No matter what your wedding looks like, chances are your non-desi friends will feel a bit out of their element at your big fat Indian wedding. The huge guest lists, the bright colors, the multiple events…..they can all feel foreign, even a bit overwhelming for guests who have never been to an Indian wedding before.
It might be worth preparing your non-Indian friends for your event a bit beforehand. Here are five tips you might want to share.
1. It’s OK if you want to wear white: Unless you plan on wearing a white gown, it might be worth informing your guests that they actually can wear those little white dresses they have stashed away! Of course, you should only do this if you truly don’t mind someone showing up in the color generally reserved for the bride, at least in American culture.
2. Dinner won’t be served until well into the night: It’s pretty common for Indian weddings to hold off on serving dinner until later in the festivities. If you think your wedding will progress this way, you may want to tell your friends to grab snacks before heading to the event.
3. Just twist the lightbulb: Your non-Indian friends may be overwhelmed by all the Bollywood and bhangra music that might play when you hit the dance floor – but tell them not to worry! They can bring any moves to the dance floor, but when in doubt, tell them the famous “twist the lightbulb” trick is foolproof.
4. Things might not start right on time: Indian Standard Time is real, guys.
Photo courtesy of Pepper Nix
5. Yes, you can wear an Indian outfit….if you want to: You’ll probably have lots of friends asking you what they should wear to your Indian wedding. As long as you’re comfortable with it, you can tell them that they could wear standard dresses if they feel like it – or they could wear Indian outfits. Direct them to a site like Luxemi, which would allow them to borrow an Indian outfit, or your closest Indian clothing store if they’re interested in dressing the part. Or, encourage them to wear Western dresses with Indian duppattas worn as shawls!
Of course, these tips won’t apply to every Indian wedding – but if they fit the bill for yours, feel free to use them!