If you’re planning an Indian wedding, finding the perfect attire is a top priority. The Best Indian Wedding Dresses not only showcase the rich cultural heritage of India but also make a stunning fashion statement. With countless styles, colors, and designs to choose from, it can be challenging to know where to begin. To ease your search, our wedding dress handbook is an excellent resource for shopping for a wedding gown.
“Indian wedding dresses are a beautiful blend of tradition, culture, and modernity, creating an unparalleled visual experience,” notes fashion designer Anita Dongre.
Did you know that an Indian wedding can feature up to 16 different ceremonies, each requiring unique attire? With so many events and outfits to plan, finding the best Indian wedding dresses might seem daunting. However, our comprehensive guide is here to help you navigate the vibrant world of Indian wedding fashion and discover the perfect ensembles for your special day. Stay tuned as we delve into the finest Indian wedding dresses, ensuring that you look and feel your best throughout the festivities.
The Best Indian Wedding Dress
Early in our research we found the Delisa Indian Wear Anarkali Salwar Kameez Party Wear and determined it was the clear winner of our overall best Indian Wedding Dress pick. With an included dupatta and a flattering one-piece design, this dress is sure to make you feel special on your big day.
In This Article
The 5 Top-Rated Indian Wedding Dresses for 2019
| Editor's Picks | Brand | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Best Overall Indian Wedding Dress | Delisa Indian Wear Anarkali Salwar Kameez Party Wear | 4.6 |
| Best Silk Indian Wedding Dress | Rajnandini Women's Ethnic Wear Tussar Art Silk Printed Saree | 4.3 |
| Best Budget Indian Wedding Dress | Sourbh Mirchi Fashion Women's Sequins Work Wedding Indian Saree | 3.9 |
| Best Red Indian Wedding Dress | Ever-Pretty Women's Fitted Dress with Open Back and Thigh High Slit | 3.9 |
| Best Modern Indian Dress | Femiss Heavy Embroidered Saree | 3.4 |
*Ratings are from Amazon at the time of publication and can change
Best Overall Indian Wedding Dress: Delisa Indian Wear Anarkali Salwar Kameez Party Wear
The Delisa Indian Wear Anarkali Salwar Kameez Party Wear is a one-piece dress that will let you dress independently and by selecting the “Custom Stitch” sizing, you’ll be able to order your dress to fit you exactly. (If you opt for a standard sizing selection, please pay close attention to the measurements listed as some customers have claimed the tend to run a tad big.) The dupatta is included so you won’t need to worry about matching and with its simple design, it’s a blank canvas for any (or no) adornments.
The top of the Anarkali is made of a faux Georgette fabric, so you can expect to save a bit while still giving off the same classic appearance. The detailed stone work will add to the formal feel and the embroidered embellishments will make you the center of attention. While the Anarkali may not be the traditional dress, it’s definitely enough to hold onto the culture while still standing out.
Delisa Indian Wear Anarkali Salwar Kameez Party Wear Key Features:
- Includes Anarkali and dupatta
- 6 sizes available
- Made with faux Georgette and Nazneen
Best Silk Indian Wedding Dress: Rajnandini Women’s Ethnic Wear Tussar Art Silk Printed Saree
The Rajnandini Women’s Ethnic Wear Tussar Art Silk Printed Saree includes the choli blouse that is a comfortable and flattering cut that’s perfect for your big day and the fringe along the end will give you an extra flare that you’ll love. It’s made with a soft, delicate Tussar silk that looks spectacular and feels wonderful against your skin. It features printed paisley designs that will allow you to maintain a more casual feel for your wedding, but if that’s not what you’re going for – don’t worry! With such a blank canvas, there are plenty of opportunities for embellishment. You can add your own directly to the fine silk or rely on exquisite gold jewelry to bring your dress up to the level of ceremony for which you’re aiming.
