Please clarify if it is permissible for me to help my non-Muslim friends to buy their wedding cake, book a reception hall and buying gifts for their forthcoming wedding and as well as to attend their wedding reception with no alcohol being served.

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.

There is no harm in helping your female friend in whatever she needs for her marriage as long as that does not contradict Islamic Law. However, we do not advise anyone to help a non-Muslim in his/her marriage expenses or to attend the marriage banquet in order to avoid the difference of opinion of the scholars who are of the view that it is forbidden to attend the marriage contracts and marriage banquets of non-Muslims especially if we know that it is unlikely for their marriage ceremonies and celebrations to be free from prohibited acts, like the presence of intoxicants, the mixing of men and women, the presence of women who are scantily dressed and so forth.

If we suppose that this marriage ceremony will be free from prohibited acts and there is an expected benefit in helping that non-Muslim woman or attending her marriage ceremony, and you wish to attend, then you should know that it is not permissible to take her as a close friend and love her as Allaah says (which means): {You show friendship to them in secret, while I am All-Aware or what you conceal and what you reveal. And whoever of you (Muslims) does that, then indeed he has gone (far) astray from the Straight Path.}[60:1].

Allaah knows best.