It’s not unexpected that brides-to-be are constantly fielding questions, hearing opinions and making decisions about their wedding ceremonies. With six months to go for my own nuptials – a rather short time when it comes to desi wedding planning – it seems it’s all anyone wants to talk to me about. Despite being mentally prepared, I was taken aback by the nature of some of these conversations, specifically the ones that are hyper-focused on the social media savviness of the ceremony.
What’s your wedding hashtag going to be, asked one well-meaning friend. Have you sorted your WhatsApp invitation, inquired another, while a third wanted to know if I was going with the event planner that everyone had been obsessing about on Instagram.
Not big on social media, I passed off these and other questions as trends that are just not for me. It was only when I realised that most people around me expected me to follow these fads and reacted rather oddly when I said I didn’t want a hashtag, or that I wanted to celebrate differently from the norm, that I realised the kind of pressure that’s been built around having the perfect wedding – and, more importantly, showing it off to the world.
What does a social media-savvy wedding look like?
From invitations that take the form of a YouTube video to decor that’s doing the rounds on the feeds of influencers, these ceremonies are an attempt to attract and impress as many people as possible.
I miss out on clients when I tell them that I won't be consistently posting their videos, taken from a phone camera on our Instagram feed as a live telecast
Fatima Arif,
photographer
Wedding hashtags, now a popular concept where the couple’s names are melded to create a carefully curated hashtag, allow followers from anywhere to keep up with the proceedings. Weeks after the wedding, pictures and videos are posted by everyone involved, from the photographer to the dress designer and make-up artist, so the social media hype continues long after the event itself is over.
The most well-liked or popular coverage is often reposted on lifestyle portals and fashion round-up lists, affording the bride and groom a level of celebrity status. Fatima Arif, founder of Fatima Arif Photography, says she’s seen many couples using their accounts and the response to their wedding as a way of turning to blogging or fast-tracking their way to becoming an influencer.
Couples feeling the heat
This is not to say that such weddings are for everyone. Nida Sheikh, a bride-to-be who is in the midst of planning her wedding next year, believes social media weddings are curated primarily to garner more likes and attract more followers.
“I would advise couples not to be taken aback by the pressure. It’s only a small part of society that indulges in extravagant weddings and those are the ones that are covered on social media. There are many simple and intimate events that take place, but get no online coverage because the content is not deemed appealing to a wider audience.”
While Sheikh may be right in saying many weddings fly under the radar, the perceptions created on social media are quite different, making couples think that everyone else is doing it and they need to as well. The desire to ape what we see online can end up making a wedding less about individuality and more about being part of a competition.
For those who want to see these events being carried out on such grand scales but can’t afford to do the same, the experience of planning a wedding can get quite painful
Zoreed Raza,
founder, La Celebrators event planning company
Neha Raheel, an educational consultant who got married three and a half years ago, says that the constant sharing on social media has accelerated an already-consumerist culture and that much of social media marketing is often targeted at brides or women attending weddings. Through a collaboration of photographers, event planners, caterers and others, the couple and their family members end up putting on a show akin to a Bollywood production.
“There’s this pressure of going to a wedding and then not being able to repeat clothes, because you posted about them. Weight loss ads and crash diets are also directed towards brides. The pressure of uploading stories and the warped body image expectations that social media creates plays a huge role in adding to this,” says Raheel.
Arif says her own choices to use social media sparingly have lost her potential business. “I miss out on clients when I tell them that I won't be consistently posting their videos taken from a phone camera on our Instagram feed as a live telecast,” says the photographer.
Arif says that the pressure of promoting a ceremony on social media can often take a toll on a couple’s experience of their big day. “They spend more time worrying about how to be the next big thing instead of enjoying the process,” says Arif. However, she adds that this doesn’t apply to all her clients; there are many who prefer their images not be shared online, including brides who wear the abaya or niqab and do not want to be seen on public portals.
On the brand bandwagon
Another outcome of highly publicised weddings is the birth of overwhelming options when it comes to clothes and accessories.
Raheel says that there were several moments during the course of her wedding planning when she was left overwhelmed about what to buy and what to wear. She recalls a conversation about her decision to wear flower jewellery at her henna function, with someone asking her which designer her jewellery would be from.
“I didn’t even realise that flower jewellery was associated with brand names. I assumed I would get mine from a local flower vendor. The idea that even something as simple accessories made from fresh flowers were branded was a shocking revelation of how obsessed with big names everyone has become.”
