One year ago, the Tajik parliament adopted a law regulating the population's spending on wedding and funeral ceremonies. The law was considered after Tajik President Emomali Rakhmon noticed how these ceremonies produce a devastating economic impact on the impoverished population.

Weddings in particular are an important part of the local culture with many rituals involved. Family members, neighbors, relatives, friends and colleagues are usually invited, and even the most distant relatives are involved. Often weddings turn into a mass dining event among people who barely know each other. People visit weddings not only to cheer for the newlyweds, but also for a good meal they can otherwise hardly afford. At the same time the social pressure for organizing weddings is strong, as these are important venues for communication and social networking.

To afford splendor weddings, local families often begin accumulating funds from a child’s first years. These funds are used for celebrations instead of invested into real estate, food or cattle. As a result the money is scattered for one event, rather than improving living conditions in the long run.

In some cases men are forced to spend their early youth working abroad to save enough money for a decent wedding. In other instances, fathers work in Russia to send money for their sons’ weddings. Often young men postpone marriages due to insufficient funding for the wedding ceremony.

If collected funds are insufficient, parents see themselves forced to sell their property or are forced into debt. Wedding costs usually range from a few hundred dollars to several thousands. 

The new law on weddings is quite rigid, with precise details on most rituals’ limitations. It only allows 150-200 people per wedding, with one hot meal served, no more than four cars in a wedding cortege and three hours allocated for the entire celebration. The families of the groom and bride should provide equal funding for the celebration. Funerals may collect no more than 100 people, a low number according to local standards.

The law also provides elaborate enforcement mechanisms. A penalty for abusing these regulations comprises 2,000 somoni (roughly $580). The penalty is higher for people with political ranks or owners of a business.

Families unable to organize grand weddings refer to the law as an excuse. Meanwhile, some families are caught between their wishes to, on the one hand, obey the law and, on the other, to avoid disappointing their friends and families who they would otherwise invite.

The law has also given rise to new forms of corruption. “By paying a small bribe, the government person who observes weddings will not notice some extra guests or several hot meals”, says an analyst from Dushanbe. Richer families in particular often organize larger weddings by bribing the wedding watchdog. Yet some organize several wedding celebrations to bypass the regulation. “My neighbor organized one wedding for the groom, one wedding for the bride, and one joint wedding, each with about 150 people present” says one Tajik woman.

Although the law caused criticism among local experts and sarcastic comments by regional mass media outlets, there is quiet support for such regulations among Tajiks. The government has a strong outreach across the country, compelling people to obey laws. The efficiency of the law could also be measured by the sharply increased number of weddings after the endorsement of the new regulation, argues Olga Senchuk from Fergana.ru news agency.

In case Tajikistan’s experience with wedding regulations proves successful, neighboring states might adopt similar legislation. In Kyrgyzstan, for instance, several political officials have been suggesting to regulate organization of funerals and commemoration ceremonies. Similar to weddings, social pressure on organizing funerals is pervasive, often defining the funerals’ splendor as a sign of respect for the one deceased. Family members, mostly younger generations, are frequently forced to spend their savings, sell property or borrow for organizing funerals.

In the long run, regulating weddings in Tajikistan could provide incentives for saving up for other events than weddings or funerals. Previously, the Tajik government also canceled high school graduation balls – another event where families are expected to cash up for celebrations. This regulation has since been strictly observed.