Free things to do in Dubai - Wedding Fayre

Flicking through Time Out Dubai as I do daily I discovered BRIDE DUBAI  is on for the next 3 days. Ok it wasn't free but entry was only 25DHs, the same price as a coffee in a fancy coffee shop and as my niece is getting married next month in the UK and my mum and sister are doing the catering and wedding organisation and I've volunteered to make some decorations and the wedding favours, I thought I should pop along and see what goes on in these places.

Despite being married twice, I've never been to a wedding fayre and often wondered what I'd missed out on, but it didn't excite me and even before I could go in they wanted my address, email, salary and phone number and again inside when I enquired about anything.

Very little was priced and despite looking quite intently at items on some stand, the only time the staff approached me was to offer me a cup cake, sweets or give me a demo on 3D technology, which I found fascinating, but I'm still unsure how it relates to a wedding.

I entered a competition with Al Rais tours and travel, wandered round, took photo's, was told off for taking photo's at one stand, yet they gave me their web address when I asked how was I supposed to remember the services they offer and checking out the website, if my intention was to copy their ideas step by step, they had quite detailed photo's that would have enabled me to do so far more effectively than my own photo's would've done.

If you have an unlimited budget and were aiming at the top end of the wedding market than this was just the place to go, but for weddings on a realistic budget, I found it disappointing and if I'd have been the bride, I'm sure I would have found my dream dress there which I probably never could've afforded.

However you could find everything you needed for planning a wedding. There were jewellery stands, but no wedding and engagement ring displays that leapt out at me. Wedding invites, albums, photography, make up demo's, teeth whitening, instant face lift sessions, Chelsea eyebrows?

Outfits for Mother of bride and bridesmaids, but I didn't see any information for the groom which I felt was bad as the bridal party would need to know the prices as part of their wedding budget.

It was however a fun way to spend an afternoon and I had the chance to visit the World Trade Centre and was impressed with their venue and facilities and easy access from the train.

Oh and the cakes, don't forget the cakes.

Bride Dubai is on till March 28th