All these things considered, in conjunction with its overall rating of 4.3 on Amazon, there’s no wonder it’s Amazon’s choice for saree. And while you may expect to pay much more for such a high quality silk gown, this one you can pick up for right around $30.
Rajnandini Women’s Ethnic Wear Tussar Art Silk Printed Saree Key Features:
- Choli blouse included
- 5.5 meters long
- Machine washable
Best Budget Indian Wedding Dress: Sourbh Mirchi Fashion Women’s Sequins Work Wedding Indian Saree
Sourbh Mirchi Fashion Women’s Sequins Work Wedding Indian Saree is a vibrant color that includes sequins that are sure to make you sparkle through the crowd at your wedding. And combined with the happiness that only a bride can exude, you’re sure to leave a bit of that sparkle everywhere you go on your day.
The dress is made with a faux Georgette fabric that will allow you absolute freedom with your saree wrap and the “faux” saves you big. The included saree blouse is unstitched which means you’ll be able (and need) to take it to a local tailor so that it will be sewn closed into your exact measurements, making the dress a perfect fit for you, specifically. If you’re handy at these types of things, or have a family member who is, then you may not need to take it anywhere, but the choli will need attention before your wedding.
Sourbh Mirchi Fashion Women’s Sequins Work Wedding Indian Saree Key Features:
- Sequined and embroidered embellishments
- Included Choli blouse
- Saree length 6.3 meters (including blouse)
Best Red Indian Wedding Dress: Chandrakala’s Women’s Cotton Silk Blend Indian Banarasi Saree
The Chandrakala’s Women’s Cotton Silk Blend Indian Banarasi Saree is made with a cotton and silk blend making it probably the most comfortable option for you to wear all day and all night. It’s light and breathes well, while still looking sleek and traditional. If you plan on wearing this again, like for a Namakarana (naming ceremony) or some other special occasion, then you’ll want to heed the care instructions. For the first wash, dry clean it, but from then on, you can machine wash- just make sure you’re washing delicately and hanging to dry.
The saree is hand crafted in Varanasi, India, so you won’t need to worry about its authenticity and because the designer keeps their product stocked at Amazon’s warehouse, you can still expect to get it delivered quickly, no matter where you live. The included blouse is unstitched, so after receiving this saree and choli combination you’re just a few fast stitches to make this your perfect fit.
Chandrakala’s Women’s Cotton Silk Blend Indian Banarasi Saree Key Features:
- 22 color options (3 red)
- Saree length 5.4 meters
- 100% customer satisfaction guaranteed
Best Modern Indian Dress: Femiss Heavy Embroidered Saree
The Femiss Heavy Embroidered Saree has plenty of detailed bead work that make the word “heavy” in its listed name entirely appropriate, but the sophisticated air it will give you just by wrapping it around you will more than make that extra weight worth it. In fact, the quality of the bead work is exactly what the customers rave about most.
While the cut of the dress is slightly more modern, the color is the real envelope pusher (if you can call it that). While red and saffron are the most traditional wedding dress colors, blues and greens will occasionally appear in a conservative Indian wedding, too. Pink, however, is still generally thought to be a bit cutting edge and you will definitely have your great aunts raising their eyebrows at your choice, as well as making sure everyone there remembers how beautiful you looked on your big day.
Femiss Heavy Embroidered Saree Key Features:
- Saree length 5.5 meters
- 80% Georgette, 20% Silk
- Choli blouse included
Who Should Buy an Indian Wedding Dress
If you’ve been raised in a home that honors your Indian heritage, then you’re probably going to be having an Indian wedding. That also means you’ll be finding an Indian wedding dress – or two! If this is the case, then you may already have the dress covered. By being a part of the culture your whole life, you certainly don’t need us to give you advice on what dress to wear for what event, but we do have a few options for you if you’d like someone to do the filtering of online dresses for you.
