Planning your bridal outfit: a month-by-month timeline
Six months is the right time to start. Here is what happens in each of them.
Dressing for a winter wedding in Rajasthan
Night temperatures fall to 6 °C in January. How to stay warm without hiding your lehenga.
The Rajasthan wedding season runs from November to February, and while afternoons are pleasant, nights in Jaipur, Udaipur and Jodhpur can fall to six or seven degrees. A bride on an open lawn for a midnight phera will feel it. Planning for the cold at the design stage is much easier than solving it on the day.
Choose the base fabric with the season in mind. Silk velvet is the warmest choice and suits winter evenings. If you prefer organza or net, ask for a soft silk lining instead of cotton, and an extra layer of can-can in the skirt for insulation.
Think about sleeves. A full-sleeve or three-quarter-sleeve blouse in velvet or raw silk keeps you warm and photographs beautifully. We can embroider the sleeves to match the skirt, so they look like part of the design.
Add a second dupatta. Many of our winter brides wear a heavier velvet or pashmina-weight shawl over the shoulders, embroidered along the border, with the lighter net dupatta over the head. The shawl can come off for photographs and go back on between rituals. Finally, plan the practical things. Thermal leggings under the skirt are invisible. Closed juttis with a cotton lining are warmer than open sandals. Ask your venue for heaters near the mandap. And keep a warm drink within reach; your mother will be glad to manage that part.
