Recommended attire

Mandvo: Dress comfortably as seating will be on the ground. Indian or Western attire are both great! This event will be at the Hanuman Temple, so lean towards the conservative side in your dress.

Haldi and Mehndi: Traditionally, yellow, orange, and green are worn at these events but this is not at all required. Again, dress comfortably as seating will be on the ground. This event will be at a suite in the hotel.

Wedding Ceremony: Western formal or traditional Indian formal. Note that generally, black and (stark) white attire is avoided at Indian wedding ceremonies as these colors are associated with mourning and/or considered to be inauspicious. However, men can wear black suits with white or colored shirts : )

Reception: Feel free to wear the same outfit for the wedding and reception, but if you'd like to switch it up for the reception, think western formal, traditional Indian formal, or an in-between fusion vibe!

General Note: All events will be held outdoors on grassy lawns, so please choose your footwear accordingly. While we anticipate comfortable temperatures, the high desert climate can bring significant temperature shifts throughout the day. Mornings and evenings tend to be cooler, so layering is recommended.

Resources for Indian Clothes

Many of you ladies have asked about resources for buying Indian clothes online. You are welcome to wear whatever you are comfortable in - Indian or not! To help you feel comfortable and confident, here is a quick guide to choosing Indian attire for the wedding festivities if you so choose.

Indian wedding outfits are colorful, ornate, and steeped in cultural significance. Have fun with them!

Detailed Guide to Indian Clothes

Saree

Sarees are 6-9 yards of fabric worn in a variety of regional draping styles. Sarees can be made of a variety of materials from more casual cottons and linens to more formal handwoven silks. Modern sarees are also made of flowier materials like satin, georgette, chiffon, and organza. These materials also tend to be a little bit more breathable and lightweight, so we strongly recommend one of these fabrics for our summer wedding.

Wearing a saree requires 3 pieces:

(1) The saree

(2) A blouse - a crop top worn underneath the saree

(3) A petticoat - a long slip skirt with a drawstring under the saree that the drapes are tucked into

If you are purchasing or renting a saree for the event, please make sure to get all three pieces. Sarees are often sold with blouse fabric that can be taken to a tailor to be stitched into a blouse. Modern online shops also offer tailoring services through the website - you just send them your measurements and they’ll send you your saree with a custom fitted blouse. Readymade blouses are also popular and come in several sizes, but they often run small, so check your measurements. To find these items, search for “custom saree blouse”, “readymade saree blouse”, or “saree petticoat”.

Tia Bhuva does a great series on Youtube on a variety of draping styles as well as other great saree hacks.

Pro-tip: Today, pre-stitched or pre-draped sarees have become increasingly popular, and we strongly recommend one of these styles for your first saree. These styles do not require a petticoat, but they do require a blouse.

Lehenga (Women)

A lehenga is a blouse top and long skirt option that can lean traditional or modern depending on the material used, designs/embellishments, and the cut of the blouse and skirt. The blouse is often cropped and the skirt is often flared or layered. Lehengas have become a very popular option for women and are appropriate for any event of the wedding.

Typically a lehenga is worn with a dupatta (long scarf) which can be draped in a variety of styles, but some more fusion-y lehengas forego a dupatta in lieu of a jacket, or altogether. If you're looking for ways to style your lehenga, feel free to search online for dupatta draping styles/tutorials— the options are endless!

Also, as you shop, you might see an option to add a “cancan”. This is a heavy ruffled underlayer that helps the lehenga skirt flare more. Cancans look great, but can be uncomfortable or unwieldy, so keep that in mind as you make your choice.

Salwar Kameez (Women)

A salwar kameez is a two- or three-piece outfit that consists of pants, a top, and an optional but commonly worn dupatta (scarf). The pants can come in a variety of styles.

The top, called a kurti, can come in a variety of styles as well. It's a long tunic/shirt that typically hits somewhere between just above the knee and just above the ankles. Kurtis can vary greatly in dressiness; some things to look out for to get a more formal one are material (silks are more formal than cottons) embroidery, embellishments, threadwork, and beaded or embroidered borders.

Anarkali (Women)

A popular style of salwar kameez is called an anarkali— a floor length flared tunic that can be worn as a dress with or without pants (often leggings). These are a great all-in-one option. They're also sometimes called "gowns" in desi fashion, so if you're looking to buy online you can search either "anarkali" or "gown."

Kurta Pyjama (Men)

Kurta-pyjama is similar to salwar kameez, but is traditionally worn by men. It similarly consists of a top and bottom, and occasionally a dupatta is worn as a scarf around the neck along with the two-piece outfit. The pants (pyjama) are typically chudidar or straight cut. The kurta, like a salwar-kameez's kurti, can vary significantly in dressiness/formality, so look out for similar things.

Sherwani (Men)

A sherwani is similar to a kurta but the top is a tunic-length buttoned jacket. These are generally more formal than kurtas, so they can be found at weddings. However, the jacket aspect can mean that they are also much warmer than a kurta and may be uncomfortable in very hot weather. If you would like to wear one, keep an eye out for lighter weight fabrics.

Nehru Vest / Jodhpuri (Men)

One way to dress up a more casual kurta-pyjama and one of the most popular wedding outfits for men is a vest ensemble, or jodhpuri. The vest can either be shirt-length or the longer length of the full kurta. Many Indowestern masculine outfits feature vests or jackets, and you can add fun accessories like pocket squares or scarves if you'd like.

There are so many online Indian clothes retailers these days. Here are a few to get you started:

Global Desi

One Minute Sarees House of Indya

Aza

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