Marriage

The Sharia Court in Qatar conducts Muslim wedding ceremonies. Non-Muslims cannot get married in a civil ceremony, however some embassies and churches will marry non-Muslims because it is illegal to live together as an unmarried couple in Qatar.

Despite being morally and legally acceptable, polygyny is no longer practiced in Qatar. In reality, if her husband marries another woman, the wife has the right to file for divorce. Interestingly, since 1980, the divorce rate in Qatar has been on the rise.

Weddings can last for several days and include multiple celebrations. Typically, males celebrate in one area of the house while women gather in another. The bride and groom meet up on the final night of the festivities, joined by several close friends and the groom's family.

Men typically wear thobes and swords, while women frequently wear gowns; they may also choose to wear suits or other appropriate wedding clothes. The bride wears a conventional white gown for the momentous occasion, and the groom dons a black robe over a white thobe.