The Cost of Wedding Dresses Across the MENA Region

In addition of being the “time of plans and projects”, to paraphrase Leo Tolstoy in Anna Karenina, spring – or more accurately, late spring and its mostly friendly weather – also kick-starts wedding season in many countries. While traditions may vary from one part of the world to the other, one constant remains: whether it’s bought or rented for the night, the wedding dress is generally the highlight of the ceremony, as well as the party that follows and/or precedes it – depending on tradition. The same logic applies in the MENA region, whether it is in the Levant, the GCC or North Africa, and whether or not the bride has adopted a modern or more traditional style.

Small weddings gaining popularity

The spring wedding trend remains, even if some habits have indeed changed following the outbreak of the pandemic in 2020. “We’ve noticed that people began spending less on their wedding dress given the fact that with Covid restrictions, big weddings were no longer a thing” explains Kristie Romanos, Creative Director  at  Esposa Group, a bridal shop franchise founded in 1987 by the Romanos family and established in both Lebanon (Beirut and Dbayeh) and the UAE (Dubai). “And with small weddings gaining popularity, simple and minimalist wedding dresses have become trendy and in demand,” she adds.

A quick look on social media and bridal shop websites confirms that the price ranges for wedding dresses can vary considerably depending on the country, and sometimes between different regions in the same country. “Generally speaking, the value of a wedding dress is determined first of all by its brand. Every dress’s value can be different depending on the type of fabrics used, the embellishments incorporated and the types of beads and sequins sewn in,” says Romanos of the GCC and the wider Middle East markets.