Indian Mother of the Bride Outfits for Every Function She Hosts

A lighter outfit and a dressier one

• Dholki and mehndi: you are hosting, moving between the kitchen, the guests and the dance floor. A shalwar kameez or a long shirt with trousers in chiffon or a light print stays comfortable; see our shalwar kameez for hosting.
• Nikkah: sleeves to the wrist and a dupatta that covers your hair, in ivory, gold or a soft pastel.
• Baraat: your dressiest look, since you receive the groom’s family. A lehenga with a long shirt, an open gown or a saree with heavier work, in a shade apart from the bride’s red or maroon.
• Walima: hosted by the groom’s family, so you attend as a guest of honour; the lighter or the dressier outfit usually works again here.

The bride’s sisters often coordinate among themselves, which our bridesmaid outfits make easier, and the rest of the family can dress from our guest outfits for relatives.

Fabric for the season

A summer mehndi in a backyard tent and a January baraat in a banquet hall need different weights. Chiffon and linen stay light in the heat. Net and organza hold heavier embroidery for evening functions, usually over a lining. Silk, raw silk and tussar silk have more body from late fall to spring, and embroidered velvet is the warmest choice for a winter baraat.

Ordering for Canada

Each design page lists its delivery options before you order. Outfits made from branded fabric that we buy directly from Pakistani labels reach any address in Canada in up to 18 calendar days; Rush Delivery is not normally available on them, so message us first if your date is close. Designs from our bridal range have free Normal Delivery in up to three months, Rush Delivery in up to 30 calendar days for CAD $59, or Super Rush Delivery in up to 14 calendar days for CAD $199. Times count from the day after you order and include stitching and shipping, so order both outfits by the date the earlier function needs. More on our Canada delivery page.

Why choose Shadi Dress for Indian mother of the bride outfits

Both of your outfits come from one place. Shadi Dress has made bridal wear since 2013 in its own workshops in Pakistan, where designs from our bridal range are often worked in dabka, kora and zardozi with pearls and sequins, and label-fabric outfits are stitched from branded fabric with a purchase record kept for every article. On those label-fabric outfits, approved size changes and feasible style changes, such as longer sleeves or a higher neckline, cost nothing extra. Ask for progress photos of a bridal-range design, or a full video of a finished label-fabric outfit before dispatch. Import charges are normally prepaid by us; if a courier ever asks you for customs, duty or tax, send us the receipt and we refund the verified amount.

Mother of the bride questions

Can one outfit work for every function?

It can, if you choose a long shirt with trousers or a gown with sleeves in a mid-weight fabric, then change the dupatta and jewellery between functions. Many mothers still want something dressier for the baraat, when the whole family is photographed together, so a second, dressier outfit is the safer plan.

Can it be made in a larger size?

Yes. Choose Customized Size and the outfit is stitched exactly to the measurements you send; our team contacts you after you order to collect them. Our workshop works in inches, and the centimetres in our size guide are for reference. Between two standard sizes, take the larger.

Can I return an outfit that doesn’t fit?

No. Every outfit is cut and stitched for one customer, so it cannot be returned or exchanged after delivery. A label-fabric outfit cancelled within 12 hours, or a design from our bridal range within 24 hours, is refunded in full; after that and before dispatch, 35% of the amount paid is deducted. For any other design, ask us before you order.