JEDDAH, 19 July 2003 — Fifty Saudi couples will tie the knot on Aug. 5 in a group wedding staged by a charitable project to help young Saudis get married. The project aims to overcome the financial and social obstacles to marriage.
According to Saeed Al-Dajani, the head of the charitable project, the mass wedding will take place at the Jeddah International Exhibition Center under the supervision of Makkah Governor Prince Abdul Majeed. Thousands of guests are expected.
Al-Dajani said the project financed the marriages of some 1,400 young women and men this year at a cost of SR16 million. “It has been a success. This is the third year we are holding such a big ceremony, which comes as part of the on-going Jeddah Summer Festival.”
He said the project, with a budget of 250 million, so far enabled 26,000 young couples in all to get married.
He pointed out that the main goal behind the project was to encourage young Saudis to get married earlier than they expected.
“A lot of young men can’t afford to get married, so through this project and with the help of businesses we are able to reduce their financial burden and make their dream come true,” he said.
The project provides the dowry, gifts, honeymoon, hotel accommodation and car rental.
Among the 50 young men getting ready for the wedding is 23-year-old Nasir Bahmadan. “I am getting ready for the event and I’m looking forward to being part of a huge ceremony,” he told Arab News. “I am grateful to the project for helping us overcome our financial problems, especially as the costs of a wedding are punitive now.”
He said that he applied to be part of the event a year ago and was delighted to be one of the group.
“I thought I would have to wait longer, but luckily I was picked to get married this summer. It is the best way to reduce the costs of wedding.
According to Al-Dajani, the mass wedding will cost around SR1 million.
