FAQs

Question

What are the events that I am expected to attend?

Answer

Each of our wedding events have varying groups of people who are invited depending on its rituals. An official invite will follow in April 2022 clearly stating the events you’re invited to. Please check in with the bride or the groom if hotel room and/or flight reservations need to be made before April. We understand work schedules may get in the way; therefore, if you are not able to attend a particular event, please mention it in your RSVP. Otherwise we'd really love to see you at all of them and be with us every step of the way!

Question

What traditions will we primarily see during the wedding weekend?

Answer

One of the things we enjoy about being in a multi-cultural relationship is that there are no defaults. It pushes us to reflect on what we value from each of our cultures and experiences and be intentional about the future we want to build together. Our goal is for our wedding to be a blend of our own cultures while also incorporating elements of other cultures we've come to appreciate through our friends and family. If you are interested in reading about Bengali Muslim weddings please read here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengali_Muslim_wedding If you are interested in reading more about Christian wedding traditions please refer this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_wedding

Question

I have a few questions about the wedding. Who can I contact?

Answer

Your question was not answered here? Fret not - shoot us an email at khalherdaly@gmail.com and we'll get you a response lightning fast! You may also contact our wedding planner, Jaclyn Hamilton at jaclyn@timelesslovenc.com

Question

What do we do during the time gaps in between wedding events?

Answer

The short answer...take naps! Our wedding weekend is jam packed so take breaks and naps as you need! South Asian weddings are relatively long as they are filled with multiple traditions and rituals. The break between the events will give you time to relax and prepare for the party. During the break, the family of the bride and groom as well as guests typically change from one event's outfit to the next event's outfit particularly during the day of the Muslim wedding ceremony and fusion reception. As guests, you can use this time to sleep, grab a snack, explore Raleigh, or get ready for the next event.

Question

What time should we arrive at each wedding event?

Answer

Colin and I both come from families that adhere to the "brown people time" rule haha! However, our events will start promptly on time. We ask our friends and family to make it on time, as our venues are only booked for the hours we have noted. Additionally, to attend each of our vows ceremony (both Christian and Muslim), please arrive no later than 1:30pm and 11:30am respectively. Our venue does not allow guests to enter the ceremony space once it has started. They will escort late guests to the social hour room and have them wait there until the ceremony is over.

Question

What cuisine will be served? Will there only be Bengali/Indian food served throughout the weekend?

Answer

No! We will offer all different types of cuisine to please everyone's palate! We will have options for our halal, vegetarian, and vegan family members and friends as well! If you have never tried Indian food before, we recommend going to an Indian restaurant some time before the wedding so you can get a taste for it! It's absolutely delicious and we are happy to give you recommendations.

Question

What if I have a food allergy?

Answer

We plan to order various dishes that are vegetarian, gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free and will have each dish labeled appropriately. Please also contact us via text or email and let us know what kind of allergy you have to ensure we accommodate it.

Question

Can I bring a plus one?

Answer

We have worked really hard to create an intimate celebration that includes all of our closest family members and friends so we ask that you come solo unless your invitation is addressed to your family or to you and an additional guest. We will specify all guests on your invitation. Thanks for understanding!

Question

Are children allowed?

Answer

If your invitation specifies that your whole family is invited, then yes, you are welcome to bring your children! If it’s easier to have a date night, we definitely encourage that as well! Please note our venues do not provide high-chairs or accommodations for small children, so if you do opt to bring your children, you may want to make arrangements. Additionally, our entire ceremony will be recorded, so if any of our little ones get fussy or need a break, we kindly ask you take them to the estate home, a space far from the ceremony.

Question

Do you have a hotel room block for guests? Where do you recommend I stay?

Answer

Please refer to our Travel & Hotels section. Limited rooms have been blocked off at 1). Hyatt House Raleigh North Hills and 2). AC Hotel by Marriott Raleigh North Hill for our wedding celebration! To get the discounted rate, mention Khaled-Daly Wedding block. The DEADLINE to reserve a room with our discount will be August 23, 2022.

Question

Is there transportation to and from the hotel to the ceremony and/or reception?

Answer

We have not arranged transportation to and from the ceremony or reception except for the wedding party. Please let us know if you would like help arranging transport as there may be opportunities for carpooling and/or ridesharing.

