Weddings are back with a bang, one Instagram refresh at a time. We curate the best wedding styles for you to shine through on your loved ones’ happily ever afters.

Big fat Indian weddings come with big fat questions, one of the common ones being: What should one wear? Finding the correct wedding outfits for various celebratory occasions might feel like solving a mathematical equation. What trousers go with a certain shade of shirt? Black-tie events? Sangeet outfits? With weddings lined up back-to-back, MW has curated a handy guide to attending them in style. 

PRE-WEDDING FESTIVITIES

OCCASION: SANGEET

Sangeet ceremonies are no longer cliché. They have become more fun with dancing and having a great time. “My suggestion for the 2021 wedding season would be to wear something that is really comfortable, so definitely Indian looks with athleisure hints. You could do really cool mock layers that could look elaborate, but at the same time, are comfortable. One of the most important things that people are trying to experiment with this season is a dash of bling, adding gold accents in your accessories or textures, but in moderation. It will be really cool for a sangeet ceremony, to be that one friend who stands out, and becomes the highlight of the wedding party squad,” suggests designer Kunal Anil Tanna. 

Designers Shantanu & Nikhil recommend, “Considering the wedding season is in full blast, there should be an element of enthusiasm mixed with a dash of playfulness. A signature kurta with a delicately embellished waistcoat over cowl pants will look dapper.”

WEDDING PARTIES

COCKTAIL PARTY

Cocktail parties are the one wedding event where you can throw in your western wear and infuse it with traditional elements. Go for a crushed velvet jacket with big, peak lapels, and then pair it with nothing but a shirt buttoned all the way to the top, and a neck full of pearls slung underneath the collar. Another classic, and the safest way to nail this is to go with your nicest suit in a dark hue, and pair it with a crisp white button-down shirt, a tie, and dress shoes. If you are not a tie fanatic, then make sure you opt for a pocket square. Designers Shantanu & Nikhil suggest, “Peaches and pastels are the new style statement for the season, so they should definitely be on your shopping list. To make sure the pastels don’t fall flat, details with metallic nuances should be incorporated as well. As we are heading towards a more inclusive and androgynous fashion space, men should experiment more with jewelry and shawls.” 

“Classic colours like deep blue, blacks, and whites are trending for menswear, with a removable Nehru jacket, or a stole. Comfortable loafers, new age juttis or sneakers can finish the look,” recommends designer Neha Chopra Tandon.

THE MAIN DAY

WEDDING CEREMONY

“Men should invest in print-on-print pieces, like a draped kurta paired with a waistcoat. Colours such as metallic grey hues of mustard with gold accent and contrast of navy and cherry are necessary this wedding season,” thinks designers Shantanu & Nikhil. On the other hand, Tanna advises to go for the classics. “With classics, I don’t mean boring but a contemporary version of it. Ajrakh is something that is always eternal and elegant. A mock layer in ivory colour is perfect for that. Minimalistic embroidery in metallic yarn would be something that could enhance to make it a little more appropriate and heavy for the function one is attending. My favourites are always ivory and shades of blue but I think this season, a lot of people want to experiment with the tones of lilac and oyster, which I feel is a good change for the Indian contemporary man,” he opines.

POST-WEDDING CELEBRATIONS

RECEPTION

The wedding reception feels like the Oscars of celebratory occasions. It’s important yet tricky to perfect the looks. Yes, nothing can go wrong with a three-piece tuxedo, but the key here is the styling and tailoring. A razor-sharp tuxedo with black peak lapel, dress shirt, and bow-tie with any kind of black dress shoes is one way to complete the look. However, the black-tie does not necessarily mean a black tux. You can opt to go with bold coloured dinner jackets in metallic hues. A velvet tuxedo or crushed jacket in colours can do the trick.