What to Wear to Indian Weddings
What to Wear to Indian Weddings: Your ultimate Guide to Wedding Outfits
If you have received an invitation to an Indian wedding
or a multi-cultural desi wedding and are wondering what to wear as a guest then you have come to the right place.
As a guest deciding an outfit need not be stressful. Keep scrolling to find out what the significance of each function in an Indian wedding is and what you can wear at each of the traditional functions.
While picking an outfit for yourself you should keep in mind certain things such as the colors that can be worn. As its an Indian wedding you can wear bright festive colors which would go an most occasions.You can wear pastel shades in the morning and jewel , darker tones in the evening. Most colors can be worn but colors like black must be avoided as it is considered inauspicious in certain customs.
Before you start shopping for an Indian wedding you must familiarize yourself with the terminologies of different outfits.
Lehenga
This is the most popular one. A lehenga or lehenga choli is a two piece outfit with a skirt, top and dupatta. You can wear this on functions like the sangeet and the wedding. The skirt is usually heavy with stunning deigns and embroidery made by local artisans.
Saree
We are sure you have heard of this one. A saree is 6-9 metre long piece of cloth which is draped around the body. It is worn with a blouse on the top. Sarees look great but draping these can be a challenge. But,
you also have options of semi-stitched sarees which can be worn directly without the whole process of draping. You can wear a saree for the reception for a glam look!
Punjabi suit/salwar kameez/anarkali
This is a three piece outfit which consists of a pant as the bottom , a long or short top over it and a dupatta which can be worn on the shoulders or over the head. This is a comfortable option if you don’t want to go overboard.
Traditional Indian weddings can be broken down into different categories based on the regions where the bride and/or groom are from. While you may wear a punjabi suit to a punjabi wedding, you can wear a saree to a south Indian wedding and a lehenga to a Gujrati wedding.
You should look out for the dress code which is usually mentioned on the wedding card or e-invite and you can pick your outfits accordingly. While its not compulsory to dress up in traditional Indian outfits, its a good immersive experience if you do so.
You can always wear cocktail gowns or pantsuits for some of the functions as you would in a white wedding if heavy Indian outfits are not your style.
Non-Indian guests are always encouraged to take part in Indian culture and traditions. Indians love to see guests take part in the functions and dress up in traditional Indian outfits. Older women would be happy to fix your saree, drape it or fix your blouse so make sure you enjoy the process. Make sure you are comfortable while you enjoy the food and the dance in your traditional Indian attire.
What to wear to different ceremonies
Roka / Engagement Ceremony
Roka generally, is the first event that happens in the series of events when it comes to Indian weddings. Commonly celebrated with a smaller - close friends and family only - group, Roka is the ceremony to officially announce the wedding. In some cultures, the couple even exchanges rings on their Roka day. As a bridesmaid or a guest, while your excitement may be going through the roof, we’d say keep it simple for the Roka ceremony, and slay harder as the events progress to the wedding! You can choose to go with a chic wedding lehenga or even a simple suit set for this event! Here are few pieces that can go well for this ocassion:
This simple yet gorgeous Lehenga by Glamour Rental can go beautifully with almost any Indian wedding ceremony. This intricately designed piece allows you to make a statement while keeping it light - both at the same time! You can Rent It Here for just $299 for 3 days
This simple yet gorgeous Lehenga by Glamour Rental can go beautifully with almost any Indian wedding ceremony. This intricately designed piece allows you to make a statement while keeping it light - both at the same time!
This simple Grey Party Wear Lehenga Choli by Glamour Rental fits the Roka ceremony picture perfectly too! This is another simple yet elegant piece you can pick for this occasion!
Sangeet Ceremony
As the celebration becomes bigger, Indians like to dance it all out! Sangeet ceremony is typically a night of celebration mostly focused on dance, music, and food! Family members traditionally used to sing traditional wedding songs and celebrate with instruments like ‘dholak’. But as times change, cultures take a new shape too! Today, a sangeet ceremony is a combination of traditional and modern ways of dance, music, and celebration! So, on this day, you can expect yourself going crazy on the dance floor - jumping and grooving with friends and family! So, to ensure maximum mobility and comfort, we would say - do take it up a notch but keep it manageable when it comes to your outfit!