People are experimenting, they do not want typical weddings any more
Sahar Sheikh,
wedding planner
Zoreed Raza, founder of event planning company La Celebrators, says her 22 years of experience in the wedding planning business have taught her there’s a lot more to a good event than only being the most expensive or copying the latest trends. Raza says that while she implemented more original ideas earlier in her career, now she mostly gets clients who bring her pictures of social media references that they want copied, as is.
She cautions that following trends is not necessarily an easy task, be it due to economic pressure or social expectations. “For those who want to see these events being carried out on such grand scales but can’t afford to do the same, the experience of planning a wedding can get quite painful.”
Sonya Barlow, founder of global social enterprise LMF Network, agrees. “Personally, I find social media and wedding planning using platforms like Pinterest and Instagram quite toxic. Many ideas are difficult to implement, and there are a lot of expectations, either from yourself, friends, family or people around you, so you want to make sure you are seen in a certain way,” she says.
Riding the wave
Equally, there are some planners who excel at meeting a couple’s social media expectations without allowing the pressure to get to them. Sahar Sheikh, founder of Purple Parrot Events, says she’s enjoying the ride in an industry she feels is still quite new and has been made evermore accessible by social media.
The event planner may have been in the business for only five years, but was quick to use her social media-savvy nature and understanding of modern communication to understand that platforms can be a very effective tool when used in the right way.
That said, Sheikh does feel that an overload of information and outside influences have left us at risk of losing touch with traditions such as the doodh pilai (drinking milk) and joota chupai (hiding shoes) ceremonies. But as an event planner, she sees this coming together of old and new as a challenge, one that she revels in resolving.
“Everything about weddings has changed. People are experimenting, they do not want typical weddings any more,” she says. “In the end, couples should remember their wedding is the time they are the centre of importance. You need to be happy on your wedding day, not worry about it, so make your decisions accordingly. If you are enjoying it, everything does come together.”
What is a robo-adviser?
Robo-advisers use an online sign-up process to gauge an investor’s risk tolerance by feeding information such as their age, income, saving goals and investment history into an algorithm, which then assigns them an investment portfolio, ranging from more conservative to higher risk ones.
These portfolios are made up of exchange traded funds (ETFs) with exposure to indices such as US and global equities, fixed-income products like bonds, though exposure to real estate, commodity ETFs or gold is also possible.
Investing in ETFs allows robo-advisers to offer fees far lower than traditional investments, such as actively managed mutual funds bought through a bank or broker. Investors can buy ETFs directly via a brokerage, but with robo-advisers they benefit from investment portfolios matched to their risk tolerance as well as being user friendly.
Many robo-advisers charge what are called wrap fees, meaning there are no additional fees such as subscription or withdrawal fees, success fees or fees for rebalancing.
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Washmen Profile
Date Started: May 2015
Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Laundry
Employees: 170
Funding: about $8m
Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures
Read more about the coronavirus
Karwaan
Producer: Ronnie Screwvala
Director: Akarsh Khurana
Starring: Irrfan Khan, Dulquer Salmaan, Mithila Palkar
Rating: 4/5
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPowertrain%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle%20electric%20motor%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E201hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E310Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E53kWh%20lithium-ion%20battery%20pack%20(GS%20base%20model)%3B%2070kWh%20battery%20pack%20(GF)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETouring%20range%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E350km%20(GS)%3B%20480km%20(GF)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh129%2C900%20(GS)%3B%20Dh149%2C000%20(GF)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
De De Pyaar De
Produced: Luv Films, YRF Films
Directed: Akiv Ali
Cast: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Rakul Preet Singh, Jimmy Sheirgill, Jaaved Jaffrey
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
The Bio
Amal likes watching Japanese animation movies and Manga - her favourite is The Ancient Magus Bride
She is the eldest of 11 children, and has four brothers and six sisters.
Her dream is to meet with all of her friends online from around the world who supported her work throughout the years
Her favourite meal is pizza and stuffed vine leaves
She ams to improve her English and learn Japanese, which many animated programmes originate in
The biog
Job: Fitness entrepreneur, body-builder and trainer
Favourite superhero: Batman
Favourite quote: We must become the change we want to see, by Mahatma Gandhi.
