What to Wear to an Indian Wedding? All Your Questions Answered

Are you invited to an Indian wedding? Are you super excited? Oh, wait! Are you confused about what to wear? We will provide you with the best ideas on what to wear to an Indian wedding.

Dress code for an Indian wedding—what to wear?

In an Indian wedding, everything you’ve heard about multi-day celebrations, exotic locations and large guest lists is real. Be it on a private island or in the bride’s backyard; the celebrations are extravagant.

Countless pre-wedding celebrations precede the big marriage ceremony, each with its ambience and dress code. This will help you decide what to wear, and you may further pin down your choices based on the theme and season.

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Make sure you’re ready for several occasions and celebrations

Most Indian weddings last two or three days, and the wedding ceremony is only one part of the grand occasion. At least a Sikh, Christian, Hindu, or Muslim ceremonial will be held among foreign friends or relatives and couples from foreign states will also want a ceremony that looks and feels like their own. Besides the Haldi ritual, similar pre-wedding events include the Mehndi ceremony (a women’s celebration of the bride that emphasises applying ornamental henna to her body) and the Sangeet function. To be on the safe side, prepare your wedding guest clothes for at least these two activities.

What to wear to an Indian wedding etiquette?

If you’re planning to attend an engagement function, or a bachelorette party, or a bridal shower, or a reception in a formal gown, try changing to traditional or fusion Indian outfits for all events. For example, the Mehndi function (henna celebration) can be more lively and colourful, whereas the Sangeet (a dance-centric event) requires a formal Indian occasion dress (jewel tones and metallics that are never a miss). For the major wedding ceremony, Indian brides tend to wear red or pink, so stay away from those colours so as not to overshadow the bride.

Men’s and women’s Indian wedding attire.

Different occasions demand various outfits, so dress accordingly. Dress for the Mehendi in an elegant printed cloak and flared slacks or draped skirts. Instead of the Lehenga, opt for a sequined or embellished top for the Sangeet. It also works with a traditional Indian sari with ruffle embellishment on the hems and sleeves. Instead of searching for pleating lessons on the day of the event, get a pre-stitched one! Because the Sangeet is all about dancing, you’ll want to wear something comfortable and easy to move around. A handwoven Lehenga or sari from India can do the trick. For daytime weddings, stick to dusty pastels, and for evening weddings, stick to richer tones. On this day, black and white should be overlooked. After-parties, high teas, or in-between rituals require kaftans and Kurtis to make yourself stand out of the crowd!

In the Mehendi ceremony, you’ll have a chance to experiment with colours and patterns. For this occasion, a kurta and slim-fitting slacks are the appropriate clothing (known as Churidars). Black Bandhgala jackets are appropriate for the Sangeet ceremony. Formal pants are also acceptable, as long as your pocket patch adds some colour. However, we recommend going for the more formal three-piece suit. You can wear a pastel kurta on your wedding day and accessorise it with a waistcoat to make it look even fancier. Be modest and elegant for the wedding day so that you’re unique!

It is customary for Indian marriages to last for many days consisting of various rituals. A Hindu ceremony is called Ganesha Pooja, and it is performed on the first day with close family and friends. An evening of dancing and celebration takes place on the second day of the wedding, which is known as the Sangeet. Weddings are commonly marked by hand- and foot-henna tattoos. It takes place in the morning of the third day, and the reception is held in the evening of that day as well.

As fusion weddings have become increasingly popular, couples are adding their twist to the traditional wedding rituals. Weddings in India may contain some or all of these ceremonies. As a general rule, guests are expected to dress formally for any ceremony they are invited to. It’s vital to dress conservatively, especially for religious events.

Check out the traditional Indian wedding attire.

A traditional Indian outfit is a great option for guests attending an Indian wedding. There are a variety of options for ladies, such as one or both arms are covered with an artistically knotted fabric drape called a saree that can be worn from the shoulders to the ankles. To cover your head during religious ceremonies, extra fabric is usually available. There is also the lehenga (a two-piece costume consisting of a crop top and a voluminous skirt), which is also popular.

“Sharara” means “palazzo” pants with a matching tunic top (sometimes called Kurti or Kurta). It is usually embellished with glistening beading, brocade designs, and embroidered details.

Both the Kurti and the sherwani are knee-length jackets with matching pants that can be worn by men. All clothing is available in a rainbow of colours, with a variety of patterns, embellishments and prints. There are several Indian, Pakistani, and Nepalese markets in areas where there is a big Indian population. These markets are likely to sell apparel. As a bridesmaid or other member of the wedding party, if you’re genuinely undecided about what to wear, ask a bridesmaid or other member of the wedding party for advice and make yourself comfortable with the dress you wear.

Be yourself and be comfortable.

