Of "It's a Shaadi World After All"

Shaadis in Karachi have a unique view on punctuality. The later you are the better. And it's an unwritten rule that if you aren't from the bride's or groom's immediate family you can leave as soon as you've had food.

Majority of the weddings that take place have a very standardised procedure. Unlike America, or Hindu weddings where the Bride and Groom get married in front of your eyes, Muslim weddings in Karachi have none of that. Instead, this is a generic Muslim-Wedding-In-Karachi timetable.

1. Cards are distributed one week or so before the wedding. Cards have the arrival time set for 8:00 PM. If you arrive at the expected time, you're an idiot. The R.S.V.P number is only there if you get lost, as it's expected that you're going to come.
2. Come wedding day. In the morning, the entire cast and crew (Bride, her family, groom, his family, relatives, close friends and the caterers) set their watches 3 to 4 hours back, and start preparing accordingly. This is a case of extreme night-time savings.
   
3. Before coming to the wedding, the bride and groom exchange vows, have a 1-on-1 photo session at an undisclosed and secret location. This is a safety measure the parents have taken so that when the Molvi (Muslim Priest) asks if anyone has any objections no one can interfere. I also assume that everyone the parents are suspicious of is blindfolded before being taken to said location
4. The cast and crew arrives at the place advertised on the Wedding Card. They are greeted with bored and hungry people who weren't told about the scheduled Night-Time Saving. The hyperactive flower throwing committee is only hyper because they were three cars in front of the bridal car.
5. By now, it's no longer the date that was printed on the card, but an entirely new one.
   
6. Next up, photo-sessions. The Bride and Groom (who obviously had some delicious takeout snack on the ride over) sit on the stage beaming, while every hungry soul on the premises gives them dirty looks. Then the parents (who also had food) and close relatives (who are still chewing on the chewy bit in Mr. Burger's Beef Burger) drag all the people nearby for the photo session. Look closely at the photos and you'll see fake smiles and hungry miserable looks poorly touched up in Photoshop. Some people leave during this stage, often heard whispering about eating from the nearest 24-hour takeout or yesterday's leftovers at home.
7. Finally the crew's danger sense reaches it's peak, and they serve food before the guests start a rebellion.
   
8. Menu is generic and can be found here. No sense in posting it again.
9. Guests run home. People have things to do in the morning.

That Ladies and Gents is the basic timetable for a wedding, sans time of course since no one follows time on weddings.