War and inflation push Iranian couples to postpone weddings

September 20, 2026 at 06:12 PM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Iranian couples are postponing weddings as war, inflation, and shortages reshape marriage decisions. Subhan Dashti and Nadia Sabzi delayed their Nowruz 1405 wedding after prices climbed and the US-Israel war began on February 28. A US strike in September hit a wedding celebration in Kuhestak, killing several people and wounding dozens.

Key Facts

Subhan Dashti, 35, and Nadia Sabzi, 34, postponed their wedding planned for Nowruz 1405 (March 20-21) by at least a few months.
A television Dashti budgeted at 70 million tomans ($302) now costs closer to 100 million tomans ($432).
The minimum wage for an Iranian worker is about 16 million tomans per month, less than $68 at open market rates.
A US strike in early September hit a wedding celebration in Kuhestak, Sirik County, killing several people and wounding dozens, including women and children.
Bridal makeup artist Simin Nouri in Tehranpars saw her salon's bookings drop from two or three brides a day to two or three a week.

Wedding Postponement

Subhan Dashti and Nadia Sabzi, together since 2016, had set their wedding for Nowruz 1405, the Iranian New Year falling on March 20-21. They had already begun buying items for their future home when prices started climbing last year, followed by political and social unrest and the US-Israel war on Iran on February 28. Dashti's family fled Tehran for the north, stalling wedding preparations, and after the fighting paused they returned and tried to resume plans. Dashti, who earns about 100 million tomans a month ($432), well above average, concluded that marrying immediately no longer made sense. "We decided to postpone the wedding for at least a few more months," Dashti, 35, said.

Economic Pressures

The minimum wage for an Iranian worker is about 16 million tomans per month, less than $68 at current open market rates, while the average monthly wage is around 25 million tomans, roughly $105. A television Dashti had budgeted at 70 million tomans ($302) now costs closer to 100 million tomans ($432). In Tehran, a regular bridal package costs about 70 million tomans ($302), while a VIP package can reach 150 million tomans ($648). Bridal makeup artist Simin Nouri in Tehranpars said her salon once saw two or three brides a day during the summer peak season, but now sees only two or three a week.

Safety Fears

For Sabzi, 34, the mathematics are only part of the fear; she has made peace with a smaller ceremony but cannot make peace with safety. A US strike in early September hit a house in Kuhestak, in southern Iran's Sirik County, where a wedding celebration was taking place. Iranian authorities said several people were killed and dozens wounded, including women and children. "For the past two weeks, I have been asking Subhan at night: what if the war starts again when we are getting married?" Sabzi said.