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Nikkah is also one of the most important events of a Pakistani wedding, as it has religious reasons behind it. As the majority of the Pakistani population follows Islam, there are a few Islamic rituals that need to be followed to become a lawfully wedded couple. The event of Nikkah is the same as the event of engagement in western culture. A “maulvi” or a minister in a Christian wedding, recites Quranic verses, and then a similar act of “I do” is done where both the groom and the bride have to say “Qabool hai” as in “I accept,” three times repeatedly.
Henna, food, and music
Be ready for a fun-filled afternoon of delicious food, lively music, and dancing when you go to a mehendi ceremony. Henna sometimes called as ‘mehndi’ is a dye made from the Lawsonia inermis henna plant. It is used to make designs of flowers on the hands and arms of the bride. Mehndi celebrations are just as they are shown in South Asian movies, with everyone dressed in colourful attire and sweets such as gulab jamun, laddu or rass gula being served to people invited at the event. But the most important thing in a mehndi function is the music and dance. Cousins and friends of the bride and groom prepare dance routines on the beat of dholki or sometimes on desi party songs. In some cases, women sing and play the Dholak, a kind of drum, while seated and surrounded by colorful throw pillows and colorful décor.
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Some rituals are carried out for religious reasons, while others are performed to enjoy the celebratory event. The Baraat custom is one notable event. The Baraat is the wedding celebration and includes the groom’s festive wedding procession, which features dancing and live music. Although the idea originated in North India, it has now been adopted by many cultures and nations, including Pakistan. Dudh Pilai Similar to the previous tradition, dudh pilai involves the bride’s side girls making the groom drink milk that has been mixed with other delicious ingredients and then asking him for money in exchange. In this ritual, it is a must for the Groom to drink a glass of milk and pay the bride’s side girls. Rukhsati At the end of the baraat, the bride leaves the event with her husband. This moment of the event can be very sentimental for the families, as well as the bride and groom.
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The walima is the reception hosted by the groom’s side following the wedding; it is truly a welcoming of the newly married couple (making their debut entrance together) and celebration of the families that have become one. Walima in literal translation means "to assemble" and is used to describe an assembly or party celebrating major life events. Walima is essentially interchangeable with American and English terms such as: wedding reception or celebration (when held to celebrate a marriage). Similarly, the walima is generally interchangeable with other languages/cultures terms that essentially mean to assemble for the purposes of celebrating a marriage.