PREPARATIONS FOR ASIAN WEDDINGS (DAHEJ)
This is a term that you will become familiar with during your wedding planning. Getting married is not an easy task. You are expected to look your best at all times, before, during and after the wedding. Plus, getting married gives you a social license to indulge your every whim and buy a host of beautiful outfits. What else does a girl need or want?
In the old days, it was the responsibility of the bride’s family to prepare her trousseau (dahej) that she would take with her to her husband’s home. Many brides did not take any of their old clothes with them to their new home; instead, it was customary to prepare 11, 21, or sometimes 101 new garments for the bride. Today, some brides keep old traditions alive, while others are less concerned with the numbers game.
The trousseau is not limited only to clothing. You can include accessories ranging from bracelets to purses to shoes. Household items such as sheets and kitchen utensils can also be included. And of course, no bride can forget her new jewelry.
Preparing and planning trousseau can be frustrating and overwhelming. Here are some great tips to get it right:
Plan, plan and plan! Sit down and make a list of everything you really need! There is no point in spending money where it is not necessary to spend it.
Divide your trousseau into 4 main sections, formal, semi-formal, shoes and accessories and lingerie.
A wide range of lehngas, saris, and salwar kameez could be included for all the different post-wedding events.
Match accessories and shoes as you go through the purchase of each outfit. The most annoying thing is having an outfit that doesn’t have matching shoes or shoes that don’t really match any of your outfits!
Make sure you have some outfits with traditional embroidery. Although what is really ‘in’ right now are crystal accented suits, which can go out of style very quickly, so traditional yet elegant suits would be perfect to have in your wardrobe for any formal post-wedding occasion. You are expected to make many visits after the wedding; Your outfits for these should be a combination of the ornate and the elegant.
On the bride and groom side, it is important in most Asian cultures to prepare a wardrobe full of bridal outfits and accessories for the new bride who joins your family.
In short, Asian weddings are all about shopping until you are satisfied. This is the beginning of a new life for you, so you deserve to be pampered in every way of shopping.