Question

Is there parking at the venue(s)?

Answer

1. Walnut Hill has available free parking on site. 2. Union Station has paid parking across the street at The Dillon Hotel for a special rate of $10 per day for self-parking. Address: 223 S. West Street Raleigh, NC 27601

Question

Should I bring a gift?

Answer

Please no boxed gifts at the wedding. There will be a wedding card box available at the reception. Please check out our wedding registry. We are registered at Williams & Sonoma and Zola.

Question

What are the customs during a Christian wedding ceremony?

Answer

Most Christian weddings begin with prelude music to welcome guests and follow with the processional of the wedding party, beginning with the couple's families, groom, best man, groomsmen, bridesmaids, flower girl, and ring bearer. The bride is then escorted down the aisle by her father. When the bride arrives at the end of the aisle, the officiant welcomes guests and and often provides some thoughts on marriage, the couple's love story, and the significance of their vows. The bride and groom offer their personal promises of love and devotion by exchanging vows, and then recite additional vows as they exchange rings. Once the rings are exchanged, they are pronounced husband and wife and share their first kiss as a married couple. A final reading or prayer may be offered and music is cued to begin the recessional of the wedding party in reverse order from which they arrived.

Question

What is the significance of Mehndi (Henna)?

Answer

Bengali wedding traditions call for a Mehndi ceremony to be held the night before the wedding as a way of wishing the bride good health and prosperity as she makes her journey on to marriage. The core significance of applying Mehndi is to utilize its natural medicinal herbal remedies, cooling the body, transferring positive spirits, and relieving the bride of any stress before her big day. The henna night is similar to a bridal shower, but with henna as it is a night of fun mainly for females. Friends of the bride usually dance and apply henna on each other’s hands while the bride has her henna done by a professional, which can take a few hours as the designs are very intricate. During our event, we will have a professional henna artist to do our guests henna as well. The designs offered will be free of charge (courtesy of the bride's family); however, if you wish to have a more intricate design, then you may have to pay extra for the difference.

Question

What is the significance of the Gaye Holud/Turmeric ceremony?

Answer

The Gaye Holud (“Turmeric on the Body”) is a beautifying & blessing ceremony observed in Bangladesh. Newlyweds are believed to be vulnerable to misfortune & the evil eye. Holud is considered to be an agent of purification to ward off any evil spirit & ill effects in the bride and groom’s life, allowing the couple to have a pious start to their married life. Additionally, turmeric provides a healthy golden glow to the skin, thus the intention is to ensure that the couple literally glows & outshines others on their wedding day! This joyous pre-wedding event includes food, laughter, music,& dance while reflecting the tradition of purification & beautification. The parents, grandparents, and all the guests apply a dab of turmeric on the bride & groom followed by feeding them sweets! Afterwards, family & friends will perform Bollywood-esque choreographed dances for the bride and groom. This musical night is a celebration of the union of not only the couple but the bonding of both families.

Question

I have never been to a Bangladeshi Wedding, what traditions occur during the wedding day?

Answer

There are 3 main parts of a Bangladeshi Wedding: 1. The Baraat- the grooms procession to the wedding venue 2. Gate Dhora (Holding of the Gate/Groom Entrance Gate). 3. Akht/Nikah- the Islamic component where vows are exchanged 4. Rusmat- a series of Bengali rituals

Question

What is a Baraat? May I join? Will Colin be coming in on an elephant?

Answer

You may have seen Indian wedding clips of a groom riding on an elephant & may be wondering why is everyone dancing in the parking lot? This is the first part of the wedding called the Baraat, a groom's procession as he arrives to the scene of the wedding. Historically, weddings took place at the bride's home & the groom would arrive on a horse or elephant with his entourage, complete with loud drums, trumpets, & all his family members singing & dancing down the street in excitement for the next part of the groom’s life. It is the groom's one chance to be the center of attention before the bride steals the show! Colin will arrive to the scene covered in finery surrounded by YOU, the “baraatis,” forming a large dance party leading him to Shaoleen’s family. We encourage guests from BOTH sides to join Colin in the dancing as he makes his way to the ceremony and prevent him from getting cold feet. As for the elephant question, be at the venue at 10:30AM sharp on Saturday to find out!

