11 stylish wedding outfits you can buy for under Rs 10,000 if bling isn't your thing
So you’re not lugging around your body weight in embroidery
There’s a story my mother uses to remind me that I’ve always been as stubborn as an ink blot. We’d travelled as a family to Bombay for a cousin’s wedding, and when she stuck me in the frilly, sequinned concoction that she’d stitched especially for the event, I mounted a protest. “Scratchy, scratchy!” Like any promising union leader, I refused to be placated until my demands were met. My mother endured the vocal assault for twenty minutes before conceding to a two-year-old, the polyester meringue was swapped for a simple cotton dress, and I was excused from having to pose for photos so that the humiliation wouldn’t be on public record.
Years later, the aversion to stiffly starched, heavily embroidered, voluminous constructions masquerading as stylish wedding outfits has prevailed. And for defensible reasons. We live in a country with an algorithmic climate. Hot. Wet. Hot and wet. Hotter, somehow wetter. The argument makes itself.
There’s also the watertight case against “scratchy, scratchy”. After a few hours of mixing cocktails, Funjabi music and sequins, your arms are relieved of their epidermis and your neck looks like sashimi.
If bling isn’t your thing, then finding stylish wedding outfits can be a struggle. We’ve window-shopped conducted extensive research and narrowed it down to 11 contenders with modern silhouettes that are also budget-friendly.
And since we’re unwilling to sacrifice comfort for style, we’re thinking of upgrading our shoe wardrobe too. The Tweak X Stoffa collection features Kolhapuri-inspired heels with padded footbeds you can dance in all night.
Made from vegan leather with a one-inch heel, this cushioning on the Gul shoe rivals the support offered by your best friend. Pink is the new neutral so feel free to wear this with everything you own. Buy it here for ₹3,500.
Some of us are gazelles in heels, and some plod like tractors through muck. Noor manages to provide the right balance to wobbly ankles thanks to its three-inch wedge heel. The mirror work embroidery is the shiny maraschino on top. Buy it here for ₹3,900.
11 stylish wedding outfits for under ₹ 10,000
Photo credit: Nykaa Fashion
What it lacks in heavy embroidery, this lehenga set makes up for with punchy colour and a leheriya print that demands to be twirled in. If you plan to jump around, we’d recommend swapping out high heels for Gul, from the Tweak X Stoffa collection (shop here). The padded footbed on the one-inch heel will ensure you won’t wake up the next day with your feet feeling like they’ve been walking over hot coals.
Photo credit: Indya, on Myntra
That recurring nightmare where you’re dancing on stage and you accidentally step on your sari pleats? This lavender sari is pre-draped, so you can leave your emergency suitcase of safety pins at home and breathe easy. The dusting of mirror work on the front is just enough to elevate this outfit to cocktail party appropriate.
Photo credit: Abhishti
Pyjamas are forgiving, but this gota patti panelled dress will wipe all your binge-eating sins away. Notice how the drop waist draws the eye away from any food babies hiding under the breezy cotton viscose? If the pockets on this dress weren’t selling you on it already, we’re sure the yellow contrast lining peeping out from under the skirt’s hemline will.
This ochre-hued Chanderi set from Okhai looks as airy as it feels. Hand-embroidered with mukka work by artisans from the Thar region of Rajasthan, this outfit will save you from turning into a sticky mess no matter what the temperature is.
Photo credit: The Loom
For those days when you want to channel your inner ’60s Bollywood heroine, this chanderi kurta with cotton sharara is the only time travelling device you’ll need. The midnight blue ombre effect turns up the drama dial just enough to make up for the lack of heavy embroidery.
Photo credit: Nicobar
Packing for a destination wedding, but need to leave enough room in your suitcase for all the shopping you intend to do there? Swap out bulky lehengas for this light-as-cotton silk dress with gold foil detailing from Nicobar. You can wear it with flats for a beach-side sangeet or pair it with strappy heels and a hand-embroidered shawl for a twilight cocktail party.
Photo credit: Suta
Why choose between eating a snack and looking like one? This linen lehenga by Suta has been given a delicious buttery upgrade thanks to the zari handwoven into the loom. Perfect for catching all the light — and attention — at sunset weddings.
This printed cotton silk number from Soup by Sougat Paul may seem steep at first glance, but think about how many ways in which you can mix and match the individual pieces with other items in your wardrobe and you’ll find your fists unclenching. Blame it on our Marvel cinematic diet, but there’s something about a cape that’s hard to resist.
This cherry red crepe number manages to be both bashful and flirtatious at the same time. The deep scooped back balances out the proportions of the otherwise conservative silhouette, while the bold colour proves you’re no wilting wallflower.
This is your chance to own an Indian designer piece for a fraction of the cost. The beige and gold pre-stitched sari is exactly the level of understated elegance we aspire towards. And might we suggest pairing it with Noor, from our Tweak X Stoffa shoe collection (shop here), for maximum impact?
This is as close as you can get to the lingerie-as-outerwear trend without being banned from family events. The faux georgette fabric makes this a lightweight choice despite the obvious volume, and the seafoam green colour is ideal for a pre-shaadi drunch.