Coronavirus: Couples embrace intimate ceremonies to fulfil wedding dreams in Abu Dhabi


Ramola Talwar Badam
  • English
  • Arabic

Couples in Abu Dhabi have told how they swapped lavish wedding plans for intimate church ceremonies in order to tie the knot during a pandemic.

Weddings that often take months to carefully organise were arranged in less than two weeks after places of worship were permitted a limited opening with social distancing norms.

Three couples were married last month at St Therese Church within the St Joseph's Cathedral compound when permission was granted to conduct weddings, with five more ceremonies scheduled this month.

Guests lists have been slashed to just 10, including the bride and groom, in keeping with strict Covid-19 safety measures.

Instead of a live choir, priests have taken to playing phone recordings of the wedding march and hymns and friends have stood in for relatives who could not make it to the UAE as short half-hour ceremonies were watched via Zoom by families overseas.

Guests are required to wear masks inside church, with some exceptions such as the bride and groom when they exchange vows.

We are thankful our dream came true even in the simplest way

Laura Daher and Elie Abi Daher know they will be repeating stories for years of how they wore black and white silk masks with sequins spelling the words ‘I Do’ on August 17.

“I started crying during the ceremony because I wished all our parents were inside with us,” the 34-year-old newly wed said.

“But actually it has been memorable for us, a beautiful memory. We had so much fun and happiness even with a small ceremony.”

Ms Daher’s 66-year-old mother, who travelled from the US, and her 74-year-old father-in-law, who flew in from Lebanon, waited outside the church since safety rules at the time did not permit people over the age of 60 inside.

But the couple are overjoyed the ceremony is complete after months of uncertainty when international borders shut and large gatherings were banned to stem the spread of Covid-19.

The couple had planned to marry in Lebanon with hotel and restaurants reservations completed.

But after stay home restrictions eased and the couple heard of a spot opening in their Abu Dhabi parish, they decided to change plans.

“We checked flights for family who were able to take leave and we had to quickly book appointments, prepare the suit and dress,” said Ms Daher who works as an administrative assistant with a technology company.

“It was challenging considering the Covid-19 situation but we are thankful our dream came true even in the simplest way. This is something for us to remember as our history.”

Brides usually spend months choosing a gown and schedule multiple fittings.

Instead, Ms Daher chose a dress from photos her Sharjah-based sister-in-law sent from a boutique in the emirate.

There were some anxious moments when the gown was ready only a day before the wedding.

Covid-19 tests are required to enter Abu Dhabi and testing centres on the Abu Dhabi-Dubai border were booked up.

But a sympathetic policeman allowed her brother-in-law to take a Covid-19 test without a prior reservation.

The couple said even a toned down celebration was worth it.

“What makes it special was that we finally got married,” said Mr Daher, 37, an information technology manager.

“We were to have 200 to 250 guests in Lebanon. Honestly, it was frustrating that all our family and friends could not attend and that some could not even make it inside the church. But we had to deal with it.

“We will always remember how we got married with masks. Overall what matters is being together.”

Prescila Akl and Fady Younes had to forgo plans for fireworks, but were happy to exchange vows in a more intimate setting. Courtesy: Prescila Akl and Fady Younes
Prescila Akl and Fady Younes had to forgo plans for fireworks, but were happy to exchange vows in a more intimate setting. Courtesy: Prescila Akl and Fady Younes

Another couple Prescila Akl and Fady Younes have overcome the initial disappointment of cancelling a July wedding in Lebanon.

Ms Akl was upset for days since invitations had been distributed, her gown reserved and caterers booked.

She gradually accepted it was better not to travel overseas for the wedding and jeopardise their jobs due to quarantine guidelines and travel approvals in place at the time.

Instead of a gown embroidered with crystals she had her heart set on in Lebanon, Ms Akl purchased a classic dress online.

“We had planned a fairytale wedding in Lebanon. My parents had distributed the wedding cards, our bachelor parties were arranged, we had arranged fireworks,” said the 24-year-old who works in real estate.

