The Definitive Guide of Wedding Guest DOs And DON'Ts
As we pull out our winter shawls, coats, gloves and hats - we all reach for the suitcase carrying our heavily worked velvets, long sleeved formals and jewel-toned ensembles, for wedding season is upon us!
Come November, the invites start pouring in, as we avoid (and fail) the myriad of sweets coming through our doors and get ready for the cardio workout of the year; running from dholki, to club night, to mehndi, to mayoon, to valima, to baraat, to nikkah, to brunch, to tea, to musical evening, to bridal shower and to inevitable one or four of the same in one night. Unlike our western counterparts, our weddings do not come with as many rules, mainly no colour is off limits (ladies who don white, I’m talking to you) and gift giving (we opt for those of the cash variety) are less ominous to undertake. However, there are some things that need to be covered when heading into someone’s big day(s), from what you should say, to whom you should see, here is our guide to weddings: the dos, the don’ts and the let’s nots.
Dos
Dress for the weather. Although most venues are hooked up with space heaters as tall as the tents they’re housed in, it’s a real ‘elbow to rib cage’ sort of throw down to get the desired spot next to one; invest in a statement shawl and avoid the blue-tinged skin when sitting alongside the dance floor. Related: leave the open toes at home!
Stay for the food! One dish, forty dishes - doesn’t matter, the mingling set around the (arguably) most important part of weddings is always a laugh, whether you’re lamenting the odd ball rules placed around celebratory affairs or finding more guests headed in the next direction as you, break some bread!
Come with a good attitude! It’s an exhausting couple of weeks paired with dressing to the nines, late nights, traffic, getting lost and having to make too many appearances, but it is the season of love being in the air - Bollywood songs being played on repeat and the general palpable excitement of so much planning coming to life! Slap on a smile, throw back your shoulders and enjoy the traditions, the modern touches and the joining of families!
Don'ts!
Play bride döppleganger. You can see most wedding guests coming from a mile away due to their over-the-top kaam heavy joraas, now we aren’t ones to hate, but we advise to exercise some restraint! It’s a shame when you’re not sure who the bride is because everyone is decidedly overdressed – like with our western ensembles it’s all about balance! Wearing a killer lehnga? Opt for a simpler blouse. Pair gorgeous monochromatic fabrics with heirloom jewels - Remember: balance, balance balance!
Only come for the food! That being said (and some of us here are definitely guilty of this very thing) the in and out connoisseurs of wedding cuisine, though skillful in their art should slow down to take in the wedding - they’re literally everywhere and all the time, but taking in a little joy is always a positive!
Be a whiner! The number of weddings we’ve been through that played to a soundtrack of grumbling complaints is too high in number; yes it is cold, yes it is running late, yes you may not like what the (insert bride, bride’s sister, groom, his mother, his aunt twice removed) is wearing but NO we and other party goers (who could be potential family members mind you!) do not need to hear about it!
Wedding season: ready, set, go!