FAQ
What should I wear?
Hi friends and family, we are excited to share our multicultural wedding with you. As a hybrid Indian and American wedding (with a little bit of England and Egypt in the mix), we are embracing all of our cultures and traditions in all aspects. This includes attire!
Please dress in a way that feels comfortable and authentic to you....whether that's American clothes, Indian garb, or anything else. Bright colors are encouraged!
If you want to wear Indian outfits, please know that you are 120% encouraged to do so -- whatever your background might be.
This website has a good overview of the different types of Indian attire: https://www.allborrow.com/blogs/south-asian/types-of-indian-dresses
Can I wear white (traditional western bridal color) or red (traditional Indian bridal color)
We invite everyone to wear any color they want (including red and white), but we ask that the color peach be reserved for the bride & groom for the wedding ONLY. (While Indian brides traditionally wear red , Meghan has opted to mix it up with a different color scheme.)
We are excited for a colorful celebration!
If I want to wear Indian, where should I look for clothing?
Some of the best brands in the mid-tier (with a range of more affordable to high-end options) include:
- Kalki - a fantastic store with tons of brands that serve both men and women, though their women's collections are definitely larger than their men's
- Aza - has a lovely collection of both men's and women's festive/wedding attire
- Manyavar - has a deep collection of men's attire, but generally much less in the way of women's clothing
- House of Indya: Very affordable, broad range of options for women and girls
- Holy Chic by Megha: an American startup that has a good range of pre-stitched saris (all of the classic style without the fuss) and modern men's and women's fusionwear
If I want to wear Indian, where can I find higher-end Indian clothing?
For higher-end / more bespoke clothing, look to places like Pernia's Pop-Up Shop, Ogaan, and Kynah (although they often have sales). Note that Kynah is a U.S.-based Boutique and typically has faster delivery times.
If I want to wear Indian, where should I look for affordable clothing?
Some good stores that we can recommend include:
-Etsy: Etsy has a wide range of men's and women's Indian wear, and often can deliver more quickly than stores in India can
- Lashkaraa - U.S. based boutique for both women's and men's attire (also has faster delivery times)
-The Saree Room - Toronto-based boutique for women's Indian wear (also has faster delivery times)
- Cbazaar - mostly for women's attire
- Panash India - for women's and men's attire
Finally, you can definitely find interesting and budget friendly Indian designs on Amazon; while we don't have any personal experience with this, if an outfit has good reviews (especially reviews by Indians who can attest to embroidery and other quality standards!), it could also be a good option.
If I don't want to buy, where can I rent Indian clothes?
For guests that prefer not to buy Indian clothes, we recommend:
- Aayka (men's and women's attire)
-Borrow the Bazaar (women's attire)
-Saris and Things (men and women's attire);
-All Borrow (women's attire)
If I want to shop in the Bay Area, what are some stores I can go to?
- Ahlishan Collections (Berkeley) - reasonable pricing, lots of variety
- Sagar Exclusive (Sunnyvale) - reasonable pricing, good customer service
-Nalli (Fremont) - more traditional sarees and attire
-Swati Couture (Palo Alto) - high end boutique with women's formalwear
Tips for Shopping for Indian Wear
- Plan for long shipping times and potential delays: stores like Aza and Kalki have fantastic inventory (and are where E&M bought some of their outfits), but shipping to the U.S. often takes a month or more.
-Be aware of return policies: outfits are often handmade, so many stores in India have very short return periods, and usually don't allow returns for items that are custom made to your measurements.
Where can I park on the wedding day?
Option 1: Parking is available at the Capitol Crossing underground garage (250 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20001 - entrance at the intersection of 3rd St NW and G St. NW), which is a block away from the National Building Museum. To get the special E&M wedding rate, enter the garage and get a ticket as normal. Then, as you exit, insert our special validation ticket after the normal ticket and the price will reduce to $10. Please get the special validation ticket from Rohit & Gigi beforehand, or it will be available at the reception.
Option 2: Use this link to locate available parking near the National Building Museum. Please be sure to look at the time a garage closes, as our Wedding Reception ends at 12am (but there are several garages open 24/7 on this list).
Are there shuttles to the wedding?
Shuttles will depart the Royal Sonesta Capitol Hill at 3pm SHARP for the National Building Museum. Shuttles will cycle from the National Building Museum (from the main entrance on G St. NW) to the Royal Sonesta Capitol Hill at 11:30pm, 11:45pm, and 12:10am.
Places to grab a bite around the hotels/venue
Here are some options we love! All are generally less than 10-15 minute walks from the hotels.
Breakfast: Tatte, Buffalo and Bergen (amazing bagels), A Baked Joint, Bistro du Jour, Busboys and Poets
Lunch: Love, Makoto Japanese Food Hall, Union Market, Sundevich Sandwiches, Wiseguys Pizza, 2Fifty Barbecue, Republic Cantina
Dinner: Mandu, Alta Strada, Tonari, Kura Sushi, Present Company Public House, and tons of restaurants in the Gallery Place/Chinatown area (including Zaytinya, Oyamel, Rasika, Farmers and Distillers, and many more)
Bars: Denson Liquor Bar, Crimson Rooftop at the Motto, Dirty Habit
If you have free time in DC, these are some of our favorite places:
- Museums: all Smithsonian museums in DC are free! We love the Air & Space Museum (reserve a free ticket before you go), the National Gallery of Art East and West Wing, and the African American History and Culture Museum
- Markets: Eastern Market and Union Market have tons of cute shops, stalls, and cafes and are perfect for a chill afternoon. Also check out the Dupont Circle Farmer's Market on Sundays
- Breweries/Beer Gardens: DC has a ton of great local beer, and Elliott and Meghan frequent Hellbender Brewing Company, Red Bear Brewing, and Aslin Brewing on 14th Street.
- Tours: Congress is in session the week of our wedding, so if you are in town early you can reserve a free Capitol tour through your representative. While you're there, check out the Supreme Court and Library of Congress, which both offer public admission and self-guided tours.