Hen nights or wedding showers as they are variously known across the English-speaking world are becoming increasingly popular in the region of Al-Qariyat, close to the border with Jordan, but as the wedding season kicks in with a series of “bachelorette farewell” dos held at home or at “istiraha” resthouses not everyone is enamored of the idea. “The practice is a huge waste of money whether done at resthouses or at home,” says 22-year-old Hail Al-Azimi, “but more importantly it's imitating the West and I don't approve of it at all.” Twenty-four-year-old Shouq Al-Oteibi disagrees, however, describing the occasions as “well cool”. “We get together with our friends and have a lot of fun, as after the marriage we know we won't see the bride-to-be as much as we used to what with all her household and family duties,” she says. Wa'd Al-Ruweili is in favor, but does have concerns over the excessive expenses some people are prepared to splash out for the occasion. “Some girls even pay out up to 5,000 riyals for a poem to mark the occasion,” says Wa'd, who has her wedding shower coming up shortly. “And that's on top of all the other expenses.” Wa'd says she will be inviting all her friends from university and work, but intends to hold a “modest” party. The wedding season not only incurs its own costs but can even affect local economies as residents of Al-Ahsa attest to, with the prices of sheep shooting up to around SR1,000 due to demand created by large occasions. These annual predictabilities, however, are only matched by the predictable surprises wedding events throw up each year. In Jizan earlier this week guests at a wedding in a large reception hall fled from the site after a giant snake snuck in through a window via the branch of an overhanging tree, forcing the cancellation of the evening's joy. Also in Jizan, a blushing bride was so upset that she fainted upon finding that a mouse had ravaged half her exclusively-selected wedding dress. So pleased was she with her costly attire that she didn't want any of her friends to see it until she put it on for the ceremony itself, but upon opening the case in which she had hidden it from view a plump mouse shot out, having feasted on the luxurious material. The postponement of the ceremony was announced due to a “sudden illness”, enforced by the bride's refusal to accept alternative garb, and the wedding was conducted at the groom's home at a later date. Tears of genuine sorrow are also forever present during the wedding season, as reckless celebratory gunfire claims numerous victims each year. In the last two weeks at least two persons have died from stray bullets during wedding events, the latest being a 13-year-old boy in Qatif on Monday. Tragedy from irresponsibility can also be matched by tragedy from absentmindedness, as occurred when an Arab resident crossing a street in Taif Monday only reached half way before having his head turned by a passing wedding motorcade. Stopping in the middle of the road to view the scene, the man was hit by a truck coming in the opposite direction and killed instantly.
