Coventry’s Ricoh Arena has announced taking on a event management and catering specialist to cope with the rise in nuptial demands.

The £113 million venue is experiencing a surge in wedding bookings – fifteen wedding receptions have been booked for this year and 46 have been confirmed for 2010 and 2011.

Mahir’s Experience, who are based in Birmingham, began working at the Ricoh Arena just over three years ago as more and more business was gained from the Asian wedding sector.

Steven Chall, sales and marketing manager at Mahir’s Experience, said the company specialised in providing the finest authentic Punjabi cuisine.

“A formidable relationship has blossomed since 2006 between ourselves and the Ricoh Arena as the number of weddings has grown,” he said.

“Asian weddings, in particular, tend to be large affairs with guest numbers averaging 600 plus.

“The Ricoh Arena has worked with a select few external contractors and we have emerged as the number one choice through feedback from clients and staff alike. We have handpicked some of the finest chefs from India’s famous Taj Group and we can provide Gujerati, South Indian, Oriental, Indo Fusion, European and other cuisine.

“We can also provide all aspects of event management from themed events to amazing decor.

“We already have self-catering contracts at football clubs, top hotels and stately homes in the Midlands and we are delighted to add the Ricoh Arena to our portfolio.”

Catherine Meade, of the Ricoh Arena, added: “We are extremely pleased with the number of future wedding bookings that we have and we are delighted to welcome Mahir’s Experience as our official sole self-catering contractor.

“We have found that every wedding we hold leads to at least two new bookings which is a great ratio and the wedding market is an area of the business that we are keen to build on. The size and facilities at the Ricoh means that we have become a leading venue in the Midlands for large weddings.”