Saudis prefer to hold their receptions at the numerous wedding halls throughout the Kingdom during the summer vacation.
However, the owners of these venues will lose out on a month’s worth of business because part of the holiday coincides with Ramadan.
Hassan Muhammad Eraibi and Abdou Mishaab, two young Saudi men about to marry, said the rising number of weddings have encouraged halls to increase their prices.
They claimed that only 10 years ago there were hardly any tailored wedding venues, with people holding their parties at home or a small hall for around SR1,000.
They added that nowadays brides and their families insist on holding receptions in grand palace-style halls.
Khaled Ghaisi, another young Saudi, said the high prices demanded by wedding venues have become a real nightmare, especially for low-income families.
“People prefer to hold the marriage parties at these halls so they do not have to trouble themselves with hectic preparations,” he said.
Brothers Abdullah and Muhammad Hassan Eraibi claimed that wedding parties would drag on until the early hours of the morning.
“Dinner for men is usually served after midnight, while for women it is served even later,” said Abdullah, calling for new regulations to ensure halls close by 2 a.m. at the latest.
The brothers also said it should be made compulsory for the groom to sign a contract to ensure that parties do not drag on and allow guests to go home at a reasonable hour.
An owner of a wedding hall, who did not want to be identified, said prices differ according to the quality of the venue.
“An artistically-built palace usually attracts more customers,” he said. He added it was the customers themselves who were responsible for any delays in serving dinner.
“Many customers ask us not to serve dinner for the men until late, so they can continue to enjoy the party,” he said.
Ahmad Abdullah, a young Saudi, called for tighter regulation of these venues’ prices, as well as fixing a time when a reception has to end. “In Jazan, parties usually drag on until five in the morning,” he said.
Musfir Abdullah said wedding venues have become very expensive, with some charging as much as SR120,000 a night.
“This is an extravagance forbidden by Islam,” he said.
Abdullah said this excessiveness did not only extend to the cost of hiring the hall, but also to the food. He added that guests might see as many as 10 dishes, each loaded with an untouched whole lamb.
“What is the difference between holding the wedding party at a five-star hotel and at a cheap tent?” he asked.
Fellow citizen Youssef Muhammad agrees and says the average tariff of halls and hotel lounges for a single night now ranges from SR50,000 to SR70,000.
Many Saudi youths believe that, apart from the expense of hiring a hall, there were other substantial costs that needed to be met before they could get married.
“The total cost may go up from SR150,000 to more than SR250,000,” said Abdullah Mandili, who is a young bachelor.
He advised brides and grooms to opt for small halls that do not cost more than SR15,000, especially if they are not expecting more than 70 guests.
