1. Our festivities last for weeks
Yes, our weddings are never a simple affair! Pre-wedding celebrations such as Mayoon, Mehndi, the wedding itself and the post-marriage Valima, last for a week. If not that, the dance practices and other activities keep going on plenty of weeks in advance!
2. A feast for the ages
It’s mostly about the food, isn’t it? Our weddings are huge affairs, with as many as six hundred guests or even a thousand, at times. People show up in droves hence preparations to arrange a feast for the ages are also made!
3. Decoration, decorations everywhere…
Whether it be the car in which the bride her groom drive away or the house, everything is decorated with small lights and flowers. We love to adorn our houses and let the world know its a celebratory event.
4. Relatives from all over the world converge–for one wedding
Yes, if you’re about to exchange wedding vows and rings, then a week before the big day, you’re house will be flooded with relatives from far away! Mamoos, khalas, phuppies and cousins from abroad will be the visitors!
5. Jewelry to weigh you down, more than a notch!
Yes, we always think it’s a wonderful idea to adorn our brides (her bridesmaids and other female relatives) with ehavy gold jewelry. What was the famous term again, heavy lies the head that wears the crown?
6. Some sort of consolation in the form of cash envelopes
Yes, that is one typical aspect of Pakistani weddings. Cash envelopes that guests bring with them to the weddings. Whether it is a good-natured gift or a form of repayment for the wedding food from the guests, these envelopes are always welcomed by the hosts!
7. Plenty do to on the dance floor
Those Mehndi and dance preparations aren’t for naught, are they? No Pakistani wedding is complete without dance performances, where it’s often always the bride’s dance troupe pitted against the groom’s. Midst all the competition and dance numbers, it’s all thoroughly entertaining!
8. Your father does not give you away to the groom
No, it’s the entire extended family that does that!
9. Plenty of tears at every wedding conclusion
Yes, we’ve all been witness to that moment of realisation. When the bride and her family (mother especially) comes to grip with the fact that the daughter is leaving the house for good. All hell breaks loose, emotionally speaking.
10. Those typical wedding poses
11. When the groom’s joota becomes hostage
The groom is made to pay a heavy price (pun intended) when the bride’s sisters or cousins or friends snatch the groom’s shoe and hold it hostage till he doesn’t part with a decent amount of cash. Negotiations ensue and the shoe is regained by the groom, after he pays for it. Another scripted wedding act, much adorned by everyone including the groom himself (I’m guessing!).
