met at one venue, thereby helping them organize flawless weddings with minimum stress,'

he added.

Mr. Saif Al Midfa further said that compared to the debut edition, the 2007 Show would be 30% bigger in terms of exhibitors.

'The coming edition of the Perfect Wedding Show will occupy two halls of Expo Centre Sharjah measuring 8,000 square metres,' Mr. Saif Al Midfa said.

The Middle East wedding market is estimated at around USD $ 3 billion and it is growing at the rate of 20% per annum. In the UAE alone, it is estimated that 25,000 marriages take place annually. The budget of an Emirati marriage is considered to be the highest in the region. With over 70% of the Middle East population under 20 years of age, a vast majority is expected to enter in to wedlock in the coming years.

Although the Perfect Wedding Show will largely focus on products and services for Arab Weddings, other communities too will find the event highly interesting. A major attraction for the Asian expatriate population will be the dedicated Asian Wedding pavilion. The pavilion will showcase contemporary trends of Asian traditional weddings, particularly from India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. It will be a one-stop shop for sourcing products and services generally used in traditional weddings from the sub-continent.

'Currently, the Gulf countries are home to 12 million foreign workers and this is increasing by five percent every year and expected to reach 18 million in 12 years. A significant portion of this population is highly affluent and are of marriageable age. A large number of them enter in to wedlock during their stay in the region,' said Mr. Saif Al Midfa.

'The UAE, with a growing number of luxury hotels, wedding organizers, entertainment avenues, and most importantly strategic location, is fast turning in to a favourite wedding destination for to be married couples in the region,' he added.

Other attractions of the Perfect Wedding Show will include professionally choreographed daily fashion shows, projecting both contemporary and traditional styles in bridal and groom wear, and performances by professional dance troupes from Lebanon.

The debut edition of the Perfect Wedding Show was held in February 2006. It attracted 18,571 visitors.

The Perfect Wedding Show is organised by Expo Centre Sharjah with the support of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI).