CAIRO — Carfuls of hooting men careened through the half-empty streets of Cairo, then skidded to a halt on Qasr el Nil, the most famous bridge over the Nile. A newly married couple leapt out, trailed by festive relatives, hoping for a coveted photo at an iconic beauty spot.

The police, charged with enforcing social distancing, had other ideas. A tow truck prowled back and forth on the bridge, siren blaring, as officers barked orders at wedding parties and other lingerers to move on.

The same scene played out over several days last week in Cairo, where the minor matter of a global coronavirus pandemic has failed to quell couples’ ardor. Like many others across the Middle East, they have pushed ahead with weddings — even as wedding halls and hotels have shuttered, honeymoons evaporated and curfews slammed down.