Thousands join Indonesian mass wedding reception

[AsahinaKimi]

Indonesian couples cheer for their turn to wed during a mass wedding ceremony in Jakarta, Indonesia, Tuesday, July 19, 2011. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) -- Thousands of underprivileged Indonesian newlyweds from various faiths have joined a mass reception to receive free marriage certificates that they otherwise could not afford.

About 15,000 attended the reception Tuesday at the Senayan Sports Palace, including Jakarta city officials and friends and family members of the 4,541 couples.

The couples included 3,112 Muslims, 1,248 Christians, 96 Catholics and 85 Buddhists, Hindus and Chinese from across the Indonesian capital.

The couples from low-income families were married in separate mass ceremonies in the past three months. The last group of 200 couples tied the knot last week.

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