The Leoni Tunisia group recently organized a collective wedding for the benefit of several of its employees. The company covered part of the expenses linked to the ceremony, a welcomed social gesture in a context where getting married is increasingly expensive.
In Tunisia, the number of marriages is experiencing a constant decline. Official figures show that we went from around 78,000 marriages in 2023 to nearly 71,000 in 2024. A strong trend, largely linked to the increase in the cost of living, unemployment and the costs of setting up a family.
On the other hand, getting married today represents an investment that is often difficult to bear. According to several surveys and professionals in the sector, a “simple” wedding costs around 30 thousand dinars, while an average ceremony can exceed 50 thousand dinars. If we include furniture, household appliances, jewelry and related expenses, the bill sometimes reaches 50 thousand dinars, or even more.
In this context, Leoni’s initiative appears as concrete support for employees who otherwise would have had to give up or postpone their union. Collective marriage makes it possible to pool costs, negotiate lower prices and eliminate several individual expenses.
Should this type of initiative be generalized in Tunisia?
The idea appeals because it would offer an immediate response to a real problem. But it also raises limits. The wedding remains an intimate moment, and a collective ceremony does not necessarily meet everyone’s expectations. Some families may have difficulty with the standardization of the celebration or the standardization of choices. Furthermore, such an approach represents a significant cost for companies, which do not all have the same means.
Leoni’s initiative nevertheless opens a useful debate. In a country where young people struggle to navigate the stages of family life due to lack of resources, alternative solutions – whether they come from businesses, local authorities or public-private partnerships – could help make marriage more accessible. A capped, collectively negotiated “marriage package” or targeted financial support could have a notable impact.
