A guide to dressing well to Indian weddings

A guide to dressing well to Indian weddings

Indian weddings are well known for their extravagance, tradition and celebration of social culture. When you receive an invitation to attend a traditional Indian or multicultural fusion wedding, you probably start wondering about what are the most appropriate outfits to wear. Selecting what to wear to participate in the event is a confusing task. As a guest, you'll get too immersed in the cultural event for a day or two. So, you must intend to conform to the needs of the occasion.

Style and Colour are an essential part and factor to keep in mind when picking out your Indian wedding guest attire. Bright and festive colours are always in demand for an Indian wedding, irrespective of the season or venue. It may be pastels during the daytime and jewel tones at night. Given the gravity of the occasion’s celebratory nature, bright hues are preferred—though some cultures have traditionally different requirements. The bride is typically dressed in red attire so guests should avoid wearing the colour to keep exclusivity. Guests can wear any other colour except black as it is considered an inauspicious colour in Indian tradition. 

Dresses like Lehengas and sarees are the most common options for women. A lehenga is a typical Indian dress with a three-piece outfit that includes a top (usually cropped) with a flared, high-waisted skirt and dupatta. In contrast, a saree is a long piece of well-designed fabric wrapped intricately around the body. It is a classic Indian attire. Men are encouraged to wear a traditional dress like sherwani. Formal wedding wear can differ depending on the Indian regions. Women from Western and Southern India traditionally wear sarees mostly in white, whereas women from Punjab traditionally wear a three-piece Punjabi suit or a lehenga. The traditional dress is not always a necessity. While the guests should always look for specific dress codes, alternative outfits can be appropriate as well. Many women at fusion weddings, wear a gown or something very fancy or flowy and look festive. Men can choose to wear three-piece suits or tuxedos. Any evening dress or ensemble suitable to attend a Western wedding is also ideal for the event. However, given the unique opportunity to experience the cultural event in it's most prosperous form, guests should consider wearing traditional Indian ethnic clothes. The guests are encouraged to embrace the culture and immersed in it to honour and learn the tradition.

Typically, Indian weddings last for three days. Usually, the first day includes a Ganesha Pooja at home with close family and friends. The second day is a Mehendi ceremony where the bride and groom are joined by their loved ones for an evening of sangeet, dancing and celebrating. This occasion is often when the bride has henna tattoos designed on her hands and feet. The wedding ceremony occurs on the third day, followed by a reception party. Couples these days include their twists and turns on traditions with the popularity of fusion weddings. A traditional Indian wedding may or may not consist of all of these rituals. Still, in general, guests should dress formally for each ceremony they're invited to, and as the parties progress for a week, they become progressively more and more elaborate. The guests may want their outfits to follow the same suit, saving the fanciest ensemble for the reception. The way you dress is meaningful, especially in religious ceremonies. The dress code varies depending on the type of ceremony. Some rituals will require covered head and shoulders, whereas some others will not. Typically the more traditional the venue—like when the ceremony occurs in a mosque or temple—the more conservative the dress code. The reception tends to be more lenient because it is a celebration and everybody wants to be comfortable and have easy movement. The final step is to add accessories. Accessorising is always vital. There are plenty of Indian style pieces of jewellery that you must indulge in like ‘maang tikkas’ and ‘jhumkas’ aside from necklaces and bangles. An Indian outfit is incomplete without complementing jewellery. 

In the end, all of this is for guests to take part and learn about Indian cultural traditions. The Indian community loves when their guests embrace the culture and wear Indian clothes. Older women will be delighted to tie a sari or fix a blouse for you. No matter what you have chosen to wear, make sure to enjoy the food and dance the night away. This is what Indian weddings are known for. For those who are not familiar with Indian ethnic wear and still not sure about making a choice, we suggest designer wear from Neha Vaswani. All her designs are unique and fitting to be worn in weddings. Her designs are elegant, sophisticated and carry a distinctive western appeal. Listed below are a few choice pieces from the designs available in her store.

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