What To Wear To A Western Wedding

Attending An Indian Wedding As A Guest What To Wear

How To Organize A Western Wedding

I was recently invited to the Indian /Western fusion wedding of Mo and Nicky. I first met Nicky through a good friend, Kamal. Nicky is such a sweet, kind soul I am so happy she found an equal in her partner Mo and glad I was able to take part in her fairytale wedding.

What to Wear: My search started looking for second hand outfits. I assumed there were others like me who bought a dress for a single wedding and didnt need it again. I was browsing craigslist looking for saris and there was a lot that were in great shape, but they werent very modern and were still very expensive. Ideally, if I was going to buy something, I wanted to be able to wear it again. I really liked Jasmin Walias look with her cool Dhoti pants and had visions of wearing something similar, but couldnt find anything in Vancouver. If you cant find something modern and dont want to buy a brand new sari, borrow one!

A friends sister lent me an beautiful outfit for the temple, and the rest of the events I wore maxi skirts and a western outfit to the western part of the events. From what I learned at this wedding, a different outfit was worn at each event, and generally each outfit is more elaborate than the previous, leading up to the formal gowns for the banquet reception at the end. Below are the events and each outfit in detail.

Sari Inspiration:Here is an inspiration board for some modern Saris!

Men’s Western Wedding Apparel

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What To Wear To Different Ceremonies

Typically, traditional Indian weddings last for three days. The first day includes a Ganesha Pooja, a Hindu ceremony that takes place at home with close family and friends. The second day is for the sangeet , where the bride and groom are joined by their loved ones for an evening dancing and celebrating. This is often when the bride has henna tattoos designed on her hands and feet. The wedding ceremony takes place in the morning on the third day, and is followed by a reception in the evening.

Of course, with the popularity of fusion weddings, couples are putting their personal spin on tradition. Indian weddings may include all of these rituals, or just certain aspects. But in general, guests should dress formally for each ceremony they’re invited to. “You will notice as the parties progress throughout the week, they become progressively more and more elaborate,” Gohel explains. “You will want your outfits to follow the same suit, saving your most formal ensemble for the reception.”

Dressing conservatively is important, especially for religious ceremonies. “Depending on the type of religious wedding ceremony you are attending, the dress code will vary,” she says. “Some ceremonies will require covered shoulders and maybe your head, others will not. Typically the more traditional the venuewhere the ceremony occurs in a mosque or templethe more conservative the dress code.”

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What Can I Expect At A Hindu Wedding

Here is a sample program of how a three-day, Hindu wedding may look like and what you should wear.

The first day is a Hindu ceremony called Ganesha puja. This ceremony is celebrated at the bride or grooms home with family and friends. The bride does not partake in the ceremony until she arrives at the very end. Ganesha puja is to honor the Hindu God, Ganesh.

The evening is centered around an offering prayer to help the couple have a happy life. No Hindu wedding can take place without this ritual. When attending, a guest should dress semi-formal, but simple and comfortable. Light fabrics, like cotton or loose-fitting clothes, are recommended because there is usually a bonfire to end the nights.

On the second day, there is a Haldi and Mehendi party where both families get together for dancing and celebrating. At the Haldi ceremony, turmeric paste gets smeared on guests faces. When picking out an outfit, make sure to dress nicely, but in something that youre more than likely going to get turmeric all over.

The Mehendi party is lively and filled with dancing. Wear bright colors, like pink and pastels. Just like the Haldi party, wear something semi-formal, but watch its not an expensive outfit because there are henna tattoos that will be applied and could get on your clothes. Typically, the couples apply henna to their guests during the party. Afterward, youll be encouraged to dance and the rest of the festivities.

