It’s hard to know where to shop, what stores to go to, and how to plan it all out when it comes to Indian wedding shopping. Whether you go to India, London, Toronto or LA, follow these Indian wedding shopping tips to get you organized before you go.
Who’s going with you?
Decide who’s going Indian wedding shopping with you. Stick to a small group and stick with people whose opinions you can trust – and with those people who can be honest with you. How does this “new fashion” really look?
Who are you shopping for?
Another thing to figure out is who you’re shopping for. Just you? You + Groom? The whole family? The wedding party? Indian wedding shopping can be a beast, so make sure to set expectations with family (and friends) ahead of time about what to buy, how much they want to spend, and the type of clothes they are looking for.
Money
Determine your budget for each dress. Is your budget higher for your wedding dress versus other dresses? Go shopping with an idea of what you want to spend. If you’re not sure, go shopping with your budget cap. How much is too much? It’ll give you a ballpark for where to start.
Dress Logistics
If you’re thinking about dress coordination, figure out what events and who will be doing the coordinating. You don’t have to know colors right away. You might see something you like and decide on colors based on that. If you’re planning on getting dresses for your wedding party, have an idea of what type of dress you want. If you only want to match chunis, then think about what you want ahead of time.
Custom clothing
Everyone loves the idea of a custom dress. If you’re thinking about getting one, take some drawings with you. Better yet, find the exact dress you’re looking for (likely from Pinterest), print out a color copy, and take it with you. Don’t rely on describing your ideal dress. It’ll take the guessing away while you’re shopping.
Try on everything!
Try on all of your dresses after they’re tailored. Try on your dresses one month before your wedding, and then again one week before your wedding. Don’t forget to add your jewelry, chuni, and shoes – basically, wear your entire outfit as you would wear it. You’ll get to see what feels comfortable, what itches, and what doesn’t feel right. That’s when adjustments can be made. The same goes for the groom – make him try on all of his outfits (it may take some convincing to have him try it on a few times but it’ll be well worth it).
What to tell the shops
If we’re talking Indian wedding shopping here, let’s get real. Tell the shopkeeper that your wedding is actually one month before it actually is. Yes, lie. I won’t go into a deep explanation, but trust me when I say it’ll help keep you sane (and you’ll get your clothes in time). You don’t have time for delays and you don’t want your wedding clothes to arrive a week before the wedding.
Indian wedding shopping can be an overwhelming part of the wedding planning process. Don’t let it be! If you plan it out right and equip yourself with a plan beforehand, you can tackle it easily.
For more ideas, visit our resources page.