Planning a wedding in a new destination is a daunting prospect. New venues, new suppliers, new weather. But when I asked by a couple who had previously been guests at a wedding I had planned in Thailand, I couldn’t say no.

This time, the new destination was to be Dubai. Wow, I couldn’t wait. Whilst I have lived in Dubai for 5 years, that was before I was a wedding planner, so I didn’t have the network of suppliers like I do in my usual destinations. However, I wasn’t going to let that deter me. I got down to some serious research and got in touch with some of my contacts from my old company where I used to run corporate events to get good recommendations.

With weddings, you have a huge responsibility on your head, and you only get one chance to get it right. So making sure you have reliable, reputable and quality suppliers is the absolute key to nailing it on the day.

Once the wedding planner is sorted, the next big decision that comes along is which venue to choose. Dubai is renowned for having some of the worlds best hotels, so it’s not easy to narrow it down to one. A shortlist was drawn up, and the chosen venue for my first wedding in Dubai was the stunning One & Only Palm Jumeirah. Located on the iconic Palm Jumeirah island, One & Only is well known for it’s stunning scenery. We then narrowed down the location of the wedding to be in the gorgeous courtyard.

As Sayeed & Nicola were already legally married in the UK, the wedding in Dubai was more a celebration of their love and they invited almost 100 guests to join them in the celebration. Guests arrived to welcome drinks & canapes and were able to take photos of the stunning background as part of the DIY photobooth we created.

As Nicola & Sayeed took their sunset photos on the beach, guests were then moved to the courtyard where they were treated to a table of traditional Arabic sweets.

As the lights went down, the courtyard was transformed with stunning fairylights and candles surrounding the whole courtyard, creating an amazingly elegant reception. Fantastic floral displays  created by Le Marche Des Fleurs were installed high off the table ensuring sufficient table space for the shared style dinner which ensured guests were easily able to keep chatting and creating a gorgeous setting.

Each guest received a personalised set of macarons on their place setting. These were designed by the bride and groom and made individually for each guest. They were then packed into the boxes and the ribbon tied on the morning of the wedding to ensure they stayed fresh.

Throughout dinner the guests were entertained with soothing romantic music by The Canella Duo with a harpist and flutist creating a lovely relaxing atmosphere.

After dinner, more entertainment followed with an amazing magic act by Nabeel. I am not usually a fan of magic shows, but Nabeel really impressed everyone. Not just a magic show, but with  illusion and mind reading  he really kept the guests enthralled.

After Nabeel left the guests scratching their heads in wonder, they made their way to the Shisha lounge where they relaxed & chatted with shisha until the early hours of the morning.

A wonderful wedding in the most gorgeous setting back in my old stomping ground, this was definitely a wedding I will remember. So for anyone looking to get married in Dubai, you now know where you can come.

Full Wedding Planning & Coordination : Dream Asia Weddings

Photography : Christophe Viseaux

Chair hire : Mint Event Rentals