Weddings are such exciting affairs; from the elaborate ceremonies to the vibrant displays of tradition and culture, one can say that going to one is indeed an eye opener.

And, of course, there’s the part that thrills the inner fashionista in all of us: dressing up for the Big Day!

When we found out that our gal pal from Junior College was getting married in a traditional Sikh marriage ceremony, we set out to pick our respective outfits. And, mind you, dressing up for a wedding, and a traditional one at that, is a different ball game from, say, simply putting what they call your “Sunday best”.

A part of the marriage ceremony (or Anand Karaj) takes place on temple grounds, specifically the main hall, which means we have to abide by a certain dress code i.e. loose fitting clothes which cover our shoulders and legs, and a scarf to cover our heads.

So here’s what I picked to wear for today’s feature:

A peacock green tank top paired with a floral maxi skirt, both of which are from my ultimate favourite clothing line, New Look (on a side note, sometimes I secretly think that New Look should give me some kind of a reward for wearing their clothes practically everywhere I go; it’s like I’m a walking advertisement 😛 ). Also in today’s outfit is a pair of pink wedges to give me extra height, just to keep the edge of my skirt from sweeping the ground too much.

And to prove that you don’t necessarily have to spend a bomb on a decent outfit for a wedding, I’ll let you in on a little secret: I actually got both my top and my bottom at a discount. 😉

I bought my tank top along with another for a set price (which makes each piece cheaper than its individual price), and the skirt was going at a discount as part of New Look’s clearance sale.

And the best part is, I’ve been eyeing that skirt since forever, but unwilling to buy it seeing how I hardly wear maxis. Now that I’ve got a reason to, it’s a real steal! 😀

Sikh wedding ceremonies are all about colour; for my headgear, I snagged a patterned orange shawl that my mom bought in Thailand, and paired it with some arm candy, a jewelled bangle I got on a whim from Forever 21.

Not pictured are my nails, which I had painted using China Glaze polishes I got on a deal from Groupon. Hey, it’s all about the details, too! 😉

Here’s a tip: you might want to put on your head gear long before you enter the main hall, especially if it’s your first time wearing one. Trying to negotiate that seemingly endless length of cloth around your hair and shoulders can get quite troublesome, especially if you’ve unknowingly sat on it. 😛

Check out the other colourful outfits my friends wore!

Attending our first wedding ceremony together was a coming of age of sorts in so many ways; for our dear friend who’s transited to the next phase of her life, and for us, exploring new options in the world of fashion as we age and enter into new social events which call for different dress codes. Exciting, no? 😉

Perhaps next time, we’ll be gathered not as wedding guests, but as bridesmaids. 😛

chueonit.