What to wear to an Indian Wedding

So you're invited to an Indian wedding, but don't know what is the appropriate wedding dress for a guest to wear? Shaadi Outfitters is here to help you understand what to wear to an Indian wedding!

Attending an Indian wedding is a unique and exciting experience that will require some planning, especially when it comes to selecting what outfit or outfits to wear. Whether you're invited to one or multiple wedding events, each colorful and vibrant in their own way, dressing up in traditional Indian wedding attire can contribute to the festive atmosphere and positively affect your overall wedding guest experience.

Common women's wedding attire: the most popular Indian outfit for women wedding guests are sarees, anarkali gowns, and lehenga cholis. A saree is a long, continuous piece of fabric wrapped and draped around the body. Wrapping a saree does take some practice and can be difficult for a first-time wearer, so we suggest opting for a different option. Anarkali gowns are like a maxi dress, made up of a frock-style top and features a slimmer fitted bottom section. A lehenga choli is a convenient and fun option for a wedding guest, consisting of a long skirt paired with a cropped blouse and worn with a scarf called a dupatta (due-put-ah). For each style, choose an outfit in a color and fabric that you are comfortable wearing, but try to wear bright and bold colors to match the celebratory mood of the wedding ceremony!

Common men's attire: Most men attending an Indian wedding opt for a traditional outfit like an elaborate kurta pajama, a kurta pajama combined with a Nehru jacket, or a sherwani. A kurta pajama consists of two garments, a kurta that is a loose, long-sleeve shirt that almost reaches the wearer's knees, and a pajama, which is a lightweight drawstring trouser. Kurtas can have a lot of detail and embellishment and stand on their own, or be more simple and worn with a Nehru jacket to accent the outfit. The Nehru jacket is a hip-length tailored coat, often without sleeves, has a short vertical collar, and detailed buttons on the front modeled after a sherwani. A Nehru jacket can be combined with a kurta or even worn over a plain dress shirt for a more western-blend style. A sherwani is a long suit-like coat, almost knee length, with buttons up to the neck and is considered very formal attire.

Shoes: While traditional shoes, called juttis (joo-tees) look like the best option to match your Indian wedding outfit, they can be uncomfortable over long periods of wear, especially while dancing. Trust us, after the wedding ceremony there will be a lot of dancing. It is totally appropriate for a wedding guest to wear western-style shoes, and you're going to want to grab comfortable ones. Women can wear flats or low heels in a neutral color or color that compliments their outfit. Even in India, Indian wedding dress norms are changing and men are wearing dress shoes with their outfit. Style your outfit with plain brown or black colored dress shoes, instead of more traditional Indian wedding attire. Our advice is to leave the uncomfortable shoes to the bride and groom!

Accessories: An Indian wedding is all about bling and sparkle, so don't be afraid to wear some flashy costume jewelry with your outfit. And of course, don't forget your bangles! Fun, dangly earrings and some jingling bangles are sure to put you in the mood to dance like a Bollywood pro. Men can add style to their outfit by wrapping a bold colored scarf (or stole) over their kurta or sherwani.

Attending an Indian wedding is a great opportunity to dress up, experience the vibrant Indian culture and fun Indian wedding traditions first-hand. If you choose to wear Indian attire to the wedding, consider renting your outfit from Shaadi Outfitters. A well-made, nice outfit tends to be expensive, whereas renting is a cost-effective and sustainable option for sourcing Indian clothes that you would most likely wear only once.

Thanks for reading and we hope these tips help you understand what to wear to an Indian wedding!