2022 marks the return of grand weddings yet with a nuanced approach to opulence and glamour. Simplicity, today, is the ultimate form of self-expression as the subtle aesthetic has its own charm and grace. And, the Indian bride seems to be embracing this new look. So, let us welcome the new spell of serenity!
The renewed interest in slow living and conscious consumerism and sustainable choices has induced a big shift in mindsets. Social media feeds have been flooded with everyone showing great love for the simple joys of life, time spent with family and reaffirming the values of warmth, intimacy and compassion. With personal life gaining greater glory, the shift was visible at weddings too, with the grand giving way to the intimate. Instead of going for traditional choices brides-to-be are now rewriting the rules of bridal fashion – the most exuberant example being actor Alia Bhatt. The Gangubai Kathiawadi actor rocked an ivory and gold ensemble for her wedding, which made her look dewy-fresh, ethereal and yet royal. The understated attires with fine details work better than something extravagant. Shades of red have always dominated the Indian wedding market. However, brides today are disrupting that by opting for unconventional tones, even settling for shades of yellow, blue and lilac. Subtle-toned lehengas in hues of white, gold and neutrals is the latest summer wedding trend if one wants to give their attire a new dimension while keeping it timeless at the same time. Fashion designer Mahima Mahajan, a firm believer in comfort, says, “For summer, we prefer our brides to look fresh and radiant. Trendy cut-out blouses, breezy Anarkalis and lightweight lehengas work best in the season. Our wedding collection ‘Izhaar’ saw beautiful heavy-looking lehengas, which were super light in weight but still gave a bridal feel in terms of the colours and embroideries. Pastels work pretty well but so does hot pink and sindoori red for a refreshing summer look.”
Flower Power:
Summer weddings are synonymous with florals. Flower power is unbeatable! Florals can never go out of style. It is a must-have in the festive, occasion wear and the bridal wardrobe. Hand-painted floral patterns, floral block prints, and embroidered floral motifs will continue to accentuate weddings and pre-wedding functions like mehendi, haldi, or sangeet night this season.
Abandon the traditional blouse for a while. Don’t shy away from donning dramatic trails and unconventional hues.
Dolly J
Summer is and should be about natural soft airy textiles and extending it to creating comfortable attire for brides through various ceremonies.
– ANAVILA MISRA
Add a cool breeze in the summer heat with soft pastels. This season, pastels are back but with a colour twist. It’s no more the shades of soft pink, peach, and green. Instead, it’s more of the washed out and softer hues of blue, lilac, and offbeat shades like grey that are all set to become the new crush this summer.
Bollywood For the ‘Gram
With celebs embracing shararas on their Instagram feeds, we are convinced that sharara suit sets and dresses are sure to be a rage this wedding season. “This summer, make a style statement with sculpted bustiers. Abandon the traditional blouse for a while. Don’t shy away from donning dramatic trails and unconventional hues”, says designer Dolly J. Shararas are equally stylish and sassy as they are high in comfort quotient making them a go-to for brides. Ranging from layered to wide-flared, shararas are for women who would love to embrace this royal signature that has been reinterpreted with diverse elements.
Ivory – The Moonlit Hue
Ivory is the perfect neutral (almost like black) and it stands the test of time. Its modern and luxurious appeal speaks of rawness and versatility. The love for ivory is echoed by several couturiers such as Anita Dongre, Anamika Khanna, Tarun Tahiliani, Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Manish Malhotra, Rahul Mishra, Falguni Shane Peacock, among others. Ivory serves as the perfect canvas to mix different influences together. You can go for an ivory organza sari and pair it with a traditional weave, be it a blouse or a dupatta. Although you can incorporate a hint of contrasting colour, yet a head-to-toe ivory outfit makes for the perfect look. As a palette, it also lets you mix and match your jewellery as you wish. Layer diamonds with polki, or temple jewellery with pearls; it will all add an element of freshness to your look.
Fun Ruffles
Looking to add some fun element to your bridal lehenga? Go for beautiful ruffles and frills to put up a spectacular show. It gives an artistic twist to minimalist lehenga designs, and accentuates your ethnic ensemble to create a stylish wave. Ruffles create a magical and magnificent look and thus have been a trend that brides love. A light ruffled lehenga on your
For summer, we prefer our brides to look fresh and radiant.
– MAHIMA MAHAJAN
engagement or wedding will give some real fashion inspiration to your bridesmaids. The magical wave-like formations lend an air of whimsy and creativity, while adding a facet of flamboyance. Ruffles are good for making a cool-yet-feminine statement, which is why it’s a favourite with millennials. A light ruffled lehenga on your engagement or wedding will give some real fashion inspiration to your bridesmaids.
Indian bridal fashion is becoming more and more of an art form. The contemporary bride loves to experiment with a plethora of designs to transform into a gorgeous muse. If you are looking for that perfect wedding lehenga, go for feathers, which are a rage this year! Chic, sassy and whimsical, fur and feathers are a delightful trend that is here to stay. You can flaunt a feathery detail on your blouse shoulders, or at the bottom of your lehenga skirt.
Cascading and flowy capes
An elegant addition to your bridal lehengas are capes. Be the rebellious one avoiding the hassles of keeping a check on the cape every now and then by adorning a gorgeous above knee-length cape with your bridal outfit. This low-on-maintenance style of the outfit is a perfect hack to be comfortable yet whimsical at your destination wedding.
If you are set for your summer wedding you wouldn’t want to be weighed down by the heavy lehengas. Embroidery is one of India’s most amazing crafts and part of its cultural heritage that will come to your rescue. When weaved in an outfit, it elevates the traditional aesthetics and exudes elegance. Lightweight embroidered lehengas are becoming the bride’s favourite as they bring together the best of both comfort and beauty. Go for fabrics like chiffon, georgette, tulle, organza and Kota. As lightweight embroidered lehengas give a more breezy feel to the look, they are the perfect choice for summer celebrations.
Plunging necklines
Add a touch of that extra drama to your wedding outfit with extravagant plunging necklines and ooze oomph on your big day. Deep necklines add attention to your beautifully designed blouse and also exude glamour from every single angle. Brides have made it their personal choice as it makes them stand out. If you want to flaunt your sculpted body in a bridal lehenga, then go for plunging sweetheart necklines and fashion your own fairytale with sass and swag.
This summer for silhouettes, it’s wise to stick to the classics by adding a hint of modern flair. An organza or lightweight Chanderi silk lehenga is a better pick than a much heavier outfit. Gorgeously handcrafted monotone pieces work only if the silhouettes are flattering.
Wedding ceremonies will mostly be dominated by traditional wear as it has been year after year, but one can always give it a contemporary twist and summer 2022 is all about it. “Summer is and should be about natural soft airy textiles and extending it to creating comfortable attire for brides through various ceremonies. Be it soft silk zari or khadi and linen jamdani, natural textiles add nostalgia and intimacy to the occasion of being done right”, says designer Anavila Misra. Brides, while picking outfits, should primarily look for comfort and choose silhouettes and colours that they find flattering and most confident in.