Imraan and I spent so little on our actual wedding that our parents gave us the money they would have spent as a bacshish1. We invested most of it, besides the portion we spent on our honeymoon to Thailand and Bali. It was totally worth it.
On the day of our Nikkah, my parents had a lunch at the Marburg community Hall after Jumuah. It was a simple dholl and rice function with paper plates and cups and Kit Kat. All the Musallahi's2 were told to come and most of the people we knew in Port Shepstone showed up, including all out of town guest from both families who were already around for the Nikkah3. It was so laid back and informal, I didn't see Imraan but I knew he was there somewhere.
I chatted to my cousins and friends after a morning of pampering that Kats had booked for me at a local spa.
I was whisked away after lunch for a hairdresser and make up appointment and I insisted on minimal make up. I wanted to look like me, a more polished me but still me...not a whole new painted person Imraan wouldn't recognize.
Back home I changed into the beautiful slim cut, plain white and navy blue dress I had designed, it was modest, decent and made me feel like a princess never the less. I draped my hijaab4 using an online tutorial luths had sourced for me of a style I had always admired.
I then prayed Asr and stayed on the musalaah5 making dua until I heard the Nikkah commencing over the Bilal Musjid Receiver.
My heart skipped too many beats as I heard the Moulana ask Imraan if he accepted me into his Nikaah and then Imraan repeated the dua.
It took a few moments before I realized I was now MARRIED!
My mum, Dadi, sister, SiL, Nasreen, lots of aunties and cousins burst into the room soon after, only as they hugged me and congratulates me, did I being to cry.
Soon the men arrived from the Musjid, I was showered with Dua and advice and when I finally found myself in my fathers arms, I cried rivers. My bags were in the lounge already and Imraan's family started hooting from the bottom of the road all the way up our drive way.
I prayed Magrib in my room then I left with Imraan to check into a hotel in St. Micheals at Sea.
We rejoined his family for supper at his Aunties home on Millionaires Avenue.
We were back at the hotel after Esha and finally alone and suddenly much too shy.
Saturday afternoon we took a drive to Durban and stayed the night at a Hotel in Umhalanga.
On Sunday, our Walima took place at the NMJ Hall...Imraans family outdid themselves with a silver and teal theme to match my dress. Up till today, people still talk about the taste of the biryani.
Instead of centre pieces, Sumaya had made bowls of seasonal fruit for guest to eat. There was no stage or flower arrangements. We tried to be tasteful without being wasteful.
For the walima, my Dadi and Imraan's Dadi, coincidently wore the same dress. When I asked my Dadi about it she told me that when Imraan's Dadi saw her she came over and said, " tu boor expensive-expensive kaproo lidu.6"
To which my Dadi replied, "whu expensive-expensive, boor sastu, Mara waaste famous fabric 50%off didoo7."
Imraan's Dadi opened her eyes wide, "haatchi waat?"8, she asked.
And my Dadi replied, " haa...buy 1 (pointing to herself)- get 1 free! (pointing to Imraan's Dadi)
My Dadi was pleasantly surprised that Imraan's Dadi laughed whole heartedly at her joke, thus immediately making the two old ladies, firm friends. They spent the rest of the function together, talking about olden days and when people commented on their dresses they replied that the bride and groom got their good tastes from the Dadis'.
Imraan and I had each recorded messages to our families that were played out at the Walima. I had so much fun that day..close family lingered long after lunch.
We spent two more nights in Umhlanga before flying to Thailand and then Bali.
It was pure bliss!
We quickly settled into married life on our return, Imraan went back to work as a junior attorney at the firm he still works for and I completed my degree.
In January I started full time at the same school I had done my prac, as the ball skills and speech and drama coach to special needs children.
Our story had only just began...The rest, as they say, is history!
Glossary:
- gift
- men who prayed at the musjid
- islamic wedding ceremony
- headscarf
- prayer mat
- very expensive fabric you bought
- what expensive, very cheep, for me the store gave 50% off
- for true!!!
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