Go gossamer and light: What the bride should wear this wedding season

The countdown to the wedding season has begun, and brides-to-be might have started planning their wedding wardrobe. Do traditional lehengas deftly weaving India’s textile traditions still dominate styles in bridal wear, or are flowing western gowns the thing now? Business Standard spoke to three of India’s top designers — Ritu Kumar, Gaurav Gupta and Tarun Tahiliani — and sought for prospective brides their advice on how to choose the best wedding outfit. Here’s what they say should be the things to keep in mind.

Red has always been considered the most auspicious colour for brides. The classic continues to rule: For Tarun Tahiliani, the traditional red of the sindoor, the symbolic culmination of marriage, will always be in. However, “within the reds, shades tend to get much brighter and more vibrant, compared with dark maroons and burgundies that were in trend a couple of years ago”.

Tahiliani feels another option that is quite a rage is the sophisticated pastel with a soft vintage look —the pale pink, the blush, the many shades of gold, orion, and ivory. They look spectacular on every skin.

How you look on social media is the touchstone these days for how you dress, and weddings are no exception. “Colour choices are unwittingly determined by what looks good on Instagram,” says Tahiliani. “A lot of contrast and multicolour always works well. Monochromatic shades might be exquisite and subtle to the eye, but they lose their detail on tiny mobile screens.”

Gone are the times of brides being buried under the weight of their own lavish lehengas. Minimalism is an emerging theme and a thing to bear in mind for brides selecting their bridal outfits, even jewellery. According to Ritu Kumar, “the focus has shifted from heavy embellished designs to minimalistic ones. Every bride must enjoy her wedding. The focus is now moving from just looking beautiful to having a wonderful time while looking beautiful. This leads to an obvious shift in outfit selection.”

Silhouettes are getting more real and practical. While the classics never go out of style — lehengas and saris will always be in fashion — it’s jackets over lehengas and velvet shalwars that are having their moment in the sun again.

A westernised or “east meets west” aesthetic sense is also gaining ground, says Gaurav Gupta. Traditional colours, styles and silhouettes are something people are departing from. Gupta feels an Indian contemporary global bride wants to wear her personality and also what she aspires to be. Customers are moving away from traditional reds and rani pinks, and experimenting with unconventional colours like green gray, champagne, silvers and even ecru.

Gupta advises that while building a bridal trousseau, one should add styles like voluminous organza lehenga skirts, cascading saree lehengas and saree gowns. These could also be worn beyond wedding festivities. The designer corseted sarees are a hit, as they are super light on the dance floor, and their dramatic bustles add a whole new dimension to the evening look. These pieces balance the dramatic, with the functional. Many of these designs are being showcased at the ongoing Vogue Wedding Show 2019 at Taj Palace in New Delhi.

Over the years, the lehenga has been a preferred bridal dress at Indian weddings. But even as it looks stunning, it is only a one-time affair, feel some. A saree, on the other hand, could be worn again. Designers have been putting a lot of emphasis on the fact that wedding wear should not be just a one-time wear. Look at your wedding lehenga like a piece of investment, advises Ritu Kumar, “something you can wear again in different ways and perhaps use some of its elements separately as well”.

Pair your lehenga with a straight or draped shirt instead of a classic choli, says Tahiliani, who has been a proponent of brides reusing their outfits. For example, you could reuse your dupattas and veils by throwing them over kurtas or even contemporary pieces that you want to make a little more traditional.

A bridal look is incomplete without jewellery and accessories. Traditionally, most jewellery is handed down from one generation to another and brides wear their heirloom pieces with pride. But some of the new buys could include trendier pieces, such as a baazu-bandh or a hath-phool. If new jewellery is being purchased, you could match the outfit with the jewellery. But the rules are changing — be experimental; you could mix and match and contrast as much as possible. Good old diamonds are back and statement diamond danglers, chokers and cocktail rings are all that a bride needs.

Gaurav Gupta says: “I think wearable yet delicate diamond jewellery is going to be a big trend this season. One should invest in an all-cut diamond set with matching earrings. The bride is photographed non-stop during the festivities and directing attention to her face and neck is a great way to make her eyes sparkle and bring her look alive.”

Wearing colour-coordinated wedding outfits is the norm these days. Not only do coordinated couples stand out from the crowd but they also get photographed better! If both bride and groom are wearing traditional, the man tries to match his achkan to the colour of the bride’s lehenga. Grooms normally try to match their pagdis (turbans), and when they’re wearing a suit, they match a tie or a pocket square with the brides’ outfits.

The bride must prepare a few months in advance. Says Ritu Kumar: “A bride should keep at least 3-5 months in hand if she wants to have a customised piece for her own, of her choice.” August has set in and the high streets are also ready with latest fashions and wedding shows, such as the Vogue Wedding Show 2019.

Finally, every bride must look for something that is gossamer and light. According to Tarun Tahiliani, “I think women today are more educated and aware. They understand that they don’t need to suffer at their wedding to look good. They are true to their personalities and carry themselves with grace, against an over-embellished showpiece of yore. Ease is seeping into the bridal market.”

What’s Trending

• From heavy embellished designs to minimalistic designs in jewellery and lehengas
• Classic red as well as unusual colours like purple, royal blue, olive, orange and wine
• Lehengas with western elements – feather accents, fringes, poufy sleeves, appliqué, bustiers, strapless choli
• Diamonds are back
• Wedding lehenga must be a piece of investment that can be re-used later