Dubai-best-hotels

Weddings aren't everyday affairs. They require time. They require effort. They require a commitment. And, most of all, they require money.
As the average family-style wedding gets bigger and fatter, so do the budgets to support those weddings.
"A couple today should expect to spend a minimum of between Dh300,000 and Dh500,000 on their wedding day," says Zainab Al Salih, wedding planner and managing director of Carousel. "Based on our experiences of organising mid to high-range weddings, we can say that a realistic budget would be anywhere between Dh1,200 and Dh1,500 per guest."
According to Carousel wedding planners, the trend is moving away from either large-scale or thumbnail weddings, with the average couple inviting approximately 250 guests to their reception. That's already over Dh300,000 for the reception alone.

Top wedding trends for 2012:

• Average spend on wedding gown: Dh15,000
• Average number of guests: 250
• Average cost per person for reception: Dh1,200 to Dh1,500
• Top trend this season: Traditional old-fashioned weddings
• Top cultural wedding trend: Mixed-culture marriage with themes from each culture incorporated into the reception
• Top floral trends for the season: Garden theme with colourful blooms.