Check out these fashionable Indian wedding options for the bride, groom, and wedding party.
Indian wedding fashion is unlike any other -- you can get creative with colors, textures, and fabrics and play with styles and cuts from the traditional to the contemporary. It’s a good idea to investigate the customs of the part of India you or your future spouse is from since the traditions vary by region, but here are some ideas for outfitting yourselves and your wedding party.
For the Bride
Indian brides usually wear red, but if you’d like to switch up your hue, go right ahead. In India, wearing white is often associated with funerals, so if you want a more subdued color, go for gold or cream. Popular fabric choices include brocade, crepe-silk, georgette, and tulle. Crepe-silk drapes beautifully, but is a bit light for cool-weather weddings. Brocade is heavier and more appropriate for fall or winter weddings; plus, it has metallic embellishments, so you need fewer accessories to dress it up.
If you’re going the traditional route, choose a sari, a long, flowing garment made of yards of unstitched fabric. You’ll wear it draped over a choli, or blouse, and a petticoat. Or, don a lehnga, a swinging skirt, paired with a choli. This look is more structured, but easier to wear than the sari because it doesn’t require drawstrings or pins to keep it in place. A lehnga tends to be more expensive, though, because it takes more effort to make. Pair either option with an odhani, or Indian veil.
Of course, you might want to wear a white Western wedding gown, and that’s okay too, especially if your ceremony is a mix of Eastern and Western traditions. You can still embrace your Indian culture by having your hands and feet decorated with henna designs or by wearing traditional Indian jewelry.
For the Bridesmaids
Although Indian weddings don’t typically include bridesmaids, many Indian-American brides choose to incorporate them. Dress your attendants in a color that coordinates with yours, and take a cue from brides who let their bridesmaids choose their own dress styles -- ask the women to pick their cut, and have the garments all made from the same fabric. Or your girls can all choose something different in the same color family. Bridesmaids can also wear kurta pyjamas, a loose shirt and pants combo ornamented with metallic thread and crystals.
For the Groom and Groomsmen
For Indian grooms, red, maroon, and gold are the most popular colors, but others, such as off-white, gray, or black, are also acceptable. Your guy could wear an achkan, a long coat paired with form-fitting pants, or he could opt for kurta pyjamas, the same loose option your bridesmaids may wear. A sherwani is a common choice for an Indian groom -- it’s a long coat that goes down to at least the groom’s knees and is usually worn over a kurt, a long, loose shirt. Sherwanis are made from heavy fabrics and have a close fit with buttons in the front. The jacket has a Nehru collar, which stands up.
If your guy wants a more Western look, he could wear a jodhpuri suit, which is reminiscent of a typical suit but with intricate embroidery. Of course, he might look dapper in a tuxedo, too, especially if you’re wearing a ball gown.
Men often accessorize with a stole draped around their necks and traditional shoes such as mojris (closed-toe slippers) or sandals. Grooms can also wear turbans or pugrees. If you’re having groomsmen, their look should be inspired by the groom’s, but in a different but complementary style or hue.
-- Justine Lorelle Blanchard