Daytime weddings gain popularity

Daytime events cost almost 50 per cent less than nighttime ceremonies hosted on the same day

There was once a time when people of all socio-economic backgrounds would save money for years in order to lavishly spend on their children's weddings. However, the recent wave of economic downslide in the country alongside altered mindsets has encouraged many parents to economize their children’s weddings by favouring daytime functions over nighttime events, which cost way more money for the same arrangements.

Mrs Aleema Shahzad, a mother from Paposh Nagar, shared her experience with her daughter’s daytime wedding ceremony. “When my daughter was getting married, we had mutually agreed with the groom’s family that we would have a modest, daytime wedding, which would cost us much less than a nighttime event. This amicable agreement not only alleviated us of the typical financial burden but it also paved the way for other families who were considering more practical ways of wedding their children,” she opined.

Similarly, Waqas Anwar, a young welder from Sohrab Goth also entered matrimony through a simple daytime wedding. “While planning my wedding, I started looking for options which would allow me to get married with minimal financial strain on my family. Fortunately, a daytime wedding allowed us just that,” reveled Waqas, who spent only Rs250,000 on his wedding reception, which hosted a whopping total of 250 guests.

According to Zia Qureshi, owner of a matchmaking agency, the display of temperance in weddings was critical during the current times, where high inflation and economic instability had made lavish weddings unaffordable for most families. “The escalating costs of marriage ceremonies held in the evening have compelled many parents to consider simpler, less costly daytime weddings. Even though cultural nuances would earlier dictate the time of day chosen for a marriage ceremony, nowadays most people are going for daytime ceremonies since they are relatively cheaper to host,” concluded Qureshi.

Confirming Qureshi’s observation, Imran Saleem, the owner of a wedding hall and an event organizer from the Federal B Area, highlighted the pricing disparity between day and night events at wedding venues. “For main reception events the daytime charges are typically 40 to 50 per cent lower than the nighttime rates for the same day. Similarly, hosting pre-wedding festivities like Mayoun, Mehndi and Barat during the day would cost 50 to 60 per cent less than the nighttime event,” informed Imran, who also added that daytime events allowed families to exhibit moderation by selecting simpler menus which featured staple dishes only.

“Islam clearly instructs all Muslims to uphold moderation in all matters, including the conduct of wedding ceremonies. Spending large sums of money on irrelevant rituals and events puts families in immense financial stress, which is entirely against the injunctions of Islam,” stated Maulana Muhammad Tanveer, a preacher at a local mosque in Liaquatabad.

On a similar note, Zahra Salim, a matchmaker from North Nazimabad, emphasized the fact that high expenditure on excessive wedding rituals had overburdened families to a point where subsequent marriages within the family had to be delayed due to a paucity of resources. “All social classes must embrace modesty in weddings and prioritize simplicity over extravagance. While only a small segment of society is currently hosting simple weddings, it still signifies a positive shift away from extravagance," said Zahra, while speaking to The Express Tribune.