What should I wear to come shopping?

Something easy to change in and out of — leggings, a fitted top, athleisure. You will likely try on several things, and it makes the visit much quicker. Flat shoes you can slip off help too, especially if you are trying saris. One heads-up on colour: Indian celebrations run brighter than most Western dress codes, so come open to emerald, magenta, mustard and gold rather than navy and black.

What do I wear as a non-Indian guest to an Indian wedding or event?

Choose a modest, colorful outfit — a sari, lehenga, salwar kameez, sharara, or gharara. For weddings, avoid white and black (mourning colors) and avoid red unless you are the bride. For Diwali or garba, brighter and bolder is welcome. Come in, tell us the event, and you are out the door in 20 minutes.

Do you carry red bridal lehengas?

Not many. Traditional bridal red, maroon and burgundy is not what we stock deeply. What we do have: bridal lehengas in plum, emerald, navy, ivory and gold, and sarees in red with unstitched blouses you can have made to any shape you want.

What's a reasonable budget for a wedding-guest outfit?

Most guests spend $150 to $250 on a complete outfit — sarees, salwar kameez and lehengas all sit in that range, with the simpler pieces at the lower end. Individually: sarees from $150, salwar kameez from $100, lehengas from $200. Kids outfits are $50 to $125. No pressure, no upselling.

How long does a fitting take?

Many customers walk out in 20 minutes, brides included. You come in with a problem, we solve it that day. We are an efficient in-and-out store, not a two-hour bridal appointment atelier. Made-to-measure wedding party orders are the exception — those are placed online and take about three months.

Do you carry kids' and menswear?

Yes to both. Kids outfits for boys and girls run $50 to $125, with most between $50 and $75. Menswear: kurta pajamas $75 to $125, sherwanis from $250, jodhpuri suits and Indo-western outfits $250 to $350, vests from $100, bridal stoles around $100, and shoes $75 to $100.

Can I buy just a dupatta, blouse, petticoat, or accessory on its own?

Yes — we sell almost everything a la carte. Petticoats are $15, sari falls are $3, and turban cloth (pagri) is about $3.50 a yard. We also sell dupattas, skirts, blouses ready to wear in a range of sizes, fabric for tailoring, artificial jewelry, bangles, tikkas, and other accessories. Come in whether you need a whole outfit or just one missing piece.

Where are you located and when are you open?

18507 Pioneer Boulevard, Artesia, California 90701 — in Little India. Free rear-lot parking. Open Tuesday through Sunday until 6:45 PM. Closed Mondays.

Do you ship or offer virtual fittings?

For everyday shopping we are an in-person store — the point of visiting is trying things on, and you can DM us on Instagram beforehand so we set options aside. Wedding parties are different: bridesmaid and groomsmen outfits are made to measure and ordered online through our order forms, with about three months of lead time.

How much do mens Indian outfits cost?

Kurta pajamas are $75 to $125. Sherwanis start at $250. Jodhpuri suits and Indo-western outfits are $250 to $350. Vests start at $100, bridal stoles are around $100, and mens shoes are $75 to $100. Come in and try things on — most men are dressed in about 20 minutes.

Can you dress my whole bridal party — bridesmaids and groomsmen?

Yes. Bridesmaids choose a pre-draped sari or a pant suit, $150 to $200 each. Groomsmen get a kurta pajama with a vest, or just the vest. Everything is made to measure in one colour picked from our 294-thread card, so the whole party matches. You order online through our wedding party order forms and we confirm every line with you before anything is made.

How far ahead do I need to order bridesmaid and groomsmen outfits?

About three months. These are made to order and come from our supplier in India, so we will not promise a wedding date we cannot hit. If your date is closer than that, come into the store — we carry saris, lehengas and menswear in stock and have dressed whole parties off the floor in an afternoon.

What to Wear to a Hindu Wedding — mannequins in a yellow lehenga, maroon sherwani, gold sari and red sari at Loveleen Sari Palace, Artesia CA

What to Wear to a Hindu Wedding — A Real Guest's Guide

August 7, 2023

THE WEDDING GUIDE

What to wear to a Hindu wedding

Invited to a Hindu wedding?

LOVELEEN SARI PALACE · ARTESIA · SINCE 1990

Expect several events across several days, each with its own dress code. Here's what to wear to each one, which colors to avoid, and what actually happens at the ceremony — from three decades of dressing wedding guests at our Artesia showroom.

Explore outfit options

Browse a few looks for color, silhouette and styling ideas. What is in store changes often, so visit us to see current options.

Swipe or use the arrows to browse. Photos show outfit ideas; available sizes and colors vary.

