Wedding questions · 6 answers · updated 30 October 2026
Function by function, the colours to avoid, and what outfits cost.
Dress by function: yellows for haldi, greens and florals for mehendi, metallics and sequins for sangeet, rich silks or jewel-tone lehengas and sherwanis for the wedding, and gowns or contemporary sarees for the reception. Avoid bridal red, all-white and all-black. Cover your head and remove your shoes at a gurdwara or at the mandap. Rentals start around ₹2,000–7,000.
Designer bridal lehengas are documented at ₹1–3 lakh for lighter pieces and ₹5–10 lakh for flagship couture; the mid-market has no reliable published average. Sherwanis run ₹7,999–51,999 at the big retail chains, ₹10,000–1.5 lakh at premium boutiques and about ₹5.8 lakh for designer couture. Order four to six months ahead.
The groom's market is unusually well-published. Manyavar's retail price list runs ₹7,999 to ₹51,999. Premium boutique sherwanis sit at roughly ₹10,000 to ₹1.5 lakh, and designer couture reaches around ₹5.8 lakh at the top brand-listed end. That is a seventy-fold spread from floor to ceiling, which is why the sherwani budget should be decided before the first shop visit, not after.
Bridal red and deep maroon, which belong to the bride in most North Indian families; all-white, worn at mourning; all-black, which many elders consider inauspicious; anything you cannot sit on the floor or remove shoes in at a gurdwara or mandap; and bare shoulders or knees at a nikah. Beyond that, bright beats safe.
The sangeet is the night to shine: a lehenga, a sharara, an embellished saree or a long anarkali in sequins, mirror work or metallics, with flat or block-heeled shoes you can dance in and jewellery that stays on. Avoid the bride's red; pastels, jewel tones and gold all read right. Men wear an embroidered kurta or a bandhgala.
No. It is a modern addition, not a ritual, and plenty of the couples we plan for skip it without anyone noticing. It earns its place if you want the invite video, save-the-date images and time with the photographer before the wedding week. Budget ₹10,000–60,000 for a half or full day, ₹60,000–1.5 lakh for a cinematic shoot, plus permits.
Pre-Wedding Shoot Cost in India 2026: Packages by City, Permit Fees and the Best Months to Shoot →
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