How Wedding Expenses Take an Emotional Toll on Orphans

When you hear the word "orphan," what comes to mind? A young child, alone in the world, with no parents to care for them? It's often the case, but not always. Many adults were orphaned as children, and they often face unique challenges in life. These challenges are usually not something that we would normally think about when we think about the word “orphan”.

Yad Ezra V’Shulamit recently had the opportunity to help a very special young woman who recently lost her father to an illness. Her mother was left to support her children by herself and she was barely able to make enough money to feed her children. When the oldest daughter announced she was getting married, her mother felt so terrible, because she had no money to help her daughter.

This girl worked day and night just so she could save up to have the simplest wedding. Unfortunately, she soon realized that there was no way that she could do this herself. She approached Yad Ezra V’Shulamit and we were able to help her pay for her wedding though the Adopt a Wedding in Israel project.

For most people, the wedding day is one of the happiest days of their lives. They spend months preparing for this day. Usually most of these preparations are done with the support of family. Imagine going dress shopping without your mom, or going to listen to a potential band without your father. Orphans probably feel the lack of parents in the wedding preparation as well as on the wedding day. The actual wedding day can be a day that is also filled with sadness because of the people that are not there celebrating this wonderful occasion.

Not only is there an emotional aspect, but there are also financial concerns to consider if you are an orphan. In a typical family, often it’s the parents who take on the financial burden of the wedding. For an orphan, without financial support, many have to compromise on the basic items for a wedding because they simply do not have the resources.

This is where Yad Ezra V'Shulamit comes in. Through our Adopt a Wedding in Israel Project, we help orphans in Israel have their wedding in 2 of our new halls in Jerusalem. We take care of the financial part so the couple can start their life together without debt. For others in need, we offer highly subsidized weddings at our facilities.

The Emotional Toll of Wedding Expenses on Orphans

For some orphans, the idea of spending money on a wedding is simply out of the question. They may have been raised in foster care or group homes and have never had the opportunity to build up savings. Even if they could save up, the costs of a wedding can be prohibitive.

Wedding expenses can be a real burden for orphans. Many have never had a proper family to help them with the costs of getting married. They may not have the financial resources to pay for a hall, catering, or a dress.

Orphans getting married may also feel like missing out on the traditional wedding experience. They may not have anyone to help them plan their wedding, like having a mother to take them to choose the dress. It can potentially be a very isolating and lonely experience.

It's important to remember that orphans may need help in this area and they deserve to have a wedding with dignity. With the help of friends and kind people, they can have a normal wedding without the financial burden.

How Can You Help Orphans with Their Weddings?

If you would like to help an orphan get married with dignity please consider sponsoring a wedding through Yad Ezra V'Shulamit.

When you sponsor a needy couple, you can give them the wedding of their dreams and help ease the financial burden they may be struggling with. Through this act of kindness, you can bring an orphan happiness on her special day and feel amazing yourself for having made the difference in the life of a new bride!