Am I being unreasonable to interfere with brides choice?

You were not unreasonable at all

It's not really a matter of opinion is it? Saying bridesmaids and guests don't wear wedding dresses to weddings is not 'opinion' it is fact. It is also not 'opinion' that weddings are significant events in Indian culture and that bride and her friends will make right tits of themselves in front of her new extended family. In fact I find it odd she didn't take any of her fiances sisters, mum, aunts etc with her to look at dresses as they would have been able to help

I think you absolutely did the right thing and it’s ultimately her choice to embarrass herself like this. I would have thought she’d have had some guidance from her fiancé’s family in truth, that perhaps her MIL or SIL to be if she has one could have helped. Anyway, you tried your best.

You tried to help, there's nothing more that can be done.

If her wedding is spoiled by this, she will look back and wish she'd listened to you!

I think there is a difference whether you are in the country or not.
Although I think the OP went too far I also hope that the bride consulted with the grooms family.

YADNBU. I don’t think many of the posters on here understand how big a deal this is. If they saw a group of Asian women in a bridal shop trying on big white wedding dresses to wear as guests to a wedding, I would very much hope they’d step in, and what you did is the equivalent.

It's easy to make mistakes if you don't know the culture. Years ago I knew an English woman who had worked as a midwife in Bangladesh. She bought a sari but didn't want anything too showy so bought a white one with a delicate trim. Everyone who saw her wear it was shocked and said 'why are you wearing that awful thing' because white was associated with death.

Hopefully.

Good for you, you were right and perhaps the bride will probably did realise once you left. You did the right thing.

YANBU

I agree with you OP. Cultural traditions here were trampled on not respected. You’re right, it would be like an English man marrying an Indian woman with her, and all her female friends and relations attending in a bridal gowns. The English family would dine out on the story for years.

I don’t think I would have got into an argument with the store owner over it.

But she may well end up following your advice because she’ll surely mention to her fiancee that there was a ‘mad woman who said all this stuff’ in the shop and it will all come out that you’re right.

Because it would look bloody stupid.

And look like the groom was marrying five women. His mates would laugh about it for years.

OP, you were being kind and did the right thing. The shopkeeper is horrible.

But there’s too much talk about the bride. What about the groom? If this sartorial absurdity turns out like it might, he’ll have to marry all of them, at the same time. It only takes a few additional words. But what a wedding night for him!

I hope he’s rich.😀

And deaf.😂

It would be hilarious 🤣

I would have been glad of your help. I’d have hated to embarrass my groom by getting the attire wrong. It would show absolutely no understanding of his culture.

YANBU. And you did your best to help.
The rest is on the bride to be.

Sounds like you were trying to stop someone from being scammed essentially. It was a kind thing to do but once someone has made up their mind, there isn’t really much you can do but graciously bow out.

You insult the bride’s intelligence by doing this. Has someone tied her down and forced her to buy these items? Is her hand zip tied to her phone and the shopkeeper looming over her to press a checkout button?

I bet no. I bet the group had come in for a good time and to have some fun trying on outfits for her wedding. What a lovely day and it’s gone ahead and been spoiled by someone interfering.

It’s up to the bride to research what she wants and does not want. She does not need a fairy godmother to pop out to save her from her shopping.

100% not your business. How uncomfortable for the bride and shoppers to be accosted by ‘helpful advice.’

The whole point of the post and the concern of the OP is that white wedding guests were planning on wearing outfits a bride would wear. A bit like you turning up as a wedding guest dressed in a white meringue.

OP, you were right.

Pretty sure that had an Asian family tried to buy 8 huge meringue bridal gowns all with veils and trains for the bride and bridesmaids someone would have said something

It’s not my place to have a problem with it. I would just think they think it looks nice, and why not?

You’re rude yourself. There’s no need to call the OP that. The OP does know because she’s from that culture and understands it, unlike the bride.

Really? You’d see 5 women walking down the aisle in white wedding gowns and you wouldn’t think anything ?

Why would I care if Asian bridesmaids wore Western bridal gowns?

A celebrity wedding where all the women wore white and all the men wore black and looked like they were going to a funeral? Hardly the norm is it.

Isn't this just an exception that proves the point that it would be unusual and attract attention?

This is a photo from Venus Williams' recent wedding

Edit: Google it if it didn't post, its lovely with bridesmaids in white dresses