If you are having a mixed-culture wedding and are attempting to combine aspects of your or your spouse's Indian culture along with a traditional American wedding, you may wonder whether you should choose to wear an Indian bridal lehenga or a Western-style wedding gown. The good news is that you don't have to choose between the two. With the modern cuts and styles available with both types of dresses and the possibility for custom-designed outfits, you can create a fusion feel that expresses both aspects of your culture. 

Wear a Lehenga and a Traditional Western Gown 

Perhaps the easiest way to express an Indian and American feel in your choice of wedding attire is to simply purchase a bridal lehenga as well as a Western bridal gown. If you are planning to have a multiple-day ceremony, you can wear the lehenga one day and the gown on another day. If you plan to have two separate ceremonies, you can wear the lehenga for your Indian ceremony and the gown for your American ceremony. 

If you are having a one-day wedding, you can wear the more formal lehenga for the actual ceremony that you and your spouse choose and then wear a Western gown with a less-formal style during a reception. This  plan may make it easier to move around, dance, and greet guests during your reception. 

However, if you do not want to wear two different outfits, you still have ways to incorporate both styles into one outfit. 

Opt for White and Cream Colors 

Although traditional bridal lehengas may have been red, pink, or maroon, modern style does not dictate that your lehenga must be one of these colors. You are free to choose any color based on your skin tone, your favorite color, or your spouse's preference. To give your lehenga a more Western feel, choose white or a light cream as your base color and keep your embellishments to white, cream, and light brown. You may even opt for some blue embellishments to complete the Western wedding saying, "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue." 

Select a More Traditional Dupatta

If you are giving your lehenga a more Western look and feel, then you may want to opt for a more traditional dupatta in order to complete your fusion look. For example, with a white lehenga, opt for a traditional dark red dupatta with white embellishments that tie the entire look together. This can give you the splash of color that is commonly expected for Indian brides. 

Choose a Longer Choli 

With the many styles of lehenga available, your lehenga can match almost any Western gown. For example, you might purcahse an A-line or a mermaid lehenga, just as you would look for an A-line or mermaid gown based on your body shape. However, if you want your two-piece outfit to look a bit more like a traditional Western gown, simply purchase a longer choli that will cover the majority of your stomach and back. This way, your outfit will look more like a one-piece gown while having the functionality of a bridal lehenga and choli. 

Stick with Traditional Embroidery Patterns

If you are choosing nontraditional colors and styles for your lehenga, it may start to look less like a lehenga and more like a Western gown. To avoid this, make sure you stick with traditional bridal embroidery patterns for the embellishments on each section of your outfit. This will help give your outfit a more traditional, authentic look. 

Creating a balance between American and Indian styles in a fusion gown can be difficult. However, with some thought about which aspects of each style you want to highlight, you will be able to create a stunning fusion solution. Keep the aforementioned tips in mind as you look for bridal lehenga for sale.