🇮🇳 India
A Hindu bride often wears red, maroon or gold in silk, such as a Banarasi or Kanjivaram sari, or a lehenga. Bengali brides wear red and white, and Kerala brides often wear a cream and gold kasavu sari.
Read: Wedding sariThe wedding dress and what the couple wear
What a couple wears to marry is one of the clearest signs of where, and with whom, they belong.
Presented by ClearTrust Free for couples, families, guests and the curious.
What a couple wears to marry is one of the clearest signs of where, and with whom, they belong. Red is the colour of luck across much of Asia, white is the Western choice since the nineteenth century, and the Ghanaian kente, the Scottish kilt and the Korean hanbok each carry a story. Garments are often inherited, borrowed or made by relatives, and may be the most expensive clothes a person ever wears.
Colour and meaning
Red stands for luck, joy and fertility in India, China, Vietnam and much of the Middle East, so brides wear red saris, lehengas, qipao and cheongsam, and guests avoid wearing it as outsiders to the family. White became the usual bridal colour in Britain and America after Queen Victoria married in a white gown in 1840, and has spread worldwide through film and magazines. In Japan a bride may begin in white, shiromuku, then change into a red or patterned kimono. Many cultures use several colours across the days: green and yellow for the henna and turmeric nights, gold for the ceremony.
The groom and the others
Grooms wear the sherwani and turban in North India, the dhoti and angavastram in the South, the barong Tagalog in the Philippines, the kilt in Scotland, the hanbok in Korea and the morning suit or dark suit in much of Europe. The couple's parents, attendants and guests often wear matching colours or fabrics. Family members may wrap the couple in a shawl, tie their garments together, or give them a cloth as a blessing, so clothing is part of the rite and not only the decoration.
Made by hand, passed down
Many wedding garments are textile heritage: the Kanjivaram and Banarasi saris of India, the piña cloth of the Philippines, the Hungarian Kalocsa embroidery, the Norwegian bunad with silver brooches, the Palestinian thobe stitched by the bride's female relatives. Family gowns and jewellery are altered for the next bride. Renting, borrowing and wearing a dress more than once are common in some places, and the resale and rental of gowns is growing.
How it is changing
Couples now mix: a white dress for the vows and a red outfit for the tea ceremony, or a sari with a veil. Dress codes include tailored suits for women and gowns for grooms. Sustainability and cost are pushing a rise in rented and second-hand outfits, and designers such as those who work in handloom revive local weaves. Because the clothes carry meaning for those who wear them, the choice is best left to the couple and their families.
The wedding dress and what the couple wear around the world
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
The Kandyan bride wears the osariya, a sari draped in a particular layered style, with ornate jewellery, and the groom wears a Kandyan costume with a long cloth and a decorated jacket. The bride and groom dress as if in the old royal court.
Read: Osariya🇵🇭 Philippines
The groom wears a barong Tagalog, a sheer embroidered shirt in pineapple or abaca fibre, over a white undershirt. The bride may wear a white gown or a terno with butterfly sleeves, with matching cloth cords, the yugal, drawn around the couple.
Barong Tagalog, being written🇨🇳 China
Red is the colour of the Han bride, who traditionally wore a phoenix crown and an embroidered robe, and later a qipao. Many couples today wear Western white for the ceremony and red for the tea.
Qipao, being written🇰🇷 South Korea
The couple wear hanbok for the pyebaek, the formal greeting to the groom's parents, the bride in red and yellow with a hwarot (ceremonial robe) and the groom in a blue or dark robe with a hat. A Western gown and suit for the main ceremony are now more usual.
Hanbok, being written🇯🇵 Japan
The shiromuku is a pure white kimono worn with a white headdress, the tsunokakushi or wataboshi. After the ceremony the bride changes to an uchikake, a heavily embroidered robe, often red, and then a Western gown at the reception.
Shiromuku, being writtenTraditions to start with
Wedding dressThe overview of bridal clothing.
Kente clothGhana's ceremonial woven cloth.
