A Chit Chat with Exhibition Director of BRIDE Shows, Suzy Pallett
The BRIDE shows are fun, interactive, dynamic and exciting events that Arab brides love to attend, as it helps them plan their wedding and get to know and meet wedding vendors in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
With expert ambassadors, celebrity designers and a plethora of brands BRIDE is the only event where brides-to-be can access their aspirations.
A visit to the event offers a glamourous and indulgent day of fashion, pampering and retail therapy.
BRIDE Dubai is taking place from 10 to 13 February 2016.
BRIDE Abu Dhabi is taking place from 13 to 16 April 2016.
We had the chance to ask Suzy Pallett, Exhibition Director of BRIDE a few questions about these 2 great events:
- How long has this show been running?
The BRIDE portfolio will be celebrating its 19th year in 2016, making it the longest standing show of its kind in the Middle East region.
- What inspired you to build this production?
We want to ensure that BRIDE as a brand in itself resonates with quality and meeting the needs of Brides-to-be as well as the industry. BRIDE was created long before my time at Informa Exhibitions, organisers of the event, and this is my first year as Exhibition Director but as with any brand cycle there comes a time where you have to make a change in order to service an ever changing market, fortunately with the history of BRIDE comes experience, and a sense of credibility.
BRIDE historically has been an exhibition, but from heron it will be an event. By that we mean that it will no longer just serve as a platform for retailers to meet consumers, but instead evolve as an experience that can service the industry yearlong through engaging communication platforms. We are creating an ever expanding resource of knowledge for brides-to-be, whilst the event itself becomes an indulgent day out and one where females can spoil themselves in the plethora of brands, icons and experiences.
For more informarion about BRIDE Dubai 2016 click here!
- How diverse is your show?
BRIDE is as diverse as the audiences of brides-to-be are. We are in a global region that services a range of nationalities with varying cultural differences from dresses to ceremonies. Each bride has a specific budget – what BRIDE does is create a story for each of those brides, we provide a platform that enables each bride to access their aspirations, no matter the budget or heritage.
BRIDE has reacted to a demand from future brides in the region by becoming an ongoing interactive platform that can talk to brides to be at any point within the year, not just the event days. We have reimagined our website, employed an in-house, full time digital team and have started to communicate to an eager audience.
BRIDE can now liken itself to a heavyweight magazine, full of content, celebrities, tips and industry news that spoil our female audience by culminating in a full on sensory event where the ‘magazine’ of BRIDE comes to life and females can touch, feel and experience the content for themselves.
Read more about BRIDE Abu Dhabi 2016 here!
- How effective do you find the bridal show for couples planning their wedding?
Very effective. We make sure that a couple who visits the show has everything they need under one roof. Wedding dress designers, honeymoon destinations, photographers, make-up artists... the list goes on. Also, this year we have clearly defined the different sectors meaning visitors can make the most of their time while at the show, and even plan their route before walking through the door.
- What can we expect for 2016?
2016 will set a benchmark for large scale consumer shows in the UAE. BRIDE will be the event to talk about how to create intimacy, great content, quality and growth in a large scale exhibition. The brand will develop through its content, through its outreach to consumers on a daily basis leading up to, and during, the show and through its reactiveness to demands within the industry.
The events for 2016 have an unprecedented energy, through the fashion shows, entertainment and indulgent pampering zones, all provided to make this a completely immersive experience for the visitors and a hugely exciting part of their planning. Also, for the first time ever we are having interactive mood boards, pop up couture and VIP rooms nobody will want to leave!
BRIDE doesn’t have ambitions to grow considerably in floor space because we don’t want to dilute the intimacy for each bride-to-be. The development will be in becoming a platform for brands to grow into the market, an opportunity for icons to access their followers, a nostalgic must have memory for every visiting bride to have when they think back on planning their big day. We are also in the early stages of research on geocloning BRIDE into relevant markets, enabling the brand to grow and develop whilst giving the industry a wider audience.
If you are getting married in Dubai, you will find this Weddings in Dubai section very useful, check it out!
