Pakistani Weddings are Dresses and Songs

Pakistani weddings are all Colors, Songs, Dances, Dresses, Pictures, Videos, and fun rituals for the close Family.The poor guy and gal’s fathers usually just fork up the bill.

I will go over the usual Pakistani wedding festivities, starting from the time you receive the wedding cards, wrapped in drapes, to the event afterward – and the ball-park cost of each.

Table of Contents

Pakistani Wedding Event Sequence

In summary, a rich man’s marriage festivities in the Islamabad suburbs would have:-

An engagement party at Marriott
A mayun a home
Bridal shower
Milad
Antakshiri Songs night at the grooms
Nikah ceremony at Shah Faisal Mosque
Mehndi / Sangeet at 1969 restaurant lawns
Rukhsati at Serena
Walima at Marriott

Pakistani Weddings start with the relatives moving in to live with you full time. This includes cousins, phuppis, khalas etc. During these meetups, marriage ceremonies are decided, gifts exchanged, bride readied and clothes stitched.

Rich people, like everywhere are into pomp and show.

Wedding Festivities are time of Bonding and Happiness

The relatives coming together under one roof for a whole month is the best part. Everyone has a smiling face and stays up late at night chitchatting, preparing dresses, suits, and hanging out. Lots of antagonistic people kiss and makeup on these occasions.

Mangni Function of Pakistani Weddings

First up in the Pakistani wedding festivities calendar is the engagement party or the ‘Mangni’, which can either, be a simple dinner at home or as lavish as an invite to Marriott hotel marquee. The bare essential guests are called in to bear witness to two souls deciding to come together in the future. The brides’ family pays for this event.

A wedding cake is cut here. Marriot charges Rs 4500 per person for food, besides the marquee rent of Rs 100,000 plus taxes. The menu has been predetermined.

Bridal Shower Function of Pakistani Weddings

The second event in Pakistani weddings is the bridal shower that the bride arranges for her friends at home. Lots of gifts are handed out from the bride’s old man’s purse like they are M&Ms. The bride mentally and physically prepares for the rigors of marriage, with the support of her bride’s maids. This is not an essential event.

Nikah Ceremony of Pakistani Weddings

Third Ceremony in Pakistani weddings is the Nikah ceremony held at the Faisal mosque, where the actual document does not take place. It’s just to make the event grander. Actual marriage registration takes place over a desk at G-11 markaz. The molvi’s charges are Rs 5000. Marriage registration is higher. Usually, people just arrange a dinner event at home and call the Molvi to have the documents signed

Pakistani Wedding Vows

The Pakistani Wedding Vows are to recite three times:-

Qabool hai (“I accept” the Groom as my husband)
Qabool Hai
Qabool Hai

Mehr Muajjal Wedding Payment

Mehr Muajjal (prompt payment) is kept at Rs 15000, to be compulsorily paid immediately to the bride. Mehr Muwajjal (deferred) is paid when things get sour between the bride and the groom and is usually kept at Rs 25 lakh, depending on what both the parties decide.

Surah al-Nisa, states, “Give to women their agreed dowers (willingly)….” (4:4) and, “…as an obligation….” (4:24).

Imam Malik believed that even if the parties agreed that there would be no Mehr, in that case, Nikah would not be valid. Imams Abu Hanifa, Shafi, and Ahmed believed the Nikah would be valid, but the Mehr would still remain an obligation, to be paid.

Mehndi Pakistani Wedding Event

Fourth event is the Mehndi, which is my personal favorite because I love music.

The moment you step into the arena, there are vivid colors all around. The chariot cart for the bride and groom and the flower arrangements, decorations, and the dance floor, all are there to entertain the guest thoroughly.

Sounds, sights, and foods are for entertainment – period.

There is a DJ booth, the stage that doubles up as a concert platform and the wedding dance floor lights up in bright colors as pretty girls prance around in their clumsily choreographed numbers.

The beat is so loud that no one even tries to converse and just hits the dance floor rock with the beat. The Bride’s and Groom’s dad shares bills for this occasion. 1969 restaurant lawns, with tall green trees behind them, are a perfect backdrop for a banging Mehndi reception.

Rukhsati or Farewell Pakistani Wedding Event

The next event is the Rukkhsati or the farewell of the bride where the groom arrives on a palanquin and respectfully drives away with the bride with permission from her father. Rukhsati is paid for by the bride’s family.

Walima Wedding Reception Dinner

Last event is the Walima, where all the far-off family members and relatives are invited to have a meal with the bride and groom. Relatives that we have never met for ages are brought in here. It is a good time to meet old forgotten buddies.

I personally find Walima very boring. The groom’s side arranges the Walima functions. Marquees in E-11 would charge Rs 2200 per person with Rs 100,000 rent.

Gun Firing at Walima Festivities

Some rural marriages are an excuse for the had honchos to try out their guns in a firing ritual to show dominance over the hapless population

Conclusion

All in all, weddings in Pakistan bankrupt the parents of the bride and groom, but rest of the folks thoroughly enjoy every aspect of it.

