KARACHI:
There was a time when people from all socio-economic backgrounds saved money for years in order to spend lavishly on their children’s weddings.
However, the recent wave of economic slowdown in the country and changing mindsets have encouraged many parents to save their children’s weddings by favoring daytime events over nighttime events, which cost much more for the same arrangements.
Aleema Shahzad, a mother from Paposh Nagar, shared her experience at her daughter’s daytime wedding ceremony. “When my daughter was getting married, we mutually agreed with the groom’s family that we would have a modest, daytime wedding that would cost us much less than a nighttime event. This amicable agreement allowed us to “Not only eased the usual financial burden, but it also paved the way for other families who were considering more practical ways to marry off their children,” she added.
Similarly, Waqas Anwar, a young welder from Sohrab Goth, also got married through a simple day wedding. “When planning my wedding, I started looking at options that would allow me to get married with minimal financial strain on my family. Luckily, a daytime wedding allowed us to do just that,” gushed Waqas, who spent only Rs 250,000 on his wedding reception. , which welcomed a total of 250 guests.
According to Zia Qureshi, owner of a matchmaking agency, showing restraint at weddings is essential in today’s times, where high inflation and economic instability have made lavish weddings unaffordable for most families.
“The increasing costs of evening wedding ceremonies have forced many parents to consider simpler, less expensive daytime weddings. Although cultural nuances previously dictated the time of day chosen for a wedding ceremony, most people are now opting for daytime ceremonies as they are relatively cheaper to host,” concluded Qureshi.
Confirming Qureshi’s observation, Imran Saleem, a wedding hall owner and event organizer from Federal Zone B, highlighted the price disparity between day and night events at wedding venues.
“For main reception events, daytime rates are usually 40 to 50 percent lower than night rates on the same day. Similarly, hosting pre-wedding festivities like Mayoun, Mehndi and Barat during the day would cost 50 to 60 percent less than the night event,” informed Imran, who also added that day events allow families to exercise moderation by selecting simpler menus comprising only basic dishes.
“Islam clearly requires all Muslims to exercise moderation in all matters, including the conduct of marriage ceremonies. Spending large sums of money on irrelevant rituals and events puts families under immense financial stress, which is completely against the injunctions of Islam,” said Maulana Muhammad. Tanveer, a preacher at a local mosque in Liaquatabad.
In the same vein, Zahra Salim, a matchmaker from North Nazimabad, highlighted the fact that high expenditure on excessive wedding rituals had overburdened families to such an extent that subsequent marriages within the family have had to be delayed due to lack of resources.
“All social classes should embrace modesty in weddings and prioritize simplicity over extravagance. Even though only a small segment of society currently holds simple weddings, it still signifies a positive change from to extravagance,” said Zahra, while speaking to The Express PK Press Club.
