Reception Dresses for Brides

Reception or Walima: Two Names, Two Traditions

In many Pakistani families the two words are used interchangeably, but they come from different places. The walima is the Islamic wedding feast hosted by the groom’s side after the nikkah, and it often keeps a traditional, formal dress code. The reception, a term from Indian and diaspora weddings, is an evening party with a Western influence: a stage for the couple, a dinner and often a dance floor. If your final function is a walima in the traditional sense, our walima dresses are the better fit.

The Bride’s Reception Look

For many brides the reception is the chance to wear something completely different from the baraat: a lighter fabric, a more modern cut and a new colour. A gown with a trail, a draped tissue saree or a lehenga with less volume are all common, and the jewellery often changes too, from heavy gold sets to diamonds, polki or white gold. Because the evening involves standing, greeting and perhaps dancing, weight and ease of movement matter more than at the main ceremony. See our reception sarees for the draped option.

What Guests Wear to a Reception

A reception is dressier than a mehndi and more relaxed than a baraat, and it is the one function where Western-inspired pieces sit comfortably next to traditional ones. A saree, a lighter lehenga, a sharara set or an embellished gown are all appropriate. If you know the bride is wearing a gown or a champagne palette, choose a different silhouette or a deeper colour so the photographs keep her at the centre. Our reception lehenga styles are a good middle ground between glamour and comfort, and the guest outfits for the other wedding functions cover the rest of the week.

When the Reception Follows the Baraat

Some families hold the reception on the same day as the baraat, which leaves little time between looks. In that case, choose an outfit that goes on quickly and works with the same hairstyle: a gown or a pre-draped saree changes faster than a look built around a heavily pinned dupatta. Keep the jewellery change simple too, and plan the swap before the day rather than in a crowded dressing room.