LehengaThe long skirt of the South Asian bride.Also part of it, and being written: Shiromuku (The Japanese white bridal kimono.), Hanbok (Korean traditional dress, worn at weddings.), Barong Tagalog (The Filipino groom's shirt.), Qipao (The Chinese one-piece dress.), Bunad (Norwegian regional costume.).
Questions people ask
Why do Western brides wear white?
White became the fashion after Queen Victoria wore it in 1840, and magazines and shops spread it. Earlier brides wore their best dress in any colour.
Why is red a wedding colour?
Across much of Asia, red stands for luck, joy and long life, so it is used for gowns, envelopes and decorations. It is also the colour of the bride's hands in many henna traditions.
Is the cost of a wedding dress a problem?
It can be, and many couples now rent, borrow, buy second-hand or have an keepsake altered. Costs differ widely by country and by family choice.
Can a guest wear white or red?
Customs vary. In many Western weddings guests avoid white, and in many Asian ones guests avoid red if they are not family. Checking with the hosts is the safest course.
About this page
Written by the EveryShaadi desk with AI assistance. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.
The wedding dress and what the couple wear on EveryShaadi
The traditions written up so far, best known first.
RegionSouth AsiaSoutheast AsiaEast AsiaCentral Asia and the CaucasusMiddle EastNorth AfricaSub-Saharan AfricaEuropeNorth AmericaLatin America and the CaribbeanOceania
🇳🇬 Nigeria and 2 moreGeleGèlè
The towering Yoruba head tie that crowns the bride and marks her status on the wedding day.Attire · The weeks before
🇰🇷 South Korea and 1 moreJokduri족두리
A traditional Korean coronet worn by women during weddings and other special occasions.Attire · The ceremony
🇬🇷 Athens, GreeceLoutrophorosλουτροφόρος
An ancient Greek vessel that carried water for a bride's bath or marked an unmarried death.Attire · The weeks before
🇮🇳 Kochi, IndiaKasavuകസാവ്
The white cotton and gold border attire worn by Malayalis for weddings and festivals.Attire · The weeks before
🇲🇱 MaliWeddings in Mali
Multi-day Malian wedding traditions blending Islamic rites, civil law, and local customs with bazin attire.Rite · Engagement and betrothal
🇩🇿 Algiers, AlgeriaKarakou
A fitted velvet jacket from Algiers, embroidered with gold and silver thread for weddings.Attire · The ceremony
🇮🇳 Jodhpur, India and 1 moreAchkanअचकन (Hindi), اچکن (Urdu)
A long, side-fastening jacket worn by grooms and men at formal Indian weddings.Attire · The ceremony
🇮🇩 IndonesiaUlosᯥᯞᯘᯬ᯲
The hand-woven textile that binds Batak couples in marriage and symbolizes warmth.Attire · The ceremony
🇮🇳 IndiaMadisarமடிசார் (Madisar)
The nine-yard sari drape worn by Tamil Brahmin women during weddings and religious rites.Attire · The ceremony
🇮🇳 Bhuj, India and 1 moreBandhani
A traditional Indian tie-dye method that creates intricate dot patterns by binding small sections of cloth before dyeingAttire · Engagement and betrothal
🇺🇦 UkraineSong about the RushnykПісня про рушник (Pisnia pro rushnyk)
A Ukrainian song that celebrates the embroidered cloth used in weddings and family life.Performance · The ceremony
🇧🇳 Brunei and 2 moreTengkolokتڠكولوق
A folded songket headcloth worn by Malay and Indonesian grooms at weddingsAttire · The ceremony
🇮🇳 Kanchipuram, IndiaKanchipuram silk sari
The heavy silk bridal garment woven in Kanchipuram with contrasting borders and gold zari.Attire · The ceremony
🇮🇩 Palembang, Indonesia and 2 moreSongketᬲᭀᬂᬓᬾᬢ᭄
A hand-woven brocade cloth patterned with gold or silver threads for traditional weddings in Southeast Asia.Attire · Engagement and betrothal
🇪🇹 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and 1 moreZuria
The ankle-length dress with woven hem bands worn by Tigrinya and Amhara women for weddings and holidays.Attire · The weeks before
🇮🇹 Rome, ItalyWeddings in ancient Rome
The religious ceremonies and attire that marked a union in the city of Rome before the rise of Christianity.Rite · The weeks before