What Not To Wear To A Wedding: The Same Color As The Wedding Party

Usually if the wedding invitation incorporates certain colors, that’s often the first indication of what the color scheme of the wedding will be. For instance, if you notice the invite has a blush trim and a gold envelope, those are likely the colors the bridal party will wear. “Sometimes it’s hard to predict, and you certainly don’t want to bog down the bride and groom with questions about attire,” says Meier. But, if you’re attending a pre-wedding event, like a bridal shower or bachelor party, it could be a good opportunity to quickly gather some intel from a bridesmaid or a groomsmen about the color scheme. If you can’t figure it out, don’t fret. “While you don’t have a lot of space in your evening bag or pocket for a full wardrobe change, you could bring something like a sparkly shawl, jewelry, or a bow-tie that instantly transforms your look so you can set yourself apart from the wedding party if you happen to be wearing the same color,” says Meier.

Meetjen Womens Vintage Floral Lace Dress Handkerchief Hem Asymmetrical Cocktail Formal Swing Dress

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You ladies will be extremely feminine and charming in this Meetjen lace dress that guys will fall head over heels in love with you.

Different from the first dress, this dress exposes the shoulder and creates a sexy outlook.

Besides, this tea-length front dress has the front length just a few inches above your knee. This design will enhance your posture, especially your lovely legs.

In addition, your cowboy boots also have a chance to shine with this dress.

Elegant yet sexy, this dress and cowboy boots is the perfect coordination for your wedding.

What Is Casual Dressy For A Wedding

A dressy casual wedding means you have the ability to wear something laid-backthink light colors, casual material and bold prints. This suit is the perfect combination of all three. The windowpane check print livens up the soft gray color, while the soft woven fabric will be comfortable to wear all night long.

Also Check: How To Plan A Really Cheap Wedding

A Crisp White Blouse Denim Skirt And Boots

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This is another winning combination you can wear to the country wedding. Try a boot with a weathered/vintage/Western vibe for the classic look. You can wear one with a traditional western boot with pointed toes as well. If its hot, you can combine with a denim skirt and a crisp white western shirt, or possibly a peasant-style blouse. You could choose something in white eyelet or lace to dress things up a bit.

The Right Indian Wedding Dress For A Female Guest

4 Awesome Ways To Make A Western Outfit Look Indian | #fame School Of Style

Before you make any decision on what exactly youd wear, keep a few Indian wedding wear etiquettes in mind:

Go for the theme! There might be several events youd attend as part of a single wedding ceremony. Prepare for them accordingly. Your Indian-American friends are more likely to have wedding functions that are more familiar to you. Youd only need to think about the right outfit when it’s a traditional ceremony representing their faith as Hindus, Muslims or Sikhs. You can read more about different Indian wedding functions here.

Showing your legs or too much of cleavage in an Indian wedding ceremony whether its Hindu, Muslim, or Sikh is not considered good while youre free to show off your belly which is exposed in most of the traditional Indian outfits.

You would also need to cover your head for certain rituals at the wedding where the dupatta or drape/veil comes in handy.

Some people believe that wearing black and white for an Indian wedding ritual is inauspicious but it doesnt hold true for most of the Hindu and Sikh weddings. Instead, a lot of brides and grooms are choosing to wear white as their wedding attire these days. For Muslim weddings, it might apply to certain groups of people so you can avoid these in that case.

While in Hindu and Sikh weddings, all colors of the rainbow are accepted in addition to white and black. For Muslim weddings, bright green and pink are most favorable as they are considered auspicious.

Recommended Reading: Which Ring Goes On First Engagement Or Wedding

Summer Breeze Country Casual

Unless the barn is a rarity and air conditioned, you want wedding attire that will help you stay cool. A spaghetti strapped cotton dress is an ideal summer dress for a barn wedding. You can choose a wide western styled belt to transform a straight shift dress into something more appealing. Make sure you add a nice necklace and earrings to complete your summer look.

