In a Pakistani shaadi the barat is the big evening: the groom arrives with his family, the bride's family welcomes them, and for many families the rukhsati happens the same night. Because two families are involved, there are really two barat cards, and the wording is different for each.
Quick answer: barat card wording from the bride's family invites guests to the hall to receive the barat ("Barat arrival 8:00 pm"). Wording from the groom's family invites guests to go with the barat ("Barat departs 7:00 pm from our home"). Both need Bismillah, the couple's names with parents, the day, date, time and venue, and a Muntazir or RSVP line.
Who hosts the barat, and who sends which card
The barat is the groom's wedding procession to the bride's venue. The bride's family hosts the evening: they book the hall, serve the dinner and receive the barat. The groom's family brings the barat, so they invite their own relatives and friends to come along with the groom. You can read more about the wedding customs in Pakistan, but for the card all you need is this:
- Bride's side card: "on the occasion of the marriage of our daughter", with the time the barat will arrive and the hall.
- Groom's side card: "please join us in the barat of our son", with where and when the barat leaves, and the hall it is going to.
Some families send one card to everyone. That works, but it is clearer for guests when each side writes in its own voice.
What barat card wording should include
- Bismillah at the top.
- The heading: "Barat Ceremony", "Shaadi" or "بسلسلہ تقریبِ بارات".
- Hosts: the parents sending the card.
- The couple: names with fathers' names if your family prefers them.
- Day, date and times: barat arrival (or departure), and dinner if you want to say it.
- Venue and city.
- Muntazir or RSVP: a name and one phone number.
Formal barat card wording in English
From the bride's family
Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Raheem
Mr & Mrs Tariq Mehmood
request the pleasure of your company
on the auspicious occasion of the marriage of their daughter
Ayesha
with
Hamza
son of Mr Javed Iqbal
on Thursday, 17 December 2026
Barat arrival: 8:00 pm · Dinner: 9:30 pm
Royal Palm, Lahore
Muntazir: Tariq Mehmood & family · 0300 0000000
From the groom's family
Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Raheem
Mr & Mrs Javed Iqbal
request the honour of your company
to accompany the Barat of their son
Hamza
to the wedding of
Ayesha, daughter of Mr Tariq Mehmood
on Thursday, 17 December 2026
Barat departs: 7:00 pm from our residence, Model Town
Royal Palm, Lahore
Muntazir: Javed Iqbal & family · 0321 0000000
Notice the names swap order. The family sending the card puts its own child first.
Short English version
With the blessings of Allah
Barat of Hamza & Ayesha
Thursday, 17 December 2026 · 8:00 pm
Royal Palm, Lahore
— Tariq Mehmood & family
Barat card in Urdu: shadi card matter
"Shadi card matter" is what most families call the printed text. For the Urdu card, the bride's side usually writes بسلسلہ تقریبِ بارات or بسلسلہ شادی خانہ آبادی and gives the time of آمدِ بارات:
بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم
بسلسلہ تقریبِ بارات
ہماری صاحبزادی عزیزہ عائشہ
ہمراہ عزیزم حمزہ ابنِ جاوید اقبال
آپ کی شرکت ہمارے لیے باعثِ مسرت ہوگی
بروز جمعرات، ۱۷ دسمبر ۲۰۲۶
آمدِ بارات: رات ۸ بجے
بمقام: رائل پام، لاہور
منتظرین: طارق محمود و اہلِ خانہ
The groom's side writes روانگیٔ بارات (barat departure) instead, and asks guests to come with them:
بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم
بسلسلہ شادی خانہ آبادی
ہمارے صاحبزادے عزیزم حمزہ
ہمراہ عزیزہ عائشہ بنتِ طارق محمود
بارات میں شرکت فرما کر ممنون فرمائیں
بروز جمعرات، ۱۷ دسمبر ۲۰۲۶
روانگیٔ بارات: شام ۷ بجے، ماڈل ٹاؤن سے
بمقام: رائل پام، لاہور
طالبِ دعا: جاوید اقبال و اہلِ خانہ
Keep Urdu times in Urdu ("رات ۸ بجے"), and check that names are spelt the same way on the English and Urdu cards.
Baraat invitation message for WhatsApp
The card is the picture; the message goes underneath. Three or four lines is enough. From the bride's side:
Assalam o Alaikum! Alhamdulillah, Ayesha's barat is on Thursday, 17 December at Royal Palm, Lahore. Barat arrives at 8:00 pm. Please join us. Card attached. — Tariq Mehmood & family
From the groom's side:
Assalam o Alaikum! Hamza's barat leaves our home in Model Town at 7:00 pm on Thursday, 17 December, for Royal Palm. Please be with us on time so we all arrive together. — Javed Iqbal & family
A Roman Urdu line for family groups: "Hamza ki barat Jumeraat 17 December ko hai, 7 baje ghar se rawangi. Zaroor tashreef laayein."
Ready to make it? The barat card maker shows this wording on the page, so you can copy the message straight after downloading the card.
Mehndi and barat on one card
If the same guests are coming to both, one card saves sending two pictures. Give each event its own line, with its own day, time and venue:
Mehndi: Tuesday, 15 December 2026 · 8:00 pm · Bride's home, DHA Lahore
Barat: Thursday, 17 December 2026 · Arrival 8:00 pm · Royal Palm, Lahore
A mehndi and barat card lays the two side by side. For more mehndi lines, see our mehndi card wording guide.
Barat and walima on one card
This is the groom's family's favourite combination, since they host the walima:
Barat: Thursday, 17 December 2026 · Departs 7:00 pm · Royal Palm, Lahore
Walima: Saturday, 19 December 2026 · Dinner 8:00 pm · Pearl Continental, Lahore
Use a ready-made barat and walima card, and borrow the dinner wording from our walima card wording post so both events read the same way.
Common barat card mistakes
- One time for everyone. The groom's guests need the departure time; the bride's guests need the arrival time.
- Missing the day. Write "Thursday, 17 December", not just the date.
- Hall name without the city. Relatives from Faisalabad or Multan will thank you.
- Different details in English and Urdu. Check names, date and hall on both.
- Too much text. If guests have to zoom in on a phone, cut a line.
Designs, downloads and an invitation website
There are 40 designs, in emerald and maroon with gold, with an illustrated couple, a faceless or back-view couple, or no picture at all; Premium lets you add your own photo. Each card can be in English or Urdu (Nastaliq). You can put up to four events on one card, make one card per event, or make the whole set. Download a 1080×1920 picture for WhatsApp or a PDF to print, free and without signing up.
If you want guests to find the hall easily, an invitation website gives you your own link with the programme, Google Maps directions, Add to calendar and RSVP with guest count, which helps the bride's family plan the dinner. You can see live demos on the designs page.
Keep the barat card short and accurate, write it in your own family's voice, and send it early. The rest is up to the dhol.
