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Kids’ outfits for a Pakistani wedding: mehndi, nikah, baraat and walima
What children wear to each event of a Pakistani wedding, from bright mehndi ghararas to sherwanis for the baraat, and how far ahead to order.
One wedding, several outfits
A Pakistani wedding usually runs over several events, and each has its own mood. Most families choose two or three outfits for a child rather than one for every night, and reuse pieces: a waistcoat over a different kurta, a dupatta swapped for a new colour.
Mehndi: bright and easy to dance in
Yellows, greens, oranges and pinks. For girls, a gharara or sharara set with a short kameez, or a frock with a churidar; anything that swings. For boys, a kurta shalwar in a colour, with a contrasting waistcoat. Fabrics: lawn, cotton silk or lined chiffon, because mehndi nights are long and warm.
Nikah: softer and simpler
Ivory, pastels and soft embroidery. A kameez set with a net dupatta for girls, a plain or lightly embroidered kurta shalwar for boys. Comfortable enough to sit through the ceremony.
Baraat: the big one
Deep colours and richer fabrics: a lehenga choli or a heavily embroidered gharara for girls, a sherwani with a churidar or a prince coat set for boys. Lined pieces in raw silk, jamawar or velvet for winter weddings. These are the pieces to order made to measure.
Walima: elegant, lighter
Pastels and jewel tones in lighter weights: a frock or a kameez with a sharara, a waistcoat set for boys. Many families reuse the nikah outfit with a new dupatta or waistcoat.
How far ahead to order
- Ready-to-wear: three to four weeks, to allow for an exchange of size
- Pre-order: check the expected date on the product page and add two weeks
- Made to order (lehengas, sherwanis, custom colours): eight weeks or more, for the quote, your approval, making and a fitting check
Quick answers
What do kids wear to a mehndi?
Bright, easy-to-dance-in outfits: ghararas, shararas and frocks for girls in yellows, greens and oranges; kurta shalwar with a contrasting waistcoat for boys.
What does a boy wear to a baraat?
A sherwani with a churidar, or a prince coat over a kurta shalwar, usually in deep colours and richer fabrics such as jamawar or velvet.
How early should I order wedding outfits for children?
Three to four weeks for ready-to-wear, and eight weeks or more for made-to-order pieces such as lehengas and sherwanis.