The 30-second version:

Wear color — the brighter the better. Jewel tones, pinks, oranges, greens.
Wear color. White, black and bridal red are the three worth asking about — traditions vary by ceremony, family and cultural background, so check the invitation or ask us.
Yellow for haldi, bright and playful for mehndi, glitter for sangeet, formal for the reception.
The ceremony can run two to three hours — dress for sitting.
Come see us with the invitation. We'll get you sorted in about 20 minutes.

The events, and what to wear to each

A Hindu wedding is rarely one event. Here's the usual sequence and how dressy each one is:

Haldi — a turmeric ceremony held at home, usually in the morning. Wear yellow. Keep it simple and inexpensive; turmeric stains permanently.
Mehndi — the henna party. Bright, playful colors. Greens, oranges, pinks. Mirror work and light fabrics.
Sangeet — the music and dance night. The most fun to dress for. Sparkle, sequins, anything you can move in.
The wedding ceremony — held under a mandap (a decorated canopy). More formal and more modest. Silk saris, lehengas, anarkalis.
Reception — the dressiest event. Full formal.

For the ceremony’s sari, lehenga and anarkali choices, compare women’s outfit options.

If you're only invited to one event, it's almost always the ceremony and reception. Dress for those. If you are invited to the others, we have written up what happens at a haldi, a mehndi and a sangeet, and what to wear to each.

Three Hindu wedding outfits with labeled parts: a marigold lehenga (1 choli blouse, 2 lehenga skirt, 3 dupatta), a yellow pre-draped sari for haldi (4 yellow, 5 pre-draped sari), and a red sari with long-sleeve blouse (6 long sleeves, 7 pallu)

Colors: what to wear, what to skip

Hindu weddings are the most color-saturated events you'll ever attend. Bright is respectful, not loud.

Avoid:

White — the color of mourning and of widowhood in Hindu tradition. Avoid it entirely.
Black — for the ceremony, choose another color unless the hosts say black is welcome. A black kurta pajama works well for a sangeet or evening reception, with or without a vest.
Bridal red — the bride almost always wears red or deep pink. Pick a different lane.

Safe and celebratory: emerald, sapphire, teal, marigold, coral, fuchsia, purple, and gold.

What happens at the ceremony

Things that surprise first-time guests:

It's long. Two to three hours is normal. Some run longer. Sit comfortably.
Seating is casual. People come and go, chat, take photos. It isn't silent like a church service.
Shoes come off if the ceremony is in a temple or on a raised mandap platform. Bring socks.
The seven steps (saptapadi) around a sacred fire are the heart of the ceremony — that's the actual marriage.
Food is a whole event. Usually vegetarian, often extensive.

For men

A kurta pajama is the easiest entry point. A Nehru jacket or vest is optional if you want to dress it up; a kurta pajama is a complete outfit on its own. A sherwani is for close family, groomsmen, or the reception. A jewel-tone suit works if Indian formalwear isn't accessible — just ask about black and white first. If you are one of the groomsmen and the group is dressing alike, the groomsmen order form covers kurta pajama and vests made to measure in one color, about three months ahead.

For the kurta, vest and sherwani breakdown, see men’s wedding guest outfits.

Three men's outfits with labeled parts: a kurta (1 kurta tunic, 2 churidar trousers), a Nehru jacket look (3 Nehru jacket, 4 kurta underneath), and a sherwani (5 mandarin collar, 6 sherwani coat)

For kids

Miniature versions of the adult outfits. Girls: lehenga choli or a salwar set. Boys: kurta pajama or a mini sherwani. Comfort wins — they'll be running around all night.

Come see us before the wedding

We've dressed thousands of guests over the past thirty-five years. If you're unsure what will work, bring your invitation when you come in. The colors, venue, and formality tell us in one glance what will fit the day.

Most guests are in and out in 20 minutes. Walk-ins welcome. Free parking in the rear lot. 18507 Pioneer Blvd, Artesia, CA. Tue–Sun, until 6:45 PM. Closed Mondays.

Book a visit DM us on Instagram

Related guides

What to wear to a Sikh wedding
What to wear to a Muslim wedding
Sari vs lehenga vs salwar vs sharara — decoded
Mens outfit guide to an Indian wedding
Gifting at Indian weddings — tradition and tips
What to wear to a puja or pooja — traditional, modest and comfortable

Come try it on in Artesia

Everything here is on the rack at 18507 Pioneer Blvd. Walk in any day except Monday — or book a time and we will have options pulled and waiting for you.

Book a visit

Come try on the outfits

See the colours, feel the fit, and try a few styles in our Artesia fitting rooms. We’ll help you find an outfit that feels right for you and your event. Walk-ins welcome.

Book a visit to try on outfits

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