With all the legal and cultural requirements of a wedding completed, there is but one final function remaining in the long line of wedding celebrations: PAAAAARTYYY!! Ahem, sorry, I meant: the Walima.
Finally, the one you’ve all been waiting for! The climax of Pakistani marriage celebrations is the day of the Shaadi, the one day that has parallels in most cultures in the world.
Ah, the beautiful night of Mehndi. Colors, clothes, rasms, all blend to make this easily the most cultural night at Pakistani marriages.
So here we are. Planning has been done, the dates have been set. The families have now spent a few weeks shopping for clothes, gifts, jewelry and booking wedding halls. With just a few weeks to go before the wedding, its time to start having fun!
In Pakistan, marriage is considered the union of two families, not just the pairing of two people. Combine the vested interests of extended family with the restrictions from culture and religion, and navigating the path to a wedding can get quite challenging for all involved!
Did you know this was happening? I didn’t. But apparently the world’s best squash players were in Saudi Arabia last week, duking it out for the top spot in the squash rankings.