4 Things That Should Be Banned In Pakistani Weddings

After having attended a few marriage ceremonies this wedding season, I feel there is a dire need for us to do away with certain customs and introduce measures that discourage unethical behavior.

Read: Changing Trends in Pakistani Weddings

While there is a long list of things that should be banned in Pakistani weddings, I’ll spare you the sermon and limit myself to these four local traditions that we need to revisit  as soon as possible!

Display of Dowry

It is simply unbelievable that even in this time and age we have marriage receptions where dowry is displayed with pride and not shame. I mean it is alright for the bride’s family to gift (ONLY!) their daughter whatever they want to out of love but for it to be displayed by either of the families is simply disgraceful. Not to mention this tradition pressurizes the girl’s family to provide more than they can afford and offer gifts to the groom and his family.

Read: 4 Things You Experience Right After The Nikkah Ceremony

Hence, if people in the country are not willing to learn then the government should come up with a law that forbids such customs especially, in the middle of an event!

Wasting Food

Whether it’s a 5 star hotel or a not-very-posh marriage hall, people fill their plates at marriage ceremonies as if it is the last time they would ever get food. Unfortunately, it seems as if a lot of people lack basic common sense and hence, have a habit of putting more food in their plate (particularly, during parties and events) than what they can consume.

Hence, we are guilty of wasting both food and water and that too in a country that is not doing well on the hunger index and in which people suffer day in and day out owing to water shortage.

Read: Here Are 4 Overlooked Reasons Why Marriages Fail In Pakistan

It would be appropriate then to initiate a law that makes it compulsory for the administration of the marriage halls to make an announcement to remind people of their responsibility to not waste food just before it is about to be served.

Frankly, it shouldn’t be this way. However, perhaps this is the only option left because masses apparently lack awareness and neither seem to have an understanding of their own religious values nor basic human courtesy.

Serving Food to the Men First

During segregated arrangements it is pretty common in Pakistan to see that men are served the food before women. I seriously wonder why can’t the food be served simultaneously to both the genders?

Read: This City 41 Reporter Covering His Own Wedding Is Hilarious!

It is HIGH TIME that we revisit this tradition and introduce something that is in line with both religious and global values.

Showering Rupee Notes

It is just disgraceful how we witness 100, 500, 1000 and even 5000 rupee notes being showered on dhol wallas and dancers during wedding receptions.

The practice is derogatory to say the least! And even though a government intervention should not be needed and people should themselves understand how unethical this behavior is however, in a country that still struggles with a staggeringly low literacy rate, legislation that discourages such traditions might be the only way out.