The Dialight Team are privy to many (many) wedding dos and don’ts which is precisely why we launched The Bride Blog, as a means to assist and inform soon-to-be brides on the very best services, vendors and amenities that are available in the U.A.E.
In this very spirit, today we’re exploring the best ballrooms in Dubai, as guide for both wedding planners and brides themselves to have a greater understanding of what works and what doesn’t when scouting for their special venue.
The number one ballroom on our list as recognized by both brides and the many teams of artists and vendors that are involved bringing the space to life. The Grand Hyatt, Dubai possesses two ballrooms, both of which are perfect for any bride. Here’s what we love and what to watch out for.
The High Ceilings
We all love a ceiling that extends to the heavens, and even more so when typical wedding décor requires installations that suit the theme. In this ballroom you’ll find ample ceiling room to design and ornament as you wish.
The Neutral Carpet Colour
While this may seem like a manageable detail, it really does involve many hours to revamp the preexisting carpet colour of a venue to match a specific style. However, the light colour of The Grand Hyatt’s ballroom complements nearly all bridal colour palettes, unless you specifically require It covered to suit your Kosha design.
Large LED Screens
The pre-existing LED screens of The Grandy Hyatt Dubai’s ballrooms are the perfect size for weddings, which ensure you don’t face the additional (and quite expensive) charge of bringing in your own custom screens.
Separate Entrances + Ample Room
Both of these ballrooms possess ample entrance spaces that can be designed to suit your needs. Be it a mobile security booth, perfume table or guest lounge, and are also accessible through their own entrances from the hotels exterior. Which is a superior advantage to the guests.
The Bridal Room
This room is located right above the ballroom and as any former bride can attest, it makes all the difference in the world. The large space comes equipped with a makeup room complete with perfect lighting and mirrors that can gloriously capture your preparation process along with secondary room that possesses white walls and golden pillars; perfect for couple photographs. And, just when you thought it didn’t get any better, there’s swift access to the ballroom via an elegant private elevator. Although this room will set you back around AED 6000, we can guarantee from experience that it is well worth the price tag.
In the event that you don’t opt for The Bridal Room, the bridal suites are located on the highest floors of the hotel, the walk from which will take you approximately ten to twelve minutes to reach the ballroom along a space that isn’t ideal for photoshoots.
We warn you, this location is only for the bride that’s looking to host a goliath wedding, and yes, by that we mean BIG, BIG, BIG! The largest of our ballroom options definitely has its perks such as being located in the heart of Dubai. However, there are severe disadvantages to this particular venue such as:-
The Space
These halls are made for exhibitions meaning that there is absolutely no wedding friendly décor or design details (i.e carpeting, walls, finished ceilings, etc) that can be incorporated into your aesthetic and unless you use an exorbitant sum of money to redecorate, be prepared to have your kosha with an industrial ceiling atop it.
Bridal Room
An incredibly small space that will leave you with little to no room to maneuver while your photographers will definitely encounter a slew of issues trying to capture the moment due to the stark space and lack of light.
Photoshoot Space
There is no segregated photoshoot space or areas, meaning the only viable option is to have a section of the hall separated for this particular purpose. However, your photography team will once more be faced with the difficult task of capturing the best images of your special day as there is no natural light, meaning the images will have a studio finish, which is not ideal.
Parking
From previous experience we’ve noted that parking along with heavy security can be quite an issue. The limitation of your various teams or inconveniences to your guests will ultimately put a damper on your special day.
However, in the event that space is your ultimate goal and you find a way to maneuver around all of these factors, then we recommend booking a room at The Ritz located a mere 10 minutes from the venue. There, you’ll be able to do your pre-wedding photography with the perfect background and aesthetic before heading to the ballroom.
This hotel is another favourite of our brides (and the Dialight Team) because it possesses not just one, but two ballrooms. One, named Astor is located within the hotel itself, while the second; Al Joud, has a separate entrance from the hotel. Here’s what’s to love and what to be aware of at Al Habtoor Palace.
Ballroom Design
Both ballrooms are affixed with a wedding friendly look and feel which means less investment spent having to cover floors and ceilings. Al Joud (the larger ballroom) is known to also be used for Kosha.
Common Areas
While most hotels charge hefty sums for on location photography permits, Al Habtoor Palace offers its common areas (that include a palatial staircase) free of charge for wedding parties consisting of mixed groups.
The Bridal Room
The larger ballroom (Al Joud) has its bridal room located directly above the ballroom and is easily accessible by a private elevator which makes it supremely convenient. However, the room is also smaller in size meaning if your wedding dress is exorbitantly grand there is little to no space for it in the room, much less a team of photographers. Brides who have a more minimalistic style of dress will decidedly find this room more suitable.
Alternative Rooms
However, if your dream wedding involves a wedding dress of epic proportions look no further than suites of Al Habtoor Palace itself that possess larger dining areas where your hair and makeup team have ample room to do their jobs and your photo-squad (aka US) can capture stunning imagery in a picture-perfect setting. The one disadvantage is that it may take you up to fifteen minutes to move between the ballroom and your suite unless your driver picks you up from the hotel’s lobby and moves you to the ballroom.
The Location
The geographical positioning of Al Habtoor Palace can be a bit confusing, however some quick GPS-maneuvering will have your sorted.
Now, here us out. While Sharjah may not be the prime location for all brides, we know quite a few that have hosted wonderful weddings in this particular location.
Here’s what to love and what’s problematic.
Two Ballrooms
Two equally beautiful ballrooms of different sizes with separate entrances.
Neutral Colour
The neutral colour of both ballrooms means there needn’t be any additional expenditure to cover floors or ceilings.
The Space
There is ample room in the ballrooms and service corridors to suit all your needs, which makes it easier to decide from which side you would like to do the Zaffa. In addition, The Bridal Room of Al Jawaher Convention Center is spectacularly large enough for shoots and comes with its own private garden, which is an extra-bonus for brides looking to capture some great imagery in privacy utilizing natural sunlight.
Restrictions
No venue is without its restrictions however at Al Jawaher Convention Center has a limitation on the maximum number of real candles being used and this may warrant a discussion with your Kosha designer. Elsewhere strict security and a bridal assistant from the venue can prove to be a little problematic for your team members to move about.
We hope you’ve found this article helpful. Make sure to follow us on dialight.me for live updates, stories and behind the scenes of all things wedding.
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