If your best friend is getting married and you’ve been invited to an Indian wedding as the best man, you’re probably confused about what to wear. Should you get traditional Indian couture? Or, can you get by in a standard tuxedo? Of course, you’ll want to ask the groom about what to expect. But, when you’re starting to look around, here are some important factors to keep in mind.
Expect to Attend a Lavish Affair
Indian weddings are typically huge events with an average of 700 guests or more. Further, like this article on the Brides magazine informs, you can expect that the festivities will last for around three days. Accordingly, you’ll need a formal wardrobe with at least three different outfits. Investing in Indian attire is a great idea, so you can feel a part of the culture. Typically, you’ll have the mehendi ceremony, Sangeet, wedding rituals, and finally, the reception. While you could choose a lighter kurta-pajama for the smaller ceremonies, go for a smart sherwani for the wedding. Many male guests wear a Western suit for the reception and that works too.
Attire for the Best Man and Groomsmen
If you’ve been asked to be the best man or a groomsman, Western tradition dictates that you should be wearing the same attire as the groom. However, Indian sherwanis are much like their weddings, elaborate with lots of embroidery and accessories. For this reason, you may want to choose an outfit that looks stylish and elegant, but does not make you feel like the groom. Like the folks at Lashkaara advise, men's ethnic wear for an Indian wedding has an immense variety and lighter versions of sherwanis are also available. Focus on getting beautiful fabrics like brocades, silk, and velvet depending on the weather and you’re all set. If you’re attending afternoon nuptials, know that you could find an interesting selection of jackets that you can combine with a formal pair of pants. For instance, consider a floral printed raw silk jacket on an off-white base.
Find Out About the Particular Community of Your Hosts
One of the most unexpected nuances of an Indian wedding is the particular community to which your best friend belongs. India has more than 30 different kinds of cultures, so you may want to check beforehand and find out about the groom’s family. Are you attending a Punjabi, Tamilian, Gujrati, Maharashtrian, Bengali or Goan wedding? Interestingly, the bride and groom could be Christians, but they might have Indian ceremonies before the main church wedding. Check with your buddies for ideas of what to wear so you maintain the continuity and theme of the wedding.
Indo-Western Fusion Wear is a Great Idea
Know that despite the variations in Indian culture, you can opt for ethnic wear that will likely work for most communities. You can also opt for Indo-Western fusion wear that allows you to mix and match pieces, so you can use them later also. For instance, get a long jacket that reaches halfway to the hips with a Nehru collar in Indian couture. Throw it on top of a light kurta-pajama for the Sangeet. Later, you can always use the jacket as a waistcoat with a formal Western suit. Here's another option. How about a long knee-length kurta combined with a pair of jeans for a relaxed, semi-casual ceremony like a mehendi where the guests list could consist of only close friends and family members.
Match the Fabrics to the Season
Since India has a warm climate, you’ll be spoiled for choice of apparel when it comes to summer nuptials. Start scouting around, and you’ll find that the possibilities for fabrics are endless. If the weather is not too warm, you could also opt for tropical wools like this article on FashionBeans recommends. Such fabrics have loose weaves that allow your skin to breathe while maintaining the integrity of the fibers. Fine cottons, light silks, linens, and flax fibers are a few of the other fabrics you can consider. When you start to explore cotton, expect to find a fascinating range of weaves and finishes. The natural feel of the fabrics gives them a lovely fall and keep you cool in warm weather. The most elegant outfit for an outdoor Indian wedding is certainly the classic embroidered kurta teamed with a churidar or tight pants. Choose a Lucknow-style kurta in single color or a combination of two colors.
Colors to Choose for the Wedding
If you’re attending an afternoon Indian wedding, choose pastel colors like baby pink, light blues, peaches, and greys. Take care to avoid white since most communities consider use it a color of mourning. Of course, you’ll want to match the hues with your skin tone. If you think pastels may not look good on you, go for brighter pastels. Not only are lighter colors very much in vogue in 2019, they work perfectly well for ethnic wear. But, if the nuptials are timed for the evening, you can go for all the bright, jeweled hues possible. Formal, traditional Indian couture is available in an exciting range of colors like rich maroon, royal blue, princely gold, gorgeous creams and beiges, and so much more. Enjoy adding gold highlights and embroidery. An Indian ceremony is the perfect excuse to carry it off.
Keep Western Traditions in Mind
Even as you’re having fun planning your costumes for the Indian wedding, do keep in mind that you’ll want to follow Western traditions also. Some of the important fashion rules says that adding accessories for a touch of individuality and coordinating your outfit with the Maid of Honor. The exciting thing about Indian couture is that it suits just about any body structure, so you’ll have no worries there.
Go ahead and use some of these practical tips to look like royalty at an Indian nuptial ceremony. You're sure to enjoy every moment of the festivities.
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