When it comes to Arab weddings, it's easy to fall into the trap of repeating common ideas and strictly following societal norms and traditions.
However, some couples stand out from the crowd by thinking outside the box and challenging the norm. Refusing to limit themselves to social constraints, such couples choose to celebrate their love with an unconventional twist.
Here are seven times Arab couples celebrated their weddings in unconventional ways:
1. When this couple donated their wedding expenses to a struggling student
In 2018, Palestinian Tasneem Sawalha and Jordanian Abdulrahman Alrifae defied societal norms and expectations surrounding Arab weddings.
Rather than host a bank-breaking wedding, the couple decided to celebrate their marriage with their loved ones at home. They went on to donate the money they would have paid as wedding expenses to a pharmacy student struggling to make ends meet.
"The expenses of a two-hour wedding ceremony can solve another person's life crisis," Alrifae said in a video, in which the couple urged others to follow their example.
2. When this couple hosted a charity lunch
In 2016, two Jordanian doctors, Alyan Zayed and Basma Yaour, took to social media to explain their unconventional wedding plans.
The couple decided not to organize any wedding festivities, and instead, hosted a charity lunch for 50 needy orphans. Zayed and Yaour also announced they are refusing all wedding gifts, explaining, "People and their families are worthier of their own money."
3. When this bride opted out of wearing makeup
Comfort seems to be a foreign concept for brides on their wedding night, as they are often pressured into adhering to conventional beauty standards. However, one Egyptian woman, identified by her first name Mona, wasn't having any of it.
In 2016, photos of Mona's wedding day made the rounds online, with many people noting she was not wearing any makeup.
Mona explained her decision in a talk with Youm7, saying:
"I don't like makeup and I am grossed out by its smell, so I made the decision after consulting with my then-fiancé, who supported and encouraged the idea of me being the first Egyptian bride who dares not to use any makeup products."
4. When this couple held their wedding on top of Egypt's highest mountain
Back in March, Mohammed Salim and Asmaa Mahmoud celebrated their wedding atop Mount Catherine, the highest mountain in Egypt ... because wedding halls are overrated.
According to local media, the couple spent around 11 hours with their close friends amid the mountains, and to no one's surprise, the photos turned out to look hauntingly beautiful. Plus, the guests were served food prepared by the bride herself.
5. When this bride went for an edible bouquet
Earlier this week, Egyptian media graduate Enas El Masry shared photos of her quirky bridal bouquet on Facebook.
The arrangement featured green vegetables such as artichoke, lettuce, and broccoli - because what kick-starts a healthy marriage like having a nutrient-packed bridal bouquet?
That's not all! Following the ceremony, El Masry and her friends cooked the vegetables into a stew and ate it for lunch.
6. When this couple chose a shawarma cake
In a photo that has been widely shared on social media, an unidentified Arab couple paid tribute to shawarma, the Levantine meat or chicken wrap, by featuring a shawarma stand instead of a wedding cake. Extravagant fake cakes be damned!
7. When this couple held their wedding at a horse shelter
When Egyptian animal rights activist Mariam Ali was planning her wedding in 2015, a typical venue just wouldn't do it. Instead, she decided to host it at an animal shelter with horse stables.
"I know I'm crazy and that this idea is insane, but I don't care. The important thing is that I have fulfilled my wish and celebrated my big day with the purest and most valuable creatures," she explained, according to Laha magazine.