Whilst wedding traditions vary from country to country, there’s one thing all Arab weddings have in common: extravagance.
Whether in the Levant or the Khaleej, fairy-tale weddings have basically become a phenomenon. So much so that one Instagram page, @lebaneseweddings garnered 1.2 million followers trailing the region’s most lavish celebrations.
From flowers and man-made clouds to holographs and haute couture, here are some of our all-time favourite Arab weddings, where no expense was spared.
The Ultimate Elie Saab Bride
https://www.instagram.com/p/B0-n5T2naAg/
What happens when your father-in-law is Elie Saab? You get not one, but two of his haute couture gowns to wear on your wedding day. Not to mention an A-list guest list that includes everyone from Haifa Wehbeh to Elissa.
A Celebration of Two Religions
https://www.instagram.com/p/B2Oa2uinN27/
What better way to celebrate the union of two religions than church bells ringing in harmony with the Muslim call to prayer?
On Cloud 9, Literally.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CElvVr7APXO/
This wedding practically transported all their guests to the skies, with ultra-realistic man-made clouds soaring above the reception. What says heaven on earth quite like this?
Parisian Perfect
https://www.instagram.com/p/CGjulMjgC6f/
Shoe designer Andrea Wazen just marked two years since tying the knot with her husband in a stunning celebration in Paris. The extravagant wedding carried the theme of ‘Le Theatre du Merveilleux’ (Theatre of Wonders), and even included a full-sized carousel.
A Three-Day Royal Affair
This royal couple said ‘I do’ in Istanbul’s Çırağan Palace in 2013. Of course, one day simply was not enough to revel into their romance, and so the festivities went on for three full days, where world leaders and Arab celebrities dined and danced.
Pink Paradise
https://www.instagram.com/p/CDPj0jHguxU/
Because mountains of flowers and a man-made waterfall weren’t enough, this wedding’s guests were seated over glass floors, over a river streaming underneath the breath-taking venue in Qatar.
Holographic Garden
https://www.instagram.com/p/BTombDUlEcV/
Designed to transport its guests to the future, this astonishing 7,000 square metre venue in Dubai was transformed into a mystical garden, complete with holographic arches sprawling across the entire setting.
Chandelier Craze
https://www.instagram.com/p/CFHu5VjgLi3/
Whilst remaining classic and sophisticated, this extravagant wedding in Riyadh pulled all the stops. With fountains and florals covering the entirety of the venue, the couple danced the night away under dozens of gigantic chandeliers.
