Pakistan Cuts Down On Wedding Feasts

If you’re looking for a way to cut down on the cost of a wedding, consider having it in Pakistan. The government in Punjab has begun to enforce a law first enacted in the 1990’s that limits wedding receptions to a single entrée and a few “appropriate” side dishes, like rice. When originally passed, the law forbade food of any kind, but allowed wedding guests to celebrate with soft drinks and tea.

By tradition, Pakistani weddings span several days and may include hundreds of guests. Even the poorest families feel honour-bound to throw a lavish wedding, and many begin saving for a wedding day immediately after a child is born. Families can spend multiple years’ incomes on a lavish wedding for a child. As the cost of food rose in the country, the Pakistani government was moved to enact the legislation to give a break to poor families, without making them feel humiliated by not being able to meet social customs.

Until recently the law was not strictly enforced because it runs completely counter to tradition. Newspaper advertisements by the government warn families to observe the law. Families risk substantial fines for disobedience. The government has begun enforcement in Punjab, the country’s most populated state, and is encouraging everyone to report violations. While wedding planners profess to be delighted by the law, they say that enforcement will simply push the wedding feasts into private homes instead.

Keywords: Wedding Planning, Weddingblog, Wedding

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