Dance Lessons at Arthur Murray Dance Studio Dubai

This weekend has been awesome. MW and I took a stand-up paddle board lesson with Surf Shop Dubai on Thursday, which rocked. We got an incredible tour around the Burj Al Arab and spent an hour and a half paddling around the Dubai coast in perfect weather. The only downside was that I left the camera at home so we relied on the couple in our group to take photos and send them to us. Nothing yet but I'm still hoping to see them in my inbox soon!


Another fun thing we got to do this weekend, and yes it's wedding related, is take a private dance lesson at Arthur Murray Dance Studio in Souk Al Bahr at Dubai Mall. Arthur Murray has studios all over the world and offers lessons in an impressive variety of ballroom dance styles. We did a forty-five minute session and got to learn the Foxtrot, the Waltz, some Salsa, the Merengue, the Tango and a few basic dancing moves. It was an extremely productive lesson and I don't doubt that they could help us prepare an incredible first dance. Our introductory lesson was only $30.00, but actual lessons run much higher. I'm not sure on pricing within the United States, but here's what we were offered here in Dubai...


Location: Dubai, UAE
Venue: Arthur Murray Dance Studio
Product/Service: 10 private dance lessons at 45 minutes each
Price: $889.00
Verdict: Waaay too steep for our student budgets, but SO much fun!


Tip to Save for the Budget-Savvy Bride: If you're interested in taking ballroom dancing lessons but are worried that it won't be affordable, consider re-arranging the wedding budget. Spending two hundred dollars less on four aspects of the wedding would pay for 10 ballroom dancing lessons, experiences that will last a lifetime. It may sound tough but opting not to put sashes on 100 chairs, at $2.00 each would save you $200.00. Choosing to serve chicken instead of beef can easily save you $4.00 per plate. If you have 100 guests thats $400.00 in savings. There are dozens of ways to save without compromising quality. 


If $900.00 sounds completely ridiculous to you, then consider buying a DVD from an online store like this one, which would only run you around $30.00. Other options include; taking a group class at a local community center or hiring someone who knows how to dance to give you lessons at home. Either way, dance lessons are a must if you're a couple who likes to have fun. As for MW and I, nothing will stop us from being able to move it better than anyone on Dancing With the Stars. Now if only I could figure out where Julianne Hough gets her outfits from...

Real Dubai Engagement Party: Dina & Ahmed

I am so excited to share our first real event on BrideByYourSide! Today we have Dina & Ahmed's intimate engagement party at Raffles Hotel in Dubai. Keep reading to see Dina's advice on planning for future brides.

"Raffles Hotel in Dubai has a gorgeous view of the Dubai skyline from their pool deck. I think the important part of picking a location is if you can see your magical moment happening right then and there, then that’s the place for you. I venue hunted all over Dubai and nothing made me feel more sure than standing up on that pool deck months before. The lighting was exactly what I had hoped for.

I worked with the hotel to choose the cake design and flavor (vanilla caramel) which turned out absolutely delicious. The pastry chef at the hotel is very well known for his cakes and pastries, and with a good price, I went with the hotel chef on this one. Initially we wanted 50 guests but the number went up by the time the engagement party came around. Advice in this aspect: always expect no-shows.  And remember to review your guest list more than once.

Originally we were going to put together a playlist of songs and keep it playing throughout, since the event was more of a dinner. But in the middle of getting things ready, there was no time to approve an entire list of music so we hired a DJ. Live entertainment can be pricey, and the last thing you want to do in the middle of constant preparations is sit down and pick out four or five hours worth of music for your special day. Get someone to do it for you to make sure there isn’t a silent moment.Flowers at hotels can be crazy expensive, so I went to a local vendor in Sharjah (Note to those planning events in the UAE: Sharjah vendors are always cheaper and more than willing to come to Dubai. Don’t underestimate them). They had a sample centerpiece done for me from ideas I got online and voila! I had my flowers! Beautiful blue hydrangeas with purple roses, spotted with baby’s breath.

My advice to future bride is, research, keep your eyes open, ask a lot of questions, and go after exactly what you want. It's your special day and you have the right to do everything you want with it. I'm picky and was ready to do what it takes to bring the image in my head to life. It was stressful, but it was worth every minute. I wanted to feel like a Disney princess on my day and I can truly say that after all these years, Cinderella finally had nothing on me." -Dina

Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Venue: Raffles Hotel Pool Deck
Guest Count: 60 people
Florist: May Flowers
Photography: Olivier Gallaud
Cake: Raffles Hotel Pastry Chef
Dress: Jovani

Twobirds Convertible Bridesmaids Dress

I am absolutely in love with the twobirds bridesmaids dress! It allows each girl to have her own style, and it is definitely something that can be worn again and again, because you never have to wear it the same way twice!

 Alyssa Milano's bridesmaids wore twobirds at her 2009 nuptials and many non-celebrity brides are following suit.

This convertible dress comes in twenty different colors and in varying lengths. It can also be wrapped in dozens of ways, so no two bridesmaids have to look alike. This photo from their website says it all...

Although I may want to purchase one of these lovely gowns for myself someday, I don't know how I'd feel about asking my bridesmaids to purchase a $310.00 dress-- no matter how many times they could re-wear it. Fortunately, many other designers are making convertible dresses at the moment. Keep on the lookout here at BrideByYourSide for a post on how to get your hands on a convertible dress for less. 

