10 Reasons to Get Married in Fujairah on the First Day in December

WAM has announced today that “under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Crown Prince of Fujairah, a mass wedding will be held on the first day of December coinciding with the celebrations of the UAE 39th National Day.”

The Emirates News Agency also assures readers that registrations are still open for those who wish to join the mass wedding.

What a great idea and for those who have been putting off the decision, here are 10 reasons why the 1st December might be an opportune time to get married:

1. A mass wedding is the cheapest way to get married and this Fujairah event is part of a nation-wide tradition led by the UAE Rulers to counter the expensive private weddings that can take years to pay off. Traditional weddings can easily cost DH350,000 (Gulf News).

2. There’s much more fun when numbers of couples are ‘tying the knot’ and for those who are timid and shy, doing it with others gives courage.

3. The short period of time between this announcement and the wedding day (11 days) means you won’t be agonising over preparations and having sleepless nights for weeks, months or years. Sure, couples should not rush into such a big decision prematurely but if you have made up your mind to get married 11 days is ample time to prepare what is necessary. The other great event in your life—your funeral—will be prepared in much less time.

4. The wedding preparation is greatly reduced by the fact that there is an Organising Committee who will do most of the work for you. You’ll have to organise what you will wear and which friends will attend but the rest will be done by the Committee.

5. You’ve always wanted a wedding where crowds of people will attend so this is your grand opportunity! There’ll be thousands of people in attendance but you don’t have to pay for everything.

6. The news of Prince William and Kate Middleton getting engaged has created excitement around the world but with Fujairah’s mass wedding being sponsored by His Highness, Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, the Crown Prince of Fujairah, this will give your wedding a royal touch. How many other couples do you know who have had royalty in attendance at their wedding?

7. Admittedly you will not have the cameras focused on you all of the time (what a blessing!) but at Fujairah’s mass wedding you will have a mass of photographers, videographers, journalists, bloggers and Twitterers covering the event. You could almost get by without hiring your personal photographer. Just get their contact numbers and ask them to send their pictures to you as their special wedding gift.

8. Fujairah’s mass wedding will be a million times more memorable than having your own private ceremony. You will make friends with other couples because of this shared bond. Your children will be able to say in the years to come that this was the day where it all began.

9. Remembering your wedding anniversary is for most couples an annual ordeal but ‘the first day in December’ has a nice ring to it and will be an easy date to recall.

10. Your wedding on the first of December, being associated with the UAE National Day (2 December) celebrations, will also make it easier to remember your anniversary and each year you can have another honeymoon on these public holidays!

This connection with National Day reminds us that at the heart of a strong nation are individuals (not always married couples) who enjoy and experience healthy friendships.

Geoff Pound

This article is also posted on the Fujairah in Focus Facebook Page.

Image: “This Fujairah event is part of a nation-wide tradition led by the UAE Rulers to counter the expensive solo weddings that can take years to pay off.”