Favourite car: Lamborghini
Five healthy carbs and how to eat them
Brown rice: consume an amount that fits in the palm of your hand
Non-starchy vegetables, such as broccoli: consume raw or at low temperatures, and don’t reheat
Oatmeal: look out for pure whole oat grains or kernels, which are locally grown and packaged; avoid those that have travelled from afar
Fruit: a medium bowl a day and no more, and never fruit juices
Lentils and lentil pasta: soak these well and cook them at a low temperature; refrain from eating highly processed pasta variants
Courtesy Roma Megchiani, functional nutritionist at Dubai’s 77 Veggie Boutique
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Power: 110 horsepower
Torque: 147Nm
Price: From Dh59,700
On sale: now
Name: Peter Dicce
Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics
Favourite sport: soccer
Favourite team: Bayern Munich
Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer
Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates
Tips from the expert
Dobromir Radichkov, chief data officer at dubizzle and Bayut, offers a few tips for UAE residents looking to earn some cash from pre-loved items.
- Sellers should focus on providing high-quality used goods at attractive prices to buyers.
- It’s important to use clear and appealing photos, with catchy titles and detailed descriptions to capture the attention of prospective buyers.
- Try to advertise a realistic price to attract buyers looking for good deals, especially in the current environment where consumers are significantly more price-sensitive.
- Be creative and look around your home for valuable items that you no longer need but might be useful to others.
Health Valley
Founded in 2002 and set up as a foundation in 2006, Health Valley has been an innovation in healthcare for more than 10 years in Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
It serves as a place where companies, businesses, universities, healthcare providers and government agencies can collaborate, offering a platform where they can connect and work together on healthcare innovation.
Its partners work on technological innovation, new forms of diagnostics and other methods to make a difference in healthcare.
Its agency consists of eight people, four innovation managers and office managers, two communication advisers and one director. It gives innovation support to businesses and other parties in its network like a broker, connecting people with the right organisation to help them further
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Twin%20electric%20motors%20and%20105kWh%20battery%20pack%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E619hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E1%2C015Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETouring%20range%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EUp%20to%20561km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EQ3%20or%20Q4%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh635%2C000%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
STAR%20WARS%20JEDI%3A%20SURVIVOR
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDeveloper%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Respawn%20Entertainment%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Electronic%20Arts%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EConsoles%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20PC%2C%20Playstation%205%2C%20Xbox%20Series%20X%20and%20S%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Saturday
West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur (3.30pm)
Burnley v Huddersfield Town (7pm)
Everton v Bournemouth (7pm)
Manchester City v Crystal Palace (7pm)
Southampton v Manchester United (7pm)
Stoke City v Chelsea (7pm)
Swansea City v Watford (7pm)
Leicester City v Liverpool (8.30pm)
Sunday
Brighton and Hove Albion v Newcastle United (7pm)
Monday
Arsenal v West Bromwich Albion (11pm)
Turkish Ladies
Various artists, Sony Music Turkey
Porsche Macan T: The Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 265hp from 5,000-6,500rpm
Torque: 400Nm from 1,800-4,500rpm
Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch auto
Speed: 0-100kph in 6.2sec
Top speed: 232kph
Fuel consumption: 10.7L/100km
On sale: May or June
Price: From Dh259,900
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
World Cricket League Division 2
In Windhoek, Namibia - Top two teams qualify for the World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe, which starts on March 4.
UAE fixtures
Thursday February 8, v Kenya; Friday February 9, v Canada; Sunday February 11, v Nepal; Monday February 12, v Oman; Wednesday February 14, v Namibia; Thursday February 15, final
ENGLAND TEAM
Alastair Cook, Mark Stoneman, James Vince, Joe Root (captain), Dawid Malan, Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Craig Overton, Stuart Broad, James Anderson
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Floward%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERiyadh%2C%20Saudi%20Arabia%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAbdulaziz%20Al%20Loughani%20and%20Mohamed%20Al%20Arifi%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EE-commerce%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETotal%20funding%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAbout%20%24200%20million%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAljazira%20Capital%2C%20Rainwater%20Partners%2C%20STV%20and%20Impact46%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E1%2C200%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
ILT20%20UAE%20stars
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Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
FIXTURES
All games 6pm UAE on Sunday:
Arsenal v Watford
Burnley v Brighton
Chelsea v Wolves
Crystal Palace v Tottenham
Everton v Bournemouth
Leicester v Man United
Man City v Norwich
Newcastle v Liverpool
Southampton v Sheffield United
West Ham v Aston Villa
GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5