Question

What is the "Gate Dhora" (Gate Holding/Groom Entrance Gate)

Answer

In Bengali weddings, the bride's party will hold a "gate" (usually a ribbon or rope) and basically block the groom and his party from entering the wedding hall/area. They will demand a high gate fee for the groom to marry his bride. All is fun, but it is customary for groom's party to pay the gate holders. Groom's party must pay the negotiated fee, then cut the rope/ribbon and are allowed to enter. There is plenty of joking, laughing and witting comments that are always being outsmarted! Upon entering bride's family/friends will throw flower petals and such all over the groom and his party.

Question

What is the Nikah Ceremony?

Answer

The Nikah, officiated by an Imam (religious official), is the opportunity for the the couple to accept and formalize their religious marriage in front of God, with their family and friends as witness. The bride and groom accept by saying "qubool" ( "I do" ) three times in front of everyone. The couple, along with their witnesses, then signs the Nikah (contract), formalizing their marriage under God. The Imam will then recite excerpts from the Qur'an, followed by a khutbah (a short sermon) about the meaning of marriage for the now husband and wife.

Question

What is the Rusmat?

Answer

This is a ceremony where the bride and groom are draped with a dupatta over their heads and a mirror is placed between them. They look at each other in a mirror for the first time as husband and wife (prothom deka). The groom (and sometimes the bride) is asked to say out loud what he sees in the mirror so that the entire audience can hear. The groom is to put the beauty of his bride into a single line of prose. In the past, one of the most common answers was, "I see the face of the moon." In modern times, the replies are more personal owing to the fact that most couples know each other, and know each other well, prior to getting married. Afterwards, the couple feeds each other some misti and lassi ("misti mook"), symbolizing the first of many morsels they will share. The next part of the Rusmat is tying of rakhis or bracelets. In this custom, the bride ties a silver rakhi around the wrist of her husband. The groom ties a gold rakhi around the wrist of his wife. Afterward, the couple exchanges floral garlands ("mala") to wear around their necks to symbolize their acceptance of each other. This is followed by the ring exchange.

Question

I hear the bride and groom and their respective families play games during the Nikah ceremony, what is this about?

Answer

There are a lot of fun traditions surrounding Bengali weddings. One is for the bride's sisters (friends or cousins) to steal the groom's shoes as he takes them off before entering the mandap called joota churi (stealing of the shoe). The groom must pay the sisters to get them back because he is supposed to leave the mandap with the same shoes he came in.

Question

I have never been to a Western or Christian wedding, what should I wear and when?

Answer

In Asia, “Western Wear” refers to clothing styles from countries from the West, such as the United States, Canada, and Europe. This category of men’s and women’s clothing were derived from the clothes worn in the 19th century. Please refrain from wearing white, red, cowboy boots, jeans, shorts, or sundresses. We would love if you wore cocktail attire at the Christian Ceremony (09/29) and black tie formal at the Multicultural Reception (10/01).

Question

What is Western cocktail attire?

Answer

Western Cocktail attire is a balance between formal and casual and elegant and comfortable. For ladies, we recommend a cocktail dress or dressy suit or jumpsuit. For gentlemen, we advise a suit and tie or sport coat and slacks. Our Christian ceremony and cocktail hour will be outdoors on grass, so please keep this in mind when selecting both attire and footwear. Flats, block heels, or wedges are encouraged. You can also read about cocktail attire here - https://www.brides.com/cocktail-attire-wedding-4844364

Question

I have never been to a South Asian wedding, what should I wear and when?

Answer

South Asian weddings are very vibrant and colorful. We would love if everyone can join in the experience and wear traditional clothing! If you don’t own or haven’t worn Indian attire before, we recommend saris, lehengas, or anarkalis for women and kurta/pyjama (long Indian style tunic) and pair with khaki pants for men. Avoid wearing black, red or white. We would love if you wore traditional South Asian attire on Friday, September 30th at the Gaye Holud and Saturday, October 1 at the Baraat and Nikah (Muslim wedding ceremony). It is optional to wear South Asian attire at the reception. However, Indian attire is of course not required but we think it would be really fun if everyone did dress up! Alternatively, colorful cocktail attire or suit would be just fine. https://www.theknot.com/content/what-to-wear-indian-wedding

Question

What do I wear to a Multicultural Reception?

