Did you sponsor your spouse after your big celebration or only after legal contract is signed? Because most couple can’t live together until their big religious ceremony CIC often doesn’t consider couples married until all the ceremonies are done and the couples are able to live together and act like husband and wife. CIC is also aware that many couple do a court marriage in order to submit their application early knowing their ceremony is months away. The hope is that they will get approved by the time they get married or at least they will be reunited faster. Unfortunately most run into problems.
You seem to be under the impression that conservative Muslim marriage are being singled out. Any very religious couple whether it be Jewish, Christian, Hindu, etc. or any arranged marriages will be treated similarly. When couples are not allowed much contact before marriage and get married soon after dating/engagement application will be looked at more carefully. Many couples from a liberal background have often dated for years or lived together and can spend lots of time together with or without friends/family so they have a lot of evidence to submit to CIC from before their wedding. Many have been living together as a “married couple” before submit their application and have proof of living together, vacations together, shared ownership of property, etc.
