Indian Wedding Dresses - Ideas for Bride & Groom

India has a unique, tradition-steeped culture and nothing exemplifies this better than an Indian wedding. These are grand celebrations filled with beautiful ceremonies, sumptuous décor and joyful partying; consequently Indian wedding dresses are generally quite opulent and rich so as to match the setting. All the brides and groom will love these inspirations and will be able to select their looks for Mehendi, Sagai and Shadi.

Traditional outfits for brides

There are many different wedding dress styles, often varying from region to region, with every sub-culture having their own preferred mode of clothing for this special occasion. Any Indian wedding dress, however, will be distinguished by its plush and ornate beauty and colorful designs.

Indian bridal dresses are the most important wedding outfits. These are generally the most beautiful outfits which come with extensive embellishments, intricate embroidery and beautiful designs. The classic color combination for an Indian bride is red and gold, but of late modern brides have been experimenting with different hues including orange, pink, blue, green and silver.

Sarees make for gorgeous wedding dresses because of the elegant and graceful drape. When made of high-end materials like silk, they look luxurious and appropriate for fancy occasions. Many brides might prefer a designer wedding dress because these are one-of-a-kind pieces. They come with detail-heavy embroidery usually done with expensive materials and skilled techniques.

Salwar kameez are popular Indian wedding outfits, mainly because of the level of comfort they offer. At the same time, they come with all the beautiful wedding dress designs seen in the other items like sarees or lehengas. Gold thread work like Zari or Zardosi is often incorporated into traditional Indian wedding dresses. However these are often combined with a lot of other embellishments like stones, sequins, beads, thread, Aari, Booti, Cutdana, Kasab, Patch Patti, Gota Patti and Kantha.

These may be incorporated in elaborate designs all over the lehenga, pallu or kameez or restricted to the border for a more subtle effect. Common motifs include flowers, fruits, leaf patterns, paisley and religious scenes. Recently, more abstract, modern designs are also seen on wedding dress designs. In fabrics, Banarsi silk is the most loved, although other stylish materials like georgette, chiffon, velvet and satin are also used. Brides will usually go for the handloom fabrics which have been hand-crafted by skilled artisans, while guests who have to attend several weddings during the season might find it more cost-effective to purchase the less expensive faux varieties.

A prominent trend in Indian wedding fashions is the anarkali salwar kameez. Combined with some beautiful kundan jewelry and kundan earrings, they look royal and elegant. New wedding dresses often restrict the embellishments to the borders and make use of sumptuous woven fabrics to achieve the luxurious effect. Modern brides love experimenting with different colors and bolder cuts and the latest Indian wedding dresses often come with backless, sleeve-less or deep neck designs. When it comes to wedding dress designs, the zari and resham combination will always remain popular; nowadays, however beaded designs and sequins patterns are also frequently seen.

Seasonal conditions and proper accessories have to be considered when shopping for an Indian wedding dress for pujas and other post-wedding rituals. In summer, lighter fabrics like silk and georgette might be preferable and sumptuous gold prints can be picked rather than heavy gold embellishments. A layered net and velvet lehenga or saree would be perfect for a winter wedding. When accessorizing Indian wedding dresses, brides prefer heavy Indian jewelry like Thewa necklace sets with polka earrings and Kundan bangles.

Ethnic wear for bridegrooms

An Indian wedding dress for a man is just as regal and majestic as the Indian wedding dresses for women. Sherwanis are the classic choice, with beige or cream sherwanis with elaborate golden embroidery being the classical favorites. Maroon, red, orange and green are also common colors. More traditional choices include the dhoti sherwani while modern men are often seen wearing Jodhpuri suits. These are fusion outfits which combine royal Indian elegance with western comfort and style.

When shopping for wedding dresses Indian shops are a great place to look; now, the audience for ethnic fashions has gone much beyond the Indian subcontinent. These are in-trend styles that will look great on any bride.

A good place to shop for wedding dresses is at a whole sale shop, where you will find authentic items at low prices. There are also some stunning wedding dresses online at bargain prices. The different varieties described above will generally be available at online shops at discounted prices. Picking a reliable retailer is important to ensure quality and fair pricing.