Habesha Wedding Dresses & Ethiopian Bridal Kemis

Your habesha wedding dress, made for you

A wedding is when the tibeb comes into its own: fully worked bodices, deep embroidered hems, sheer sleeves and veils. Almost every piece we make is made to your measurements (standard sizes too) — we measure you in the studio, or you send your measurements from wherever you are — and we can design around your colours and your day.

An Ethiopian wedding is more than one day, and more than one dress. This page walks you through the looks for each part of the celebration, the bride’s kemis, the groom’s outfit and the bridal party, and how to plan your order so everything is ready in time.

For every part of the celebration

• The wedding day — a white kemis with statement tibeb, often paired with a veil or netela.
• Melse — the second-day celebration, where brides wear rich colour and bold embroidery.
• Ge’at and after — soft, celebratory looks for the days that follow.
• Bridesmaids and family — coordinated tibeb colours across the whole party, and matching outfits for the family.

The bride’s kemis

For the wedding day itself, the classic choice is white with tibeb that makes a statement: the Golden Tibeb Ballgown covers the bodice and cap sleeves in gold above a full skirt with a deep gold hem, while the Silver Cross Tibeb Habesha Gown pairs a strapless silver-grey bodice with a hem of crosses and arches. If you want colour at the neckline, the Coral Tibeb Off-Shoulder Wedding Kemis wraps the shoulders in coral tibeb, the Rose Tibeb Puff-Sleeve Bridal Kemis sets a sweetheart neckline above a wide rose and coral hem, and the Coral Tibeb Sheer-Sleeve Bridal Kemis adds sheer balloon sleeves and a long open overlay that moves as you walk.

Love a shape but not the colour? Tell us the tibeb colour, neckline or sleeve you have in mind and we will tell you what is possible for your date.

Melse and Ge’at

For the melse, brides wear rich colour and bold embroidery, like our Green & Gold Embroidered Melse Dress, shown with the matching Men’s Green Tibeb Wedding Outfit. For the Ge’at celebration, see the Coral Floral Ge’at Dress, with coral floral embroidery, sheer long sleeves and a flowing skirt.

For the groom: matching habesha libs

The groom’s outfit is made in the same studio as the bride’s, so the two can share one tibeb. In the Gold Bride & Groom Wedding Set, she wears a strapless gold-tibeb ballgown and he wears white with matching gold tibeb across the chest and shoulders. The Men’s Green Tibeb Wedding Outfit — a white shirt and trousers with green and gold tibeb — is shown beside that melse dress. See all our men’s habesha libs for shirts for the best men and the fathers too.

Bridesmaids and family

We can carry your colours across the whole party: bridesmaids in coordinated tibeb, mothers and sisters in kemis that complement the bride without matching her, and children in kids’ habesha dresses in the same colours. Tell us how many people you are dressing and what each of them will wear on which day, and we will suggest combinations. For parents, couples and kids, see our family matching habesha outfits.

Planning your wedding order

Bridal pieces take time to make well. Tell us your wedding date when you first message us and we will plan the fittings and delivery around it — in Addis Ababa, anywhere in Ethiopia by EMS, or abroad by DHL.

In Addis Ababa, you can book a time to be measured at our studio 1st floor, in front of The Nest Hotel, Haya Hulet. Prices are on request: we confirm the price, timing and delivery with you before you pay, by Telebirr, CBE Birr, bank transfer or cash.

Getting married abroad? See how to order from outside Ethiopia.

Wedding dress questions

What does an Ethiopian bride wear?

On the wedding day, an Ethiopian bride traditionally wears a white habesha kemis with statement tibeb, often with a veil or netela. For the melse and the days that follow, she changes into colourful looks with rich colour and bold embroidery. Many brides change outfits more than once across the celebration.

What is a melse dress?

The melse (መልስ) is the celebration that follows the wedding day, and a melse dress is the bride’s outfit for it. Where the wedding-day kemis is usually white, the melse is where brides wear rich colour and bold embroidery — like our Green & Gold Embroidered Melse Dress, which the groom can match.

Can you make matching bridesmaid and groom outfits?

Yes. We make the bride’s kemis, the groom’s habesha libs and the bridesmaids’ dresses in coordinated tibeb, each to that person’s measurements. See the Gold Bride & Groom Wedding Set for one example.

Can you ship a wedding kemis abroad?

Yes — we send wedding pieces worldwide by DHL. Send us your measurements and your wedding date, and we confirm the timing and delivery cost before you pay. Our guide explains how to order from outside Ethiopia.