The Ceremonies
the Nikah
The Islamic marriage contract. Short, serious and full of feeling, then followed in many families by a rukhsati and a walima.
What The Nikah Is
The nikah is the Islamic marriage contract. An imam or another qualified officiant usually gives a short sermon, the khutbah, and then asks the bride and the groom whether they accept the marriage. This is the ijab and qubool, the offer and acceptance. The mahr, a gift from the groom to the bride agreed by both, is named. The couple, the witnesses and often the wali sign the nikah nama, the marriage contract, and the ceremony closes with prayers.
Many Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Indian Muslim families hold the nikah at a masjid, a home or a hotel, sometimes with the bride and groom in separate rooms for the asking, and sometimes together on a stage. Your imam and your family decide.
The Rukhsati
A nikah is short. A rukhsati is the moment everyone cries. I make sure I am close enough to see it and far enough to leave it alone.
What A Masjid May Ask For
Each masjid publishes its own rules, and they are worth reading early. Al-Farooq Masjid in Midtown, for example, publishes on its own nikah page that an appointment with the Imam is required, that a valid Georgia marriage license from a county probate court is required, that a Muslim wali and two Muslim witnesses are required, that photos are not permitted inside the masjid but the courtyard can be used, and that the minimum charge is $350.
If the nikah is at a hotel, ask the imam whether he will come to the venue, what time he needs, and whether he will sign the Georgia license as officiant. The legal side is the Georgia marriage license, which the officiant completes and returns to the probate court.
The Contract And The Mahr
At the heart of the nikah is a contract. The couple agree to marry, usually with an imam or another officiant leading, and two witnesses present. The groom gives the bride a mahr, a gift that belongs to her alone. The mahr can be money, jewelry, property or something else of value, and families agree it in advance.
Many families also prepare a written nikah nama, the marriage contract, and sign it at the ceremony. Some couples add their own conditions to it. Talk with your imam about what they need from you, including any paperwork, the names of the witnesses and the wali, the bride's guardian, if your tradition includes one.
The nikah is a religious marriage. To be legally married in Georgia you also need a Georgia marriage license, and the officiant signs it. Some couples handle the license at the courthouse separately. The marriage license guide on this site explains the steps.
The Wider Wedding
In many Pakistani and Bangladeshi families the nikah sits inside a longer celebration. A dholki or two in the weeks before. A mayun or gaye holud with turmeric. A mehndi night with songs and dances. The baraat, when the groom's family arrives for the nikah or the reception. The rukhsati, the bride's farewell from her family, often the most emotional moment of the weekend. And the walima, the reception hosted by the groom's family after the marriage.
Many families plan halal catering and no alcohol. Several Atlanta hotels publish that they allow outside caterers for cultural menus, including The Westin Buckhead Atlanta, which allows third party caterers for Indian weddings, and Loews Atlanta Hotel. Ask each venue about halal food in writing.
Mayun, Dholki, Walima And The Rest Of The Week
A Pakistani or Muslim wedding in Atlanta often stretches over several days. Families may begin with dholki nights at home, singing songs to the beat of a small drum. The mayun or ubtan follows, the turmeric event similar to a haldi. Then comes the mehndi, often the biggest party before the wedding, with its own outfits and performances.
The nikah may happen on its own day or on the morning of the baraat. The rukhsati, the bride's farewell from her family, follows the wedding day event and is often tearful and beautiful. The walima, the reception hosted by the groom's family, comes after, sometimes the next day and sometimes the next weekend.
Map every event on one page before you book anything. Many families need a large hall for the mehndi and walima, a masjid or smaller room for the nikah, and halal catering throughout. Ask each venue directly about halal food and whether it allows outside caterers, and keep separate seating in mind if your families prefer it.
A Sample Nikah And Rukhsati Day
- Before
Getting Ready
Bride and groom dress, details of the jewelry and the outfits.
- Nikah
The Contract
Khutbah, ijab and qubool, the mahr named, the nikah nama signed, duas.
- Reception
Dinner And Family
Family photographs, dinner and speeches, often the bride's family hosting.
- End
Rukhsati
The bride's farewell, often to the car, with her family around her.
From Behind The Camera
How I Photograph A Nikah
I ask the imam and the family where I may stand, and whether there is a separate room for the bride's asking. In masjids that do not allow photographs inside, we plan portraits in the courtyard or at the hotel instead. During the signing I photograph hands, the pen, the faces of the fathers and the witnesses. At the rukhsati I stay with the bride's family.
Tell me if the family prefers women photographed only by a woman in some moments. I will plan the team around it.
Questions Couples Ask
Do we need a Georgia marriage license for a nikah?
Yes, for the marriage to be legal in Georgia. Some masjids, such as Al-Farooq Masjid, require it before the nikah.
Can the nikah be held at a hotel?
Yes, many are. Ask your imam whether he will come to the venue and sign the license as the officiant.
What is the mahr?
A gift from the groom to the bride, agreed by both and named in the contract. Families decide its form and amount.
What is the walima?
The reception hosted by the groom's family after the marriage. In many families it is a day or two after the nikah.
Can you photograph inside a masjid?
It depends on the masjid. Al-Farooq Masjid publishes that photos are not permitted inside but the courtyard can be used.
Check Your Date
Tell me where the nikah will be and I will plan the quiet way to cover it.