In Arab culture the ‘Zaffa’, or wedding march, is a musical procession of bendir drums, bagpipes, horns and dancers, which heralds the arrival of the bride and groom. The Zaffa differs from region to region, with distinctive versions found in Egypt, the Levant, North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. For many Arab couples marrying in the UK, it is seen as a vital part of the wedding celebrations, resulting in a colorful spectacle of Arab tradition within British settings.

For 800 years the ancient Castle of Farnham, in the South of England, was home to the highest bishops in the land. Over the centuries, its noble turrets and towering ramparts have borne silent witness to the machinations and interplay between church and state. Built in 1138 by a grandson of William the Conqueror, it has hosted generations of royalty from King John to Queen Victoria.

But hark — what is that sound? The sweet music of the mandolin, harp or lute? Perchance a madrigal or some wandering minstrels come to entertain a visiting King or Queen? But nay — listen again — what is this? Under the stern gaze of Cardinal Wolsey’s portrait, that all-powerful adviser to King Henry VIII, appears a band of men in flowing robes with music from another land — unaccustomed medley of drums, bagpipes and horns.

This is Zaffa! Here come the happy bride and groom with family and guests, to dance with joy at the wedding feast!

This is the spectacle that unfurled at the wedding party of an Iraqi couple, who chose the richly atmospheric castle as the venue for their celebrations.

What was notable was how the Zaffa musicians brought the whole party to life. They coaxed the shy bride to dance, and soon the newlyweds, accompanied by both sets of parents, in-laws and guests, young and old, were twirling about the dance floor to the mesmerizing beat of the bendir drums.

As the great bard, William Shakespeare, put it, “If music be the food of love, play on!”

Smiling upon this happy scene was the man who made it happen. Step forward Mario Arafat Doniz, managing director of Zaffa, the company that can pull together all the key elements of a wedding. Whether it is for music, catering, flowers, cake, decor, limousine, photography, video, or even assisting with finding the all-important wedding dress, he has built a reputation for providing a first class service.

His customers are predominantly Iraqi and Lebanese, but he also sees many Egyptians, Jordanians, Palestinians, Syrians, Yemenis and Moroccans. He has organized weddings in the UK for couples from Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Dubai.

Prices range , depending on what the couple wishes to spend. Venues for the most luxurious weddings could be top hotels such as the Dorchester, or castles outside London.

His musicians have been flown out to Miami, all expenses paid by the groom, and also to Paris to play at the wedding of an Iraqi couple.

Mario, who is himself a musician, has led a much traveled life. He is half Palestinian, half Spanish. He was born in the Canary Islands and raised in Jordan. He lived in Spain and Chicago, before settling in London in 2001. Here he saw a business opportunity. “I created a Zaffa Group in London because I couldn’t find anyone doing it,” he explained. He has grown the company to embrace all aspects of wedding planning, and today has 40 musicians, belly dancers, stick dancers (from the ancient Egyptian tradition), and a trusted network of business partners.

For Mario, every wedding presents its own challenges and he seems to delight in making the day truly special.

“I love the wedding atmosphere — the decor, flowers and music. When the Zaffa musicians bring in the happy couple, mothers of the bride and groom always cry because of the emotion. It’s something you never forget. When you look back at the pictures after 50 years, you will remember this moment — it’s so special,” he said.

Some couples are looking for Zaffa with an unusual twist. One couple asked for a ‘Mariachi Zaffa’, so Mario organized six musicians in sombreros. He has also been asked to provide a flamenco theme; no problem, he has played in a flamenco band and is always happy to indulge the wishes of the couple.

His company is also turning to putting on special international Arabic dance shows, which are proving very popular.

He’s bursting with ideas and energy, and seems to shower goodwill on all like confetti. Business is going well and bookings are flooding in. “It makes me proud — it’s nice to carry on the Arabic traditions,” he concluded.

http://arabnews.com/lifestyle/offbeat/article616454.ece

The Great Hall, which is the most impressive of the rooms, is decorated with glittering chandeliers, which hang from a delicately enamelled ceiling it is a bright and airy space that oozes sophistication. Plaisterers’ Hall can comfortably seat 200 people for dinner with a dance floor in the room, but can also accommodate larger numbers. The variety of rooms allows for wedding breakfasts for between 10 and 400 people.

