The Groom's Style Guide: What to Wear to Every Wedding Function
Most grooms plan their wedding day outfit carefully and leave everything else to chance. The result is usually the same: a too-formal kurta at the Haldi, or a too-casual look at the Sangeet. Indian weddings are a series of functions, each with its own atmosphere, and what you wear should reflect that.
The principle is straightforward. The lighter and more informal the function, the simpler the outfit. The more ceremonially significant the function, the more formally you dress. Once you understand that, the decisions become much easier to make.
Groom Outfit Ideas for Every Wedding Function
This guide goes through each function in order, explains what works and what does not, and highlights the pieces from Mahima Mahajan's men's collection that are best suited to each occasion.
What Should the Groom Wear at the Haldi
The Haldi is the most relaxed function of the wedding calendar. It is small, intimate, and involves close family applying turmeric paste. Turmeric stains permanently. This is the one function where comfort and practicality take priority over everything else.
Wear something lightweight and light in colour. Yellow, ivory, and soft pastels work best here, both because they suit the mood of the occasion and because they camouflage turmeric better than white or dark shades. A simple kurta with straight trousers is completely appropriate. Do not wear silk, do not wear embroidery, and do not wear anything you would be upset about ruining.
• What works: simple cotton or linen kurta in yellow, mustard, ivory, or pastel.
• What to skip: silk, embroidery, sherwanis, dark colours, anything formal.
• The mindset: you will get turmeric on you; dress for the ritual, not the photo.
EMRAN BANDI SET: Printed Bandi
EMRAN is a printed bandi set in Yellow on Moss Crepe. Moss Crepe has a natural matte texture that holds printed patterns cleanly without any shine. Yellow is the most appropriate colour for the Mehndi and Haldi functions. The printed bandi can be styled over a simple kurta to add visual interest without requiring heavy embellishment.
What Should the Groom Wear at the Mehndi
The Mehndi is where the wedding week starts to feel festive. It is usually a daytime function with a larger guest count, music, and photography. The groom's outfit should show some effort without going overboard.
A kurta set with a bundi or printed bandi is a very strong choice here. The bundi adds a layer of visual structure that elevates a simple kurta into a considered outfit. Bright colours, prints, and lighter embroidery all work well. This is one of the few functions where a printed or patterned piece makes complete sense.
• What works: kurta set with a bundi, printed bandi sets, festive colours.
• What to skip: heavy sherwanis, overly formal pieces; the Mehndi is daytime and relaxed.
AMEER: Kurta Set Paired With Hand Embroidered Bundi
AMEER is a Blush Pink kurta set in Linen Satin and Silk Chanderi, paired with a hand embroidered bundi. Linen Satin keeps it lightweight enough for a daytime function while the embroidered bundi adds the detail that makes the outfit look deliberate. Blush Pink photographs well in natural light and coordinates easily with a wide range of bridal palettes.
What Should the Groom Wear at the Sangeet
The Sangeet is the most high-energy function of the wedding week. It is an evening event with professional photography, music, performances, and a large guest count. You need to look polished, but you also need to be able to move.
A bandhgala set is the best silhouette for the Sangeet. It is structured enough to look formal in photographs but fitted enough to allow you to dance and move through a long evening without discomfort. Jewel tones, rich prints, and fabrics like Matka Silk perform well under event lighting. The one rule: do not wear your ceremony sherwani to the Sangeet. Save it for the day it is meant for.
• What works: Bandhgala set, structured kurta with bundi, jewel tones and rich prints.
• What to skip: The ceremony sherwani, anything too stiff or heavily layered for dancing.
FIRAZ BANDHGALA SET: Geometric and Abstract Floral Statement Piece
FIRAZ is a Purple Basil bandhgala set featuring a geometric and abstract floral design on Matka Silk, teamed with a Pakistani short kurta and trouser in Linen Satin. Matka Silk has a slightly textured, matte finish that holds printed designs with depth, performing well under artificial event lighting. Purple Basil is a distinctive colour that reads as formal and considered without being conventional.
AZAAD BUNDI: Embroidered Bundi
AZAAD is a standalone embroidered bundi in Old Gold on Linen Satin. Styled over a plain kurta, it immediately elevates the outfit into Sangeet-appropriate territory without requiring a full embroidered set. Old Gold reads warmly under evening lighting, and the Linen Satin base gives the bundi a smooth, clean finish. A versatile piece for grooms who want flexibility across multiple functions.
What Should the Groom Wear at the Wedding Ceremony: Baraat and Pheras
This is the main event. The Baraat procession and the Pheras are the most photographed, most formal, and most culturally significant moments of the entire wedding. The sherwani is the right choice here, and it is the only silhouette that carries the weight this occasion demands.
The ceremony sherwani should be your most considered purchase across the entire wedding wardrobe. Fabric and fit matter as much as design. A sherwani that fits well in a quality fabric will always look more refined than an over-embellished piece with poor structure. Linen Satin and Mashru Silk work especially well for ceremonies because they hold structure beautifully, carry embroidery with depth, and photograph elegantly across both day and evening functions.
