Of all the misconceptions about love, the most powerful and pervasive is the belief that falling in love is love or at least one of the manifestations of love, -M. Scott Peck

People who are married or are in committed relationships live healthier, wealthier, and happier. So why do so many marriages end up in divorce?

Lollywood super star Reema says she would like to marry a man who is compassionate towards others, is neither a spendthrift nor a miser. All the more, she said in an interview, she will choose a life partner who could keep her happy. She made it clear that so far she had not met the man having such qualities and did not know whether and when she would find him.

In her mid-twenties at present, Reema had started her career over a decade ago. Within that time she catapulted to prominence on account of her performance and compelling charm, outmatching all her rivals.

Marriages feature as the most important event in a person’s life in practically all civilized cultures, since time long gone by. In our part of the world, especially, wedding ceremonies have always tended to be elaborate affairs spreading over quite a few days and involving at least three to four formal occasions. Regardless of whether a person can afford to indulge in the festivities and celebrations associated with marriages, the prime concern has invariably been to put up the best show possible. But, when one compares the finest of those of yesteryear, one finds that they are far removed from anything witnessed before in terms of conceptualization and execution, and, although admittedly, such weddings are confined to the moneyed classes. The trend is fast catching on so that even middle-income groups are now coming up with economical ways of introducing imaginative touches to wedding festivities.

South Asians weddings tend to have guest lists that easily reach up to 400 or more guests, so we think its safe to assume you won’t be saying “I do” on a beach somewhere. The festivities will probably take place at a beautifully decorated venue with all the traditional touches. Why not splurge a little and go beyond the conventional route to arrive in style?

Pop star Fakhar-e-Alam aka Falam recently got married in Islamabad. His nikkah took place in Haram when both families performed Umrah in Ramadan. And Rukhsti function was held recently. Fakhir and many other celebrities and VIPs also attended his wedding. His pretty wife is daughter of TV newscaster Naseem Tariq. Valima was held in Lahore and now couple is in Mauritius for honeymoon. We congratulate Faakhar on his wedding and wish him all the best.

The waleemah is a food reception which follows the consummation of marriage, to make the marriage public. It is offered by the parents of the married couple, by their friends, or by the newly married couple themselves. Friends, relatives, and neighbors are usually invited.

The companion Anas reported that the Prophet SAW saw a trace of yellow on Abd Ar- Rahman Ibn Auf, and asked what is this? He answered: “I got married”. Then, the Prophet SAW said,

“May Allah make it a blessing for you. Have a waleemah, even with only a sheep.” [Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmizi, Abu Dawood and Maalik]

Film star Resham has recently declared that she is going to marry Mahmood Bhatti, a Pakistani designer in France. Mahmood Bhatti who had proposed to her couple of times before said he is deeply in love with Resham and has been completely overwhelmed by her love. Regarding their relationship Resham stated that they have liked each other for the past ‘ten years’.

A few months back I had an opportunity to visit an engagement ceremony of one of my male class-fellows who is now engaged to a junior student who was in the same institute where we all were studying. The engagement took place when we, as the senior batch graduated successfully and the parents of both sides decided to tie the knot at an engagement ceremony, which is a good trend that people are nowadays marrying or at least engaging their sons earlier. Since men are usually getting married in late twenties or early thirties these days.