To black or not to black! Would you wear black to an Indian wedding?

The first phase of this year’s wedding season (as per the Hindu calendar) is in full swing. For us, it’s both love (for photography of course) and business. Weddings are a festival of love, joy and togetherness. Epitomized in colorful drapes, beautiful flower décor and the fabulous outfits women wear for the occasion.

But something caught our attention this time. From subtle shades like coffee brown, silver grey to bright neons, evergreen pinks and yellows, every color made its presence felt, but no BLACK! Curiosity got the better of us and we went exploring on the reason Indian women shy away from wearing black at weddings.

Obviously, there are no wedding fashion guides, so we chose to enquire from guests at the weddings.

“My mom says, no black for a wedding”, was the first response we got when we began. Another girl, a friend’s fiancée, said it’s considered ‘ap-shagun’ (or bad omen). This one got quite involved and made her mom elaborate on the topic.

‘Aunty ji’ took this as an opportunity to enlighten the younger generation, saying that weddings are about joy, exuberance and jubilation. Black, according to her, reflected the opposite. Given the sincerity of her explanation, I held back my urge to express that it could stand for elegance and class as well. Interestingly she had some European connections too and told us that, even there, blacks are the improper attire for a wedding. Quite understandable, since Europeans wear black to funerals.

Though I don’t imagine it could be all that bad, considering catholic grooms usually wear black at the altar. I should mention here, as a photographer, shooting a groom in black and a bride in white, side by side is one of the most tricky lighting situations to deal with. But hey, what’s the fun without a challenge!

We were quite convinced of this being a part of long held and followed traditions that people abide by until I saw a close friend wearing a lovely velvet gown in black, at her own sister’s wedding.

Considering my efforts to douse my curiosity, I had to ask her if she had had second thoughts about choosing the colour? Did no one ask her to refrain? She was quite nonchalant, saying “I don’t believe in the color bias and my dad said to wear what I wanted to”. So there she was dazzling in black with beautiful diamonds, living the most precious moments of her life at her sister’s wedding.

Looks like, black is making slow and steady in-roads into the world of wedding celebrations. Though it is often described as the lack of all colour, “Women who wear black, lead colourful lives”, goes a famous quote!

This just got me wondering, why most cameras come in black? Any thoughts?