Wedding sarees

When it is worn

A wedding is rarely a single day, and the saree changes with the ceremony. In many families the bride wears one saree for the main rite, another for the reception and often a third that is a gift from the groom's side. Guests, mothers and aunts also dress carefully, usually in silk and in colours that suit the event. Some communities keep a particular cloth for a particular moment, such as a saree given by the maternal uncle or one that the bride first wears when she enters her new home. Practice varies by family, caste and region, and modern brides often mix old customs with their own taste.

The South: Kanchipuram, red and kasavu

In Tamil Nadu and much of the south, the Kanchipuram silk is the classic bridal saree, woven in mulberry silk with a zari border and often a contrasting pallu joined by hand. Red, maroon, mustard and deep green are all chosen, and many Tamil brides wear a nine yard saree for the main rite. In Andhra and Telangana, Pochampally, Venkatagiri and Dharmavaram silks are worn as well. Kerala has its own quiet tradition: the cream or off-white kasavu saree with a gold border, worn by Hindu and Christian brides alike, sometimes with a touch of colour in the blouse.

The North, Maharashtra and Gujarat

In the north, the Banarasi is the great bridal weave, with brocade, gold and silver zari and heavy borders, often in red, and many brides wear a Benarasi lal. In Maharashtra the Paithani, with its peacock and lotus motifs, is a treasured wedding saree, and the Nauvari or nine yard kashta drape is worn by the bride in many Marathi families. Gujarat is known for the Gharchola, a red and white tie-dyed and checked cloth, and the white and red Panetar, worn by brides in some communities. Rajasthani brides may wear a lehenga, but sarees and odhnis in bandhani are common among guests.

The East: Bengal and Odisha

In Bengal the bridal tradition is distinct. Many Bengali Hindu brides wear a Benarasi in red, often the lal Benarasi, while the groom's family may present a saree for the ritual wedding itself. The red-bordered white saree, called lal par, is also associated with ceremony and with the married woman, and is worn at a number of Bengali rites. In Odisha, the Sambalpuri ikat and the Bomkai are worn, and a bride may receive a Khandua or Pasapalli saree. Assam's Muga and Pat silks, with the mekhela chador, are the bridal dress for many Assamese brides.

Buying and keeping a wedding saree

Many families buy a wedding saree from a trusted weaver or a long-standing shop, and some commission it from the loom months ahead. Ask about the fibre, the zari and whether the piece is handloom or powerloom, as a handloom Kanchipuram or Banarasi is a very different object from a machine copy. After the wedding, the saree is usually folded with muslin and kept as an heirloom, to be worn again on anniversaries or by the next generation. Refold it now and then along new lines so that the zari does not crack along old creases.

Worth knowing

• Kanchipuram silk: The temple-town silk of Tamil Nadu, woven with zari and often chosen by southern brides.
• Benarasi lal: The red Banarasi brocade worn by many Bengali and north Indian brides.
• Paithani: A Maharashtra silk with peacock and lotus motifs, a common bridal heirloom.
• Nauvari: The nine yard kashta drape worn by Marathi brides.
• Gharchola: A Gujarati bridal cloth with a grid of tied squares in red and white.
• Panetar: A white saree with a red border worn by brides in some Gujarati communities.
• Kasavu saree: The Kerala cream cotton or silk with a gold border.
• Lal par saree: The red-bordered white saree of Bengal, worn at ceremonies.

Good to know

• Store silk in muslin, never plastic, and refold it along new lines each year.
• Dry clean zari sarees, and keep them away from perfume and damp.
• Air the saree in shade before folding it away after each wearing.

Sources and further reading

• Indian wedding clothes on Wikipedia
• Kanchipuram sari, Wikipedia
• Paithani, Wikipedia