1,600 orphan couples marry in Yemen’s biggest mass wedding
October 22nd, 2010 - 7:00 am ICT by IANSSanaa, Oct 22 (IANS) Sixteen hundred orphan couples tied the knot Thursday in Yemen’s biggest mass wedding, Xinhua reported.
The grooms and the brides held separate ceremonies. It was organised by the Orphans Charitable Organization (OCO) and sponsored by Saudi Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz.
A Yemeni traditional marriage costs the groom over $5,000. Besides bearing the expenses of the ceremony, he is also required to pay money in dowry to the bride’s father.
OCO chairman Hamid Ziyad said: “About 17 years ago, we celebrated a wedding ceremony for 100 couples, the biggest mass wedding at that time. Today we witness a wedding of 1,600 couples.”
Saddam Yahya, one of the grooms, said: “They (the organizer) provided everything to us, we are orphans, but they let us feel like we have families.”
- Hindu girls from Pakistan marry Indians in Gujarat - Aug 28, 2010
- Sharjah crown prince attends mass wedding ceremony - Sep 18, 2010
- Japanese couple weds Hindu style in Bodh Gaya - Sep 24, 2010
- Mass wedding is national tradition, says UAE minister - Jun 28, 2012
- Cricket mania hits mass wedding ceremony in Udaipur - Feb 26, 2011
- Women gamers thrash dowry-seekers online - Mar 21, 2012
- 38 couples tie the knot at inter-caste mass wedding in Agra - Jun 10, 2012
- Legislator among 1,034 couples in Maharashtra's biggest mass marriage - Jan 29, 2012
- Osama widow's brother wants Pakistan to release her - May 16, 2011
- Cricket lovers marry with bats and balls in hand! - Feb 26, 2011
- UAE expands food aid programme in Yemen - Jul 19, 2012
- 70 disabled Gaza men look towards a new life - Nov 01, 2010
- Russel Brand, Katy Perry: Guests To Visit Wildlife Sanctuary - Oct 23, 2010
- Yemen's consulate to boost historic ties with Hyderabad - Jun 07, 2012
- Mass marriage ceremony in Amritsar - Jan 01, 2010
Tags: 17 years, abdul aziz, brides, charitable organization, couples, crown prince sultan, dowry, grooms, hamid, knot, mass wedding, oco, orphans, saudi crown prince, time today, traditional marriage, wedding ceremony, xinhua, yahya, ziyad