Are Pakistani Marriages Arranged?

The parents in Pakistan think it’s their natural right to choose the bride or groom, with the young couple have very little say in the matter. A lifetime is spent getting to know the complete stranger you have to live and procreate with. By that time, you’d are already old and infirm and waiting for your final call from above to croak.

Contacts of Excellent Wedding Planners

These are the contacts for a splendid but expensive wedding planners in Islamabad, Lahore, Pakistan:-

Overall Wedding Host Ted Events 0335 2884884.
Mehndi Décor Harmann Events +923005512777.
Walima Décor Hira Ali Revelations +923458431318.
Wedding Dance Choreographer Komal Jamil

Or you can call us at +923005111523 to put it all together for you.

Top 16 Pakistani Wedding Songs

This is my compilation of the best 15 Pakistani Wedding songs that you would all enjoy

Mundeya Dupatta Chad Mera by Noor Jehan
Sonay di Taveetri by Noor Jehan
Mehndi Ne Mehndi by Musarrat Nazir
Luddi Haijamalo Pao by Noor Jehan
Desan Da Raja
Chitta Kukkar by Musarrat Nazir
Mundeya Chad Dupatta Mera by Madam Noor Jehan
Haaye Dil by Jimmy Khan
Billo Hai by Sahara feat. Munj Music Nindy Kaur
Ballay Ballay bin Roye (Harshdeep Kaur)
Aaya laariye Ne by Musarrat Nazir
Taali De Thallay by Nazia Hassan
Pasoori by Ali Sethi
Afreen Afreen by King Nusrat Fateh Ali
Mehndi ki Raat by Junaid Jamshed
Lar Gayan Dobara Phir

Mundeya Dupatta Chad Mera by Noor Jehan

“hey boy let go of my scarf” is a catchy Madam Noor Jehan (the OG Naseebo Lal) song.

Mehndi Ne Mehndi by Musarrat Nazir

Its not just the folk lyrics of Mehndi ne, but the Aura of Musarrat Nazir, the hottie of yesteryears that makes the song special.

Luddi Haijamalo Pao by Noor Jehan

This is a famous Punjabi Luddi Dance number.

Chitta Kukkar by Musarrat Nazir

“Kashni Dupattay waliyay, munda sadqay teray te”. “Green Scarf girl, this boy is ready to be sacrificed for your sake”.No one writes such beautiful loving lyrics anymore.

Mundeya Chad Dupatta Mera by Madam Noor Jehan

This one is Noor Jehan’s more famous original songs.

Sonay di Taveetri by Noor Jehan

Anjuman dances to this unique dance number.

Desan Da Raja

Desan punjabi number is recognized world over

Haaye Dil by Jimmy Khan

This newer number is a standard for all Pakistani weddings, because it has a Bollywood feel.

Billo Hai by Sahara feat. Munj Music Nindy Kaur

Pakistan’s obsession with billo (green eyed girls) continues.

Ballay Ballay bin Roye (Harshdeep Kaur)

The sound track of Lolly wood movie Bin Roye

Aaya laariye Ne by Musarrat Nazir

This song plays when the Baraat arrives to take home the bride

Pasoori by Ali Sethi

A mega hit by the talented Pakistani singer

Afreen Afreen by King Nusrat Fateh Ali

This songs plays when the bride enters the marriage hall

Taali De Thallay by Nazia Hassan

The original pop singer of Pakistan produced this catchy tune that resonates with rural Punjab

“Taali de thally beh ke ve mahiya aa karye pyaar dean gallan” “dear beloved, lets sit beneath the taali tree and talk love“

Mehndi ki Raat by Junaid Jamshed

Junaid Jamshed was the original heart throb of Pakistan

Lar Gayan Dobara Phir

Hareem Farooqi and Sanam Saeed dance to this number

Pakistani Wedding Dresses and Attires for Bride and Groom

For the Groom it is called the Sherwani and the bridal dress is called Shadi ka jora

If you still cant find what to wear, then see these Pakistani Dramas Actresses

Pakistani Dramas

Pakistani Actresses

Best Pakistani Coke Studio Songs

Pakistani Handicrafts

Cost of Pakistani Wedding Event

A snap shot of the marriage charges for the father of the bride, of a typical upper middle class family would be as follows :-

Rs 17 lakh for Mehndi dinner, it can go up to 35 lakh if a singer is brought in.
Rupees 17 Lakh for Rukhsati Dinner
Rs 7.5 Lakh for shopping of your own crew
Rupees 20 Lakh for the Shaadi Function (Baraat)
Rupees 20 lakh for Jahez, minimum , including Gold jewelry
Rs 7.5 Lakh for a reasonable wedding dress, it can go up to 25 lakh
Rupees 10 Lakh for the gifts and miscellaneous charges like videos, food for the staff and beauty parlours, hair stylists

The total would be around One Crore Rupees plus 40% inflation in 2023

So save up for your beautiful princess and live on grass and figs in the process.