If love binds couples together, money is often the wrench that tears them apart in the end.
A Saudi woman has sought divorce from her husband after finding out that he had incurred heavy debts to meet the marriage expenses.
She complained that her husband was no longer able to take care of her due to his ‘tense’ demeanor while constantly being chased by various banks who her husband owed money.
“It’s true that every girl dreams of a lavish wedding, but they never impose or force their desires on men,” she said, adding: “My husband took a personal loan from the bank of more than Saudi Riyal 150,000 in order to arrange a big wedding, and also bought a new house and a car. A short while after we got married, he took another loan in order to start a new business. All of these loans eventually amounted to a massive debt, which he was unable to pay.”
Moreover, the woman said that he started to blame her for his financial problems, and considered her ill-fated. The woman couldn’t bear this state and the associated accusations, and subsequently divorced him.
Saira Ali, a wedding expert, said that large marriages that include lavish ceremonies, expensive décor, and over-the-top themes are less likely to succeed in the long term for the pair, as the money spent often ends up antagonizing couples for years to come.
“Since traditional weddings require men to give their brides-to-be a mahr (marriage gift), accompanied by jewelry and a wedding celebration party, the groom should be careful while planning the wedding expenses in order to avoid high debt,” Ali said.
She said that an incredible wedding can be arranged on a tight budget too, where men can avoid unaffordable wedding expenditures, yet can arrange a dream nuptial for their brides.
However, one wedding planner, Mohammed Fayaz, spoke of the importance of mutual understanding between the bride and groom’s families: “It is important that both the brides and grooms families cooperate and arrange a wedding that is reasonable for both sides, as this can minimize the divorce rates in the country and help the groom avoid taking bank loans beyond their limit.”
This story was originally published by Arab News.
