RIYADH: Life has changed dramatically since the Saudi Arabia coronavirus pandemic hit.
Face masks and other personal protective equipment have become commonplace, everyday activities such as grocery shopping have become more dangerous, and terms such as “social distance” and “quarantine” are making their way into everyday vocabulary.
But life has continued in one way or another and even a global pandemic cannot stand in the way of true love because, despite the obvious challenges posed by protective measures, couples Saudi has managed to find a married flavor.
Jeddah-based wedding designer Rajaa Zagzoog said the number of weddings she arranged has not diminished during the pandemic. Instead, they went up.
“We actually had more weddings than we used to,” she told Arab News. “Those who had decided to cancel their wedding during lockdown came in as soon as it was ready to design. Numbers were particularly high during the mid-school school holidays, we had back weddings then. ”
Zagzoog started planning home weddings as soon as the first lockout came to an end and when ballroom weddings with up to 50 guests were allowed again, she started to do the same.
“However, most of the weddings we have had during the pandemic have been at home. ”
Home weddings were very popular last year for their naturalness and ease of planning and event safety.
And, with marriage costs skyrocketing and people’s finances still plagued by the effects of the pandemic, some Saudi couples have taken advantage of the situation to reduce their weddings and increase their receptions. keep at home with fewer guests.
One such person is Layla M, who married at home last year with only her family and her husband’s family in attendance, along with a few of her closest friends.
“No one can promise what will happen tomorrow, and that has never been heavier than it is today,” she said. “If this virus ends up killing us all, at least I can say that I got to marry the love of my life and spend some time with it.”
But Zagzoog said, contrary to popular belief, that a home wedding was not necessarily going to be cheaper than a member’s wedding.
“Numbers were not as low as expected. They depended on what we planned for the wedding in terms of flowers and decorations, the number of guests and so on. ”
Marriage costs in Saudi Arabia are fluctuating, but estimates from industry research firm IBISWorld put Saudi Arabia’s marriage share at $ 550m (around SR2.06 billion).
Arabian Industry puts a Saudi wedding price tag at between $ 185,000 and $ 2 million, and reports that approximately $ 1 billion is spent annually on wedding jewelry and wedding dresses in Saudi Arabia and other countries. Gulf operation.
“Some of the home weddings we were planning were even higher than the costs of ballroom weddings,” Zagzoog said. “Even a home wedding can have a high budget depending on the design.”
When faced with the challenges of planning a pandemic wedding, she and her team were able to find ways to spruce up weddings and get the couple and guests entertained. special feeling, while also incorporating the necessary safety requirements into the wedding decor.
“We would write the names of the bride and groom on the masks, for example, or offer masks that matched the colors of the wedding theme, or if the couple had a logo or monogram, we would put that on the masks, or on the hygiene bottles, or take away something floral, for example. ”
Overall, the pandemic had given many of its clients the importance of weddings, and had brought about a definite change in the way weddings were now viewed.
“Since the pandemic began, people have started to look at weddings in a different way. They have started to focus on the real reason behind a wedding – to be happy. Getting to wear a nice dress, without having to worry all the time, just enjoying spending the day with family and loved ones. It is much denser and more powerful and, in my opinion, it is much better than before. “
But some Saudi brides choose to pass the time, hoping to be able to have their dream weddings in peace once things are calm again.
Raghad Abdulaziz, 23, was arrested just before the lockout began in March last year. She firmly refused marriage at the time of the pandemic, continuing with the hopes of a graceful and opulent reception of dreams.
“Like almost every other girl, I’ve been dreaming about my wedding since I was just a kid,” she told Arab News. “I’ve worked out most of the details since I was a teenager. The color scheme, the style of my dress, the wedding cake, everything. I always wanted it to be a great connection. I can’t give up that dream. “
Abdulaziz, as one child, said she wanted to give her mother a chance to celebrate her wedding properly because a mother and daughter had the heart of an elegant festival to send her to her new home in style.
“If the pandemic lasts much longer, I may give up at some point. But for now, both my mom, my boyfriend, and I all agree to put it off for a little longer. I’m not in such a hurry, for now. As long as there’s still a chance of my dream wedding, I’m going to hold out for it. ”
Marriage is a family affair and, in some families, it is common to find the groom who has the cost of the wedding, the home and the furniture alongside the dowry and honey. With the mandatory cut in the number of authorized wedding guests, a pandemic wedding is largely a theft for some brides.
Ahmed Abdulhamid, an engineer from Madinah and soon to be the groom, reached an agreement with his wife to ignore him about watching a big wedding to save for their honeymoon and their home.
“It’s a shame for the family if you can’t pay for a wedding, it’s a tradition and while it’s expensive, it’s still a burden on many young brides just starting out. find a strong foundation of careers and to settle down, ”he told Arab News. “My wife is great inside and out and my love for her grew even as we both stood our ground to get married in a close up wedding and save on the cost. I want to give her a dream honeymoon she deserves and a home we both want to build together, and that is now closer to the reality when I was able to get almost 80 percent of the cost to save. This is what we both want and we have never been happier. ”