Well heard, “Marriages are made in Heaven but celebrated on Earth”. Every county, every religion, big or small every type of family-poor, middle-class, higher middle-class or rich all celebrates weddings. Why not? It is something more than a festival or eve of a New Year or ones birthday. Marriage is a sacred institution to be preserved by the members of society. 
It cannot be denied weddings are notoriously stressful. We all want a perfect wedding. Isn’t so? So why not make it a big event we all think before hand. Right from the search of a partner to the main event we want everything to be more lavish, more majestic. And a lot of people especially girls spend entire life planning for their wedding. Also many, dreams of a perfect celebration of wedding that will be etched in the memory forever. The Big Day of the bridegroom should be a special one not only for then but also for the families, friends, relatives and all knower. The wedding ceremony is celebrated with splendid grandeur.
Unlike all religions Muslims wedding is regarded as more traditional. The same rituals are followed from the time of Moguls. It is said to be more conventional event for Muslims.
It is stated in the Holy Quran that wedding is the most important act and sunnah of Holy Prophet. Moreover man and women are described as “garments of each other” and Muslims consider the marriage as the ground of society and family life. But unfortunately our society seems to have become more Western in its values than it was a few decades ago. There was of a simple and sober occasion of Prophet’s wedding mentioned in hadiths. There was no wedding feast. It is no much expense too. But as of now, marriages are highly expensive though traditionally grounded with norms.
Firstly, there is a ceremony of Istikhara following a grand betrothed. These days engagement is not restricted to the family dinner and a ring. Now, people have begun to book Function Halls for the engagement ceremony too. They are spending the same amount of money on betroth of that of a marriage. The same expensive bridal dress and groom kit, make-up and mehandi at parlors, gold or diamond ring, lavishing dinner, hundreds of guests, photo and video shoot, etc. it is no more an intimate gathering but an announcement of beginning of a new relationship, a new life indeed.
And once the engagement ring twinkles on the finger the real preparations are begin for three-day wedding ceremony which is more splendid than betrothed. Some have manjha ceremony held for 7 days prior marriage where haldi ki rasam takes place among the members of family. Here making clothes to bridegroom parents and family members are essential. There is no hard and fast rule; people do it according to their convenience and pleasure. But the three-day celebration is a compulsion for every Muslim wedding.
A day before marriage, the Mehndi ceremony is mainly held at the bride's place. It is mainly a ladies function where a mehndiwali or a relative applies mehndi on the hands and feet of the bride. But now-a-days bride goes to a parlor for mehandi and have a get-to-gather with friends in the evening. There is a dance, music and all types of masti done a day before wedding. For groom it is a bachelor party held among his friends and cousin who are usually of same age. This event gives a festive touch to the celebration. On the wedding day, nikah is organized and follows with delicious biryani. No Muslim wedding is complete without chicken, mutton and varieties of sweet dishes. It is called main event as bridegroom is announced as a husband-wife. Everything about this day is special and includes large sum. And lastly there is a reception after a day or two from groom’s side which is usually very marvelous. A big feast is organized. It is a fun and joyous occasion that brings together the two families. They bless the newly weds on this day.
From the decorations to dinners, for each and every thing you need to spend money. The rich-looking weddings are in. The perfect wedding all should be perfectly well. Saba (name changed) says “she has been planning her wedding since she was five year old. The princess inside her escorts for everything she plans for the big day. Along with the dress, jewelry, make-up and hairstyle are extremely important. She wants something unique from the regular make-up. It is not just the wedding place to be booked; the bride needs an advance booking from a make-expert, hair stylist and spa treatment. From the invitation card to the photographs, the wedding day must be memorable with a unique mix of traditional and modern object”.
Today society has become such that the significance of successful marriage has become a pricey affair. The expensive marriages have almost become a must, even for low-income families. People are afraid and fear of others. They think what "people" will think, if the wedding ceremony is not costly. It is a mad, mad, mad world. Always there is something unexpected happens here because people are crazy. They are crazy to meet societal expectations. They say, marriage is only once, so why not make it big, impressive and magnificent. Anything they will do to make it fanciful. But in view of Bushra (name changed)” today the kind of publicity and massive wedding people go for is more like of a “Pomp and Show”. She thinks marriage is a private affair and not be stricken to the whole community. There is nothing to show off your bags full of money with a costly wedding. Simplicity should be maintained”. However Nisha (name changed) has been working from past two years to save the money for her wedding. She wants a big high-class wedding.
In effect, we can see today’s youth feels much pressurized to get marry when they want it. The cost of organizing the engagement and wedding is very expensive and they take years to accumulate the amount for the big day in life. Also some parents or bride/groom even end up taking loans for the wedding. It has become a source of worry to many. With the recession hit and economic slowdown, few Muslims end up delaying the marriages and rest of them still spends lakhs of rupees in the celebration. Every one wants a perfect and well-organized wedding if they money or if they have don’t. It is a kind of societal compression. Anyhow, “It is the best day of your life”, a tired old cliché. But absolutely true, right.
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