Answer

Black Tie Attire: Either Indian Formal or Western Formal. Wearing the color black is acceptable at this event. Ladies, black tie attire consists of a floor length gown. For gents, tuxes are preferred with bow ties or tie; however, a formal dark suit is acceptable. Indian formal for ladies are lehengas or saris and for men, sherwanis or kurtas with dress pants.

Question

If we are limited in South Asian attire, which events should we dress up for?

Answer

If you are limited on South Asian attire, it is preferred that you use your attire at the Nikah wedding ceremony (Saturday Morning, 10/1). If you have a second outfit, use it at the Gaye Holud/Turmeric Ceremony (Friday evening, 09/30). If you have a third outfit, use it for Mehndi & Mimosa Night (Thursday night 09/29). Western attire is acceptable at the Mehndi & Mimosa Night. However, the Gaye Holud/Turmeric and Nikah wedding ceremony are more traditional functions which is why the Bengali/Indian attire is preferred there.

Question

There are so many different types of female South Asian outfits, which is what?

Answer

WOMEN: - Saree: A 2-piece outfit consisting of a top and a large piece of decorated fabric that looks like a scarf. The large piece of fabric will function as a skirt that also drapes over your body. The draping will cover your abdomen area and most of your back, depending on how it is draped. - Lehenga: A 3-piece outfit that consists of a top, a large circle skirt, and a scarf (aka dupatta). This style will show more of your abdomen and back than the saree. - Kurta sets: This is a 2 or 3 piece outfit, depending on if the scarf/dupatta is included. The main outfit consists of a tea-length dress and either loose-fitting or tight-fitting pants. No abdomen or back is revealed in this outfit.

Question

There are so many different types of male South Asian outfits, which is what?

Answer

MEN: - Sherwani: This is a 2-piece set consisting of a colorful, form-fitting, and long jacket with either loose-fitting or tight-fitting matching pants. Colin and the groomsmen will be wearing this type of style for the wedding. - Kurta sets: A 2-piece set very similar to the female style of Kurtas. The set consists of a long tunic with matching loose-fitting or tight-fitting pants. This style is a staple in the male wardrobe and is also very comfortable.

Question

Where can I buy Bengali/Indian clothes?

Answer

If you are interested in purchasing a South Asian outfit for the wedding, here are some physical stores: - Sara elegance (physical boutique located in Raleigh, NC) - Designer vastra (Physical boutique located in Charlotte, NC) Listed below are a few online resources. Make sure to use the size chart and keep in mind the shipping time as often they ship from India. * Cbazaar - www.cbazaar.com com (Affordable options for Men and Women) * Lashkaraa - www.lashkaraa.com (Affordable & stylish options for Women) * Panash - www.panashindia.com (Affordable options for Men) * Ayla Noor - www.aylanoor.com * Utsav - www.utsavfashion.com * Indian Wedding Saree - www.indianweddingsaree.com * Amazon (Look up Indian outfits) * Etsy (Look up Indian outfits) Of course, borrowing from friends is another great option! Let us know if you need any assistance! Feel free to contact the bride or the groom for additional questions.

Question

The struggle is real wearing this saree! What am I doing wrong?

Answer

Here is a step by step video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwRZPTCRrxk Get your safety pins ready girls!

Question

Can I take pictures?

Answer

We would appreciate if you please do not take photos during the Christian wedding ceremony and Nikah (Muslim wedding ceremony). For the pre-wedding events and reception, please feel free to take as many photos! Tag #KhalHerDaly

Question

What is the plan regarding COVID19 precautions?

Answer

We are monitoring the status of the COVID19 pandemic and our precaution plans may change along with requirements from the City of Raleigh and recommendations from the CDC. As of now, we will be requiring that all of our guests be vaccinated against COVID19. If you will be unable to get vaccinated by September 29, 2022, please contact us to discuss your situation.

Question

What will the temperature be like in Raleigh, NC in September & October?

Answer

Summers days are warm (think 70-80s), especially in the sun. The evenings are generally much cooler with temperatures dropping to 40-50s. Consider bringing layers so you are comfortable.