STORY: Nine Yemeni grooms got married in a group wedding

(location: Sanaa, Yemen)

Collective weddings are soaring in popularity in Yemen

after a dire humanitarian crisis wrecked the economy and left millions hungry

(Kanan Jamil, Groom) “Today is a joyous day, we’re holding a collective wedding with a gathering of family, relatives and friends but at a very low cost - including the price of the feast and the hall. It’s a wonderful gathering.”

At joint weddings, men split the cost between each other

Their brides celebrate separately at home

Others rely on charitable organizations to help them arrange their wedding

(Taha Ibraheem, Owner of a wedding and event services center) “The grooms like the idea of collective weddings, where the expenses will be reduced, and the burden will be smaller on the groom. On the other hand, the wedding centers that offer full traditional garb have increased, and this increase in centers means there will be competition on pricing between them."

Since 2015, when the Saudi-led coalition intervened against the Iran-aligned Houthis

Yemen's economy and basic services have collapsed

leaving 80% of the 30 million population needing help