🇲🇾 Malaysia and 4 moreBaju Kurungباجو كوروڠ
The traditional blouse and skirt worn by Malay women for weddings and religious ceremoniesAttire · The weeks before
🇵🇦 PanamaTamborito
A Panamanian courtship dance performed in a circle with drums and female chorusPerformance · The wedding feast
🇳🇬 Lagos, Nigeria and 3 moreAso ebiAsọ-Ẹbí
Matching outfits worn by groups to show solidarity at Yoruba weddings and other ceremoniesAttire · The weeks before
🇲🇽 Oaxaca, Mexico and 1 moreHuipilhuīpīlli
The traditional tunic worn by indigenous women in Mexico and Central America for weddings and daily life.Attire · The weeks before
🇬🇭 Ghana and 2 moreKente clothnwentoma
Hand-woven silk and cotton strips from Ghana that mark weddings and graduationsAttire · The ceremony
🇮🇩 IndonesiaBeskapꦧꦼꦱ꧀ꦏꦥ꧀
The formal black jacket worn by Javanese men during weddings and official ceremonies.Attire · The ceremony
🇼🇸 Samoa and 3 moreʻIe tōga
Prestige woven mats exchanged at Samoan weddings to honor family ties and chiefly status.Attire · The ceremony
🇳🇬 Iseyin, Nigeria and 2 moreAso okeAṣọ òkè
Hand-woven cloth worn by the Yoruba for weddings and formal gatheringsAttire · The ceremony
🇦🇹 Austria and 4 moreDirndl
The bodice, skirt and apron dress worn by brides in the German-speaking Alps.Attire · The ceremony
🇸🇩 Khartoum, SudanJirtigالجَرْتِقْ (Arabic)
A Sudanese inauguration ritual where the groom is symbolically crowned as a king.Rite · The weeks before
🇨🇳 China and 2 moreChinese pre-wedding customs三書六禮 (sàam syù luhk láih)
The traditional betrothal rituals of the Book of Rites that prepare a Chinese marriage.Betrothal · Finding a match
🇨🇳 ChinaHonggaitou紅蓋頭
The red bridal veil worn by Han Chinese brides to cover their faces before the wedding night.Attire · Procession and arrival
🇰🇷 South KoreaHwarot활옷
The embroidered Korean gown worn by brides during the pyebaek ceremony.Attire · Reception, dance and gifts
🇮🇳 India and 1 moreChuraचूरा (Hindi)
The red and white bangles that mark a bride's new status in Indian Hindu weddingsAttire · The weeks before
🇨🇳 China and 1 moreTraditional Chinese wedding dress
The wedding attire worn by Han Chinese couples, from the fengguan xiapei to the qunguaAttire · The ceremony
🇲🇦 MoroccoTakchitaⵜⴽⵛⵉⵟⴰ (Berber) / تَكْشِيْطَة (Arabic)
A two-layered Moroccan wedding dress adorned with embroidery and traditional closures.Attire · The ceremony
🇮🇳 Kanchipuram, India and 1 moreWedding sari
The traditional draped garment worn by brides in South Asia for their marriage ceremony.Attire · The ceremony
🇺🇬 UgandaGomesi
The floor-length traditional dress worn by women in Buganda and Busoga for weddings and formal events.Attire · Engagement and betrothal
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 5 moreWedding superstitions
Traditional beliefs about luck and omens that shape wedding rituals across culturesAttire · The weeks before
🇨🇳 Guangdong, China and 2 moreQungua裙褂
A two-piece embroidered jacket and skirt worn by Cantonese brides for their wedding ceremony.Attire · The ceremony
🇳🇬 NigeriaIgbo traditional marriageIgba Nkwu
The multi-stage Igbo marriage process that formalizes a union through family negotiations and the wine-carrying ceremonyRite · Finding a match
🇺🇸 United States and 2 moreNude wedding
A ceremony where the couple or guests participate without clothing.Modern · The ceremony
🇺🇦 UkraineTraditional Ukrainian weddingТрадиційне українське весілля
A multi-day sequence of folk rites, bread baking and church vows that marks the transition from maidenhood to married liRite · Finding a match
🇮🇳 IndiaIndian wedding clothes
Traditional garments worn by Indian couples and guests across multiple days of celebrationAttire · The weeks before
🇮🇳 IndiaVadhuya
The cotton and wool bridal dress worn by brides in ancient India during the Vedic period.Attire · The ceremony
🇯🇵 Tokyo, JapanShinto wedding神前結婚 (Shinzen kekkon)
A Shinto purification ritual featuring sake sharing and kimono attire held at a shrine or venue.Rite · The ceremony
