Wedding guest outfits in Saudi Arabia, made to measure

Women’s hall celebrations

Many weddings in the Kingdom have a separate hall for women, where abayas come off at the door and guests dress up. Long, glamorous silhouettes are common: floor-length gowns, rich colours and polished finishes. A Pakistani outfit fits right in when it has that length and presence. A floor-length kalidar frock with fine embroidery, or a long gown made to measure from your own design, both work well.

Because the evening is long, comfort matters as much as looks. Ask for a lining under net or chiffon, sleeves that let you lift your arms, and a hem that clears the floor in the shoes you will wear.

Pakistani family weddings

Pakistani weddings in Riyadh, Jeddah and the Eastern Province often stretch over several events: a dholki or mehndi with bright colours and easy movement, then a more formal main event. For a mehndi, a short kameez with a sharara or gharara in yellow, green or orange is playful and practical. Our guide to gharara and sharara explains how much fabric each takes.

For the main event, deeper jewel tones and statement embroidery feel right. If you are attending several functions, plan outfits with different weights so the dancing evening is not the heaviest one.

Fabric and embellishment

Chiffon, organza, net and raw silk are the usual choices for wedding guests, often with a cotton or silk-feel lining. On the quote form, the statement embroidery level is meant for occasions like these; we confirm in writing what is possible on your fabric and design before anything is cut, so describe the effect you want rather than a specific technique. See our fancy work page for Saudi Arabia for how this is agreed.

Think about the light as well. Wedding halls are usually brightly lit, so fabrics with a soft sheen, such as raw silk, glow under the lamps, while matte cottons can look flat in photographs. Our guide to cotton silk and raw silk compares the in-between fabrics that suit an evening without feeling heavy.

Arriving under an abaya

A full sharara or a heavily flared gown takes up a lot of room under an abaya. If you will travel in one, ask for a skirt that compresses softly, sleeves without stiff structure, and a neckline that will not catch on the abaya’s opening. If you want a dressier abaya for the evening too, our custom abaya service makes them to measure.

Planning the order

Wedding dates are fixed, which makes planning easier than for Eid. Count back from the date: courier time to your city, our 5 to 7 working days of making after you approve and pay the quote, and a few days to agree the details. Start earlier if you are sending your own fabric, because that adds a second shipping stage.

Send your inspiration through our custom design service for Saudi Arabia, or go straight to the design quote form. The quote is in US dollars, euros or pounds sterling, and includes delivery to your door in Jeddah or anywhere else in the Kingdom, with import charges covered.