Even if you’ve no experience with the Indian culture or Hindi religion, you may find yourself falling in love with someone who does. And if that’s the case, you’re going to have to do your research and fast! There will be plenty of time to learn about your cultural differences as you go through your marriage, but to get through the ceremony, you may be able to set a positive tone for your future life with his family by nailing a culturally appropriate wedding dress. At first, you may feel like your choices are limited by keeping with the Indian traditions, but you’ll soon learn that you actually have so many more options with an Indian wedding dress than with a traditional Western one.
Don’t forget that unlike Western weddings, Indian wedding celebrations have three days of ceremony that may require not one or two but three bridal dresses. So you’ll have plenty of opportunity to get your dress just right. And how convenient is that if you can’t make up your mind? Don’t overlook the fact that you may also be able to use the three dresses as a chance to get on your mother and mother in law’s good sides by letting them each pick a dress for you, too.
Important Features to Consider
An Indian wedding dress should have a few important features. Here’s what to consider when selecting an Indian wedding dress:
- Adornments. A wedding is, of course, an excuse to go all out and a Indian wedding is often just a little bit more “all out” than a traditional Western wedding. The dress will usually feature detailed embroidery, often done by hand. Even more impressive, the higher end dresses will feature hand embroidered details sewn with 24k gold thread. Sequins will often be sewn on, but the opportunity to really “bling” the dress comes in those that feature sewn in precious stones; crystals, gold pendants, and even sometimes diamonds. You’ll probably be dressing it up even further with head-to-toe jewelry, too, so take your opportunity and really live up the golden life.
- Bold Colors. Traditionally, Indian wedding dresses have been red, but the more modern Indian bride has been known to seek out more unique colors to make her dress more memorable. Any shade of red will still be considered a traditional color, but oranges and golds are incredibly common these days, as well. You can take advantage of the color meanings and say plenty more than your words ever could by choosing just the right color for your wedding dress.
- Sarees. The saree is probably the most common choice for an Indian wedding dress and in all likelihood, when you think of a traditional Indian dress, it’s probably is a saree. The skirt of the saree gives a nearly straight line that will flow flatteringly over the bride’s legs and reveal more of her figure, even without showing any skin. (Just make sure that, if you’re going for modest, the blouse you choose covers your back to prevent any unwanted skin showing.)
- Lenhenga Choli. While the saree may be the more traditional choice for an Indian wedding dress, more and more modern Indian brides are opting for a lehenga choli over the traditional and expected saree. Because the lehenga is a skirt that’s tied around the waist (or sometimes will be a fitted, elastic, or zipper closure), and flares out as it cascades to the ground, this will give the Indian dress a more Western feel with its “big dress” traditions. You can buy the choli and lehenga separately or more often, find a set that includes both. Even if you go with the traditional saree for the ceremony, you can still wear the lehenga and choli for the reception, if you’re more comfortable in that.
- Ghunghat. The Indian Wedding dress is most often paired with a ghunghat to act as a head covering. Much like a Western veil, the ghunghat will often cover the face, but for more modern ceremonies, just act as a veil, not covering the face at all. It can be created using the extra fabric in a saree or any type of scarf, like the long dupatta. You may be able to find a set so you won’t need to worry about coordinating patterns and colors. However, this may be one of those sentimental items that you’ll have passed down so make sure to check with the women in the family to make sure you don’t already have an amazing one ready to go.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an Indian wedding dress called?
There are a few different options for what your Indian wedding dress will be called. You can opt for either a Lehenga Choli or a Sari/Saree. Of course, depending on the formality of the ceremony, you may end in a less traditional Anarkali suit, that is a one-piece looks a bit more like a standard “dress” but you’ll still add a dupatta to make sure your head is covered and the traditional Indian wedding tradition is intact. The Saree or Sari will have the wrapping fabric that will circle the waist and torso and sometimes the head as well. It’s the more traditional choice for the Indian bride. The Lehenga Choli is a slightly more modern dress that will be a flared skirt and cropped top (there will also frequently feature a dupatta wrapped around your shoulder to cover some of your torso).
