After an unavoidable slump last year as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, 2021 is shaping up to be the year of the comeback wedding – even if a little smaller than planned.
As global lockdowns were enforced in 2020, thousands of people were forced to put their weddings on hold.
People lost large deposits, scrapped guest lists and cancelled or downsized their ceremonies – some even got hitched on Zoom.
But as the economy shifts into rebound mode and nations push forward with vaccination campaigns, a wedding boom is on the horizon.
I'm getting a lot of couples looking to get married the end of this year or beginning of 2022. They are using the wedding not only as a celebration but also as a reunion party
Wedding planners are rescheduling again and many couples have set new dates for their big day.
Natalie Hodgson, founder of Dream Asia Wedding, a destination wedding service, said enquiries had picked up over the past month.
"I've been getting a lot of organic enquiries for couples looking to get married at the end of this year or beginning of 2022," she told The National.
“I’m finding that they are using the wedding not only as a celebration of getting married but also as a reunion party.
“Most couples will have friends and family gathering from around the world, but with the travel restrictions in place most haven’t seen people for a long time.”
She said she has had interest in bookings for big getaways to places such as Thailand and the Seychelles.
And because people have not travelled abroad for so long, couples were able to "save more and in turn have more disposable income for big celebrations".
With her nuptials rapidly approaching, bride-to-be Angeline D'Souza, 45, is scheduled to exchange vows with her fiance on May 22.
The couple had originally set dates for November last year and February this year, but had to postpone both because of travel and guest-capacity restrictions.
“We got engaged in December 2019 and decided to wait a few months to make concrete plans,” the banking executive said.
“Then bang, March 2020 struck. Planning was so tough because I’m from India and my partner is from the UK and we wanted two ceremonies in both countries, but the travel restrictions just made that impossible.
“We rescheduled for February this year but in December the new Covid-19 variant was announced and not long after the UAE was put on the UK travel red list.
"A raft of new health and safety restrictions were also introduced which meant we couldn't have as many guests at our wedding as we hoped."
Not wishing to force family members to hotel quarantine if they did travel overseas, the couple settled on a date in May.
“Planning has been tough but we are remaining positive that all will go ahead for May,” she said.
“I had booked hotel accommodation for my family members who were due to visit in February, but I had managed to save my deposit by switching the dates.”
The National spoke to a number of hotels in Dubai that said deposits for venues or catering packages could be transferred to new dates if couples have to reschedule because of issues related to Covid-19. The majority requested a three-month notice period for date changes.
At the start of the year, Makenzie Landeros, 24, got engaged to her partner Taz Kheriwala, 28.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding Covid-19, they are planning to say “I do” in January next year.
“Taz is Indian and I am from the US. Traditionally, Indian weddings last several days but we have decided to cut it to two days, the first being the western celebration and the second an Indian one, so we are cutting back,” said Ms Landeros, owner of an entertainment company in Dubai.
“Taz wants to do the ceremony in Bali and I want to do it here in Dubai.
“My main concern is that Bali is still closed due to corona and it will be difficult trying to plan and pay for things from afar.
“We did think about putting it off for later next year but decided against it.
“Planning isn’t straightforward. If we are talking to venues we have to be conscious that they are flexible with things like deposits, just in case we do have to reschedule.”
In October, Dubai's government declared wedding receptions of up to 200 people would be permitted, opening up the opportunity for newlyweds to celebrate with a larger group of friends and family.
But in January, Dubai’s disaster committee issued a new decision for weddings, social events and private parties.
The guest capacity for weddings was reduced to 10 people and was limited to only first-degree relatives.
Rhiannon Downie-Hurst, founder of brideclubme.com, a wedding website, said her business is still affected by the pandemic, so she has had to find ways to adapt and evolve.
“There has been a definite increase in demand for smaller, more intimate wedding spaces and off-the-beaten-track venues,” she said.
“Due to the number of restrictions [that remain], yes, guest numbers have been a lot smaller.
“It is much easier for, say, British expats to organise and arrange smaller weddings, than, say, Indian destination-wedding couples, who tend to have a three-day wedding event with hundreds and sometimes thousands of guests in attendance.
“We have noticed that for Indian and Arab couples, many have been moving their weddings over to Ras Al Khaimah, as up until recently they were allowing any number of guests, so long as it was capped at 50 per cent capacity of the venue.”
In terms of destinations popular with Dubai couples, Ms Downie-Hurst said the Seychelles was been a top choice for those wanting to elope or have a "small and legal beach wedding".
Georgia also recently opened up and is a popular choice, because flights are only a few hours long.
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England squad
Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Dominic Bess, James Bracey, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Ben Foakes, Lewis Gregory, Keaton Jennings, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Saqib Mahmood, Craig Overton, Jamie Overton, Matthew Parkinson, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Dom Sibley, Ben Stokes, Olly Stone, Amar Virdi, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood
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Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
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Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
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Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
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Generational responses to the pandemic
Devesh Mamtani from Century Financial believes the cash-hoarding tendency of each generation is influenced by what stage of the employment cycle they are in. He offers the following insights:
Baby boomers (those born before 1964): Owing to market uncertainty and the need to survive amid competition, many in this generation are looking for options to hoard more cash and increase their overall savings/investments towards risk-free assets.
Generation X (born between 1965 and 1980): Gen X is currently in its prime working years. With their personal and family finances taking a hit, Generation X is looking at multiple options, including taking out short-term loan facilities with competitive interest rates instead of dipping into their savings account.
Millennials (born between 1981 and 1996): This market situation is giving them a valuable lesson about investing early. Many millennials who had previously not saved or invested are looking to start doing so now.
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
RESULTS
Bantamweight title:
Vinicius de Oliveira (BRA) bt Xavier Alaoui (MAR)
(KO round 2)
Catchweight 68kg:
Sean Soriano (USA) bt Noad Lahat (ISR)
(TKO round 1)
Middleweight:
Denis Tiuliulin (RUS) bt Juscelino Ferreira (BRA)
(TKO round 1)
Lightweight:
Anas Siraj Mounir (MAR) bt Joachim Tollefsen (DEN)
(Unanimous decision)
Catchweight 68kg:
Austin Arnett (USA) bt Daniel Vega (MEX)
(TKO round 3)
Lightweight:
Carrington Banks (USA) bt Marcio Andrade (BRA)
(Unanimous decision)
Catchweight 58kg:
Corinne Laframboise (CAN) bt Malin Hermansson (SWE)
(Submission round 2)
Bantamweight:
Jalal Al Daaja (CAN) bt Juares Dea (CMR)
(Split decision)
Middleweight:
Mohamad Osseili (LEB) bt Ivan Slynko (UKR)
(TKO round 1)
Featherweight:
Tarun Grigoryan (ARM) bt Islam Makhamadjanov (UZB)
(Unanimous decision)
Catchweight 54kg:
Mariagiovanna Vai (ITA) bt Daniella Shutov (ISR)
(Submission round 1)
Middleweight:
Joan Arastey (ESP) bt Omran Chaaban (LEB)
(Unanimous decision)
Welterweight:
Bruno Carvalho (POR) bt Souhil Tahiri (ALG)
(TKO)
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
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World Cup warm up matches
May 24 Pakistan v Afghanistan, Bristol; Sri Lanka v South Africa, Cardiff
May 25 England v Australia, Southampton; India v New Zealand, The Oval
May 26 South Africa v West Indies, Bristol; Pakistan v Bangladesh, Cardiff
May 27 Australia v Sri Lanka, Southampton; England v Afghanistan, The Oval
May 28 West Indies v New Zealand, Bristol; Bangladesh v India, Cardiff
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Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
