For those that call Pakistan home understand the importance of their wedding. The wedding is a stable means of living among two adults and can take up to entire year to plan. In many cases, the families plan the wedding often referred to as shaadi. Today, a few changes are in place when it comes to weddings in this country; however, even marriages between cousins are permitted.
The first step is the proposal party when the parents along with the entire family of the groom will ask permission from the parents of the bride to be for her hand in the union. Some families will bring along gifts of gold or jewelry that will be worn on the wedding day, but this is not necessarily a tradition.
After the proposal party, an engagement party will be planned which includes both families. At this time, rings will be exchanged between the proposed bride and groom. In some families according to their tradition, the rings will be presented by family members while others may allow the bride and groom to exchange rings. This party is often called the Mangni and is the day that will include choosing the day of the wedding.
Once there is a date for the wedding, the next celebration is the Mayun which is a symbol of the upcoming wedding for the bride. She is not allowed to do perform errands, tasks, or even see the groom to be during this time. During this time, the brides families and friends will be rejoicing in dancing and singing.
After the Mayun, the next celebration is the Dholki. At this time, the bride to be wears Pakistani yellow attire and enjoys celebrating with her family singing wedding songs. During this time, other celebrations will also be included such as the Mehndi and the Barat. The Barat is for the grooms family and friends as they travel to the home of the bride to be for the ceremony. More days of celebration are entertained until that special day when the wedding occurs.
On of the most cherished memories a Pakistani wedding can have is the professional images created by a Wedding Photographer. Every moment, celebration, party, and all can be captured for the couple to savor as well as share with family and friends that were so much a part of the entire wedding. Before choosing your photographer, ask for references to ensure they can actually capture the love, admiration, and excitement that everyone in your family feels as you become a husband and wife instead of just two people traveling through life alone.