Bridal abayas made to measure: a planning guide

When a bride might wear an abaya

Customs differ between families and countries, so the plan is yours to make. Here are three ways a bride might wear one:

How you plan to wear it changes the design. An abaya worn all day needs sleeves you can eat and greet people in, and room to sit for long stretches. One worn over a dress for an hour of arrivals and photographs can be fuller, longer and more heavily worked.

• The nikah ceremony: a bridal abaya can be the main outfit for the nikah itself, worn with its matching scarf.
• A modest wedding: for a smaller wedding, or one where the bride prefers to stay covered throughout, the abaya can be the outfit from start to finish.
• Over a dress for arrivals or photos: an open abaya worn over a dress for the entrance, a walk between venues or a set of portraits, then taken off or worn open.

Fabric, layers and length

Bridal abayas are made in the same three fabrics as all our abayas, and each gives a different effect on the day:

For length, measure in the shoes you will wear at the wedding, because a heel changes where the hem should fall. A bridal abaya can also have a modest train; our guide to an abaya with a train explains how much is wearable and what it means for the fabric and lining. The abaya measuring guide covers everything else, with each number labelled as a body or garment measurement, in cm or inches.

• Crepe: a fine grain and enough body to carry heavier embroidery and beadwork without sagging. It falls in clean folds and is the steadiest base for a heavily worked piece. Our crepe guide has more.
• Chiffon: light and floaty, with movement in every step and every photograph. It is slightly sheer, so it is worn over an inner dress or made with a lining, and it suits lighter work.
• Nida: soft and matte, light on the shoulders, and comfortable for a nikah that runs into a long afternoon of guests.

Embellishment, names and initials

A bridal abaya usually carries more work than any other abaya: heavier embroidery, beadwork, sequins or zari (metallic thread), often combined. Placement matters as much as quantity. The front edges frame the bride as she walks in, the cuffs appear in every photograph of hands, and the back is on show as she walks away and when she is seated. Keep the underarms and the back of the skirt lighter, because they rub and are sat on. Our guide to evening abayas with beadwork, sequins and zari explains how each kind of work wears.

Whether a particular embellishment suits your design depends on the fabric, the construction, the density and the placement, so it is confirmed in the written quote. If you have a look in mind beyond embroidery, beadwork, sequins and zari, send a photo and we confirm in the quote what is possible. The custom embroidery page explains how the work is planned.

Names, initials or a monogram can be embroidered too: the couple’s initials low on one front edge, a small monogram at the back of the neck, or a name worked into a cuff. The placement, size and thread are agreed in the written quote. Our article on initials or a name on an abaya shows where lettering sits well.

Planning the timeline

Enquire early. The making itself is short, but the steps before it take as long as they need, and a bridal abaya usually raises more questions than an everyday one. In order:

• Enquiry: send a photo or choose a design, with the colour, fabric, embellishment, how you will wear it and the wedding date. The design quote form has a field for the event date.
• Questions and the written quote: we reply with any questions, then a written quote showing the design, fabric, measurements, customisation, total cost, delivery arrangements, processing time and policies.
• Design approval: before cutting, your measurements and every design detail are agreed in writing. It is a written summary, not a sketch or mock-up, so read each line. Our design approval page explains the step.
• Payment: in full in advance, by bank transfer, Wise or a card payment link.
• Making: 5 to 7 working days after approval and full payment, or after your fabric reaches us with Stitching Only.
• Shipping: the time varies by destination, so we cannot promise a delivery date. The quote already includes delivery and any import duties and fees.

When it arrives, and matching abayas for sisters

Try the abaya on as soon as the parcel arrives, not on the morning of the wedding. Our guide to checking your abaya when it arrives lists what to look at. If it does not match the agreed measurements or design, tell us within seven days of delivery and we correct or remake it without charge for the work, with you paying the postage both ways. Every piece is made to order, so there are no change-of-mind returns.

If sisters or bridesmaids want matching abayas, plan them in the same enquiry with each person’s measurements, so the cloth comes from one batch and the shade matches. One approach is the same design in a colour that sits beside the bride’s, or the same colour with lighter work. Our guide to matching abayas for sisters or a group explains how to send one group enquiry.

Price and how to start

Every bridal abaya is quoted individually, because the work varies so much from one to the next. For reference, the statement tier of our collection, which includes cape and pleated designs such as the Magnolia pleated abaya, starts at £120 with a matching scarf; a bridal abaya with added beadwork or sequins is priced in its own quote. These are launch prices until 31 October. From 1 November the same three tiers cost £99, £125 and £150.

Brides in the UK pay in pounds. Brides in Dubai and elsewhere in the Gulf choose US dollars, euros or pounds for the quote. Our abaya pages for the UK and the UAE explain delivery to each, and you can write to us in Arabic on WhatsApp and get replies in Arabic, though English is preferred. When you are ready, start from the Magnolia kimono abaya quote or send your own photo.