Bahla – Fifty-five young men from Bahla, Dakhliyah will tie the knot in a mass wedding ceremony on July 18 as part of a community-led voluntary initiative aimed at easing the financial burden of marriage.

Speaking to Muscat Daily, Saeed al Abri, coordinator of the initiative, said it is designed to support Omani youths start married life without being weighed down by excessive costs. “We aim to help 55 young men from Bahla get married. One of the key conditions is that the groom must be an Omani resident of the wilayat,” he said.

The event will take place at Bahla Club, with the organising committee taking responsibility for key arrangements. “We will provide the venue and host the wedding dinner, in addition to supporting the grooms with traditional attire, including mussar,” Abri said. “We expect over 5,000 people to attend the celebration.”

According to Abri, the response to the initiative was overwhelming. “We promoted it across social media platforms. In just a short time, we received more than 1,000 calls and 400 messages from interested individuals across Dakhliyah. After a thorough selection process, 55 youths were chosen to participate in this year’s ceremony.”

He described the initiative as a practical solution to help curb the high costs of marriage. “Such initiatives are crucial. Many young people delay marriage due to financial constraints. Mass weddings not only reduce expenses but also promote community solidarity.”

Appreciating the private sector for its role in supporting the initiative, Abri said, “We are grateful to the many private companies that contributed to the success of our effort. Their involvement underscores the importance of public-private partnerships in supporting national causes.”

Commenting on a Royal directive issued in January 2025 to launch a marriage support fund in all governorates, Abri called it “an excellent idea to encourage young Omanis to take the step towards building a stable family life”.

He informed that this will be the eighth mass wedding organised in the wilayat and anticipates even higher participation in the coming years.