It’s not just the design, but the fabric of an Indian wedding dress that’s important, too. They’re typically silk but some more modern dresses featuring a silk blend or crepe, Georgette, charmeuse, satin, and even velvet, as well. Even more than the design and the fabric, the most universal component for Indian wedding dresses is the detailing. They will often have delicate embroidery hand sewn into the fabric, in fine thread; sometimes the thread is even made of gold. Precious stones and gold pendants will often be sewn on and patterns on the fabric are all intricate.
What is a wedding sari?
A Sari, or saree, is a dress that is created by one long, wide strip of fabric that is wrapped around the waist to create a skirt, and then drape it over a shoulder to create a sash of sorts. If the saree is translucent, you’ll need to take extra care making sure you have a petticoat or slip of some sort to make sure you’re properly covered. And, whether it’s translucent or not, you’ll want a blouse or choli to make sure your chest is covered. Depending on your comfort level, it may be cropped shorter or longer to reveal more or less skin.
There are a few different methods to wrap the saree and although you’ll see most wedding sarees wrapped in the Nivi style, that’s not a hard and fast rule. The Gujarati tends to be a bit less formal so if that’s your wedding style, then that’s okay, too. Indo-Western is perfect for the bride with some Western ties, too.
What is traditional Indian wedding attire?
As we’ve covered, the bride will wear a saree or a lehenga choli and you can expect the women attendees of an Indian wedding to wear similar attire. (But, of course, in different colors or a less flashy design.) If the ceremony is more modern or in a less traditional setting, there may be more guests with western garb. It will depend on the formality and the family’s preference. Whether you want to have a fully-traditional Indian ceremony or an Indo-Western one, make sure to include the dress code in the invitation so that everyone is aware.
In a traditional Indian ceremony, the groom will wear a long jacket called a sherwani, over fitted trousers called churidas. However, just as in several Western ceremonies, the bride’s dress can be the more formal and the more traditional of the two. That means even in Indian ceremonies where the bride wears the traditional garb, the groom may wear a western suit. Most of the time they won’t split the cultural traditions like that, but it’s not unheard of. It is fairly common for the attendees to wear western wear to a Indo-Western wedding, no matter what the bride and groom wear. Most weddings will allow everyone to wear the attire for the culture in which they’re comfortable.
Why do Indian brides wear red dresses?
Color isn’t the same in an Indian ceremony as it does in a Western ceremony and as such, you’ll definitely not see the western white. After all, white in Indian cultures signifies grief and mourning. – Definitely not the theme of a wedding! If either the bride and groom are Western, then they may have two ceremonies that each signify their different cultures, but an Indian wedding wouldn’t include white. Red is good luck for an Indian bride, and is therefore the most common color for any Indian wedding dress. Red indicates sensuality and purity, both are ideal symbols for a wedding. Other colors, like saffron, or orange, will represent a more religious influence, as it signifies impurities burnt away by fire. It also symbolizes a quest for light and is the battle color for religious men and women who have renounced the impurity of the world. – A very encouraging way to enter into a marriage, to be sure.
Modern day Indian brides will sometimes shirk the red and opt for a more nontraditional color, but typically still within the parameters of the cultural color meanings. (Sorry, still no white.) For these weddings, you may see more green, to signify life and happiness, yellow to represent learning and knowledge, or blue, to cite The Creator, and nature. Variances of the traditional colors are also popular with the modern bride; pink and turquoise, for example, are becoming more and more popular as the days go.
Other Indian Wedding Dresses We Reviewed
We looked at 20 other Indian wedding dresses. Even though they didn’t make our 5 best Indian wedding dresses list, they’re the best of the rest and each is still a great option for your wedding. The information you’ll need to compare each one is included with the listing.
- Indian Wedding Saree
- Indian Wedding Lehenga Choli
Indian Wedding Saree
Art Silk Wedding Lehenga in Beige and Brown with Thread work
This lehenga will give you a big wedding dress that will beautifully combine modern and traditional for your perfect wedding.
