This event was held at the Kingpin Suite at the Tavistock Hotel in Russell Square and was a jam packed evening with activities including bowling, virtual cricket, arcade games, pool and table football. Not to mention there was an open, Halal, drinks bar, lots of delicious canapés, an anniversary cake and a giant chocolate fountain to top it all off.
Chocolate Fountain
Here at Western Muslim UK, we believe this venue was a true one off. This is because it was very spacious, all of the arcade games were FREE to play all night and there was a perfect balance of enjoyable activities to get involved with as well as a lot of open space for some vital light hearted networking as well.
Sega Rally
A Western Muslim UK tip would be to get involved with all of the activities available as they were a great way of meeting new people and they helped all of the guests relax – especially the bowling!
Bowling
Overall, we had a fantastic time celebrating the five year anniversary celebration of the Deloitte Muslim Network and are already looking forward to their next event InshAllah.
We recently got invited to the prestigious one year anniversary celebration of the Inter Firm Islamic Societies group. This celebration was held at the exquisite Arab Chamber of Commerce in Park Lane and was an event that will be remembered for its professionalism and excellent organisation for years to come.
Welcome Table
How was it structured?
Upon entering the impressively presented venue, we were greeted by a series of name badges and a pleasant individual who helped us find our particular badge and directed us inside for the first round of Halal networking drinks.
Here we were able to meet with fellow like-minded individuals, exchange business cards and enjoy a range of exotic fruit juices. Salat facilities, indoor seating and an enchanted garden were also available for those who wanted a change of scenery.
A Western Muslim UK tip would be to maximize this networking opportunity as it is very rare that you get a group of inspirational young Muslims together and as the popular saying goes, “it is all about who know!”
Who were the speakers?
We had the pleasure of not one, not two, but three esteemed guests throughout the evening. First up was Iqbal Nasim who spoke about all of the brilliant work that the National Zakat Foundation do and how we can all get involved with this great cause.
Next up was Team GB Olympic Hockey player, Darren Cheesman who provided a fascinating talk on how we can be successful Muslims in this World and the hereafter as well as how we can coach others to be equally successful.
Finally, we had Sheikh Alaa Elsayed who gave a truly World class talk on Motivation and how our ultimate goal should be focused on how we can reach Jannat-ul-firdous InshAllah. The Sheikh also inspired us by using stories from the Prophets [PBUH] time as well.
Jihad Kader, Darren Cheesman and Yusuf Aleem
Was there any food?
After praying Maghrid Salat as a big community, we all returned to the main lounge for another round of networking and most importantly, were greeted to a full buffet reception! This included a range of mouth-watering Arab delicacies, which singlehandedly had the power to make you feel as if you had been transported to the Middle East.
Here we were able to help ourselves to the food and drink available, continue networking with fellow Muslims from London and reflect upon what we had learnt directly with the speakers themselves.
Overall, we at Western Muslim UK had a fantastic time at the Inter Firm Islamic Societies anniversary celebration and have been meeting up for coffee with our fellow guests on a regular basis. If you would like more information about the Inter Firm Islamic Societies group, including upcoming events, promotions and a direct link to their Facebook page, then please click here.
Getting married is one of the biggest days for a Western Muslim, so we feel it is only right to have a whole blog dedicated this. We recently got invited to the prestigious ‘National Asian Wedding Show 2013’ at the Hilton Hotel in Wembley and are going to explain to you why this event is your one stop shop to everything you need to make the Wedding of your dreams a reality.
The National Asian Wedding Show, has all of the bases covered for your Wedding day, such as the invitations, the outfits and the catering. From the beginning you are made to feel like royalty as you are welcomed by an individual asking if you are here to plan your Wedding day. If you say yes, you are provided with a Bride/Groom sticker, which means all of the stall holders will bend over backwards trying to impress you!
The stall holders have a ‘customer service’ hat on as opposed to a ‘product pushing’ hat on, so you are free to enjoy the experience, without having to worry about how you will have to avoid an overly flirtatious individual whose only objective is to make a quick sale! The live music playing throughout the day truly adds to the experience, as it makes it feel as if you have escaped to one of the Wonders of World!
The Essentials:
For the Wedding day outfits, there is an entire floor dedicated to this alone! That way you will be able to ‘play’ in the ideas floor with peace of mind that the vital Wedding day outfits have been decided. This floor consists of various rooms where London’s leading designers have showcased their best pieces for you to try on and feel one step closer making your fairytale day a reality. With hundreds of potential outfits to choose from, a bespoke Wedding outfit design team and an ongoing catwalk show, we are sure that you will be inspired and have a better idea of what you can potentially wear on your Wedding day.
Back on the ideas floor, one of our favourite stalls was the Wedding invitations stall. This was purely because of the out of the box (no pun intended!) creativity that has taken place. For example, you can send your Wedding invitation as a scroll, a manuscript, a 3D origami masterpiece – you name it, they have it!
Wedding Invitations stall at the National Asian Wedding Show
For the food, there are stalls where you can have free tasters from a whole range of mouthwatering canapés! Some other guests that we met at the event said that they didn’t even have any lunch that day as they were saving themselves for the free food on offer! The finger food is all very delicious and there are lots of unexpected choices, for example instead of having the standard onion bhaji for starters, you can have something more exotic, such as deep-fried jalapeno slices!
The all important entrance/exit is next. Whether you are having that impressive jaw-dropping outdoor entrance for your guests or you are having a classy exit after the rukhsati, there are a wide range of vehicles that you can choose from, such as a Rolls Royce or Hummer Limo, to ensure that your entrance and/or exit are carried out in true style!
A Western Muslim UK tip would be to make sure that you network. Get business cards from the stall holders so that you have a direct contact and a website name for further research! Another tip is to negotiate. There are always better prices that you get on top of the event discounts in play, so make sure you take full advantage of this!
The Extras:
Alongside all of the traditional essentials, there are also some new ideas thrown into the Wedding mix. For example, the increasingly popular photobooth is available to have on your Wedding day! This way your guests are able to leave you unique photos, personal video messages and what’s more, you get all of the raw footage to watch at your leisure – perceived outtakes included!
For those of you who have a very indulgent sweet tooth, there is a stall dedicated to chocolates and confectionary! For example, if you have a Narnia themed Wedding, you can have a magical chocolate tree whereby your guests can pick from its enchanted branches and automatically feel as if they have been transported into another World. Similarly, if you opt for an Aladdin themed Wedding, you can have chocolate Pyramids situated in all four corners of your reception room and make your guests feel as if they have travelled to a Middle Eastern Palace.
National Asian Wedding Show 2013
Another unexpected extra for your Wedding day is a mocktail bar. Before you say “Astaghfirullah,” hear us out. A mocktail is non-alcoholic concoction that not only brings your Wedding into the 21st century, but is also is set to leave your guests lost for words when the legendary bar staff create their impressive looking drinks. You can also name the mocktails available in accordance to your Wedding day theme, for example “The Shining Jewel” if you are having a Diamond themed wedding or “The Icicle” if you opt for a Winter theme.
There are loads more extras as well, including live music, photography, videography, cakes, jewellery, creative flower displays, fitness stalls to help you get in shape for your Wedding, Wedding theme walkthroughs and lots lots more!
The Summary:
In conclusion, we feel that you should definitely hit up the next Asian Wedding Show if you, a family member or a friend are getting married and you want to get some inspiration on how you can make the evening unforgettable. In fact, if you are planning ANY kind of event such as a birthday party or corporate party then there is definitely something that you can take away from the National Asian Wedding Show.
Western Muslim UK 