Western Guest Outfit Guide for Indian Wedding: Event by Event

Planning your Indian wedding guest outfit as a Western woman? You’ve come to the right place. I’m American, my husband is Indian, and attending my first Indian wedding as a guest was equal parts exciting and overwhelming — mostly because I had absolutely no idea what to wear. This guide breaks down exactly what I wore event by event to a Punjabi wedding in the stunning city of Udaipur, Rajasthan — from the Mehendi and Haldi to the Sangeet and the main ceremony. One important note: the right outfit will vary depending on which part of India you’re in, your relationship to the family, and the formality of the event — so use this as a starting point and lean on your Indian hosts for guidance! Last updated: June 2026

Planning your own Indowestern wedding? Check out 10 things I wish I knew before planning ours.

For Mehendi: Western Guest Outfit for Indian Wedding

Mehendi is the event where henna is done. Traditionally it is for the bride and the female guests, but now brides tend to have their mehendi done ahead of time and this event is for the guests. At our wedding, even men had a little mehendi done on their palms so every was involved! This is an amazing lehenga/gown that my in-laws gifted me.

For Sangeet: Western Guest Outfit for Indian Wedding

Sangeet is typically the event with all the dancing and choreographed dances (if the couple wants!). These days, this event tends to be more indowestern and men commonly wear suits.

Haldi: Western Guest Outfit for Indian Wedding

Haldi is the event where everyone puts turmeric on the bride and the groom as a cleansing ritual. It is now a fun and lively event usually with flowers, bright yellow outfits, and often some dancing!

Wedding/Pheras: Western Guest Outfit for Indian Wedding

For the actual wedding, usually people wear indian formals. For my family, this means lehenga or saree.