Item: Twobirds Convertable Bridesmaids Dress

Price: $310.00 for the long version & $270.00 for the short version

Verdict: Lovely, but pricey! Hmm.. Does it come in white?

How to Become a Budget-Savvy Bride (Tips 1-5)

Planning a wedding can be the most exciting, romantic and enjoyable time of your life-- it certainly has been for me, but it can also put you and your husband-to-be in debt from the get-go. The average cost of a wedding in the United States is $24, 066. Let me repeat that. Twenty Four Thousand and Sixty Six dollars. And many of us will end up spending more than that.There are multitudes of ways to cut costs and still have a beautiful wedding. Follow these tips and you too can be a budget savvy bride!

Budget Bride Tip #1- Start Early!

Even before our first kiss, I knew my fiance and I would end up engaged someday. When he proposed, I was on cloud 9. I'd never been so happy. We decided to make our engagement a long one in order to have a little more stability before we settle down. This has worked out wonderfully as far as wedding planning goes because I feel very little pressure to get things done 'in time'. We have years to organize everything, but I've already done the bulk of the planning. I've  made more lists than you can imagine, and thought through every detail that can be done in advance. 

Not only will this greatly reduce the level of stress the week of the wedding, but it will also greatly reduce the cost. If you have plenty of time to plan then you can wait around for semi-annual sales, buy when you happen to have coupons, and sometimes get a discount for booking early. It's never to early to save! Leaving things to the last minute often means that they will cost more.

Budget Bride Tip #2- The Comeback of Carnations (and buying in bulk).

Buying in bulk may be the most money saving trick any bride can come up with. Ordering flowers online can be more risky, because you can't sure of what you'll end up with, but if you do your research and find a place with a good reputation you should be happy with what you get. It's extremely easy to make centerpieces and bouquets on your own, if you need help there are plenty of youtube videos to watch for instruction.

I understand the stigma that goes with carnations ("oh, they're so cheap looking"), but carnations are making a serious comeback these days! Check out these centerpieces made entirely out of, you guessed it, carnations! A budget-savvy bride could save a bundle from using carnations instead of a more expensive peony or hydrangea.

Budget Bride Tip #3- DIY (duh!)

There couldn't be a more obvious way to save money, do-it-yourself! Don't try to do everything on your own, that will just lead to stress-- but taking one or two large tasks and leaving the rest to professionals is often manageable. Never underestimate yourself. If you can bake a cake, then you can bake a wedding cake (assuming you want a simple design). If you can use a computer and printer, then you can make your own invitations. Although your budget may be tight, the sky is the limit when it comes to creativity ladies!

Budget Bride Tip #4- Get a Planner

Having a wedding planner may seem like a luxury that a budget-savvy bride cannot afford, but the truth is that the right planner will be able to help you score discounts by using vendors that work often with him or her. A planner will also be able to give advice on where to buy the cheapest (fill in the blank)-- but most importantly they will help keep you on budget!

Budget Bride Tip #5- Timing is Everything

Consider having your ceremony in the morning, followed by a brunch or lunch reception. This will save you some serious cash simply because you won't have to serve a full dinner, and no one will expect a full bar at one in the afternoon. Baby quiche appetizers and belgian waffles are delicious and cost no where near the price of king shrimp appetizers and filet mignon! If the reception finishes by four o' clock, then you can even have an after party and still come in under budget. Check out these baby blueberry pancake apps! Adorable and delicious.

Check back in for Budget-Savvy Bride Tips 6-10 later this week! 

Happy planning ladies!

PostSecret on Weddings

I love PostSecret! And I love weddings. So today I've decided to gather some wedding secrets and share them with you. Enjoy!

Florida Wedding Venues

MW and I decided on Florida for our wedding for a few reasons. One of the major contributing factors was that it's a place where people can come for our wedding and a great vacation. Our guests can visit Disney World, Florida Beaches, NASA, Universal Studios, Sea World and many more interesting places.


Last summer I visited the Royal Crest Room in St.Cloud. It looks like an excellent venue, and the prices are extremely competitive. Jamie, the woman who showed my mom and I around, was friendly and answered all of our questions. Here are some photos...

Another venue that I'd like to see on my trip to FL this summer is Casa Feliz. Arthur's Catering is the exclusive caterer for Casa Feliz, and is said to be the absolute best in FL. I will definitely have to check it out. It looks incredible in photos.

Diamond Fell Out of Engagement Ring

No, it's not an old wives tale or made up horror story. It's real. Diamonds fall out of engagement rings. It's a curse in my family-- my grandmother lost her diamond and never found it. My mother lost her diamond (that belonged to her grandmother) and never found it. My cousin's fate was the same and last summer, after getting out of the swimming pool with a friend, I looked down and saw a site similar to this on my finger...

Luckily, I found my diamond and immediately got it put back. Actually, I had the entire head replaced with a six pronged-head because I was convinced that four wasn't enough to ensure that it would never fall out again. The woman who fixed it told me to go once a year and have all the prongs checked and that if any feel sharp or snag on clothing it means they need fixing. Trust me, it can happen! So take care of those prongs ladies...

Click here to learn about Engagement Ring Insurance.