Dubai has risen to prominence as the premier global wedding destination, with the Middle East's wedding market valued at $4.5 billion. The UAE is particularly favored due to its superior infrastructure, renowned cuisine, and luxurious personalized services. Positioned as a central hub for bespoke wedding needs, various planners, hotels, resorts, and bridal specialists are capitalizing on the recent growth in Dubai's wedding sector.
Among these is Mary Trufel, a pioneering bridal boutique that has introduced its distinctive 'fairytale shopping experience' to Dubai with its first regional branch at City Walk. Founded in 2013 by Alexandra Meteleva and Natalia Platonova, Mary Trufel operates 12 bridal boutiques across Europe. Meteleva notes: 'The evolving trends in Dubai's wedding scene indicate a significant move towards personalized experiences and the ability to fulfill highly specialized requests. At Mary Trufel, we were founded on the desire to provide exactly that—one of the most significant, emotional, and beautiful moments in a woman's life. We have developed a special 'fairytale shopping experience' training standard to ensure a comprehensive 360-degree experience for brides-to-be.'
Their team of expert assistants not only helps in selecting the perfect dress considering the location, season, and body shape but also recommends complementary jewelry, makeup artists, photographers, performers, confectioners, and other trusted specialists to create a unique and memorable wedding day.
Capitalizing on Dubai's thriving wedding industry and leveraging their extensive retail background, Alexandra and Natalia meticulously curate a collection featuring over 20 of the world's most sought-after bridal brands. They plan to exclusively introduce Vera Wang's iconic lines to Mary Trufel in Dubai by the end of 2024. Weddings continue to be a massive global industry, worth $300 billion annually according to IBISWorld.
Laila Suhail, CEO of Strategic Alliances and Partnerships Sector at the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), recently remarked at the Dubai Wedding Symposium in March 2024: 'In line with our goal to be the world's best city to visit, live, and work in, as outlined in the D33 Agenda by our visionary leadership, we must ensure that Dubai leads in global wedding trends and creates unforgettable moments for all visitors. As part of our strategy to tap into the potentially vast destination wedding market, we collaborate closely with industry partners and stakeholders to enhance the city's diverse offerings for weddings. Focused on driving tourism growth, we will continue to utilize Dubai's status as a leading hub for destination weddings.'
