TAIF, 20 February 2005 — Marriage within the Bani Asem tribe in south Taif has just got dearer for the groom. The tribe has imposed new wedding rules, forcing the groom to pay SR5,000 before the wedding as security deposit to the tribal chief, Al-Madinah reported. The groom should also pay another SR5,000 in case of any violations during the wedding, such as the groom entering the women’s section of the wedding hall or if guests bring camera cell phones into the hall. The groom is responsible for hiring female guards to search women for any hidden camera phones. If any violation is detected, then the SR5,000 deposit will be forfeited and the groom is to pay another SR5,000 later. There was total consensus among the Bani Asem tribesmen to enforce the new regulations, the daily reported.
