A mass-marriage for 75 couples was held in Afghanistan’s northern Balkh province on Sunday.

“The event was celebrated in the provincial capital, Mazar-e-Sharif, where each of the 75 couples was provided with 1,000 U.S. dollars by a religious charity foundation in the province,” said head of the organizer of the ceremony, Sayed Mohammad.

The ceremony was attended by a moderate number of both sides’ relatives and local government officials including Mohammad Bashir Tawheedi, the deputy provincial governor.

The mass-wedding was aimed at reducing poverty and preventing lavish and overspending wedding ceremonies, said Mohammad.

Similar mass-weddings have also been held for tens of couples in capital Kabul and eastern Ghazni provinces.