Your wedding photography is so much more than a set of photographs taken on your wedding day.
It is the framed picture on your desk. It is the album in your living room, and the art on your walls.
every wedding is unique and we aim to make your wedding photography as unique as your wedding.
Our approach to photography is based on the belief that your wedding will be unlike any other.
We give special attention to every bride and groom we meet.
We’re throughly passionate about photography
and creating brilliant pictures that really tell a story.
We really enjoy getting to know our clients as it helps us create fantastic,
genuine photographs that reflect who they are A few examples of some of the unique services
we provide include:
Digital Photography Digital Videography
Unlimited Pictures CD of every Picture taken specially created Albums
Slide Show at Reception
Featuring Pictures From The Wedding Enlarged And Framed
Pictures Of Wedding Displayed At Reception
Though we are located in london we often get called upon to do weddings london and uk
so we are available to travel to any destination.

Zaffa Wedding Stages are pioneers in designing a range of unique stage arrangements for Arab wedding, Engagement, We have created hundreds of designs from our extensive range of Wedding Stage furnishings and props.

A small selection of our unique wedding stage designs are shown here to give you an indication of the quality of the furniture pieces and showcase the creativity of our design team. We work closely with our customers to carefully define every aspect of the requiremtns of your stage. It is possible to customise every detail to suit your requirements. TABLE CENTRES & CANDELABRAS

Table centres are one of the key highlighting elements for the entire wedding design and decor services. Wedding stages supplies an array of table centre designs to choose from, our customers have the choice of candelabras, fresh flower arrangements and even tropical fish with floating candles.

The only limit on what we can create for your wedding table centre design is your imagination. Attention to detail in the table centre design is very important because all your guests will be able to view the results very closely. The beauty of the table design and decor adds to the total ambiance of the wedding event and this in turn influences how your guests feel and remember your treasured event.
CHAIR COVERS & BOWS

Wedding chairs and covers are a huge part of the design and decor that is often overlooked. To make sure your wedding and mehndi function has the right atmosphere and spectacular ambiance make sure that chair covers and bows are incorporated into the design and decor Zaffa wedding and event planners, have a massive range of specialist chair covers and bows for our customers to choose from. More importantly we have the design expertise to make sure your function is fully coordinated in terms of lighting, stage backdrops, hall draping and lighting and flower arrangements. We bring together all of these factors in combinations to create the beautiful settings that our customers have always imagined for their wedding and events.

WEDDING STAGE FLOWERS

Flowers are the essential element that complete the total look and feel of any wedding. Wedding Stages flower arrangements and bridal bouquets consist of innovative new designs created with beautiful fresh flowers. We choose our roses, lillies and carnations with care and attention to ensure that only the best flowers are used for your wedding.

Over the years Zaffa have designed hundreds of fresh flower arrangements and created innovative designs for our bridal bouquets. The challenge is always to create something that is unique and new, an arrangement that makes our customers wedding stand out and elicit favorable appreciation from your guests. Call Us to arrange a free consultation and find out what we can do for your wedding.

Traditional Bellydancer

Any number of dancers Live or recorded music At once elegant and playful, bellydancers add a sparkle of glamour to any event.

Our dancers are highly trained artists with a wide repetoire of dance skills. Most clients leave the details up to us, but we are happyt o accomodate requests for regional styles (such as a Turkish bellydancer, Lebanese bellydancer, Israeli bellydancer or Egyptian bellydancer). Our dancers can also use a variety of propss in their shows (such as finger cymbals, veils, swords, and Isis wings) and invite audience participation.

On request,  dancers can bring more full-coverage costumes: just as glamorous, somewhat less saucy. 

