Pakistani marriage present an interesting paradox. The Muslim marriage is a social contract. The ceremony is over. Dried dates are then distributed to the guests. They are high-lighted by a vast variety of rituals, many of them quite archaic, but nevertheless imbued with a certain sentiment appeal.
Wedding customs vary from province to province, even from family to family.
But the underlying idea is to emphasize the sanctity of the institution. The marriage unites not only the young people but also both of their families. The bride and groom assume prescribed responsibilities to their in-laws. A trust so carefully and elaborately tied is almost impossible to loosen. A wedding does not, of course, bring to an end the ceremonies that occur in a man's life as regularly as milestones.