Prior to heading to Pakistan, I had some concerns and lots of questions. Mainly, I was wondering:
- Will anyone understand my vision?
- Am I going to get my outfits before I leave?
- Is it worth it to shop in Karachi?
Before I answer those questions (in detail), I will say this: I did ALL my shopping for Tariq Road and Bahadurabad. This includes my 3 main bridal outfits (Mehendi, Shaadi and Valima), jahaiz clothes, and all the outfits for my family. I know there are lots of new shopping malls but we didn’t have time to look around. I knew I wanted to order my wedding outfits within 2 days of being there sooo we stuck with what we knew: Tariq Road!
And now… your questions answered:
My Vision
My vision for my outfits, with the exception of the Valima, is very traditional. I want to be able to look back 25 years later and think: I look good… and not wish I could change everything. Traditional should be simple to understand, right? Apparently not. I’ve heard horror stories about outfits being ruined and turning out completely different from what the bride envisioned. Scary thought!
It was a challenge to find people who understood me – often times, mumma and I would have headaches by the end of the night! However, all it takes is that one person to get you.
My Advice: Have a clear picture of what you want your outfits to look like, but be open to new suggestions.
Time
I really wanted to come back with my outfits – I didn’t want to go through the hassle of having to chase my outfits from Toronto. I had also seen that wedding clothes sometimes didn’t arrive until the month of the wedding – which is just way too risky for my liking. What if I didn’t like my outfit?!
Hence, one of the main reasons for buying my outfit from the store that I did, was that they were going to give me my outfits before I left. Alhamdulilah, my outfits were ready before I came back!
My Advice: Buy “ready-made” outfits – it’ll save you ALOT of time (tailors are such a pain!). Another option is to buy sample outfits – these are outfits that the designer/store has samples of… you can tweak the designs/colour to your liking.
Shopping in Karachi – Worth It?
Absolutely! With so many options available in Toronto now, I was worried that 1) I was just going to end up spending more money by going to Pakistan. What is up with the insanely high airfare prices?! and 2) There is so much variety here that I won’t find anything new… soooo what’s the point of going?!
- The price difference is huge. Whereas decent bridal outfits start from around $1,500 (1,700 if I’m being totally honest) in Toronto, Tariq Road had sharara’s starting at approximately $600 (50,000ish PKR).
- I thought Toronto had ALOT of variety… that is, until I arrived at Tariq Road. The variety over here does not even come close to everything available in Pakistan!
My Advice: If you can, you should definitely go to Pakistan to do your shopping. It is totally worth your ticket – you will save ALOT (especially if you have sisters) and the variety is unparalleled. Go during off-season (I went right after Eid and before Muharram) to avoid delays in getting your clothes.
I wasn't allowed to take my camera anywhere.
Shaza's Scrapbook 