It’s only a few weeks to her wedding and the Bride, a.k.a, your BFF is chatting with you.
Ah! Indian Weddings. They are always so…full of energy. Indian Weddings are like a festival with rituals and practices that vary across the country. But what we all have in common is the way we Indian ladies dress-up for occasions like this. Every specific function in an Indian Wedding deserves a special dress, whether the lovely lady is the bride herself or the sister of the bride, or the MIL or the BFF of the bride.
To pick out your dress for the Winter Weddings, you need a list of all the latest trends in fashion and accouterments.
And this is going to be that list.
The nuptial season has arrived. Yes, that means that it’s time to pick out some of the best outfits for a spectacular wedding, errm…I mean, your BFF’s wedding. To pick out a dress for an Indian wedding you need careful scrutiny, a keen sense of fashion and the know-all of the latest trends.
So that’s why FashionPro has a line-up of all things essential for this wedding season! Here you can find a checklist of all that you need in preparation for the big day. You can also get some handy, last-minute styling tips that you’ll thank me for later 🙂
Spare no expenses and leave no stone unturned while you have a fabulous time shopping for the latest wedding outfits with these tips in mind.
Outfit
Let’s start with the basics. When you have your outfit fixed, then the rest of them are easy to match up. This is like the foundation to your whole outlook for the wedding day. So make sure you pick out the perfect dress for yourself from our line up below 🙂
For the Sangeet – Crop-Top Lehengas
The latest in fashion trends are the bold crop top lehengas. Lehengas have been around for ages, but that doesn’t mean that we Indians don’t know how to spruce them up. Over the years, lehengas have transformed a lot and today they are every wedding-goer’s favourite pick-of-the-lot.
Go for a heavy-work lehenga from a range of materials (kancheevaram silk, cotton or soft silk) and match it with a contrasting crop top to give you the edge. You can even add statement jewellery, like this gorgeous neckpiece that Shilpa Shetty is wearing, with the plain royal blue blouse. The enormous ribbon at the back takes this simple outfit to the next level and makes it suitable for occasions like wedding parties. She sure knows how to dress up her outfit! Now, wouldn’t that look spectacular on the dance floor? 😉
For the reception – Gowns
Is it the Cinderella magic of the ballroom gown? Or is it the elegance and the royalty that the gown adds to the wearer? Well, whatever it is, gowns look stunning in a wedding. Gowns are all the rage in the Wedding Industry right now. So what better time to wear a gown than to your best friend’s reception? There is live music, titillating conversations and high spirits! ( if you know what I mean 😉 )
Choose a gown that accentuates your figure and keep it flowy. You want your gown to say, “I’m enchanting” in a subtle way. So choose a lovely pastel shade, with soft layers and slits.
For the Wedding – Saree/ Saree Gown
Deepika is setting some serious goals for us this wedding season. Her look for the Ambani pre-wedding party is an inspiration with its angelic white cut-out work saree and the divine golden border. The striking halter-neck blouse and the deep, dark color on her lips accentuate her beauty in this desirable wedding outfit.
Some pointers to remember when picking out your dress
- For the Sangeet, specifically choose an outfit that you are comfortable moving in. If you want to bust out your best moves, then your outfit has to co-operate!
- Avoid solid white because they might seem too dull for an Indian wedding (duh!) and solid black dresses for sentimental reasons. You don’t want Nana-ji to give you her sidelong looks, do you?
- Check with the bride and see if you aren’t overdressed. You don’t want to be Over-the-top and steal the Bride’s Thunder on her big day!
- Avoid casual clothes – if you have no other option then go for a saree. Even a simple saree looks appropriate in a wedding. But God forbid, don’t end up in jeans and tee-shirt. *eyeroll*
Jewellery
Today’s modern Brides are going for the more minimalistic designs and trends. We can see this in their jewellery as well. As for the bride’s bestie, it is best to stick to this trend and keep your jewellery to a minimum too. Go for singular statement pieces rather than chunky, multi-thread pieces. Read more about the jewellery trends below to get a fair idea of what you can wear.