"After we decided to cancel, for three days I didn't want to talk to anyone, I was in shock. But then when we got a date here, I realised it was beautiful to just get married even if it's not what we had desired.

“From 140 people, you have 10 and even if your family are not here, the purpose of all of this is to be with the one you love.”

After the August 10 wedding service attended by friends and one cousin who lives in Abu Dhabi, the couple had a small gathering at home with cup cakes, baklava and chocolates.

“We actually love this wedding even if it was small,” she said.

She does feel cheated out of the festivities and will have a celebration at home later.

“I do feel sad deep down,” she said.

“But I will advise people to please not cancel your weddings. You feel that you did something special. It is all still beautiful and something one day you will tell your children.

"Small or big, it will always be in your memory and will make you happy.”

Fr Elie El Hachem presided over both ceremonies and said the  initial disappointment of parishioners gives way to excitement on the wedding day.

“Everybody prefers to go to their country and get married with family around. But because of the corona problem the couples decided to celebrate their marriage here,” Fr Elie said.

He hoped the hymns he recorded would make up for the absence of a choir.

“There is happiness because the marriages are taking place.

“They can have a big celebration later. Now it’s important to have prayers and blessings. Life continues, life can slowly come back to normal.”

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2018 ICC World Twenty20 Asian Western Sub Regional Qualifier

Event info: The tournament in Kuwait is the first phase of the qualifying process for sides from Asia for the 2020 World T20 in Australia. The UAE must finish within the top three teams out of the six at the competition to advance to the Asia regional finals. Success at regional finals would mean progression to the World T20 Qualifier.

Teams: UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Maldives, Qatar

Friday fixtures: 9.30am (UAE time) - Kuwait v Maldives, Qatar v UAE; 3pm - Saudi Arabia v Bahrain

Ferrari 12Cilindri specs

Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12

Power: 819hp

Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm

Price: From Dh1,700,000

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Sand storm

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Dust storm

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MATCH INFO

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Watford 2 (Deulofeu 2', Gray 52')

Red card: Christian Kabasele (WatforD)

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

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Key facilities
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  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
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• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.

• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.

• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.

• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.

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Power: 435hp at 5,900rpm

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Transmission: 9-speed auto

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Tearful appearance

Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday. 

Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow. 

She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.

A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.

Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas

Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa

Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong

Rating: 3/5

Specs

Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request

Tips for used car buyers
  • Choose cars with GCC specifications
  • Get a service history for cars less than five years old
  • Don’t go cheap on the inspection
  • Check for oil leaks
  • Do a Google search on the standard problems for your car model
  • Do your due diligence. Get a transfer of ownership done at an official RTA centre
  • Check the vehicle’s condition. You don’t want to buy a car that’s a good deal but ends up costing you Dh10,000 in repairs every month
  • Validate warranty and service contracts with the relevant agency and and make sure they are valid when ownership is transferred
  • If you are planning to sell the car soon, buy one with a good resale value. The two most popular cars in the UAE are black or white in colour and other colours are harder to sell

Tarek Kabrit, chief executive of Seez, and Imad Hammad, chief executive and co-founder of CarSwitch.com

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Director: Joseph Kosinski

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The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

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Global Fungi Facts

• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

 

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Engine: 51.5kW electric motor

Range: 400km

Power: 134bhp

Torque: 175Nm

Price: From Dh98,800

Available: Now

Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
BMW M5 specs

Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor

Power: 727hp

Torque: 1,000Nm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh650,000

Normal People

Sally Rooney, Faber & Faber
 

ARSENAL IN 1977

Feb 05 Arsenal 0-0 Sunderland

Feb 12 Manchester City 1-0 Arsenal

Feb 15 Middlesbrough 3-0 Arsenal

Feb 19 Arsenal 2-3 West Ham

Feb 26 Middlesbrough 4-1 Arsenal (FA Cup)

