Planning a Walima (An Islamic Wedding)

Aslaam Alakum 

Everybody wants his or her wedding day to be beautiful and perfect. Planning a wedding can be very frustrating, time consuming, and hectic. Planning a walima (an Islamic wedding ceremony and reception) should be a wonderful and precious experience, not a frantic mess.

Getting married Islamically is a very simple and personal process between a man and a woman, however, adding your own special touch and sharing the moment with friends and family can make your moment even more special. 

Here is a basic list of things you will need to accomplish before you unite with your significant other. 

You want to make sure that everyone who wants to help out with your big day all sits down for a formal meeting. Decide to have your meeting in a comfortable setting maybe at your home or in a nice restaurant. You want your family and friends to be able to open up and share any ideas that they might have. The people that you will want to consider inviting to your meeting would be the bride, groom, bride’s and groom’s parents, siblings and friends.

You want to make sure that this meeting is beneficial, so you want to discuss all of the most important aspects of your walima.
· Do you want a large or small walima
· A fancy formal affair or a simple gathering
· What role is everyone going to play in the walima 

Finding a Wedding/Walima Coordinator
You want to make sure that a wedding coordinator has been designated for your special occasion. Some things that you might want to consider is, if the person is professional, wise and experienced. You might even want to consider having a parent or someone who has knowledge of planning a walima. You want to make sure that the person can handle stress while under pressure and that they are tolerable in tough situations. Has the bride, groom and their families agreed that an actual wedding planner should be in charge of the arrangements? Has everyone reached an agreement that the coordinator will have the final say over all the arrangements associated with the walima, following the Shura (consultation) with significant parties?