Photo courtesy @fatimatariqphotography on Instagram
Photo courtesy @fatimatariqphotography on Instagram

Here comes the baraat: Inside Junaid Safdar and Ayesha Saif Khan's Islamabad wedding reception

In case you didn't get your invite, here's a look inside one of the most talked-about weddings of the season.
Updated 15 Dec, 2021

After a grand nikah in London and colourful wedding festivities stretching over a week, the baraat is here. And unless you've been living under a rock this past week, you know we're talking about Junaid Safdar — the grandson of PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and the son of Maryam Nawaz and Captain Safdar.

Here's every little snippet we were able to gather:

The baraat assembled at PML-N leader Abbas Afridi's farmhouse in Islamabad, complete with a band and fireworks.

Younger Sharif in the house

Leader of the Opposition Shehbaz Sharif, who we'd been searching for in the past events, arrived in Islamabad today to make sure he was a part of the baraat.

And while the veteran politician donned a safe suit and tie ensemble (we were hoping for something more out of the box!), we're happy he went for the classic pagri (turban) to complete his look.

THE dress (not the bride's)

As family pictures emerged prior to the reception, it is quite safe to say Maryam stole the show.

The emerald green bespoke Nomi Ansari velvet lehnga and choli, which according to the designer was handcrafted especially for "the special lady", with its intricate work is gorgeous and the neckpiece Maryam paired it with caught our eye for all the right reasons. She was "adorned" by makeup artist Sadaf Farhan.

We have mixed feelings about the dupatta and some other elements of the look but that's for later.

Coming to the groom, he was decked in the classic all-white sherwani and pagri (we approve the touch of gold on both), signed HSY.

His father, like Shehbaz, chose to go with a safe suit and tie but made sure not to be overlooked next to his wife with a hot pink pagri!

Baraat is all set

We're pretty sure that's Maryam on the mic issuing directions and making sure the baraat starts moving without any hitches.

Plenty of dhol

As the baraat made its way to the Chak Shahzad farmhouse of the bride's father, the sound of dhol was unmissable.

The bride, Ayesha Saif Khan, is the daughter of Saif-ur-Rehman Khan, the former head of the Ehtsaab Bureau and a close confidante of Nawaz Sharif.

Bride opts for shades of gold

The first look of the bride, dressed in Bunto and makeup done by AFK Makeup, is stunning.

The outfit filled with zardozi handwork is topped off with a metallic gold dupatta and a diamond and emerald set. Ayesha kept her makeup minimal, at least by usual bridal standards, and her hands sans mehndi.

PML-N clan in attendance

So far, we've spotted PML-N Information Secretary Marriyum Aurangzeb (of course), leader Talal Chaudhry and lawmaker Azma Zahid Bokhari.

Is that Nawaz's personal physician we see?

Special shout-out to Shehbaz for wearing a mask

Okay, he might not be wearing the face mask throughout the event but he tried and that's still something in a sea of mask-less faces.

Decor's very white, very grand, very floral

Anyone else getting Sheesh Mahal vibes from the set up?

The family followed tradition with the customary doodh pilai.

Insiders tell us that Maryam will be leaving for Lahore on the 15th, where the valima is set to take place on the 17th at the Sharifs' family residence. Could that event possible upstage this one? We'll just have to wait and find out.