How to Plan a Modern Muslim Wedding (Filipino Style)
Assalamu Alaykum!
Every
bride's dream is to have a perfect wedding. With everything goes as planned. But
let’s face the reality that planning a wedding is not easy. It can become a
mess if not planned carefully. It requires a lot of patience and
open-mindedness. Weddings are once in a lifetime only and focusing on impressing people will be stressful. Hadith says: The most blessed nikah is the one with the least expences.
So
bride-to-be, here’s my idea based on my personal experience on handling a Muslim
wedding.
Hope you find it helpful.
o Specify your budget
Establish a budget and stick to
it. Everything depends on the budget and make sure it is approved by the people
who are paying for it.
o Pick a venue
The wedding do not need to be in
Mosque. It’s fine but it is preferable when the wedding and reception is to be held in one place. It will minimize the
stress, time and budget.
See to it that it is a convenient
location for Muslim guests.
If it’s in a closed hall or open
space like a garden, make sure that the temperature is comfortable.
o Set the date and time
The date will depend on the
availability of your venue and guests.
Do not set the time on prayer
hours like Dhuhur and Asar. Morning weddings are preferable for Muslims,
9:30-10:30 am are the best time to start the ceremony.
o Pick a theme
Research your dream wedding hall
design. The internet is full of beautiful design details. Recommend it to your
decoration committee which is usually provided already by your chosen venue.
Make it simple but elegant. It is very important to see the venue the day
before the wedding to make sure that the theme or motif matches the overall
appearance or if it is the way you want it to be.
o Decide who will officiate the
Nikah ceremony
You may need two witnesses,
bride’s male guardian, a Wali and Imam. An Ustadz, a pious man or any
knowledgeable man who knows about the Islamic tradition of Nikah can perform
the marriage ceremony. You may ask a professional or a well experienced
regarding this matter.
o Pick the wedding party
Decide if you are going to have a
wedding party. The members won’t play a part in the whole ceremony except for
the processional and for picture taking purposes. So ask yourself if it is
worth spending your money. If you decide
to have a wedding party decide who and how many will be part of it.
Bridesmaids, groomsmen, flower girls, Qur-an bearer and marriage contract
bearer are the usual members. Keep it simple.
o Select the clothing
Finding a perfect clothing as
well as getting the measurement for the bridal party will require a considerable amount of time so it should be done preferably at least two months before the wedding.
Don’t forget the shoes. Then schedule a
date where the rest of the party can try their clothing on and get it early if
there are changes to be made.
o Make a guest list
Guest lists usually ranges from
200-300 persons depending on the venue and budget. Determine how many people
your venue can accommodate. Then get the name of guests. This will also help
you determine the number of invitations you are going to make.
o Make wedding invitations
Research the type of wedding
invitation you want. You can make your own customized design or go to a
professional. Make it simple and wordings shorter. If possible, send it out two
weeks before the wedding. This will be enough time for your guests to save the
date of your wedding.
In this blog I have personally
made samples of Muslim wedding invitations designs and wordings for your simple
reference. Check here...
o Choose your bridal car
You can rent or borrow a suitable
car for wedding. If you own a car, make sure it iscleaned days before the
wedding to avoid hassle.
o Pick your emcee
Your emcee should be a man not a
woman. Should have a sense of humor and a good speaker. Give the emcee a
printed program of the wedding ceremony. Give him proper instruction about the
order of events.
My Muslim Wedding Emcee
Script post check here...
o Pick the photographer,
videographer and sound director
Of course you want your wedding
to be memorable. You can hire a professional or assign a distant relative or a
friend who knows how to do the task.
o Organize a wedding program
This will serve as a guide for your
emcee, to those who have speeches and roles to play in the entire wedding
ceremony. This is the key to an organized wedding.
o Make it Memorable
Play a slideshow during the
wedding about the bride and the groom. It can be photos of them since infant up
to present or some dramatic presentation of their individual journey.
You can also have a person both from groom's and bride’s side (preferably best friend) to give speeches.
o Make it Islamic
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