You've been invited to an Indian wedding or you are a bride looking to find out what to wear below are some of the tips to take this stress away from you. As you know, Indian weddings are known for number of ceremonies stretching over several days. We at banuDESIgns are here to customize your outfit for all occasions, whether you are the bride or a guest attending the wedding.

Engagement Ceremony:

Bride: Most engagements these days are intimate family affairs and to be brides, prefer something light and modern with a touch of tradition. If you’re getting engaged, wearing something that makes a statement and shows off your personality is the way to go. If you are a bride who loves keeping up with trends and wants to make a style statement engagement is where you should let your creativity come in play.  

On your wedding day, you have to wear the traditional attire and there’s not so much room for trying something different. So, if you’re wearing a lehenga, saree or anarkali on your wedding day, wear saree gown, fusion lehnga, cocktail dress or a gown for your engagement. Go for bright colours, floral prints or even pastels and keep the dupatta light for a fun roka look.

Guest attending the engagement party: Based on the invite and theme of the engagement party you are invited to, you can wear any formal attire from a nice cocktail dress to a simple lehnga. Sari gown or more indian fusion outfits can also be worn.

Haldi Ceremony:

Description: The Haldi ceremony is a very special wedding ritual of Hindus. Haldi is the other name of turmeric. The big fat Indian wedding cannot be consummated without this very unique ritual. During the Haldi ceremony, all the female relatives apply turmeric paste on the body of the bride and the groom. The Haldi ceremony is one of the numerous occasions of the Indian wedding for which the bride-to-be needs to plan an outfit. The Haldi ceremony takes place just before the actual wedding. If the 'mahurat' or the auspicious time for the wedding is in the evening, then the Haldi takes place in the morning. Or else, it happens a day before the wedding. So the bride-to-be is very close to the big moment at this time and her attire must reflect this.

Mehendi Ceremony:

This ceremony is usually a night affair where henna is applied to the hands of the bride and the ladies of the wedding families. Traditionally, this ceremony was celebrated separately by the groom’s and the bride’s family. However these days it is a combined affair doubling the joy and merriment. There will be singing and dancing going on simultaneously as the ladies sit around getting henna designs applied on their hands and feet alongside the bride.

The mehendi is also a casual fun affair so keep this in mind when choosing what to wear to the mehendi ceremony. Casual outfits just like the haldi ceremony are quite suitable for this event. If you happen to be close friends or family of the bride and groom then remember these tips on how to dress up for an Indian wedding party as you will be spending a considerable amount of time at the event. To avoid mehendi stains it is best to wear colours that can camouflage the stains. Olive green outfits can be favoured in sync with the mehendi theme. Also for this ceremony you may have to sit cross legged on the floor for quite some time, while the henna artist is working on you. So giving consideration to the comfort factor wearing relaxed bottoms instead of tight fitting pants would be ideal. Avoiding longer sleeves would also be more practical for the henna application process.

Sangeet Ceremony: 

Indian wedding events have undergone drastic changes. The low key, ladies only sangeet ceremony that was held in the individual homes of the bride and the groom, has transformed into an elaborate requisite of Indian wedding events.

The modern sangeet ceremony has families from both sides performing choreographed dances to the tunes of Bollywood songs. Role-playing, singing and performances by hired artists as well as the intimate family members enthrall the wedding guests. If as a guest you will be a part of the dancing troupe, dress accordingly but lehengas, anarkalis, chudidhar-kurtas, sarees or Indian wedding cocktail dresses are usually the chosen attires for the sangeet ceremony.

The sangeet is like a traditional dance and music party, so ensure you wear outfits that will let you enjoy this event to the fullest.

Cocktail Party:

This episode of Indian wedding events basically ensures that the guests mingle and have fun together. As the name suggests the party will entail drinking with appetizers followed by a delectable spread of food for the guests. This event may be clubbed with the sangeet.

For separate cocktail parties the bride can have a dress code or a theme planned for the event. There may also be games and entertainment organised for the guests.

The new age concept of incorporating cocktail parties into Indian wedding events, gives an alternative of ditching the traditional outfits. It also takes away the restriction for black and one can choose different silhouettes like gorgeous western gowns and Indian wedding cocktail dresses. Minimalism is key in how to dress for these Indian wedding parties so stick with subtle jewellery and accessories.

Wedding Ceremony:

The actual wedding is the root cause of all the celebratory Indian wedding events. Most of the guests will be decked in embellished bold outfits with emphatic jewellery pieces. Opulence works for an Indian wedding ceremony, so reserve your finest outfit for this day.

Unlike other Indian wedding events, the wedding ceremony is a ritual driven occasion. So it is always a display of myriad traditional outfits. Sarees, lehengas and anarkalis with embellishments are great choices for women. While kurtas, achkans or sherwanis are favoured by men for the event. Since the ceremony is mostly centered on the bride, groom and their close family, the guests can have fun socialising and feasting.

Reception Ceremony:

The end of the Indian wedding events is through the reception party, which again like the cocktail party gives scope for western and contemporary outfits. It is an event where the newly married couple offers thanks to the guests for their presence, good wishes and wedding gifts.

When deciding on how to dress for an Indian wedding reception, women have the luxury of choosing from diverse options of Indian traditional outfits or contemporary western wear. Men can display formal sophisticated looks through western wear using trendy jackets and suits. Men can also adopt minimalistic, structured and sharp Indian wear like bandhgalas, sherwanis and achkans for the reception look.