Earrings
Jhumkas, Jhumkas, Jhumkas. There are so many designs and styles for this traditional earrings that they are easily the most versatile of all jewellery. Pair a set of simple oxidized silver jhumkas with your anarkali. Go for the heavy jhumka with the red-and-green stones for your saree look. Pick out a multi-tier jhumka for the pre-wedding party. Wear a simple gold hanging jhumka for the wedding. Or bring the grace to the dance floor with a flattering peacock jhumka for the sangeet. No matter what you choose, jhumkas are the quintessential style tip for this wedding season.
Maang Tikka
While the Bride may choose from a wide variety of Maang Tikkas – the over-sized maang tikka, the side-swept Jhoomer of the muslim bride or the conservative style of the South Indian bride with the one-tier matha patti – you, the best friend of the bride have some good choices too!
Check some of these styles of simple and elegant maang tikkas that can add a dash of charm to your wedding-day outfit. It would be wise to pick out a simple, single-thread gold or silver maang tikka that ends in a small pendant style borla.
If you’re still skeptical then look no further than our favourite tennis star – Sanya Mirza. Look how gorgeous she looks in her red lehenga! She added the maang tikka to balance out the heavy diamond choker, long necklace and earrings. Although simple, the maang tikka completed Sania’s look for her sister Anam Mirza’s wedding day.
Nose Ring
Nose rings are the rage in this wedding season. While the bride wears the traditional Bengali nose ring for her big day, you can complement the look with an equally stunning Nath, a Maharastrian nose pin design.
Mithila Palkar wears this utterly gorgeous Nath in the web series Little Things when she’s getting ready for her bestie’s wedding.
Some pointers to remember when picking out your jewellery
- Stick to the theme – silver, gold, rose-gold, temple jewellery, white stones – whatever style you pick, just stick to the theme and pick out all the jewellery along the same lines.
- Do not overdo. Sometimes with a large jhumka, you need not wear a neck piece. Remember that less is more, when it comes to jewellery.
- Jewellery colors need not always match your outfit colors. Think contrasting shades, think complementary shades, think out of the box. Try not to wear all-pink and end up like a flamingo at the party.
- Choose jewellery that fits your face shape and structure. If you have a big forehead, the maang tikka is perfect to adorn your forehead. In this way, choose jewellery that will actually add to your natural beauty.
Footwear
And to finish off your outfit with a flourish -shoes!!
It can be daunting to choose shoes for an Indian wedding. Should you wear heels or flats? Should you go for the traditional or the chic? Or should you pick comfort over style?
Here are some ideas from which you can draw inspiration and bring the glam to your feet.
Choose the right ‘tone’
The first thing you do is to check if the shoes match with the jewellery that you have chosen for your outfit. Here is a pair of studded, kitten-heel mojris that go perfectly well with the stones and pearls in the jhumkas. The rose-gold tone of the shoes also adds to the festivity. The gold tone also matches the gold highlights of the saree and complements it.
Traditional sandals
With all the running around to do during the wedding, heels are definitely not going to help you. For occasions like the actual wedding, choose a traditional sandal that you can pair with your outfit. These lovely embroidered designs will keep you glamorous and up on your feet all day! What more?! They come in a great variety of colors, designs and patterns – shopping for shoes just got a lot more exciting!!
Classic pumps
The most common but the most versatile of shoes are the pumps. These days pumps are available in all colors and with all embellishments to highlight your feet. Leave the golden and white pumps for the bride. You, the best friend, can get hot-red pumps or cute ones in pink and even a stunning midnight blue!
Some pointers to remember when picking out your footwear
- If you are not a heels type of girl then there are plenty of options. Don’t fret. You can wear ballet flats, or traditional sandals or kolhapuri sandals. Heels are not the only footwear for weddings.
- It might be a good idea to stretch out the heels by stuffing them with socks before the big day to make them more comfortable.
- Dance with heels ONLY if you are comfortable doing so.
- Find a go-to pair of shoes with a neutral tone and a style that you are comfortable with. You will not only be happy wearing these shoes to functions but also saving some money by not splurging on shoes that can be worn with only one outfit.
And that my dear friend, was your guide to picking and outfit and rocking it at your best friend’s wedding!