Sandhya Garg — A Personal Story
My Indian Wedding:
The Ceremonies, Our Story, and
What to Wear as a Guest
Sagan · Sangeet · The Wedding Day · Guest Outfit Guide · By Sandhya Garg, Project Runway Designer
If You Are Here for the Guest Guide
Attending an Indian wedding? Wear bright, joyful colour — jewel tones, marigold, pink, emerald, cobalt — in a saree, lehenga, anarkali, or an Indo-Western fusion outfit. Avoid white (associated with mourning), avoid head-to-toe black, and leave red to the bride. Embroidery, embellishment, and statement jewellery are not just welcome — they are expected. Full ceremony-by-ceremony guidance below, from someone who has lived it from the bride's chair.
Our Story — Indian Matchmaking Style
We met briefly once and spoke over the phone one or two times. My husband said yes to marrying me in what I thought was five minutes — he insists we spoke for a long time and that he had thought extensively about it. I thought of him as someone who seemed nice, well mannered, well spoken, and there was nothing I disliked about him.
I later realised it was the best decision of my life.
“Our arranged Indian marriage has proven to be the best decision I ever made.”
People are often surprised when I tell them ours was an arranged marriage — Indian matchmaking style, the way millions of families have done it for generations. What surprises them more is how joyful the whole thing was: most Indian wedding celebrations last 10 to 15 days. We love to celebrate life with colour, food, and love — and everything I design today carries that sensibility. If you have ever wondered why my prints are so unapologetically colourful, this post is the answer.
The Ceremonies of an Indian Wedding — and What to Wear to Each
A traditional Indian wedding is not one event — it is a festival in several acts. Here is how ours unfolded, and what a guest wears at each stage:
1 · Sagan — The Engagement
The ring ceremony where the families formally celebrate the match — the photo above is from ours, the day we exchanged rings. Warm, emotional, and full of blessings.
Guests wear: festive semi-formal — an anarkali, an elegant fusion dress, or a saree in jewel tones. Daytime Sagans lean slightly lighter; keep the heaviest embellishment for later events.
2 · Sangeet — The Dance Party
The dance and cocktail night — choreographed family performances, music until late, and pure joy. For many guests, the most fun night of the entire celebration.
Guests wear: your most movement-friendly glamour — a lehenga you can dance in, a flowing embellished dress, or fusion separates. Comfortable footwear is non-negotiable; you will dance.
3 · The Wedding Day
A full day of sacred ceremonies — rituals, blessings, vows around the fire. The most traditional day of the celebration, often beginning in the morning and flowing into evening.
Guests wear: the most traditional option you own — saree, lehenga, or anarkali in rich colour. Shoulders covered for religious ceremonies; a dupatta or shawl handles this beautifully. Never white, never red.
4 · The Reception
The post-wedding party — dinner, toasts, and celebration with the widest circle of family and friends. The most cosmopolitan event of the sequence.
Guests wear: evening glamour, traditional or Western — a cocktail-level fusion dress, an embellished gown, or your finest saree. This is where Indo-Western fusion truly shines.
The Indian Wedding Guest Edit · Artisanal · XS to 3XL
Saree Dresses & Statement Occasion Pieces
From five-minute pre-draped saree dresses to one-shoulder showstoppers — designed by an Indian designer who has sat through every ceremony on this page. Each piece is limited edition, made with heritage craftsmanship.
All pieces available in XS · S · M · L · XL · XXL · XXXL · Custom sizing available · Free US shipping over $250
The 5 Outfit Paths for an Indian Wedding Guest
1 · The Saree
The most iconic choice — six yards of fabric draped into pure elegance. Choose intricate embroidery or a rich woven border in a bright colour. If you have never draped one, pre-stitched sarees exist and are a guest's best-kept secret; alternatively, any Indian friend at the wedding will be delighted to help you drape.
