Weddings in India are grand celebrations filled with love, tradition, and elaborate fashion, but sometimes, the bridal lehenga itself becomes the centre of controversy. A recent wedding in Panipat, Haryana, took a dramatic turn when a disagreement over the bride’s lehenga escalated into a full-blown conflict, ultimately leading to the wedding being called off.

The chaos unfolded on February 23, 2025, when a groom from Amritsar arrived in Panipat with his baraat, expecting a seamless ceremony. However, tensions flared when the bride’s family objected to the lehenga brought by the groom’s side, insisting she wear the one they had purchased from Chandni Chowk for ₹40,000. The disagreement quickly spiraled out of control, with both families trading accusations and tempers running high.
The groom’s family alleged in an interview to ETV Bharat that the bride’s relatives kept increasing their demands, initially requesting a lehenga worth ₹20,000 before insisting on a more expensive one. They also claimed that the bride’s family pressured them into the marriage and demanded costly gifts. On the other hand, the bride’s mother, a widow struggling to make ends meet, accused the groom’s family of failing to provide even the most basic wedding essentials, including garlands, and bringing artificial jewellery instead of gold.

As tensions escalated, the situation turned violent when a guest allegedly pulled out a sword, throwing the wedding into complete chaos. The police had to intervene to restore order, but by then, the damage was done, the marriage was officially called off, leaving both families with nothing but bitter memories.

What should have been a joyous celebration became a cautionary tale of how a seemingly simple outfit choice can unravel an entire wedding. In the world of grand Indian weddings, it turns out that the bridal lehenga isn’t just a garment, it’s a statement, and sometimes, a battleground.