বেনারসি শাড়ি এত ভারী কেন?

The weight is the zari. Metallic thread — a metal-coated core, gold or silver in tested zari, a polymer in the cheaper kind — is far heavier than silk, and a full brocade Banarasi carries a great deal of it in the pallu and border. Add a cotton fall and a stitched blouse, and a bridal piece can weigh as much as a small bag.

That weight is also why it drapes so well and photographs so richly. A bride has help and a chair; a guest does not, so for a long evening choose a lighter Katan or a soft silk with a narrower border. Try a heavy saree on and walk in it before the day.