WEDDING ESSENTIALS FOR THE GROOM

Lately, all our blogs have been women-centric, and the men in our office were feeling left out. My colleagues insisted on me writing a blog about the groom’s essentials on their big day. So here it is...I know men are also very conscious of their looks, especially on the most important day of their lives. When it comes to wedding outfits, you can either go the traditional way and stick to the basics, or you can try and incorporate the latest fashion trend into your outfits for a more stylish and updated look.

I know generally the bride gets all the limelight and attention, but don’t forget it is your day too, and it is equally important for you to match up to your bride's expectations. After all, you want memorable pictures that you cherish for the rest of your lives. It is a popular belief that wedding shopping is a girl’s thing, and men don’t really spend so much time thinking about what they will wear. While a part of the above statement might be true and they do not put as much effort into thinking about outfits in their daily lives, a wedding is an exception for them. Today, men are equally conscious of their wedding outfits.

After all, it is the beginning of your ever-after...

Here are some wedding essentials every groom should be adding to their look.

THE PERFECT SHERWANI

Your wedding outfit is the single most important thing you are supposed to get perfectly right to ensure you are the best-looking man on your wedding day. Choose the right fabric with the right kind of work for your sherwani, and half your job is done. You can choose fabrics like silk, velvet, and brocade with intricate work that can take the look to a whole new level. You can choose from different kinds of embroidery and patterns, like floral embroidery, zardosi, kundan, or thread work. Choosing a floral and leaf motif for these embroidery pieces will give them a royal and elegant look. You can go for deep colors like black, blue, maroon, and purple for the reception night while sticking to light and pastel colors like yellow, pink, sky blue, cream, and gold for the day functions.

While selecting an outfit for your reception night, go for combinations of deep colors with gold and pearl embroidery in a floral motif. You could also select an elephant bride and groom motif. This will give you a royal heritage look.If it is a day function, stick to more vibrant colors like blue, yellow, pink, lavender, etc. Select thread embroidery on these kurtas, and yes, do not forget to wear a Nehru jacket with this look. This was all about sherwani, but some of you might say, What if we do not want to wear a sherwani all together??. Well, we have an equally stunning alternative for you.

THE ROYAL ACHKAN

Achkan is a knee-length button-down jacket. It is a bit longer than Sherwani and looks even classier. This outfit can be paired with straight pajamas or urban dhotis. If you like adding a personal touch or some kind of modern element to traditional outfits, then opt for an achkan. Modern-day achkans are creative and experimental, and designers are willing to play with silhouettes and accents. Instead of a simple, straight slit in the front, opt for a diagonal one. You can add a broach or a velvet trim as well, and finish the look with classy fitted bottoms. Do not go too loud on your pants; remember, we do not want to go overboard. A pair of classic achkan can be paired with a pair of jodhpuri pants or dhoti pants in contrasting colors. Complete your look with a pair of traditional juttis, a broach, and a pocket square.

This outfit is a hit with celebrities as well. Remember how dapper Anand Ahuja looked in a simple Achkan worn with a stunning pearl necklace and a turban? Choose to wear a nice, vibrant color that complements your bride's outfit. Do not forget to accessorize yourself with a pearl necklace and a traditional turban to give you the elegant look you aimed for on your wedding day.

A DAPPER TURBAN

A turban, or safa, is an integral part of an Indian groom's outfit. But there are so many options available, and we are sure it is confusing to pick the best option. Irrespective of what it is called—a Punjabi turban, a Grooms Pagdi, or a Rajasthani Safa—the safa gives a different look depending on its fabric. Choose from one of the many fabrics available for the safa. (Kota, Chanderi, Velvet, Silk, or Cotton) You can go for a monotone fabric with a broch or opt for a bold print; basically, there are a lot of options available on the market to match your style. Ever since designer Sabyasachi introduced floral safa in his designs, the market has been flooded with different floral safas as well. We have listed a few SAFA trends for your convenience.

[1] Floral safas (they are super hot and available in pastel and bright colors (Also available in chanderi and silk to give a more royal look ).

[2] Quirky prints on the safa (these turbans make an offbeat statement).

[3] Lehariya and colorful safa (another inspiration from Sabyasachi designs).

[4] Shaded Turbans.

[5] Monotone safas in bright shades.

[6] Monotone safas in soft shades (personal favorite).

[7] White safas (boring, if you ask us!).

ROYAL STOLE

Sherwani’s and Achkan’s can be very expensive, especially when you know this outfit can never be worn again at a friend's wedding. It will just be a memory lying in your closet. Well, in this case, a lot of people want to opt for an outfit that is not very heavy and can be worn at least a couple of times again at a friend's function. But then the biggest fear in buying a simple outfit is that you might not look like the groom on your wedding day.

Well, we have a solution for you. Consider an embellished stole. This will accentuate your look, and because you have a heavily embellished silk stole, you can add a little light to your outfit. Moreover, a stole not only amplifies a groom’s outfit but, in fact, completes his look entirely. The fineness of the fabric and the intricacy of the embroidered border draped beautifully around your body will make you shine out like a royal prince.

ELEGANT NECKLACE

A string of pearls with a Kundan necklace goes well with sherwani and has become an essential and easy option for every groom, as they go well with pastels as well as jewel-toned silk, velvet, or brocade fabrics. But this is a very basic combination that has been worn for so many years. You can experiment a little with your accessories, but I know too many options are available, and men and selecting jewelry don’t go hand in hand! . 

So here are some tips for selecting accessories for your big day.

[1] Sure, pearls are classy, but they are very common now, and instead, you can experiment with colorful beads.

[2] Take a statement piece with a contrasting color.

[3] Polki necklace with red stones.

[4] Multi-layered necklace.

[5] Diamond and pearl combination necklace.

You can add a personal touch to your necklace, broch cufflinks, or buttons by creating a symbol, letter, or date that means something special for you and your bride and letting it shine. You can also add a splash of color with gemstones if you prefer a gold, cream, or beige sherwani.

THE QUINTESSENTIAL MOJRI

No Indian groom would think of stepping out without his mojris. After all, there is a Joota Chupai function in which your beloved sister-in-law will steal your footwear and try to dig a hole in your pocket in order to give it back. Wouldn’t it be great to show off your stylish footwear here? .Mojris are a wardrobe staple that complements ethnic outfits really well. You can wear traditionally embroidered juttis with zari and sequins or select luxuriously embroidered gota and gara work with silk thread. You can also try out velvet juttis with a stunning broch in a contrasting color or lace and pearl juttis.

Before we wrap up, let me give you some grooming tips as well.

[1] Shave: It is your wedding day, and you want to look sleek and well groomed.

[2] Teeth whitening: You are going to be clicked by multiple people; your smile should be perfect!.

[3] Eat light and healthy. Eat light and healthy with food that energizes and hydrates you. From 15 days before your wedding functions, this will help you look a little lean and will help your skin glow.

[4] Haircut: Do not keep the hair cut for the last day; after all, you do not want surprises, and a haircut takes a few days to settle anyway, right?.

[5] Get enough rest. This is solely for one day prior to the wedding functions; just get lots of sleep because you will need to get enough sleep for the next few days.

I hope this blog was helpful in selecting your outfit and helped you with some grooming tips as well.