Key Features:
- Includes lehenga, choli, and dupatta
- Made with art silk
- Dry clean only
Cost: $100
Embroidered Net Lehenga in Red
With gorgeous gold embroidery on a vibrant red background, this lehenga is a classic wedding win.
Key Features:
- Semi stitched choli and lehenga included
- Embroidered with stones, Dori, Zari, Sequins and Patch border work
- Made with net fabric
Cost: $90
Embroidered Velvet Lehenga in Maroon
This lehenga has just enough red to be traditional in color but the embroidery is so thick, you’re sure to stand out as uniquely striking.
Key Features:
- Semi stitched velvet choli and net dupatta included
- Made with velvet fabric
- Includes Poly Shantoon lining
Cost: $200
Indian Clothing Store RK International Women Pink Semi Stitched Lehenga Choli
With modern colors that shirk traditions but maintain a classic lehenga style, this dress is a wonderful selection for the modern Indian bride.
Key Features:
- Made with art silk
- Semi stitched choli
- Includes lehenga, choli, and dupatta
Cost: $105
Maroon Embroidered Velvet Bridal Lehenga Choli
You can add custom tailoring to your purchase on this dress to make sure it’s ready to wear from the moment it arrives at your door.
Key Features:
- Made with velvet
- Heavy embroidery and sequined details
- Includes choli, lehenga, and dupatta
Cost: $115
With the longer sleeves on this choli, this may be just what you’re looking for to keep comfortable during a winter wedding.
Key Features:
- 8 colors available
- Includes semi stitched choli, lehenga, and dupatta
- Made with satin silk
Cost: $40
REKHA Ethnic Shop Pakistan Indian Designer Bollywood Wedding Ethnic Clothing Lehenga Choli
Nothing says life and happiness more than this brilliant green lehenga with a nature-inspired embroidery.
Key Features:
- Made from Banglori satin
- Dry clean first, then wash gentle cycle
- Includes dupatta, lehenga, and semi stitched choli
Cost: $50
Satin Silk Bridal Lehenga in Red and Maroon with Stone work
There are plenty of fine details with the embroidery of this lehenga to make it worth the careful examination of your wedding’s attendees.
Key Features:
- Made with satin and silk
- Embellished with fine stones
- Includes lehenga, dupatta, and unstitched choli
Cost: $255
SHRI BALAJI SILK & COTTON SAREE EMPORIUM Indian Floral Lehenga Choli Wedding Wear
The pink and gold combination is incredibly modern but the style is full-classic lehenga, making this a dress that suits your Indo-Western wedding perfectly.
Key Features:
- Fabric is silk
- Customized tailoring available for additional charge
- Includes choli, lehenga, and dupatta
Cost: $285
trendy culture Bollywood Party Wear Net Lehenga Choli
With plenty of delicate net fabric overlaid on meticulously sewn embroidery, this dress is all about femininity.
Key Features:
- Made with net fabric
- Includes lehenga, choli, and dupatta
- Additional tailoring available for additional cost
Cost: $50
Velvet Bridal Lehenga in Red and Maroon with Thread work
One look at the detailed story contained on the embroidery of this lehenga and you’ll know just why this is perfect for your Indian wedding.
Key Features:
- Dry clean only
- Made with velvet
- Includes dupatta, lehenga, and unstitched choli
Cost: $230
Indian Wedding Lehenga Choli
With five different color options and three different sleeve styles, there’s every chance this saree could be the perfect fit for your wedding.
Key Features:
- Made with a cotton and art silk blend
- 5 color options
- Includes unstitched blouse
Cost: $20
Elina fashion Sarees for Women Banarasi Art Silk Woven Saree
With an included choli blouse that features a 3/4 sleeve, this is a great option for those weddings in colder months.