This beautiful navy blue lehenga with crop top set by Glamour Rental is perfect for a wedding sangeet so you can comfortably dance your heart out and look stunning at the same time! You can
Mehendi Ceremony
Mehendi or henna, plays an important role in Indian weddings. The bride along with all the girls and women of the couple’s family use henna to decorate their hands as part of this ceremony! Women gather around, choose their favorite designs and dress up, as they celebrate! Typically, in this ceremony, you’ll be stationed at a spot, getting your ‘mehendi’ done. There is music, dance, and food that happens all alongside. Since you are going to spend the day one upping your wedding-look game, why not dress up for the it too. Here is a beautiful green and golden piece by Glamour Rental you can choose for your perfect mehendi night outfit!
This Mint Drape Saree with Gold Organza Blouse allows you to look all sorts of gold and green gorgeous! You can dance and get henna done on your hands and arms super comfortably in this piece while looking pure graceful! You can
Haldi Ceremony
Haldi Ceremony is generally held a day before the wedding day or on the wedding (early) morning itself. It is a beautiful traditional ceremony where friends and family members of the bride/groom come together and put a combination of ‘Haldi’ (turmeric) and other elements as a paste on the bride/groom’s face and arms. Traditionally, it is believed that this paste helps add that extra ‘golden glow’ to the couple’s faces - preparing them to look perfect for the wedding day! Here are some pieces perfect for this ceremony you can try:
Dressing up, wearing make-up and jewellery can be tiresome. If you want to keep it light just before the wedding celebration, here is a simple yet pretty yellow beauty by Glamour Rental!
This Canary Yellow Cowl Jumpsuit by Glamour Rental allows you the comfort and ease you may want before a crazy night ahead!
But, if you are ready to go all-in on the dressing up, make-up and jewelry scenario, here is a piece you can pick:
With this stunning yellow embroidered lehenga, you can enter the ceremony with grace and the confidence to slay!
The Wedding
You’ve reached the final platform of your journey into an Indian wedding celebrations! The wedding day, obviously, is an auspicious event when the couple is tied into the institution of marriage.The couple puts a flower garland over each other and go around the fire taking vows of marriage. For them, its the most important day - for you - it can be the most fun filled experience. Part of the fun, of course, is getting ready and showing up looking absolutely stunning! Here is an outfit you can choose to make sure that happens!
This breathtaking Rama Green Soft Net lehenga is the perfect combination of traditional and contemporary designs! Also, it would look beyond perfect on your Instagram profile ;) You can
Reception
Everyone invited to the wedding is usually invited to the reception. Reception usually starts in the evening around 7pm and goes till midnight. Its a function where people congratulate the bride and the groom after their wedding.Usually a stage is set up where the couple sits and people congratulate them in turns and click pictures with the couple. You can give gifts to the couple during the reception.Reception is usually the grandest ceremony with lots of food, decor and photos. So, make sure you dress well in an evening gown or a wedding saree which would be perfect for the function!
This beautiful Light Pink Partywear Gown by Glamour Rental will not only leave people in awe, but since it doesn’t have any loose pieces like dupattas, it will also allow you to fully enjoy the wedding reception!
This beautiful ready to wear saree is perfect for an evening
wedding reception look. Silver jewelry with this ready to wear saree
would make the look perfect!
About Glamour Rental
From the Founder’s Desk
“Founded in 2019, I created GlamouRental to bring my love of
rental fashion in North America and to cater to the needs of our Indian Wear loving clients at GlamouRental. I have started my fashion design business to make designer outfits on customer’s demand. Buying a Designer Wear is not cheap, neither everyone can afford it. So I came up with the solution of renting Indian designer Wear for the people who don’t want to spend lots of money to buy Designer Wear.”
