Getting married? This UAE survey will help you with the costs amid COVID-19

Dubai: The Ministry of Community Development (MoCD) has launched an e-survey to create a platform on how to spend less on wedding ceremonies, in light of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

“The survey entitled 'The Pros of Completing Marriage Without Wedding Ceremonies' is part of promoting positive societal attitudes. The purpose of the study is to benefit from reality experiences to develop and highlight positive community behaviours that are consistent with the ministry’s vision of 'A cohesive family. A coherent community'," MoCD said in a statement sent to Gulf News on Tuesday.

It added: “The survey will enable all concerned authorities to create a platform and a supportive environment for spending less on wedding ceremonies by encouraging future spouses not to waste expenses on these weddings and limit expenditures and change them into a meaningful goal in order to form cohesive families.”

All prospective spouses and different community members can participate in the survey. The link of the e-survey is available on all digital platforms and social media channels of the MoCD.

Wahida Khalil Darwish, MoCD Director of Marriage Grants Department, reiterated: “The ministry’s study is based on the precautionary measures taken by the UAE to protect Emiratis and residents from the novel coronavirus-COVID 19 by monitoring successful marriage without wedding ceremonies from January to June 2020 and taking this opportunity for all future spouses to reduce wedding expenses, rationalize consumption, and thus increase the chances of successful marriages to form a cohesive family and a stable family.”

She added: “The study measures 18 variables, including the impact of marriage sought without wedding ceremonies, the possibility of continuing this approach in the context of living with reality and keeping up with current circumstances, as well as the positive aspects of marriage without wedding ceremonies in terms of marriage completion, happiness of spouses, happiness of family and relatives, happiness of friends and acquaintances.”

The study also seeks to measure the satisfaction of marriage without wedding ceremonies in terms of adhering to preventive measures of the UAE government, reducing the costs spent on wedding ceremonies, and helping to spread the culture of rationalisation of consumption.