Consider Classic Indian Garb

For the traditional ceremony, one option for what to wear to an Indian wedding as a guest in traditional Indian clothes. For women, thats usually a colourful saree, which is an elaborately tied drape of fabric that normally covers from the shoulders to the ankles. Extra fabric is normally left free and can be used to cover your head during the religious ceremony. Mens wedding attire is normally a long-sleeved tunic and pants. Both men and womens clothes come in dazzling, highly saturated colours with lots of patterns and prints. If you live in an area with a large Indian-American population, try a local Indian bazaar or market, which will likely also sell clothing. Whatever you do, dont nag the bride or the groom about attire! Trust us, and theyre swamped with other questions, so try to navigate this part on your own.

Read Also: How To Use A Wedding Hashtag

Can You Wear Red To A Hindu Wedding

You shouldnt wear red to a Hindu wedding. Wearing red to a Hindu wedding is just like wearing white to an American wedding. In a Hindu wedding, the bride wears either a red ghagra cholis, lehenga, or sari.

The color red is sacred in the Hindu religion and stands for prosperity and fertility. It also signifies life, just as the new bride is preparing for her new phase of life as a married woman. If youre a guest, leave the bride to wear red. There are so many other colors to choose from, besides one other.

Typically, Americans do not wear white to a wedding because thats what the bride wears. You also shouldnt wear white for different reasons when attending a Hindu wedding.

White is worn for funerals, which would be really strange to wear for a wedding. Also, if there are multiple ceremonies, and the couple decides to have an American ceremony as well, white will be worn by the bride, too.

Dresstells Womens Prom Vintage Tea Dress

Take a trip back in time with the elegant tea dress. Simple yet classy, its great for accessorizing with your favorite cowboy hat and boots. The soft material is comfortable and will keep you cool while looking glamorous at any summer event.

Super lightweight and stretchy, youll love the fit of this dress no matter your body shape. The zipper closure makes it easy to get on. Use its simple design to show off your style with your favorite accessories.

What We Love About It:

You can choose from different colors to meet your style.

Its ideal for accessorizing with your favorite western wear.
The soft, comfortable and stretchy material is great for outdoor weddings.

Fashion Tips:

Dress it up with a pearl necklace and earrings for a sophisticated retro look.
Dont be afraid to wear your colorful boots with this dress.

Lehenga With Corset Blouse Top

Who said corset is only a part of western outfits? Indian fashion has smoothly adapted this glamorous outfit to produce stunning modern crop tops to be paired with lehengas, sarees, and gowns.

This rust corset lehenga has the same blouse design in a different color and a slightly different flare in the lehenga.

Jaal Palazzo Lehenga

This stylish galaxy pink corset bustier is simply goals for any fashion diva out there looking for some unique outfit ideas for a wedding. It has been ensembled with a palazzo lehenga and pre-draped dupatta, a completely unique fashion statement to leave an impact as an Indian wedding guest.

Western Style Wedding Complete Guide

Its wedding season here in the Hill Country!

This time of year, as the flowers bloom and the days grow long, is the perfect time to have the rustic wedding of your dreams. A true western wedding is the stuff of fairytales, steeped in tradition, with a blend of romance and country charm.

Country weddings are all about celebrating the beautiful union of two souls surrounded by loved ones, dancing under the stars, and eating good food. Unlike traditional weddings, which can be a bit somber and all-too-fancy, western weddings are filled with wild revelry, laughter, hootin and hollerin. Its a celebratory, downhome affair, that doesnt take itself too seriously.

Though western weddings can come across as simple, planning one can be daunting, to say the least. Even a modest country wedding can be a real beast to organize. From finding the perfect barn style wedding venue with rustic wedding decorations, to pairing your western style wedding dress with the right cowboy boots, it sure can get overwhelming.

Harrys Boots wants to help guide you in your western wedding planning. This past weekend, we had the pure joy of attending a lovely, country style wedding, and experienced first-hand how magical it can be. Our friends Sarah and Lane Vay were married in true western splendor, and have inspired us to create this handy, rustic wedding guide.

So, check out their lovely wedding photos, by Rachel Driskel, and find out what it takes to bring your western wedding to life!

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