khosq.com

One thing that Armenians know how to do right are weddings.  So Reporter.am reports on a massive wedding of 700 couples in 1 day in Artsakh.  That's 1% of the whole republic's 138,000 population. -

Seven hundred couples from all over Nagorno-Karabakh were married during two
separate ceremonies on October 16, 2008. Two hundred couples wed at Gandzasar
Monastery, perched above the village of Vank. The marriage ceremony was
conducted by Bishop Yezras Nercessian, primate of the Diocese
of New Nakhichevan and Russia. The other 500 couples were married in Shushi, at
Sourp Amenaprkich Ghazanchetsots Cathedral by Archbishop Barkev
Mardirossian, primate of the Diocese of Artsakh.

After the marriage rites, the couples celebrated, dancing and singing, at the
stadium in Stepanakert, the capital of Nagorno-Karabakh. Armenian pop stars held
a gala concert for the newlywed couples later in the evening. A spectacular
fireworks show followed.

Wedding certificates for the 700 couples were passed out during the evening's
celebrations. Leaders from Nagorno-Karabakh, along with guests from Armenia and
the diaspora also took part in the daylong celebrations.

This unprecedented
event was made possible by Russian-Armenian entrepreneur Levon
Hairapetian, a native of Artsakh. Mr. Hairapetian presented each couple
with a gift of $2,000 and a cow. He has also promised to bestow a monetary gift
upon each child born to the couples. He has pledged to give the first child born
to each new couple $2,000; the second child, $3,000; the third child, $5,000 -
and for the more adventuresome - upon the birth of a seventh child, a gift of
$100,000 to the couple.

At the Gandasar Monastery, some of the 700 young Armenian
couples who were married in one day in Nagorno-Karabakh, October 16, 2008. Tatul
Hakobyan for the Armenian Reporter

For more see also

http://karabakh-news.com/people/2512-v-nagornom-karabakhe-provedena.html

http://www.newsru.com/world/17oct2008/karabakh.html