Engagement

efinitely a western concept, but increasingly being ported into Pakistani culture, an engagement is a formal announcement of the intention to marry. Rings are exchanged, and depending on the families’ preferences, the ceremony itself could be a small gathering or a lavish party. Like the actual wedding ceremony, it will be hosted by the girl’s family with the guy’s family bringing gifts and jewelry for her.

The motivation for engagements is usually to ‘reserve’ a spouse until an opportune time can be found for the wedding. Because of educational and financial concerns, as well as the need to have extended family members present at the actual wedding, engagements are seen as a way to solve timing issues while at the same time assuring the other side of a commitment.

With the availability of the Nikah as a stronger form of commitment, stand-alone engagements are only done if it is expected that the wedding will take place a relatively long tim,e later or if the engage,ment is asked for by the ,family to begin the per