Re: Long distance relationships
No rukhsati is not just a cultural thing.islamically if the girl goes n lives with her husband it should b publically announced n then walima is also an islamic rasm announcing that now they hav spent a night together.
Also the mehr rules for the two situations r diff.So yes islam does differentiate b/w nikkah n rukhsati.From wat i remember Hazrat Ayesha had Nkkah at age 9 but her rukhsti happened at age 11.