Indonesian couples exchange vows at New Year mass wedding

Hundreds of Indonesian couples celebrated New Year’s Eve on Sunday night by tying the knot in a mass wedding in the capital Jakarta.

Nearly 450 couples gathered in a large tent in the city centre just hours before midnight to pray with their families before signing marriage certificates. 

Government officials oversaw each brief ceremony.

“We wanted an unforgettable experience and we’re so happy that we decided to participate today,” said Hartiningish, a 38-year-old East Javanese bride, while a live band played a set of traditional and pop music in the background.

Her husband, Ricky Rangga, 30, said the couple was grateful to the city administration for making the wedding possible.

Many couples wore matching colours and colourful traditional Indonesian outfits, with some brides donning elaborate headdresses and grooms carrying traditional daggers called keris.

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan congratulated those taking the plunge and said the city would now host the event every New Year’s Eve. The city government raised donation funds to pay for token gold dowries for the couples to exchange.

Grooms in Indonesia traditionally present gold jewellery or money to brides on the wedding day.

“We’re planning to do this every year,” Baswedan said, after posing for photographs with some couples.

Grooms in Indonesia traditionally present gold jewellery or money to brides on the wedding day.

“We’re planning to do this every year,” Baswedan said, after posing for photographs with some couples.