Belly dance classes, belly dance workshops, belly dance lessons, Arabic dance, Egyptian dance, Turkish dance, Arabian dance, belly dance courses, hen party activities, hen parties, hen party ideas, hen party dance lessons, belly dance teachers, things to do, belly dance shows & hire a belly dancer throughout London, including Acton, Addington, All Saints, Balham, Barking, Barkingside, Barnes, Barnet, Battersea, Beckenham, Beckton, Belmont, Belvedere, Bermondsey, Bethnal Green, Bexley, Bexleyheath, Bickley, Biggin Hill, Blackfen, Blackwall, Bloomsbury, Bow, Brent, Brentford, Brixton, Bromley, Camberwell, Canary Wharf, Carshalton, Catford, Charing Cross, Cheam, Chelsea, Chelsfield, Chessington, Chingford, Chislehurst, Chiswick, City of London, Clapham, Cockfosters, Coulsdon, Covent Garden, Cowley, Cranford, Crayford, Cricklewood, Croydon, Cubitt Town, Cudham, Dagenham, Deptford, Dollis Hill, Downe, Dulwich, Ealing, Earls Court, East Barnet, East Bedfont, East Dulwich, East Finchley, East Ham, Eastcote, Edgware, Edmonton, Elm Park, Elmers End, Eltham, Enfield, Enfield-Lock, Erith, Fairlop Station, Farnborough, Feltham, Finchley, Finsbury, Foots Cray, Forest Hill, Friern Barnet, Fulham, Golders Green, Goodmayes, Greenford, Greenwich, Grove Park, Hackbridge, Hackney, Hammersmith, Hampstead, Hampton, Hampton Hill, Hanwell, Hanworth, Harefield, Haringey, Harlesden, Harlington, Harold Wood, Harrow, Harrow Weald, Hatch End, Havering atte Bower, Hayes, Hendon, Herne Hill, Heston, High Barnet, Highbury, Highgate, Hillingdon, Holborn, Homerton, Hook, Hornchurch, Hornsey, Hounslow, Hoxton, Hyde Park, Ickenham, Ilford, Isleworth, Islington, Kenley, Kensington, Kenton, Keston, Kew, Kew Bridge, Kew Gardens, Kew Green, Kidbrooke, Kingston upon Thames, Lewisham, Leyton Limehouse, London Fields, Lower Holloway, Maida Vale, Malden, Marylebone, Mayfair, Mill Hill, Millwall, Mitcham, Morden, Neasden, New Barnet, New Bedfont, New Cross, New Malden, New Southgate, Norbury, North Acton, North Kensington, North Woolwich, Northolt, Northwood, Norwood, Norwood, Notting Hill, Orpington, Paddington, Palmers Green, Parsons Green, Peckham, Perivale, Pinner, Plumstead, Ponders End, Poplar, Preston, Puddle Dock, Purley, Putney, Rainham, Raynes Park, Redbridge, Richmond, Richmond upon Thames, Roehampton, Romford, Rotherhithe, Ruislip, Sanderstead, Seven Kings, Shepherd’s Bush, Shirley, Shooters Hill, Shoreditch, Sidcup, Silvertown, Slades Green, Snaresbrook, South Kensington, South Norwood, South Ruislip, Southall, Southgate, Southwark, Spitalfields, St. Johns Wood, St. Mary Cray, St. Pancras, Stanmore, Stepney, Stoke Newington, Stone Grove, Stratford, Strawberry Hill, Streatham, Sudbury, Surbiton, Sutton, Teddington, The Hyde, Thornton Heath, Tottenham, Totteridge, Twickenham, Upminster, Upper Clapton, Upper Holloway, Upper Norwood, Uxbridge, Victoria Park, Wallington, Walthamstow, Walworth, Wandsworth, Wanstead, Wealdstone, Welling, Wembley, West Bedfont, West Brompton, West Drayton, West Dulwich, West Ham, West Kensington, West Norwood, West Ruislip, West Wickham, Westminster, Whetstone, Whitechapel, Whitton, Willesden, Willesden Green, Wimbledon, Winchmore Hill, Wood Green, Woodford, Woodford Green, Woolwich

Situated in the heart of London, with immediate access to the motorway network we provide our services both locally in London and also Manchester, Birmingham, and many more areas throughout England & Wales.

Zaffa chocolate fountains are individually priced to meet your specific needs. Discounts are available where more than one service is provided for the same event. Price reductions are also available for short running events and for daytime or weekday functions. Please contact us for an individual quotation. In addition please see the Banner for the current Special Offer.

Chocolate fountains are perfect for:

Weddings
Prom nights
Corporate Functions
Launch Parties
Birthday Parties
Children’s Parties
Anniversaries
In addition I offer a range of other services that include:

Canape Menu
Cold Buffet Menu
Childrens Face Painting
Helium baloon decorating service
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