You are not the groom, but you are in every photograph. You stand beside him at the haldi, dance with him at the sangeet, walk with him in the baraat and hold things for him at the pheras. A groom's brother is on show for four or five days, and he is often the person most worried about what to wear.
Here is the plan we give brothers who come to our counter, function by function, with a budget at the end.
The one rule: one step below the groom
The groom sets the level of dress, and you sit one step below it. If he wears a sherwani at the wedding, you wear a rich kurta. If he is in a pastel at the mehendi, you are in something softer or the same family of colour, not louder. Coordinate with him and with the other brothers: agree two or three colours, not identical outfits. Our groom's family collection is built around this idea.
Haldi
Yellow and marigold, in something bright and easy that can take a smear of paste. The Golden Marigold Self-Stripe, ₹1,900, does the job and hides marks. If the haldi is a photographed family morning, the Golden Mustard Woven-Trim, ₹3,999, sits a shade deeper than the groom.
Mehendi
A softer afternoon: peach, coral, pink or sage. The Coral Pink Self-Stripe, ₹1,900, or the Rose Pink Woven-Trim, ₹3,999, look right beside the greens and marigolds of a mehendi set-up. Keep the pajama light.
Sangeet
This is where the brother carries the colour. The Emerald Gold Brocade Loop-Button and the Maroon Dobby Loop-Button, both ₹3,999, are rich enough for a stage and easy to dance in. If you are dancing a lot, choose a churidar you can lift your knees in, and check the sleeve and shoulder numbers against a kurta that moves well on you.
Wedding day and baraat
Deep and dressed: the Deep Maroon Scroll-Panel or the Charcoal Grey Double-Scroll, ₹3,999 each. Maroon is the colour of a rich wedding evening, and charcoal suits a brother who prefers a quieter look. If you want to add a jacket or a stole, keep it plain and in one colour from the kurta. See how to accessorise a kurta.
Reception
The reception is usually the most formal evening. Many brothers wear a sherwani or a bandhgala, and a rich dark kurta with a plain jacket is another good answer. We do not sell jackets or sherwanis online yet, so for a formal reception choose a kurta from the dressier end, such as the charcoal grey above, and ask the family what the dress code is.
A budget plan, in rupees
If you want four functions covered, here is one example. The Golden Marigold Self-Stripe for the haldi, ₹1,900. The Coral Pink Self-Stripe for the mehendi, ₹1,900. The Emerald Gold Brocade Loop-Button for the sangeet, ₹3,999. The Deep Maroon Scroll-Panel for the wedding day, ₹3,999. That is about ₹11,800 for four kurtas, each with a pajama. For a smaller budget, one mid-tone kurta can cover the haldi and the mehendi, and a single rich kurta can cover the sangeet and the wedding.
Things to ask before you buy
Ask the groom what he is wearing at each function, ask the bride's family if there are colour themes, and ask whether the family has fixed colours for the brothers. Ask the dates, so we can check the delivery. For the full run of functions, read what men wear to the haldi, mehendi and sangeet.
Online sizes run 38 to 44, with the real measurements on every page. Both our shops also carry plus sizes up to 6XL and kurtas for boys and babies, coming online soon. Message us on WhatsApp with the functions and the sizes, and we will put the set together.
Questions we hear at the counter
What should the groom's brother wear to the wedding?
A rich kurta in a deep colour, one step below the groom, such as maroon, emerald or charcoal, with a churidar.
Should the groom's brothers match?
Coordinate, do not match. Pick two or three colours and let each brother choose his own piece.
What if the groom wears the same colour?
Choose a shade that is lighter or deeper, or another colour from the family palette, so you stand beside him and not on top of him.
How many kurtas does a groom's brother need?
Four for four functions, or two or three if you share a colour across the haldi and the mehendi.
Also see: embroidered kurtas and mehendi and sangeet kurtas.