Is it permissible to give zakaah to a poor girl to cover the expenses of her wedding?
Question

                Is it permissible to give zakaah to help a poor girl cover the expenses of her wedding? Please note that however bad people’s circumstances are, they spend a lot of the wedding.
Praise be to Allah.
    Firstly: 

    It should be noted that the woman is not obliged to provide 
    or furnish a home, rather that is the duty of the husband and it comes under 
    the heading of maintenance that is his duty towards his wife. Similarly the 
    mahr that is given to the wife is her property, and she may use it or part 
    of it to prepare herself. 

    It says in al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah (16/166): The 
    wife’s trousseau: The majority of fuqaha’ are of the view that it is not 
    obligatory for the wife to prepare her trousseau from her mahr or part of 
    it. The husband has to prepare the house and everything that is needed for 
    it to be a suitable home for them both. End quote. 

    Secondly: 

    If this girl has someone who spends on her maintenance, such 
    as a father or relative then he is the one who is obliged to prepare her and 
    give her to her husband. But if he is not able to do that, then the husband 
    should do it and make that part of her mahr. See question no.
    12506. 

    Thirdly: 

    If the custom is for the wife to share in furnishing the 
    house – such that she cannot get married otherwise, as is the case in some 
    societies – and her wali (guardian) refuses to spend on her, or he cannot 
    afford that, and she does not have any wealth with which to prepare herself, 
    then it seems that it is permissible to give zakaah in that case, because 
    the need for marriage is a genuine need, and in some cases it may be like 
    the need for food, drink and shelter. 

    Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: If 
    there was a person who can earn enough for food, drink and shelter, but he 
    needs to get married and he cannot afford to get married, is it permissible 
    to give him zakaah funds so that he can get married? The answer is yes, it 
    is permissible to give him zakaah funds so that he can get married and give 
    a full mahr. If it is said: How come it is permissible to give zakaah funds 
    to a poor person so he can get married even if what is given to him is a 
    large amount? We say: Because a person’s need for marriage is a real need, 
    and in some cases it may be like his need for food and drink. Hence the 
    scholars said: If a person is obliged to spend on someone, he should arrange 
    that person’s marriage if he can afford that. So the father is obliged to 
    arrange his son’s marriage if the son needs to get married but he cannot 
    afford to do so. But I have heard of some fathers who have forgotten how 
    they were when they were young and when the sons ask them for help in 
    getting married, they say: “Get married from your own pocket.” This is not 
    permissible and it is haraam if he able to arrange his marriage. His son 
    will dispute with him on the Day of Resurrection if he did not help him to 
    get married when he was able to. End quote from Fataawa Arkaan al-Islam, 
    p. 440-441.  

    Based on this, there is nothing wrong with giving her some 
    zakaah funds to help her with the wedding expenses. If you are afraid that 
    she will spend this money on things that she does not need, then you can say 
    to her: “I have such and such money for you; what do you want me to buy for 
    you?” then you can buy her what she needs. 

    And Allaah knows best.