🇳🇬 NigeriaLefe
The presentation of gifts from the groom to the bride in Hausa weddings.Gift custom · The weeks before
🇱🇰 Kandy, Sri LankaOsariyaඔසරිය
The traditional sari style worn by Sinhalese women in Sri Lanka for weddings and formal events.Attire · The ceremony
🇨🇳 ChinaXiuhefu秀禾服
A modern two-piece Chinese bridal outfit inspired by Qing dynasty styles and popularized by a 2001 television drama.Attire · The ceremony
🇲🇳 MongoliaDeel
The traditional long robe worn by Mongol people for daily life and special occasions like weddings.Attire · The ceremony
🇲🇦 Morocco and 1 moreBerberisca dresskeswa-el-kbira (الكسوة الكبيرة)
The gold-embroidered wedding gown of Moroccan Jews, rooted in Spanish royal style.Attire · The weeks before
🇺🇦 Chernivtsi, Ukraine and 1 moreVyshyvanka DayДень вишиванки
The annual celebration where people wear embroidered shirts to show national unity and identitySetting
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Osariya: Mr Anuradha Ratnaweera (අනුරාධ රත්නවීර මහතා), CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Aso ebi: SUPREME LACE, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Honggaitou: kanegen, CC BY 2.0, source
- Zuria: Kurt Bauschardt, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Shinto wedding: Jakub Hałun, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Huipil: Gift in memory of Elizabeth Ege Freudenheim, No restrictions, source
- Wedding superstitions: Anonymous Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Takchita: Gerard Levy, France (Beth Hatefutsoth Photo Archive, courtesy of Gerar, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Tengkolok: Riski Syahputra, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Loutrophoros: Picture taken by Marcus Cyron, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Kente cloth: ZSM, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Xiuhefu: Tunere, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Aso oke: Wolf D., Public domain, source
- Jokduri: derivative work: Caspian blue ( talk ) Korean_dance-Jinju_pogurakmu-01, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Karakou: Bachounda, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Chinese pre-wedding customs: Anonymous ( China ) Unknown author, CC0, source
- Weddings in Mali: HawaG, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Lehenga: Iwaqarhashmi, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Wedding dress: Statens historiska museer, CC BY 2.5, source
- Lefe: Useendk, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Vyshyvanka Day: Vasily Andreevich Tropinin, Public domain, source
- Indian wedding clothes: Lee Jordan, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Nude wedding: Peter Paul Rubens, Public domain, source
- Deel: Marcin Konsek, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Gomesi: sarahemcc, CC BY 2.0, source
- Wedding sari: Tarquin Binary, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
- Beskap: Kris, Photographer of the Press, Media and Information Bureau of the P, Public domain, source
- Songket: Rijksmuseum, CC0, source
- Kanchipuram silk sari: McKay Savage, CC BY 2.0, source
- Hwarot: Unknown author, No restrictions, source
- Qungua: Fduyjfroea Homz, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Traditional Ukrainian wedding: Пимоненко, Николай Корнильевич, Public domain, source
- Igbo traditional marriage: Olugold, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Bandhani: RubyGoes, CC BY 2.0, source
- Gele: Royalesignature, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Weddings in ancient Rome: Meister der Aldobrandinischen Hochzeit, Public domain, source
- Jirtig: Alzain Mohammed, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- ʻIe tōga: Sarah Kelemen, CC BY 2.0, source
- Baju Kurung: Ministry of Information official photographer, Public domain, source
- Ulos: Boy Lawson, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Dirndl: High Contrast, CC BY 3.0 de, source