Key Features:
- Saree: 5.5 meters; Choli: 0.8 meter
- Made with Bararasi art silk
- 6 color options
Cost: $45
KoC Indian Traditional Banarasi Art Silk Saree
There is enough included fabric in this saree that you’ll be able to cut the blouse directly from it to make the exact fabric match for your big day.
Key Features:
- Saree length: 6.0 meters
- Made with art silk
- 13 color options
Cost: $20
Nivah Fashion Women’s Dhupion Silk & Net Half N Half Real Diamond With Embroidery Dori Work Saree
With the superbly complicated embroidery on this saree, there will be no question as to who’s the bride and how formal the ceremony will be.
Key Features:
- 7 colors available
- Includes saree and unstitched choli
- Made with Dhupion silk and net fabric
Cost: $50
Orange Crape Shaded Saree With Heavy Blouse
This saree has a length of 5.3 meters and comes with an unfinished choli with an additional 0.8 meters, giving you plenty of detailed fabric to wrap.
Key Features:
- Includes orange saree and pink choli
- Choose from an unstitched, standard, or custom tailored choli
- Made with Dupion silk and crape
Cost: $125
Pink & Yellow Half N Half Style Crape Saree
This saree is embellished with zari and stone work as well as rasham embroidery and beaded details, making it the picture of a formal Indian wedding.
Key Features:
- Dry clean only
- Custom stitching available for choli at additional cost
- Made with crape and Dupion silk
Cost: $110
Red Art Silk Heavy Border Saree With Blouse
You can choose an unstitched choli, a standard blouse, or custom tailoring to go with this wedding saree.
Key Features:
- Made with heavy art silk
- Includes unstitched blouse
- Embroidered with rasham and stone work
Cost: $155
Sourbh Mirchi Fashion Women’s Embroidered Bridal Wedding Saree
This saree includes intricate embroidery with sewn-in stone work.
Key Features:
- Saree length: 5.5 meters; Choli: 0.8 meter
- 5 colors available
- Made with faux Georgette fabric
Cost: $40
ziya New Fashion Eid Collection Sari Indian/Pakistani Designer Ethnic Simple Look Saree
With the sheer fabric, you’ll definitely want to wear a petticoat or skirt lining of some kind, but the the printed embellishments ensure your simple wedding saree is memorable.
Key Features:
- 10 colors available
- Unstitched choli blouse included
- Saree length: 5.5 meters
Cost: $25
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the traditional styles of Indian wedding dresses?
Indian wedding dresses come in a variety of styles, but some of the most traditional options include the saree, lehenga choli, and salwar kameez. These dresses are typically made from luxurious fabrics like silk, satin, or velvet, and may feature intricate embroidery, beading, or other embellishments. If you’re interested in exploring other wedding dress styles, check out these simple wedding dresses.
What colors are typically worn for Indian wedding dresses?
In Indian culture, red is the traditional color for wedding dresses, as it symbolizes love, passion, and prosperity. However, many brides today are opting for non-traditional colors like gold, pink, and blue. Ultimately, the color you choose for your wedding dress should reflect your personal style and preferences.
Where can I find the best Indian wedding dresses?
There are many bridal boutiques and online retailers that specialize in Indian wedding dresses. Some popular options include Utsav Fashion, Kalki Fashion, and Indian Wedding Saree. You may also want to check out local Indian boutiques or designers for more unique and personalized options. For alternative styles, consider browsing mermaid wedding dresses or tea-length wedding dresses.
How do I choose the right Indian wedding dress for me?
When choosing an Indian wedding dress, it’s important to consider your personal style, the theme of your wedding, and your body type. You may also want to think about the season and location of your wedding, as certain fabrics and styles may be more comfortable in different weather conditions. Additionally, you may want to consult with a stylist or designer who specializes in Indian wedding attire to ensure that you find the perfect dress for your special day. If you’re looking for more inspiration, take a look at these casual wedding dresses and short wedding dresses.