• What works: structured sherwanis in Linen Satin or Mashru Silk; rich tones like red, ivory, and Coconut.
• What to skip: lightweight fabrics or overly experimental silhouettes that reduce the formality of the occasion.
• Fit tip: finalise tailoring at least two weeks before the wedding; last-minute alterations rarely give the right finish.
NAWAF: Panelled Hand Embroidered Sherwani Paired With Kurta and Trouser
NAWAF is a panelled, hand embroidered sherwani in the Royal Red Fanah Print on Linen Satin. The panelled construction creates a structured silhouette where the seam work adds depth and dimension without excessive embellishment. Royal Red remains one of the strongest colours for wedding ceremonies because of its richness and cultural relevance. The Fanah Print gives the sherwani a distinctive visual identity while still feeling formal and refined.
RITVIK SHERWANI SET: Monochrome Hand Embroidered Indo-Western Sherwani Set
RITVIK is a monochrome hand embroidered Indo-Western sherwani set in Coconut on Mashru Silk. The clean embroidery and structured silhouette give it a refined ceremonial presence while still feeling contemporary. Mashru Silk adds a subtle sheen that photographs beautifully during wedding rituals and formal portraits. Coconut is a warm off-white that pairs effortlessly with traditional wedding palettes while offering a softer alternative to deeper ceremonial colours.
What Should the Groom Wear at the Reception
The reception is the most socially open event of the wedding calendar. While still formal, it allows the groom to move towards more contemporary styling and statement dressing. This is where darker tones, artistic detailing, and modern silhouettes naturally work well.
Reception looks should feel elevated without carrying the same traditional weight as the wedding ceremony. Fabrics with richness and depth perform especially well under evening lighting and formal photography, making Velvet Silk one of the strongest choices for this function.
• What works: statement sherwanis, darker tones, artistic detailing, modern styling.
• What to skip: heavily traditional ceremony looks repeated again for the reception.
TANISH SHERWANI SET: Art Inspired Sherwani and Pakistani Trousers
TANISH is a Black Velvet Silk sherwani paired with Silk trousers. Velvet Silk creates a rich surface depth that photographs exceptionally well during evening receptions and formal celebrations. The art-inspired detailing gives the sherwani a statement quality without relying on traditional heavy embroidery. Black brings a sharp and contemporary edge to the reception while maintaining the sophistication expected from a formal wedding event.
Last Minutes Tips for the Modern Groom
Regardless of which function you are dressing for, these points apply across the board.
• Tailoring matters more than the outfit: A well-fitted kurta will look better than an expensive sherwani in the wrong size. Get everything measured and adjusted before the first function.
• Coordinate with the bride, do not match exactly: Sharing a colour family looks intentional; exact matching can look forced. Talk to your designer about this early.
• Footwear: Mojaris or embellished juttis for the ceremony and Sangeet; simpler footwear for Haldi and Mehndi that you would not mind staining.
• Accessories: A safa for the Baraat, a brooch or pocket square for the Sangeet and reception, and nothing elaborate for Haldi and Mehndi.
• Plan the wardrobe as a whole: Once you have all five functions mapped out, you will see how each outfit needs to differ from the last. This prevents repetition and ensures each look feels appropriate to its moment.
Conclusion
The groom's wedding wardrobe is not complicated once you understand one thing: dress for the function, not just for the photo. The Haldi needs comfort. The Mehndi needs festive ease. The Sangeet needs evening structure. The ceremony needs the full weight of a well-made sherwani. And the reception deserves something considered and polished that closes the week on a high note.
Every piece in Mahima Mahajan's men's collection has been designed with a specific occasion in mind, using fabrics and construction that perform the way a wedding demands. Explore the full collection at mahimamahajan.in and plan your wedding wardrobe function by function.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What should a groom wear to a Haldi ceremony?
A simple kurta in yellow, ivory, or pastel with straight trousers works best. Choose a fabric you do not mind staining; turmeric stains permanently. Avoid silk, embroidery, and anything formal.
Q2. Is a sherwani necessary for the wedding ceremony?
Yes. The sherwani is the only silhouette that carries the right cultural and visual weight for the Baraat and Pheras. No other outfit serves this occasion as well.
Q3. Can a groom wear the same outfit to more than one function?
It is not recommended. Each function has a different formality level. Wearing the same outfit across multiple events will look either too formal for one occasion or too casual for another.
Q4. What is the best groom outfit for a Sangeet?
A bandhgala set in a jewel tone or rich fabric is the strongest Sangeet choice. It is formal enough for photographs but allows free movement through dancing and a long evening event.
Q5. How should a groom coordinate his outfit colour with the bride?
Choose the same colour family rather than an exact match. If the bride wears blush, the groom in ivory or champagne coordinates well. Discuss this with your designer at least a month before.