All you need to know about the islamic wedding

The Marriage Ceremony
Some relevant points to be noted are:
Engagement or Mangni does not qualify the future spouses to go out together, even if the parents consent. Man and woman become permissible for each other only after the performance of Nikah.

Dowry
The unislamic system of demanding and accepting dowry must be avoided at all costs. Shariah does not make any expense incumbent on the bride/bride�s parents. Even the marriage expenses, it is recommended are to be borne by the bridegroom.
However, the bride can bring whatever she wants of her free will, and it will always belong to her.

Other Unislamic Customs
Many other unislamic customs have crept into the marriage ceremony of some Muslims. These customs are either borrowed from non-Muslim cultures or continue because they are established in past generations. One must avoid them if they are against the Shariah, even if some people are displeased. Other customs like the breaking of coconut etc. also do not feature among the Islamic rituals. All actions, customs etc. which show disrespect to Islam or weaken the importance of Islam have to be avoided.

Haraam Acts
Some of the rituals in marriage ceremonies are absolutely haraam like the playing of music. It is also haraam for ladies to go for mixed gatherings without proper hijab. Such things invite divine wrath and take away the blessings of this auspicious occasion.

The Nikah Ceremony
According to Shariah, the wife-to-be says, �An Kah�tu nafsaka a�lal mah�ril ma�loom�
�I have given away myself in Nikah to you, on the agreed Mahr.�
Immediately, the man (bridegroom) says, �Qabiltun Nikaha�.
�I have accepted the Nikah.�
With these pronouncements, they become husband and wife.
If the marrying partners are not able to recite the formula in Arabic, one or two persons or priests2 are appointed and authorized to officiate. One who represents the bride would first seek her explicit consent to officiate on her behalf, and so would the other who acts on behalf of the groom. Naturally, there would be a slight variation in the pronouncements, because the persons reciting them are appointees. A person who represents the bride would initiate by saying, �Ankah�tu muwakkilati muwakkilaka a�lal mah�ril ma�loom.�www.wedding4muslim.com
�I give away in Nikah the woman who has thus appointed and authorized me, to the man who has authorized you, on an agreed Mahr.�
The groom�s representative would respond, �Qabiltunnikaaha limuwakkili a�lal mah�ril ma�loom.�
�I accept the Nikah on behalf of the one who has appointed me, on the agreed Mahr.�
It is mustahab to recite a brief discourse or Khutba before the Nikah formula is enunciated. In this Khutba, Allah is praised for His Wisdom in regulating the lawful process of procreation, and then the traditions from the Prophet (S) are also recited.

Time of Marriage Ceremony
Though basically marriage is allowed at all times, there are some days on which marriage is not recommended; some of these are based on ahadith and some on cultural, historical reasons.
Generally, we can categorize these days into three: (a) There are some ahadith which say that it is makruh (not recommended) to have a marriage ceremony on the days when the moon is in the constellation of Scorpio (this is known as al-qamar fil aqrab or qamar dar aqrab), during the last two or three days of the lunar months, and on Wednesdays. (b) There are certain days of the Islamic calendar which have become associated with the early events of the Islamic history; for example, the 10th of Muharram is the day of mourning for the massacre at Karbala or the day of the Prophet (S)�s death in Safar, etc. Since such days are commemorated by the Muslims as days of mourning, it is socially and, to some extent, religiously not recommended to have a marriage ceremony on such days.3
The Shi�ah Ithna Ashari (Twelver Shi�ahs), especially in India and Pakistan, rarely perform marriage ceremony between the 1st of Muharram and the 8th of Rabi al-Awwal as this period includes the mourning days of Muharram culminating in the martyrdom of Imam Askari (A.S.). The 9th Rabi al-Awwal is celebrated as Eid-e-Zahra.
If there is a need, however, Nikah can be performed at any time.

Permission of the Bride-to-be/Father
The girl�s consent is necessary and has to be taken by her representative, directly.
In case of a virgin/spinster the father�s or the grandfather�s permission is also necessary. However if the permission is unreasonably withheld under some conditions or the girl has no father/paternal grandfather it is not necessary.
However, a woman who is not a virgin does not require any permission in case of remarriage.

Valima (Dinner)
Valima is highly recommended on the groom. The relatives, neighbors and friends must be invited for Valima. However, lavish spending is not advisable especially when the same money can be used effectively by the couple.

The Wedding Night
It is highly recommended that the wedding should take place at night. The hadith says, �Take the bride to her new home during the night.� 1
When the bride enters the room, the groom is recommended to take off her shoes and wash her feet (in a washbowl) and then sprinkle the water around the room. www.wedding4muslim.com
Then he should perform wuzu and pray two rak�at sunnat prayer and then recite the following du�a:

اَللّهُمَّ ارْزُقْنِىْ اِلْفَهَا وَ وُدَّهَا وَ رِضَاهَابىِْ وَ اَرْضِنِىْ بِهَا وَ اَجْمَعْ بَيْنَنَا بِاَحْسَنِ اِجْتِمَاعٍ وَ اَنَسِ اِيْتِلاَفٍ فَاِنَّكَ تُحِبُّ الْحَلاَلَ وَ تُكْرِهُ الْحَرَامَ.
Allahummar zuqni ilfahaa wa wuddaha wa rizaaha bi; warz�ini biha, wa-ajma� baynana bi ah�sane ijtimaa�in wa anasi i-tilafin; fa innaka tuh�ibbul h�alaala wa tukrihul h�araam.
O Allah! Bless me with her affection, love and her acceptance of me; and make me pleased with her, and bring us together in the best form of a union and in absolute harmony; surely You like lawful things and dislike unlawful things.

Then he should ask the bride to do wuzu and pray two rak�at sunnat prayer.
When they are ready to go to bed, the groom should put his hand on the bride�s forehead and pray the following du�a while facing the qiblah.

اَللّهُمَّ بِاَمَانَتِكَ اَخَذْتُهَا وَ بِكَلِمَاتِكَ اِسْتَحْلَلْتُهَا فَاِنْ قَضَيْتَ لِىْ مِنْهَا وَلَدًا فَاجْعَلْهُ مُبَارَكًا تَقِيًّا مِّنْ شِيْعَةِ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَّ لاَ تَجْعَلْ لِلشَّيْطَانِ فِيْهِ شِرْكًا وَّ لاَ نَصِيْبًا.
Allahumma bi amaanatika akhadhtuha wa bi kalimaatika is-tah�laltuha. Fa in qaz�ayta li minha waladan, faj-�alhu mubaarakan taqiyyan min Shi�ati Aal-i Muh�ammad (s�al-lal-laahu a�layhi wa aalihi wa sallam) wa laa taj-�al lish Shayt�aani fihi shirkan wa laa naseeba.
O Allah! I have taken her as Your trust and have made her lawful for myself by Your words. Therefore, if You have decreed for me a child from her, then make him/her blessed and pious from among the followers of the Family of Muhammad [peace be upon him and them]; and do not let Satan have any part in him/her.2

Is it necessary to have sexual intercourse on the very first night after the wedding or can it be delayed?
As far as the Shariah is concerned, it is neither obligatory nor forbidden to have sex on the first night. It is a private decision between the newlywed couple; it has nothing to do with others.

I agree with the opinion that all must respect the covid restrictions to live in a safer society. For example, I canceled my wedding and organized it by myself. Very modest and only with my relatives and best friends. We had 30 guests.