Groom Calls Off Wedding After Bride Said She Cannot Become A Housewife

A wedding ceremony took a sad turn in Saudi Arabia when the bride insisted she be allowed to work after marriage and the groom and his family refused to agree to the condition. The Saudi bride and groom were about to sign the marriage contract in a court when the woman expressed her desire to continue to work, leading to a heated argument between their parents, a reliable source told Arab News. “When things started going out of control, the court officials requested both the parties to resolve the matter calmly. To everybody’s shock, the groom’s family walked away without any further discussion,” the source said.

The bride’s mother was so shocked that she fainted, and the wedding turned into a night of tears.  The girl is already employed with an organization. Ironically, the couple was engaged a year ago and the groom’s family never bothered to clarify beforehand whether the girl will continue to work, the source said. “Although they were engaged, the couple did not meet or communicate with each other in keeping with the Middle East tradition,” a court official said.  The official said that such incidents, which have become common, and can be avoided if parents gather all the information and share the willingness of the couple before fixing the wedding date.  

Abeer M., a social worker, said most of the Saudi men don’t go for too independent and self-confident women. “They rather prefer a housewife. Although the culture is changing, the tradition is still the same.” She said: “There has been an increase in the number of highly educated women with good jobs, who are considered overage. This is one of the reasons for the sharp rise in the number of spinsterhood in the Kingdom,” she said.

Afrah Ahmed, an accountant, said that there are men of two mentalities - some don’t like women going out and working, while some don’t mind them working, but can’t tolerate wife in a higher position. “With a change in lifestyle and rising prices, it is important that both husband and wife work to fulfill the needs,” she said.