A Multicultural Destination Wedding in Old Dubai | Lauren & Tobi

A Dubai wedding including an intimate waterfront ceremony at Mazmi, portraits through the historic streets of Al Fahidi, and a vibrant Nigerian wedding celebration at Al Seef.

Dubai is famous for its towering skyscrapers, glamorous hotels and extravagant wedding celebrations. But Lauren and Tobi chose to embrace a completely different side of the city for their destination wedding!

Set in the heart of Old Dubai, their wedding brought together beautiful historic architecture, an intimate ceremony overlooking Dubai Creek, and a vibrant evening celebration filled with Nigerian traditions.

As a destination wedding photographer, I’ve photographed weddings across Europe, but capturing a wedding in Dubai had been a goal of mine for some time. Lauren and Tobi’s celebration was particularly special. It was not only my first wedding in the UAE, but also the very first wedding hosted at Mazmi Coffee & More.

And what an introduction to Dubai weddings it was!

Getting Ready and an Intimate Wedding Ceremony at Mazmi, Dubai

Lauren and Tobi chose Mazmi Coffee & More, a charming waterfront venue in the historic Al Fahidi neighbourhood, for their wedding preparations and ceremony.

Overlooking Dubai Creek, Mazmi offers something entirely different from the luxury resorts and contemporary hotels typically associated with Dubai weddings. With its traditional architecture, warm tones and beautiful surroundings, it was the perfect setting for a relaxed, intimate celebration.

Lauren got ready at Mazmi, surrounded by her wedding party, before their ceremony at the venue.

What made this location even more special was that Lauren and Tobi were the first couple to ever get married there!

The wedding was beautifully brought together by Sally from The Wedding Coach, who planned and coordinated the celebrations.

Wedding Portraits in Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood

After the ceremony, we made the most of Mazmi’s beautiful surroundings for Lauren and Tobi’s couple portraits, before exploring the nearby Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood.

For me, this is one of the most photogenic areas of Dubai. A world away from the skyscrapers of Downtown Dubai. Al Fahidi is filled with winding alleyways, traditional wind-tower architecture, textured walls and beautiful warm colours.

As a Dubai wedding photographer, these are exactly the kinds of surroundings I love working with. The architecture provides so much character, allowing me to create editorial portraits that feel completely connected to the location.

My approach to wedding photography is a balance of relaxed, documentary storytelling and gently directed editorial portraits. I want couples to feel comfortable and enjoy themselves while creating photographs that are beautiful, natural and full of personality.

The historic streets of Old Dubai were the perfect backdrop for this.

An Evening Reception at Sabaa Events Space, Al Seef Heritage Hotel

Following the ceremony and portraits, the celebrations continued at Sabaa Events Space, located at Al Seef Heritage Hotel.

Al Seef is another of Dubai’s most characterful neighbourhoods, with its traditional architecture and atmospheric streets overlooking Dubai Creek.

We took the opportunity to capture some more portraits around the reception venue before the evening celebrations began.

One of the things I particularly loved about Lauren and Tobi’s wedding was the variety of locations and atmosphere throughout the day. From the intimate waterfront setting of Mazmi to the historic streets of Al Fahidi and the evening reception at Al Seef, every part of the celebration offered something different.

A Nigerian Wedding Celebration Full of Energy and Tradition

One of the highlights of the wedding was the transformation for the evening celebrations.

Lauren and Tobi, along with their bridesmaids and groomsmen, changed into Nigerian outfits before making a spectacular entrance into the reception.

The atmosphere was incredible, with guests celebrating the couple through the Nigerian tradition of money spraying, showering the bride and groom with banknotes as they danced.

It was such a brilliant contrast to the more intimate atmosphere of the earlier ceremony, and exactly why I love photographing multicultural weddings.

The colour, movement, fashion and energy made for some of my favourite moments to capture. These are the moments where my documentary approach really comes into its own, photographing the celebrations as they unfold, with a little direct flash to capture the atmosphere of the party.

A Multi-Day Destination Wedding in Dubai

Lauren and Tobi’s celebrations weren’t limited to their wedding day.

With friends and family gathering in Dubai for the occasion, the couple made the most of their destination wedding by hosting additional celebrations at African Queen, a beautiful beach club in Dubai.

The festivities began with a pre-wedding gathering, giving everyone the opportunity to come together before the main event.

After the wedding, guests returned to African Queen for a relaxed beachside wind-down, the perfect way to round off several days of celebrations.

This is one of the things I love most about destination weddings. Rather than everything taking place over a single day, couples have the opportunity to spend quality time with their favourite people across an entire weekend, creating memories beyond the ceremony itself.

For couples planning a destination wedding in Dubai, a multi-day celebration is a wonderful way to make the most of everything the city has to offer.

Planning a Wedding in Dubai?

From intimate waterfront ceremonies in Old Dubai to luxury hotel celebrations, desert weddings and multi-day multicultural events, Dubai offers an incredible variety of possibilities for couples planning a destination wedding.

Lauren and Tobi’s celebration was the perfect example of how a Dubai wedding can be both intimate and full of energy, combining meaningful traditions with beautiful locations and a celebration that felt entirely personal to them.

It was such a privilege to photograph their wedding and an unforgettable introduction to working in the UAE.

Looking for a Dubai Wedding Photographer?

I’m Jade, a UK-based destination wedding photographer capturing celebrations across Europe, Dubai and internationally.

With over 200 weddings photographed, including more than 20 destination weddings, my approach combines relaxed documentary storytelling with vibrant, true-to-colour imagery and editorial portraits.

I love photographing weddings that reflect a couple’s personalities, whether that’s an intimate ceremony in Old Dubai, a luxury wedding at one of the city’s iconic hotels, or a multi-day celebration bringing together different cultures and traditions.

If you’re planning a wedding in Dubai and looking for a photographer who will capture both the beautiful details and the unforgettable moments, I’d love to hear from you.

Get in touch to enquire about Dubai wedding photography and destination wedding availability.

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Wedding Suppliers & Locations

• Wedding Planner: Sally — The Wedding Coach
• Ceremony & Getting Ready: Mazmi Coffee & More, Old Dubai
• Wedding Portraits: Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood and Al Seef
• Reception: Sabaa Events Space, Al Seef Heritage Hotel
• Pre-Wedding & Post-Wedding Celebrations: African Queen, Dubai
• Photography: Jade Touron Photography