What to dress for an Indian wedding, especially when you’re accompanying the groom? When the groom is escorted on horseback to the wedding, his friends and relatives do a ceremonial dance to greet the bride’s side, so be prepared to be on your feet. There is no seating on the floor during a Sikh wedding, so you’ll need clothes that are either too tight or too short to allow you to sit cross-legged for a long amount of time.

Also, if this is your first Indian marriage, you may be shocked by how long it takes, which can last anywhere from two to three hours, so wear comfortable clothing. Dressing down for the ceremonies and dressing up for the reception is another option, as it is typical for attendees at Indian wedding ceremonies to change their attire. Prepare for the dance floor with a comfy pair of shoes that you can roam around in.

Never be hesitant to accessorise!

When it comes to the Indian wedding dress, even if you decide not to wear it, don’t forget to bring out your best jewellery and body embellishments like bindis, jhumkas, etc. Accessories highlight your outfit and contribute to your total attire. Do a bit of makeup, and you’re ready for the wedding functions!

Now that you’re clear with your outfit and other accessories, shop from the desired store and flaunt yourselves at the Indian wedding. Appearance always suggests your personality, and dressing according to a culture is the best way to pay respect and honour to a rich culture and heritage, like the culture of Indian weddings.

What to Wear to Indian Wedding – For Men

These are some of the options that you can consider, to make your look dapper on an Indian wedding ceremony

Simple Yet Chic Kurta Pyjama

Ace a true traditional yet trendy look, with a basic kurta pyjama paired up with a waistcoat embellished in Juttis. Consider experimenting with fabric and colours for an out-of-the-ordinary look. If you’re an invitee to your relative’s or close friend’s wedding, consider getting dressed up in a pair of Kurta pyjama teamed up with embroidered jutti shoes to accentuate the look of your ethnic ensemble.

The Elegant Bandhgala

An epitome of elegance, a well-tailored bandhgala is what you need, to make sure that your fashion quotient is as strong as the groom’s. You can add a touch of colour to your ethnic ensemble with a colourful pocket scarf- if you feel like doing so. An elegant bandhgala is all you need to look dapper, suited not just for weddings, but for a myriad of occasions like engagement, reception and everything in between.

Regal Sherwani

If you’re wondering what to wear to a grand, opulent wedding soiree, then without a second thought you can opt for a regal sherwani. It matches the splendour and grandeur that Indian weddings are known for. Or if you don’t favour regal sherwani, then you can go for a designer made heavy work sherwani instead, that adds a touch of glamour to your whole look. Consider adding a cropped jacket or a dupatta to amp up the sherwani.

Kurta and Nehru Jacket

If you’ve been invited to be a part of your close relative’s or best friend’s wedding, then a Kurta churidar teamed up with a Nehru jacket will be your best bet. If you’re after a simple yet traditional ethnic attire, then this is your go-to choice. The choice of pairing up the jacket and kurta is entirely yours- however, to achieve a monochromatic look, you can either complement your kurta with that of a somewhat same shaded jacket or go for contrasting shades. Complete the kurta-Nehru jacket look with a pair of brogues.

What to Wear to Indian Wedding – For Women

Finding the apt attire is the first task that you need to tackle before you show up in an Indian wedding, and needless to say, it’s the most overwhelming and time-consuming task because you have a wealth of options to choose from. In an Indian wedding ceremony, you’ll be expected to wear traditional Indian attire. These are some of the options that you can consider, to make a style statement:

Saree

One of the most quintessential choices, among the plethora of Indian wedding attire choices, and a go-to option for any kind of guest will be a saree. Being a go-to option to make a style statement, a saree will be perfect no matter if you’re the bride’s sister, a distant aunt or anyone closely related to the bride-to-be.

Lehenga

A three-piece attire, comprising a long A-line skirt, or what you call the lehenga, a crop top(choli) and a dupatta. Lehengas are popular for a reason- it’s much easier to wear than a saree. On top of that, you have an abundance of options when it comes to Lehenga colours, and you can pick a lighter and subtle shade like blue, light pink or just go for a darker shade.

Suit

One of the comfiest attire that you can put on will be a suit. It can either be simple or heavy, based on the type of suit. There are a myriad of choices when it comes to suits- you can put on a churidar and kurta, Patiala suit, Anarkali- the options seem to have no end.

Anarkali Skirts

If you’re after outfits that lend you a regal and modish look, then Anarkali skirts are for you. If you’re one who doesn’t like to be donned in a lehenga, then consider wearing an Anarkali skirt with a crop top to flaunt in style. These skirts are one of a kind chic yet comfiest outfit that you can wear to an Indian wedding.

Sharara

Undoubtedly, the most royal kind of attire that you would ever wear to an Indian wedding ceremony, Shararas will be just right for you if you’re attending a grand, opulent wedding ceremony. This outfit is just perfect for any kind of guest- be it the close cousin of the bride or groom, or even the sister. However, distant relatives can sport in a subtle hued sharara.