According to the Canary Islands Weddings and Events Business Sector Association and the Federation of Independent Consumers, it’s good news, bad news for the Canary Islands wedding industry. On the one hand, couples in the Canaries are spending on average 8,000 euros less on their weddings than they did six years ago, on the other hand it costs considerably less to get married in the Canaries than it does elsewhere in Spain, making the islands attractive for those planning to get hitched. A couple getting married in the Canaries can expect to shell out between 10,000 and 25,000 euros – an average of 16,000 euros. In Valencia and Cataluña tying the knot will set you back an average of 16,000 euros and in Madrid married life begins with a whopping great bill of an average 19,200 euros.
None of which will matter a jot to the couples planning their spring wedding who were amongst the visitors arriving in their droves at the Feboda Wedding Fair which was held in Santa Cruz’ Recinto Ferial over the weekend of 26th and 27th March and which attracted more than 8000 visitors – a 69% increase on last year’s numbers passing through the doors of the wedding and beauty spectacular.
Those attending were rewarded with 36 shows involving 15,000 people and showcasing some of Tenerife’s hottest young designers and fashion houses under the Tenerife Moda collective.
Bringing highlights to the event this year was the participation of London hair stylist Patrick Cameron who specialises in modelling long hair. With his usual flair for flamboyance on the runway, Patrick and the team from Asociación Provincial de Peluqerías de Tenerife (ASPELZA) created fantastical styles inspired by history from prehistoric furs that Rachel Welch would have been proud to strut around Teide National Park in, and the sort of style that Marie Antoinette lost her head over, to fluffy fifties pin up girls. Adding considerably more to the models’ height, there was enough big hair on show to make Ab Fab‘s Patsy weep.
The weekend event saw the very latest designs from Tenerife couturiers, beginning with children’s fashion including the latest collections from Oh Soleil! Bibabu and Pi, 3, 14. Moving onto women’s fashion, there were shows from Morena Mía, Lasanfi, By Lu and Lucía de Su. Saturday afternoon saw sports and leisure wear taking to the runway with shows from Vi and Pi, 3, 14.
When it came time to ask the bridal wear to grace the catwalk, it was Juan Carlos Armas who opened the proceedings, followed by M&M and amidst the diaphanous gauze and silk, Tenerife designers once again wowed audiences.
Brides may well be spending less on their wedding couture, but they’re not letting standards of design drop – not on Tenerife.
