One year ago today I produced an event dubbed “One Night In Dubai”. Complete with a souk, fire dancers, an incredible Middle Eastern menu and even two camels, this welcome reception was in honor of the couple’s trip to Dubai where they celebrated their engagement.

Immediately after Keyana and Michael got engaged,Immediately after Keyana and Michael got engaged, theyImmediately after Keyana and Michael got engaged, they left for Dubai where they celebrated with site seeing, shopping, camel rides, and a private dinner in the desert. The bride to be messaged me from overseas and asked if I could recreate this experience for her guests. Of course I could!

Working in tandem with the team at Destinations by Design Las Vegas, we first secured a permit for the Dry Lake Bed set just 30 minutes off Las Vegas Boulevard. Once we had ourOnce we had our desert venue secured, I spent months researching the food, culture, and entertainment available in Dubai. The couple wanted the experience to be authentic. It was very important to them that it not feel like a themed night, but like a true celebration of a space that they loved.

Friends and family were bussed to this top secret location in the desert. Upon arrival, they were greeted by two towering camels before being lead down a path of winding white candlelight. One of my couple’s favorite experiences was shopping in the souk. To replicate this, we created a barrier of green hedge walls with a tight, narrow entry way into the space. Guests were greeted by a sitar player, and on each side we have souk vendors offering guests dark chocolate, jewelry, custom mixed oils, and patterned bags. We created an intentional bottle neck to mimic the frenetic energy of the actual shopping experience that they had.

To anchor the experience and manage the enormity of the desert, I created a perimeter of tents covered in thin white fabric and twinkly lights. Long wooden tables were placed beneath them and topped with golden vases, colorful orbs, and mixed florals. A round dance floor sat in the center of the space topped with my couple’s custom icon. Throughout the evening this served as the stage for our belly dancers, fire dancers, and other performers. Off to the side we set a Banga Booth where guests posed for portraits of themselves with a variety of props and animals, including a baby BOA Constrictor.

Food is the foundation of culture. To ensure that the event honored the original event, we partnered with Cut & Taste to create a menu steeped in tradition, featuring a blend of organic spices and marinates. During our tasting, Michael stated that the chicken we prepared was even better than what he had overseas!

One year later, this Night in Dubai is one of the most deeply loved events. Building a baby city is no small fete, but we had the very best time and OMG the photos are just gorgeous!

Please check out these photos and let me know which photos are your favorite.

xo - Andrea