Elegance, sophistication and grandeur are some words that can perfectly sum up a traditional Muslim wedding. While times have definitely evolved, the beauty of a Muslim wedding maintains to hold itself. Let us unleash what makes for a true blue Muslim wedding.

PRE-WEDDING RITUALS

Istikhara: This is the first pre-wedding ritual in a Muslim wedding. Herein, the priest or religious head offers prayers to the god almighty, taking his approval for conducting the wedding.

Iman zamin: Once the almighty's blessings are invoked, the groom's mother visits the bride's place with a handful of gift items like sweets and a gold/silver coin wrapped in a silk cloth which is known as imam zamin.

Mangni: The mangni ritual marks the exchange of fruits and sweets between both the families when the groom's family visits the bride's house. Nowadays, it also marks the occasion when the bride and the groom exchange rings and announce their engagement.

Manjha: This ceremony can be akin to the haldi ceremony of Hindu weddings. Here, the bride and preferably all the guests are dressed in yellow outfits. The bride is smeared with turmeric paste all over her body for a natural glow before her D-day. Post this ceremony, the bride is not supposed to step out of her house till the wedding.

Mehendi: Held at the bride's place, the bride's hands and feet are decorated with henna paste in the accompaniment of traditional songs. The female relatives and friends also adorn their hands in the beautiful designs of mehendi. Sometimes, the bride's cousins visit the groom's place with leftover mehendi and apply a dot of mehendi on the groom's palms as a symbol of good luck.

WEDDING RITUALS

Mahr: This is the ritual of welcoming the groom with his kinsmen at the wedding venue. A band of musicians play traditional music to announce their arrival. Welcoming the groom, the bride's brother shares a drink of sherbet with the groom. The bride's sisters play some pranks before greeting all the guests with batons of flowers.

Nikaah: The wedding ceremony or nikaah can be held at any convenient venue, or the houses of either the bride/groom. In an orthodox Muslim wedding, the men and women are seated separately. In the presence of family members, relatives and friends, the maulvi (priest) conducts the ceremony. The walis (fathers of the bride and the groom) play an important role in the ceremony. Select verses from the holy Quran are read out by the maulvi. The nikaah is rendered complete after the ijab-e-qubul (proposal and acceptance) takes place between the bride and groom. The boy's side proposes to which the girl's side assents. The mutual consent of both sides is of great importance for the marriage to be legal. Finally, the amount of mehar (nuptial gift) is decided by the elders of both the families. It is customary that the mehar is given by the groom's family to the bride during the nikaah.

Nikaahnama: The nikaahnama is the document in which the marriage contract is registered. Containing a set of terms and conditions, it also gives the bride the right to divorce her husband. For the contract to be legal, the nikaahnama must be signed by the bride, the groom, the walis and the maulvi.

Blessing the groom: The groom now seeks blessings from all the older women present. In return, he offers them his salaam (a respectful salutation). The guests present then pray for the well-being of the newly-weds.

Dinner, prayers and aarsimashaf: After a lavish dinner (men and women dining separately usually), the newlywed couple sits together for the first time. Their heads are covered by a dupatta (scarf) while the maulvi reads out prayers. The Quran is placed between the couple and finally they are allowed to see each other through mirrors (aarsi). A sweet dish and dates are served to the guests thereafter as dates have a religious significance for Muslims.

POST-WEDDING RITUALS

Rukshat: This refers to the tearful farewell to the bride by her family before she proceeds to her new home. The bride's father gives her hand to the groom, with a promise that his daughter will be well taken care of.

Welcoming the bride: The bride is accorded a warm welcome at the groom's house by her mother-in-law. As she sets her foot into the threshold of her new home, the groom's mother places the holy Quran over her head.

Chauthi: Chauthi is the fourth day after the wedding. This is when the bride visits her home for the first time as a married lady.

Valimah: Valimah is the grand reception that is hosted by the groom's family. It is an occasion of togetherness, where both the families and their respective relatives get a chance to interact with each other.