We've put together a little visual (link here) to help guide everyone on how to dress for various festivities.
Hi friends and family, we are excited to share our multicultural wedding with you. Please dress in a way that feels comfortable and authentic to you....whether that's American clothes, Indian garb, or anything else.
If you want to wear Indian outfits, please know that you are MOST welcome. We also include tips and links on this page and on the Indian clothes 101 tab.
This website has a good overview of the ins-and-outs of Indian wedding attire: http://www.theknot.com/content/what-to-wear-indian-wedding.
If you need some pointers on where to shop, here are some sites for both men and women.:
Budget-Friendly:
http://www.Cbazaar.com (ladies attire)
https://us.koskii.com/ (ladies attire)
http://www.Panashindia.com (men and ladies attire)
http://www.lashkaraa.com (men and ladies attire)Slightly Less Budget-Friendly:
http://www.perniaspopupshop.com/ (men and ladies attire)
http://www.ogaan.com/ (men and ladies attire)Rental Options:
www.borrowthebazaar.com/collections/catalog (ladies attire) http://www.sarisandthings.com/ (men and ladies attire) http://www.allborrow.com/pages/rent-your-items (ladies attire) http://www.renttherunway.com (there are only a couple lehengas, but you can find nice two-pieces as an alternative!)
https://preserve.rent/Note: you can definitely find interesting and budget friendly Indian designs on Etsy & Amazon; while we can't personally vouch for every vendor, if they have good reviews (especially reviews by Indians who can attest to embroidery and tailoring quality standards!), this could be a good option.
Indian men are quite likely to wear western attire to all of the wedding events. The Wedding Ceremony will have the highest proportion of men in Indian traditional garb. Here are some sites with more information on suggested Indian outfits for the various events:
Sangeet: https://g3fashion.com/blog/fashion/mens-sangeet-wedding-wear-styles/
Wedding Ceremony: www.thefashionhighlights.com/2021/06/is-season-of-weddings-and-you-must-have.html
Reception: we suggest Western or Indo-Western attire for this event, for men.
In women's traditional Indian clothing, there are 2 outfit types that we recommend for maximum comfort and popularity:
(1) Lehenga -- a long skirt, paired with a crop top (known as a choli, or blouse). The outfit is finished with a dupatta, which is inserted into the skirt and wrapped at the waist then draped over the shoulder similar to a sari. The dupatta adds 'modesty' and drape to cover the belly. A high waist on the skirt can also help with concerns about showing too much stomach.
Note: you don't have to purchase something that is labeled as a lehenga - you can try to style your own through western clothing websites that sell maxi skirt-top sets! A lehenga skirt generally has volume, though, so try to choose something with a flare and fullness. And the one thing we would suggest is to add a dupatta.
Here are some tips on styling a dupatta: www.wikihow.com/Drape-Your-Lehenga-Dupatta
And here is a website that sells dupattas a la carte: https://us.koskii.com/collections/mix-and-match
(2) Salwar Kameez or sharara - these are different terms for the same concept: the general idea is that pants (salwar) are paired with a long tunic (kameez). The pants and tops come in various styles and cuts. These days, a popular variety is the sharara which has very flared pants. This outfit doesn't have to be made to measure, but a fitted top is the most flattering.
(3) Saree - these are traditional outfits typically worn during the Hindu ceremony, made up of a long piece of unstitched fabric that is wrapped around the body over a blouse, and tucked into a skirt (called the petticoat). Sarees for weddings are typically elegant and bright. Soft silk or mysore sarees are a beautiful, albeit pricier, choice. Chiffon or banaras sarees are great options as well. If you opt to wear a saree for the Hindu ceremony, there are many online tutorials for how to wrap it. Here are a couple we like:
www.wikihow.com/Dress-in-a-Sari
www.lashkaraa.com/blogs/lashkaraa/beginners-guide-for-how-to-drape-a-saree-perfectly