The Bride Show confirms credit crunch has little bearing on brides-to-be

Following the success of the exhibition, organiser IIR Middle East is expecting the bigger sister event, The Bride Show Dubai, taking place from 8 -11 April at the Dubai International Exhibition Centre, to thrive despite current economic conditions.

A survey conducted by IIR Middle East showed that more than a third of visitors (34%) would spend between Dhs100,000 and Dhs250,000 on their big day.

When these figures are broken down they show that 43% of couples in the UAE will fork out between Dhs20,000 to Dhs50,000 on jewellery alone while 21% will spend more than Dhs100,000. Almost a third (29%) of brides-to-be will pay between Dhs20,000-Dhs30,000 for their wedding dress alone.

Luxury retailers in the region are feeling the effects of the global economic crisis with consumers increasingly wary of unnecessary spending, but the high visitor numbers at The Bride Show Abu Dhabi illustrate that when it comes to the special day, women are prepared to splash out.

The event, which took place at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre at the end of January, attracted fiancés and fashionistas alike who came to see the diverse fashion shows, amazing variety of exclusive products and services, and the CRYSTALLIZED Abaya Design Awards, the popular competition for amateur, locally-based fashion talent.

Each day fashion houses launched their latest collections on the catwalk, including bridal wear, abayas and haute couture creations. Ahmed Al Reyaysa, the King of Wedding Dresses came to the event to showcase designs from his fashion house Dar Sara.

Al Reyaysa said:

"I was impressed by the number of enquiries we received consistently over the four days, but the rush of people to our exhibition stand immediately after our fashion show was unprecedented. Orders have been flooding in, completely against the forecasts for 2009 as a challenging year for the fashion industry, and I am now incredibly busy to meet the demand as well as prepare even bigger things for our fashion show at The Bride Show Dubai. We will finally unveil the Dhs1m wedding dress - the ultimate luxury for the ultimate bride."

Daphne Cota, Exhibition Manager for The Bride Show, said: "The turnout and interest we received in Abu Dhabi was excellent. Exhibitors predominantly reported steady and consistent sales over the four days, and the fashion shows generated high numbers of inquiries for the designers featured on the catwalk."

"Now we are looking towards The Bride Show Dubai, which will be an even larger event in terms of exhibitors, fashion shows and visitors. Businesses concerned that the credit crunch is hitting their sales should consider this exhibition an opportunity to reach more than 30,000 women who have money to spend on their wedding day and life's luxuries."

The Bride Show Dubai is the largest wedding and fashion event in the UAE; the 2008 exhibition welcomed more than 30,000 visitors. More than 200 wedding industry experts and suppliers from around the world came together under one roof in a showcase of international design excellence and consummate style.

Women's Healthcare and Bride Home, running alongside The Bride Show Dubai, broaden the appeal for visitors as brides and young women take an active interest in their health and wellbeing, particularly in preparation for their wedding, and newlywed couples start to decorate their marital homes.

Now in its 12th year, the event has additional features including an Inspiration Zone and the popular CRYSTALLIZED™ Young Designers Award. Exclusive discounts and daily competitions will be taking place and lucky visitors can win grand prizes such as a diamond ring and a luxury honeymoon package with five-star accommodation in London and Dublin.