Has living as a provider in Pakistan been seeming harder and harder over the past few years? Has purchasing power seemed less and less as time passes? Have you felt that everything is getting more expensive, and the value of money seems to keeps on decreasing? Well, that is because it is. Inflation has been digging its claws into Pakistan for quite a few years now, and it doesn’t appear to be going away anytime soon.

There is no doubt that inflation has most certainly affected many things, from everyday activities to major decisions, daily goods to various services, and beyond. As a result, among the things it has made a deep dent into are age-old, culturally-entrenched marriage traditions.

Pakistan is a country of customs and traditions; these traditions have always been important to Pakistani weddings, Pakistani households. The significance of weddings in Pakistani culture is something that simply cannot be diminished or overlooked. They are not simply a contract to be made, they come with grand celebrations, elaborate rituals, and huge feasts, among much more.

It is a tragedy, then, that many people are being robbed of their chance to experience their own usually once-in-a-lifetime experience of being the bride or groom at a wedding rich with beautiful traditions carved into it. All due to the ever-baffling levels of inflation Pakistanis are facing.

The fact is that inflation is hitting the wedding industry hard. It has caused quite a significant rise in wedding expenses in nearly all aspects. Everything – from the clothing and jewelry to the food and venue bookings – has become so much more expensive. And this is only the start.

Many important traditions like grand celebrations across multiple days – sometimes even more than a week – and giving individual family members of the new spouse many elaborate gifts are becoming… less grand, less elaborate, as each year descends further into ridiculous price hikes.

The impressive spread of different types of foods in wedding feasts has been losing its grandeur, especially with the severely overpriced catering services everywhere. Even the traditional practices of dowry and gift-giving are evolving in response to these financial challenges.

This surge in costs has been prompting families to rethink their entire wedding plans. Many are finding themselves in a heartbreaking position of having to give up on their dream wedding, opting instead for smaller, more intimate gatherings. Moreover, those involved in planning these weddings have been more cautious than ever before when it comes to choosing appropriate venues, creating a limited guest list, selecting the most feasible catering services — and all just because of budget constraints.

Inflation has also changed the way weddings are financed. In the past, families would save up for a time to cover the costs, and still found them doable. However, with prices on the rise, more people are turning to taking loans from banks, loan apps, or friends and family members, and thus find themselves having to accumulate huge amounts of debt if they wish to make their dream weddings a reality.

With inflation on an ever-steady rise, it seems the days of extravagant weddings might permanently give way to more modest celebrations.

Having said that, it is also true that Pakistanis are nothing if not resilient. As such, there are still quite a considerable number of people that are meeting the financial challenges posed by inflation head on. To achieve their dream wedding, many are powering through meticulous financial planning, careful budgeting, creativity, and smart decisions regarding services, gifts, etc.

Among other strategies as well, many are exploring alternative methods for their wedding that help cut costs without compromising on any traditional aspects. In these trying times, friends and relatives are also showing a sense of unity by coming together to pitch in, to help with the marriage costs.

It is clear that the traditions of marriage, as well as the marriage industry as a whole, has taken a heavy blow due to the rising inflation. Many have had to give up their dream weddings, and the issues and constraints regarding weddings in these times seem to keep popping up. Despite this, many more are doing the best they can to maintain tradition in their weddings, with family and community coming together to showcase the beautiful, enduring spirit of celebration and love in Pakistanis, even in the face of crises and challenges.