2 · The Lehenga
A full embellished skirt with a matching blouse and dupatta — the most glamorous silhouette in the Indian wardrobe and the sangeet favourite, because it moves magnificently on a dance floor. Bold colour, heavy embellishment, maximum joy.
3 · The Anarkali
A fitted bodice flowing into a dramatic flared skirt — named for a legendary Mughal court dancer, and the most forgiving, universally flattering of the traditional silhouettes. One zip and you are dressed; elegance with none of the draping learning curve.
4 · The Salwar Kameez
A long tunic over tailored pants with a dupatta — the most comfortable traditional option, ideal for daytime ceremonies and long celebration days. In rich fabric with embroidery, it is every bit as festive as its dressier cousins.
5 · Indo-Western Fusion — My Specialty
Indian craftsmanship in Western silhouettes: hand embroidery on a maxi dress, heritage prints on a wrap dress, jali-inspired patterns on modern separates. Fusion is what I have built my label on — and for guests who feel underqualified for a saree but want to honour the occasion, it is the perfect answer. Every piece below is exactly this.
✅ Colours to Embrace
Jewel tones — emerald, sapphire, amethyst. Marigold, saffron, and every shade of pink. Royal blue, teal, rich orange. Gold embellishment on everything. An Indian wedding is the one occasion where there is no such thing as too colourful.
❌ Colours to Avoid
White — associated with mourning in Indian tradition. Head-to-toe black — traditionally considered inauspicious at celebrations (black accents are fine). Red — the bride's colour at most Indian weddings; admire it on her, wear something else.
The Indian Fusion Edit · Artisanal · XS to 3XL
Heritage Craft, Modern Silhouettes
Everything I design carries India in it — the embroidery traditions, the jali patterns, the joyful colour of a 15-day wedding. These are the fusion pieces I would wear to a Sagan, a sangeet, or a reception tomorrow.
All pieces XS · S · M · L · XL · XXL · XXXL · Custom sizing available · Free US shipping over $250
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I wear to an Indian wedding as a non-Indian guest?
Wearing Indian attire as a guest is welcomed and usually delights the hosts — a saree, lehenga, or anarkali in bright colour is a beautiful gesture, and Indian friends at the wedding will happily help with draping. If traditional dress feels like too much, an Indo-Western fusion outfit or a colourful embellished maxi dress in jewel tones is completely appropriate. The real rules are about colour: bright and joyful yes; white, head-to-toe black, and red no.
What colours should you not wear to an Indian wedding?
Three to avoid: white (associated with mourning in Indian tradition), head-to-toe black (traditionally considered inauspicious at celebrations, though black accents are fine), and red (the bride's colour at most Indian weddings). Everything else — jewel tones, marigold, pinks, blues, greens, gold — is enthusiastically welcomed. An Indian wedding is the one event where you cannot be too colourful.
What are the events at an Indian wedding?
Celebrations typically span 10–15 days. The core sequence: the Sagan (ring engagement ceremony), the sangeet (dance and cocktail party with family performances), the wedding day itself (a full day of sacred ceremonies), and the reception (the post-wedding party). Many families add a mehndi (henna celebration) and a haldi (turmeric ceremony). Each event has its own dress register — see the ceremony guide above.
Can I wear a dress instead of a saree to an Indian wedding?
Absolutely. Indo-Western fusion — Indian craftsmanship and colour in Western silhouettes — is increasingly popular at Indian weddings, including among Indian guests. A maxi dress with hand embroidery, a wrap dress in a heritage-inspired print, or embellished separates in jewel tones honours the occasion beautifully. Choose rich colour, generous embellishment, and modest coverage for religious ceremonies, and you will be perfectly dressed.
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Project Runway · Vogue Italia · Marie Claire · XS–3XL
Colour, food, and love. Wear the first one generously.
Sandhya Garg is a Los Angeles boutique creating limited-edition artisanal pieces — heritage prints, hand embroidery, and Indian craft traditions in modern silhouettes. Sizes XS–3XL.
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