High wedding costs in Uzbekistan driven by social pressure, not choice – Survey

More than 25% of Uzbeks cover wedding expenses through loans, according to a nationwide survey conducted by the “Yuksalish” movement.

Between June 19 and July 3, “Yuksalish” conducted a public opinion survey on wedding practices in Uzbekistan. A total of 1,247 people participated, over 71% of whom were married. While the study covered all regions of the country, respondents from Karakalpakstan made up more than a quarter of participants.

The findings show that 81% of respondents – especially in regional areas – live on a monthly family income between 5 and 12 million UZS. Of these, 44.43% earn up to 5 million UZS, 23.82% earn between 5–8 million UZS, and 12.99% between 8–12 million UZS.

At the same time, 65.2% of participants reported planned or actual wedding costs ranging from 50 to 100 million UZS. According to “Yuksalish,” this amount is “equivalent to or even exceeds a family’s annual income.” Another third of respondents estimated their wedding costs at up to 30 million UZS.

When asked about how they fund weddings, more than half said they rely on their own savings combined with family support, while a quarter admitted they had borrowed money or were planning to. Only 14% of those surveyed said they could fully finance their weddings on their own.

“A wedding represents an enormous financial burden that exceeds the income level of many families, pushing them into debt and posing risks to the financial stability of the new couple or their parents from the very beginning,” the report states.

The primary reason cited for high wedding costs was social pressure and the perceived obligation to display wealth publicly. According to “Yuksalish,” this reflects a deeply rooted cultural belief that weddings are status-driven public events. Families often spend beyond their means out of fear of shame.

Other contributing factors included:

• the desires of the bride and groom (31.33%)
• parental expectations (29.09%)
• demands from in-laws (16.59%)
• pressure from extended family (11.14%)

“Extravagant wedding expenses are less about the couple’s own choices and more a result of overwhelming societal pressure and expectations from the older generation,” the report notes.

In fact, half of respondents directly or indirectly confirmed that their social circle pressured them into hosting expensive wedding celebrations.

Furthermore, 44.51% expressed regret about the amount of money spent, saying they would have preferred to invest in:

• education
• housing
• travel
• health
• starting a business

Most participants supported reforming and simplifying wedding traditions, including reducing the number of guests, scaling down ceremonies, and eliminating certain pre- and post-wedding events. Only 7.14% believed no changes were necessary.

“Yuksalish” summarized its findings as follows:

• Modern wedding expenses in Uzbekistan are a major cause of debt, undermining families’ financial stability from the start.
• The main driver of lavish spending is not personal desire but intense societal pressure, the cult of showmanship, and expectations from the older generation.
• A deep cultural conflict exists between rational awareness of financial harm and irrational adherence to tradition out of fear of judgment.
• The majority of the population is ready for change and supports simplifying wedding practices and downsizing celebrations.