Surrounded by tambourine beats and colorful, dancing lights, 110 young men and women successfully completed half of their religion in a cheerful ambience in Al-Laith. Joyous faces emanated all over the small coastal town as young couples exchanged their vows at a mass wedding ceremony. Family, friends, and beloved ones attended the ceremony to wish the newlyweds a life full of happiness, marital bliss, and success. The remarkable celebration was attended by Abdulrahman Al-Harbi, governor of Al Laith, Badr Bin Jaber Al-Shaki, general director of the council of coordination between charitable organizations in Makkah region, and Ahmed Bin Rashid Al-Balla, the CEO of the National Prawn Company (NPC) and the main sponsor of the ceremony, along with other government officials. After the completion of celebrations, Al-Shaki addressed the audience, saying, “We thank Allah for this remarkable gathering and the wedding ceremony of 110 brides and grooms. The government bodies and the private sector have come together to initiate charitable projects throughout the Kingdom that aim at serving the community. Last year, the National Prawn Company sponsored the wedding of 60 couples and this year the number escalated to 110, and we hope that next year by the will of Allah, the number will double.” “Sponsoring the wedding ceremony is one part of our company's strategies to benefit the community and provide both financial and moral support to the local youth,” said Al-Balla. Financial contributions made by the NPC amounted to a total of about SR 360,000 along with donations from other sponsors. Prior to the mass wedding party, a sum of SR 10,000 was given to each bride for bridal preparations, and SR2,000 was given to each couple to help them start their married life together. During the ceremony, a draw was organized for a 2012 car model to be won by grooms, in addition to laptops and mobile phones which were won by guests. The young couples were also offered training courses about married life, outlining aspects on rights, responsibilities, communication, and dealings with each other. In addition, the couples attended a number of discussions and lectures to help reduce post-marriage problems common among newlyweds, and to help ensure a happy marital life based on knowledge and respect for each partner.
