Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher Bint Mohammed Al Qassimi inaugurates Perfect Wedding Show at Expo Centre Sharjah

The Perfect Wedding Show is primarily targeted towards soon to be married couples and their families in the UAE.

The current edition is being held under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher Bint Mohammed Al Qassimi, Chairperson of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs and Wife of the Ruler of Sharjah and Supreme Council Member His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qassimi. It has been organised by Expo Centre Sharjah with the support of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI).

The event, which will run till February 24, 2007, is showcasing a very diverse range of wedding related products and services. More than 120 companies engaged in the wedding and related industries are participating in this year's Perfect Wedding Show. Exhibitors include both local as well as international companies.

On display at the show are wedding decoration items, fashion and jewellery wear, bridal wear, beauty items, wedding stationery, catering services, wedding venues, wedding entertainment including traditional dance troops, sound and light services, and photography and video services.

Though the varying exhibit profile is one of the main reasons for soon to be married couples to be flocking to the Perfect Wedding Show, it is ultimately the exquisite and rare bridal collections on display from Lebanon, Italy, Bahrain, India, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, that will be the major show stealer.

'The Perfect Wedding Show is a manifestation of the UAE's culturally diverse population,' said Mr. Ahmed Mohammed Al Midfa, Chairman, Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

'Taking in to account the various nationalities, the different cultural and ethnic backgrounds in the country, the Perfect Wedding Show strives to meet the demands of every visiting soon to be married couple and their families. The exhibit profile of the show is also a perfect mix of both traditional and modern products, making it an ideal event to visit for those that are keen to retain their traditions and culture while maintaining a modern image,' he added.

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.

The demand for wedding related products and services in the region is also considerable from the expatriates. 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.

'The Perfect Wedding Show is the Middle East's most comprehensive wedding exhibition, featuring the entire range of products and services that goes in to making a wedding complete,' said Mr. Midfa.

'Organising a wedding can be a very tiring and stressful task. The idea behind the diverse product profile of the Perfect Wedding Show is to ensure that the soon to be married couples and their families are able to organize flawless weddings with minimum stress,' he added.

Mr. Midfa further said that the Perfect Wedding Show had received an overwhelming response during its debut edition in 2006.

'The Show has grown significantly compared to the debut edition in terms of exhibitors. The current edition of the Perfect Wedding Show occupies two halls of Expo Centre Sharjah measuring 8,000 square metres,' he said.

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

A major attraction of this year's Perfect Wedding Show are the daily fashion shows alongside by some of the best-known and most exclusive names in the regional fashion arena.

Fashion enthusiasts can expect to be treated to the preview of the coming season's collections by some of the most well known designers in the Middle East.

The Fashion Show will be featuring UAE based Salma Khan Fashion House, Hanayen, Amato, Sweet Lady, and Ateej Al Souf, Iran's Rahmanian, Bahrain's Shujoon and Scarf, and Saudi Arabia's Zaki Bin Abboud.

Besides the fashion show, the performances by professional dance troupes from Lebanon on the sidelines of the exhibition will also be a huge crowd puller.

The Perfect Wedding Show will be open exclusively for ladies on 20th and 22nd February from 10 am to 3 pm. For general public, the show will be open from 3 pm to 10 pm.