We had two weddings but I only attended one
Khadija and Mansur married on paper in Morocco. To honor their marriage, Mansur’s family in Afghanistan organized a wedding without the bride and groom. Almost a year later, the couple held their wedding in Morocco. Why did they only attend one of their weddings?
This article is part of the series Marriage: Balancing romance at home and abroad:
- The bread of the house is eaten by strangers
- Marriage is the only option
- Chill dad, he is good
- We had two weddings but I only attended one
Despite the absence of the bride and groom, Mansur's family in Afghanistan held a wedding in their name and enjoyed an evening full of dancing and fireworks. The couple's second wedding took place in Morocco, and this time, they actually attended their celebration.
Although Khadija and Mansur were not keen on hosting a large celebration, Khadija’s mother was. To avoid disappointing her, Khadija agreed to her mother’s grand plans. Khadija’s mother took care of nearly everything, from catering to hiring the cameraman and DJ. The couple’s experiences highlight the importance of celebrating newlyweds in both the country of origin and reception.