what to wear to a wedding

we have been honoured with an invitation to attend the wedding of the daughter of pakcik (uncle) dorai. this was a great opportunity to “dress up” indian style and i am not one to let an opportunity slip by.

so after much thinking of whether i wanna wear saree or just a baju kurung, end up i decided to don a lehnga and megat had a duty to fit in at my side — hence he wore a red kurta set, with matching pants. the rest of them just make do with our malay traditional clothes, baju kurung.

the end result was that i appeared in a purple and white lehnga with a black high-heels, but never the less the skirt is still a bit long for me as i am only stand at about 5'2" tall ;)

proper guest attire for an indian wedding normally consists of brightly colored finery; the brighter the better. actually there are no major restrictions. if it is a religious place then nothing revealing, otherwise, same as all weddings. grander for grander places, more casual for afternoon etc. you need NOT wear any indian costumes. but it doesn't mean that you freely can wear jeans, t-shirts, slippers and sorts. its strictly NO-NO! i hate seeing people wearing those at other cultures' wedding they attended. wedding is a sanctimonious affair and one needs to dress appropriately for the event. it can be a formal or an informal affair, but whatever is the nature, your dress should gel with the theme of the party.

in the following lines from my many online sources, i have provided some tips to help you in dressing up for a marriage.

1. for her:
   
   
   
   • if the wedding is during daytime and an informal one, a short dress or suit would be perfect.
   • for malay, chinese or indian weddings, traditional clothes are perfect for the respective weddings.
     
   • cocktail dress is best suited for an evening wedding, which is informal in nature.
     
   • if the wedding is a formal affair and is in the evening, long or dressy short cocktail dress, with beading, glam accessories or wrap, would do the trick.
     
   • it is generally advised to avoid wearing white, as the bride will be wearing it too. choose from the gamut of colors and select the one that best suits your personality.
     
   • if the party is during the day, black or sequins dress should be avoided.
     
   • if you are wearing the same color as the bridesmaids or mothers, don't bother. you may add to the unknowingly formed color theme.
     
   • wear something that enhances your personality. since wedding is a sanctimonious affair, club wear or overtly sexy clothing is a big No-No.
     
   • your dress should match your gloves and the rest of the accessories. however, do not go out to wear opera-length gloves, with sleeveless or strapless gowns.
     
   • if the nature of the wedding is not mentioned in the invite, choose a dress which would suit the mood of the wedding. a pastel dress or a floral print dress is best suited for daytime and a black dress for the evening.
     
   
   
   
2. for him:
   
   
   
   • if the wedding is during daytime and an informal affair, shirt and pant are the best suited for the affair. i understand sometimes here in our country people likes to wear batik shirts.
     
   • if the party is at the evening and is informal in nature, a suit would best complement the nature of the party.
     
   • tuxedo or dark suits work best in case of a wedding that is held in the evening and is formal in nature. remember, even if the wedding event is in the daytime and is formal, a tuxedo would still seem out of place.
     
   • a dark suit would gel with the wedding party which is in the evening.
     
   • if nothing is mentioned in the invitation card, choose attire that is versatile. a dark suit and conservative tie is just the right deal for any event.
     

p/s if the green room in the above pic looks familiar to you, then make sure to watch 'estet' in your nearest cinema very soon... insya allah ;)