Well, under ₹46,000 to be precise.
Receptions. An event most of the Indian community still continues to have at weddings, even when the bride and groom are from the same city. I know there’s a small section of you who have started to do away with Receptions as a separate event altogether. Makes sense. You can just combine your wedding ceremony with the Reception. After all, when your pheras are done and you stand on stage to greet your guests as man and wife, having a separate Reception essentially means you’re going to do the same thing all over again. The workings of a combined Wedding+Reception is something I can talk about for an hour, so let’s leave that for another post!
So, you’re having a Reception. In most cases, your future in-laws will take you shopping for your Reception outfit. And while it might be an uncomfortable conversation to figure out the budget they have in mind, I always say – less is more. For those of us who don’t want to drop 1 lakh on a Reception-worthy outfit, under ₹50,000 is a good place to be in. And in case you’re wondering – yes, I was a 50k Reception bride too!
The Sabyasachi Crazy Bride
You love him enough to sit through entire episodes of Band Baaja Bride just to see what outfit the bride gets to wear!
Lehengas by Astha Narang | ₹45,000 | Buy mint green or peach
These are not Sabya lehengas. Duh. You won’t get one under 50k. But if you want to be a Sabyasachi bride on your Reception, and love the sequin-style he’s made famous over the last few years, then this is one designer whose name you need to know! Astha Narang makes lehengas that, in my opinion, are reminiscent of the Sabya style. And what’s best is that they’re affordable for a certain section of brides. This lehenga is available in two beautiful shades, and I will go so far as to say you can even wear one of these on your Wedding day. But they’re pretty apt for your Reception as well.
NEW! Peach shimmer lehenga by Astha Narang | ₹39,000 | Buy
Another beauty of a lehenga that’s just slightly different from the peach option above – it has a sleeveless blouse that’s plain, and the dupatta is a lot heavier in comparison.
Anarkali gown by Astha Narang | ₹34,000 | Buy
NEW! Anarkali gown by Astha Narang | ₹32,000 | Buy
This is another Sabyasachi style reminiscent outfit by the same designer – Astha Narang. It’s a wonderful choice for a Reception – elegant, bridal enough for someone who wants a touch of sequins, but doesn’t want to be drenched in them from head to toe. The gown-silhouette makes it grand enough for a bride.
The Offbeat Bride
Sick of all the bling? The cliched lehengas? These might be for you.
Gown by Ridhi Mehra | ₹44,800 | Buy
Embroiders flowers cascade down a partially sheer one-shoulder gown – it doesn’t get more unique than this. Those of you who’ve dropped your jaws at the “boldness” of this outfit for a bride – shut it. Half of you will wear saris and lehengas with blouses and drapes that show off just as much skin, if not more. This gown is for that half. And let’s be honest, it doesn’t even show your belly-button! That’s good news for those of us who can carry this off, but are just worried about that tiny paunch that’s starting to build up.
Lehenga with crop top by Prathyusha Garimella | ₹38,800 | Buy
Now there are plenty of you willing to wear whites and ivories on your Reception, and this one’s for those brides. It doesn’t come with that black crop top. You can pair the embroidered lehenga with whatever you please. If this doesn’t please your eye, it’s because the styling is not just right yet. I fell in love with the lehenga when I saw it like this –
Lehenga by Priyal Prakash | ₹45,990 | Buy
I recently saw a bride wear this Priyal Prakash outfit on her Reception, and she looked fabulous! The lehenga doesn’t seem like an obvious choice for a bride, but it works so well for a Reception. It’s offbeat, yes. But then, that’s what Priyal does best. The bride looked like – the bride – because it was an appropriately unique outfit, and she can re-use it to wear to friends and cousins’ weddings!
Shinjini Amitabh Chawla 
Those Astha Narang lehengas are gorgeous! So dreamy 🙂
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Aren’t they?! At the next family wedding, I’m going to get one of these! 😉
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All the lehengas are dazzling!
About receptions, well they’re a tradition that may not be undone at some marriages. In my place, Bidai takes place shortly after feras. The bride and groom are formally introduced as man and wife at the reception which is hosted a few days after the bidai to overcome the exhaustion from long drawn nuptials. The bride and groom then leave for the bride’s place where they’re expected to stay for a few days.
Traditionally, it also demarcates the financial involvement of bride’s and groom’s family. While Wedding Feast is arranged by the bride’s side, the expenses of Reception Feast is borne by groom’s family.
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I love the Aastha Narang dresses. So dreamy. I was a “free/priceless” reception bride, I wore my mother’s old and heavy banarasi with real silver woven into it. It was so heavy, I could barely move 😛
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Astha’s mint lehenga.. would love to wear something like this on my wedding (bored of reds & pinks) 😛
Also, Prathyusha Garimella’s pristine white masterpiece. Absolute stunner. ❤
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