Couples wed in mass ceremony<\/p>\n
Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan<\/p>\n
Young couple Abdul Manaf, 23, and Elia Tanjung, 19, were happy
\nthat they could finally tie the knot in a ceremony in Medan they
\nshared with dozens of other couples, held to mark the country's
\n60th year since its proclamation of independence.<\/p>\n
The couple -- the youngest of among 63 couples from the city's
\n21 districts who got married in the mass wedding ceremony on
\nThursday -- were well-prepared for the event held at outside the
\noffice of Medan city's Religious Affairs Office.<\/p>\n
Abdul said he was happy that his dream to marry his wife has
\ncome true. \"We've been going out for eight years now. Actually we
\nplanned to get married five years ago but as we didn't have the
\nmoney, it just did not happen, until now,\" Abdul told The Jakarta
\nPost after the ceremony.<\/p>\n
The junior high school graduate had in fact once tried to
\narrange for the wedding, but high costs put a stop to his
\nefforts.<\/p>\n
\"Fortunately, there was mass wedding planned to be held ahead
\nof the country's independence day celebration. I was once told I
\nhad to have Rp 250,000 (US$27) to get married; where would I get
\nsuch amount of money?\" asked Abdul, who apart from getting his
\nmarriage certificate also received a gift and Rp 50,000 cash.<\/p>\n
Secretary of the mass wedding organizing committee,
\nBurhanuddin Damanik, said the event was specially organized for
\npoor families to mark the country's independence day
\ncelebrations.<\/p>\n
\"We want them to be happy for marrying the ones they love,\"
\nsaid Burhanuddin, adding that the event was the fifth such event
\nheld by the Religious Affairs Office.<\/p>\n
The oldest couple who tied the knot on Thursday was Tumiran,
\n41, and Karsini, 35. The couple were married in 1985 but lost
\ntheir wedding certificate, which they need to arrange many other
\ndocuments.<\/p>\n
\"We have to get married again to get the certificate. But
\nfrankly speaking, we feel happy getting married again and getting
\nthe certificate at the same time,\" said the father of three who
\nworks as a taxi driver.<\/p>\n
\"Until now our three children don't have birth certificates
\nbecause we don't have our marriage certificate. But now,
\nhopefully, we can take care their birth certificates.\"<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/couples-wed-in-mass-ceremony-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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