my mother was hindu and converted before marriage but at every hindu ceremony or bollywood scene she always wishes she took the steps around the fire.
I think this is significant because i've been a bridesmaid and more than enough hindu weddings and enjoyed the significance of each step around the fire, and i love how the woman leads the man at the end. I also enjoy the game at the end of it the pandit says the last thing and then jokes about who will have the power in the marriage. basically whoever takes their seat first will be the boss of the couple and so the bride and groom get ready and when the pandit says go or the family they try to beat the other to their seat. i've seen brothers hold grooms so their sisters can take their seat and so forth it's a cute game but like i said the significance of each step around the fire is not just for the couple but includes the parents.
i will say a hindu wedding ceremony is like 3 hours but includes rituals performed by everyone in the family where as a muslim wedding doesn't need a mother and a father and so forth. so if i were her i'd at least keep that tradition and explain the seat game to the muslim side and see if they will accept it as a rasm and get over their issues.
also i think culturally a lot of games came from hindu traditions the bride and groom cannot wear shoes on the mandap, actually no one can. (i should know i've been up there many times). so that's how people get the grooms shoes and hold it for ransom. last i checked a groom never had to take off his shoes to marry a muslim bride.