Mar 01 Everton 2-1 Arsenal

Mar 05  Arsenal 1-4 ipswich

March 08 Arsenal 1-2 West Brom

Mar 12 QPR 2-1 Arsenal

Mar 23 Stoke 1-1 Arsenal

Apr 02  Arsenal 3-0 Leicester

 

 

Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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Leaderboard

63 - Mike Lorenzo-Vera (FRA)

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66 - Jon Rahm (ESP)

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69 - Justin Rose (ENG), Thomas Detry (BEL), Francesco Molinari (ITA), Danny Willett (ENG), Li Haotong (CHN), Matthias Schwab (AUT)

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GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900

Results

United States beat UAE by three wickets

United States beat Scotland by 35 runs

UAE v Scotland – no result

United States beat UAE by 98 runs

Scotland beat United States by four wickets

Fixtures

Sunday, 10am, ICC Academy, Dubai - UAE v Scotland

Admission is free

Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

The National Archives, Abu Dhabi

Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.

Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en

House-hunting

Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove

  1. Edinburgh, Scotland 
  2. Westminster, London 
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  4. Glasgow, Scotland 
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  6. Kensington and Chelsea, London 
  7. Highlands, Scotland 
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Normcore explained

Something of a fashion anomaly, normcore is essentially a celebration of the unremarkable. The term was first popularised by an article in New York magazine in 2014 and has been dubbed “ugly”, “bland’ and "anti-style" by fashion writers. It’s hallmarks are comfort, a lack of pretentiousness and neutrality – it is a trend for those who would rather not stand out from the crowd. For the most part, the style is unisex, favouring loose silhouettes, thrift-shop threads, baseball caps and boyish trainers. It is important to note that normcore is not synonymous with cheapness or low quality; there are high-fashion brands, including Parisian label Vetements, that specialise in this style. Embraced by fashion-forward street-style stars around the globe, it’s uptake in the UAE has been relatively slow.

Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

Results

57kg quarter-finals

Zakaria Eljamari (UAE) beat Hamed Al Matari (YEM) by points 3-0.

60kg quarter-finals

Ibrahim Bilal (UAE) beat Hyan Aljmyah (SYR) RSC round 2.

63.5kg quarter-finals

Nouredine Samir (UAE) beat Shamlan A Othman (KUW) by points 3-0.

67kg quarter-finals

Mohammed Mardi (UAE) beat Ahmad Ondash (LBN) by points 2-1.

71kg quarter-finals

Ahmad Bahman (UAE) defeated Lalthasanga Lelhchhun (IND) by points 3-0.

Amine El Moatassime (UAE) beat Seyed Kaveh Safakhaneh (IRI) by points 3-0.

81kg quarter-finals

Ilyass Habibali (UAE) beat Ahmad Hilal (PLE) by points 3-0

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to apply for a drone permit
  • Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
  • Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
  • Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
  • Submit their request
What are the regulations?
  • Fly it within visual line of sight
  • Never over populated areas
  • Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
  • Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
  • Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
  • Should have a live feed of the drone flight
  • Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Getting there

The flights

Flydubai operates up to seven flights a week to Helsinki. Return fares to Helsinki from Dubai start from Dh1,545 in Economy and Dh7,560 in Business Class.

The stay

Golden Crown Igloos in Levi offer stays from Dh1,215 per person per night for a superior igloo; www.leviniglut.net 

Panorama Hotel in Levi is conveniently located at the top of Levi fell, a short walk from the gondola. Stays start from Dh292 per night based on two people sharing; www. golevi.fi/en/accommodation/hotel-levi-panorama

Arctic Treehouse Hotel in Rovaniemi offers stays from Dh1,379 per night based on two people sharing; www.arctictreehousehotel.com

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
PROFILE OF HALAN

Started: November 2017

Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga

Based: Cairo, Egypt

Sector: transport and logistics

Size: 150 employees

Investment: approximately $8 million

Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar

Volvo ES90 Specs

Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)

Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp

Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm

On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region

Price: Exact regional pricing TBA