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Edition: U.S. Article Comments (0) Editor's Choice Seventh heaven awaits Boston Bruins or Vancouver Canucks Springsteen sideman Clemons suffers stroke: reports Court mulls if gay judge can rule on gay marriage Jeter's 3,000 hits chase interrupted by calf injury Why Meryl Streep, Leonardo DiCaprio could get Oscars NFL's Plaxico Burress to warn children away from guns Songwriter wins round in "Twilight" legal battle Comment: Popular Prada can afford to skimp on IPO fees Video: Paris to London via a...penny farthing Slideshow: The Queen's birthday parade Follow Reuters Facebook Twitter RSS YouTube Read Obama: If debt limit not raised, financial crisis possible | 11:09am EDT Nokia wins rare victory as Apple settles legal row 7:55am EDT Dow jumps more than 1 percent 10:15am EDT May retail sales post first drop in 11 months 10:28am EDT Germany celebrates Nowitzki's title 10:09am EDT Discussed 127 Alabama governor signs nation’s toughest immigration law 111 Obama weighs new steps to boost jobs 79 U.S. debt default unimaginable, creditors say Watched The day ahead: June 14, 2010 Mon, Jun 13 2011 Airbus' view of flying in the future Mon, Jun 13 2011 Obama resigns from church Mon, Jun 2 2008 High cost of Omani weddings pose challenge for men Tweet Share this Email Print Related News Special Report: In $22 billion Saudi family feud, who knew what? Fri, Jun 10 2011 Congressman Weiner won't resign over sex scandal Thu, Jun 9 2011 The high price of protesting in Syria: jail and abuse Thu, May 26 2011 EU breaks taboo, talks of Greek debt restructuring Tue, May 17 2011 Analysis & Opinion U.S. mortgage market should be much smaller Women brave social barriers to join Afghan police force Related Topics World » Lifestyle » By Nazneen Akbari MUSCAT | Tue Jun 14, 2011 11:18am EDT MUSCAT (Reuters) - Office receptionist Sheikha's 2005 wedding was an extravagant 700-guest affair at one of Oman's top luxury hotels. Besides spending 38,000 rials ($99,068) on the celebration, her groom also paid a 9,000-rial dowry, bought a new apartment for the couple and spent several thousand on their honeymoon. "I was married like a princess and within three years abandoned like a beggar," said Sheikha, who asked that her last name not be used. "Our arguments began with my husband blaming me for his debts." Sheikha's husband, like many Omani men, had taken out a bank loan to finance wedding expenses, which are traditionally the domain of the groom. The financial strain weighed on the couple and, against Sheikha's wishes, the pair were divorced in 2008. She kept her dowry, which brides usually spend on jewelry, clothing and property, and little else. Her husband was left saddled with the accumulated debts that began at that wedding. "More than half of Omani men earn, monthly, under 700 rials. It's impossible for them to finance their wedding. Eventually they get themselves into a debt quagmire within the early years of a marriage," legal advocate Mohammed al-Shahri. "The majority of divorces occur due to underlying financial issues and although dowry may not be the direct cause of a divorce, it acts as a catalyst for fuelling financial tension and personal disputes." LOANS FOR WEDDINGS The steep costs of financing weddings, which forces many young men to remain unmarried, cropped up during violent protests that rocked Oman this year as political turmoil spread across the Arab world. In addition to protests calling for better pay, jobs and an end to graft in the Gulf Arab state, demonstrators also wanted government action to set up a marriage fund to help young couples meet spiraling marriage costs. Oman's Shura Council, the quasi-parliamentary advisory body, has proposed the creation of a Marriage Support Fund which would provide interest-free loans to those in need as well as counseling and advisory services -- mainly advising Omanis to have cheaper weddings and lower dowries. "We have reached a stage where we cannot get married," said demonstrator Abdullah Alabri, 27. "We kept competing with our peers and now we are begging the government for help." People who earn less than 500 rials per month are eligible to apply for the 4,000 rial loans. But the proposal may not help make a significant dent in current costs. The trend of lavish weddings began during the 1980s and has created a demographic imbalance by encouraging Omani men to marry foreign women, perceived as less likely to demand high dowries or weddings. Omani weddings can cost 30,000 rials while dowries reach up to 15,000 rials. In the country's interior, that figure can be as high as 30,000 rials. The bride's family sets the dowry price and the bride typically has little say in the matter. "High dowries are demanded in the interior cities such as Buraimi and Ibri due to existing tribal ideas and social pressure," said Abdul Jalil, an Omani who works at a petroleum firm. A low dowry arouses suspicion that something is 'wrong' with the girl, making higher dowries a matter of pride, he added. "I was a lucky man," he said. "I worked for five years before I got married and used my entire savings in financing my marriage. Each member of my family contributed either in the form of fridges, cooks, or wedding halls." (Editing by Lin Noueihed) World Lifestyle Tweet this Link this Share this Digg this Email Reprints We welcome comments that advance the story directly or with relevant tangential information. We try to block comments that use offensive language, all capital letters or appear to be spam, and we review comments frequently to ensure they meet our standards. If you see a comment that you believe is irrelevant or inappropriate, you can flag it to our editors by using the report abuse links. Views expressed in the comments do not represent those of Reuters. Comments (0) Be the first to comment on reuters.com. Add yours using the box above. 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