Indian wedding glossary · Wedding day rituals
What is Mehr?
Also written: Mahr, haq mehr, مہر
Mehr is the gift of money or property that the groom gives the bride as part of the nikah, agreed between the families and written in the nikahnama; it belongs to the bride alone.
- Who keeps it
- Muslim families.
- When
- Agreed before or at the nikah and recorded during it.
About Mehr
What should you know about Mehr?
The amount is agreed before or at the nikah. It can be paid at once or deferred to a later date, and both parts are recorded in the nikahnama.
Mehr is the bride's own, and many families take care that the amount is realistic and actually paid. Families who have questions about it usually ask the qazi or an elder they trust.
In the order of functions
Where does Mehr come in an Indian wedding?
Agreed before or at the nikah and recorded during it.
- Before the weddingFixing the match, the engagement, the date and the card.
- The functionsPujas, haldi, mehndi, sangeet and the family days before the wedding.
- Wedding day ritualsFrom the baraat to the pheras, nikah and anand karaj.
- After the weddingVidaai, the new home, the reception and the first visits.
Planning your own days? The free wedding function order planner puts your functions in a sensible order with dates.
On the card
What do families write on the invitation for Mehr?
Never printed; it is agreed between the families and written in the nikahnama.
Related words
Words that go with Mehr
- Nikah
Nikah is the Islamic marriage contract, in which the bride and groom each give their consent in front of witnesses and a qazi, the mehr is agreed, and the nikahnama is signed.
- Walima
Walima is the wedding feast hosted by the groom's family after the nikah, to celebrate the marriage with relatives, friends and the community.
- Rukhsati
Rukhsati is the bride's departure from her parents' home after the nikah in Muslim weddings, when she leaves with the groom and his family.
- Mangni
Mangni is the word many families in Rajasthan, Haryana, UP, Bihar and many Muslim households use for the engagement, when the match is announced and the bride receives a ring and gifts.
- Shagun
Shagun is an auspicious gift, most often cash in an envelope ending in one, such as ₹101, ₹501 or ₹1,100, given at the roka, engagement, wedding and other family occasions.
Questions
Mehr, answered
What is Mehr?
Mehr is the gift of money or property that the groom gives the bride as part of the nikah, agreed between the families and written in the nikahnama; it belongs to the bride alone.
Which families celebrate Mehr?
Muslim families.
When does Mehr happen in the order of wedding functions?
Agreed before or at the nikah and recorded during it.
What do families write on the invitation for Mehr?
Never printed; it is agreed between the families and written in the nikahnama.
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