Brides and grooms are pulling out all the stops when it comes to wedding wear. Conventional is passé, observes Asmita Aggarwal.
A lehenga with 3D embroidery sculpted on the bride, and paired with heirloom jewellery that's been given a personalised twist.
An asymmetrical bomber jacket with floral motifs for the adventurous groom. Or an exquisite sherwani teamed with limited-edition sneakers.
Brides and grooms are pulling out all the stops when it comes to wedding wear. Conventional is passé.
It's now all about personalisation and an expression of individuality -- however extraordinary it might appear.
Sample this: "A groom from Nagpur sent me an excel sheet of all his outfits -- he wore a sherwani with limited-edition Jordans and Travis Scott sneakers," says Delhi-based couturier Jatin Malik.
The biggest trend, both for the bride and the groom, is "being yourself", says the designer Karan Torani. "No one wants to be a copy-paste of a lookbook."
So, a minimalist bride might wear an off-white saree, but team it up with a satlada (seven-layered necklace), while a maximalist bride might don a multi-coloured lehenga. Torani has dressed the two extremes.
Wedding wear is also no longer a family decision. Hence, the unusual combos -- say, a purple lehenga with a rani pink or tangerine choli and blue odhani.
The modern bride is rewriting the rules, says designer Dolly J, suggesting the corset lehenga, which is daring and blends structure with flow.
Designer Gaurav Gupta believes brides are looking for a balance between a traditional and futuristic look.
Silhouettes are getting more sculpted and structured. "Our signature saree gowns and layered lehengas are enjoying the spotlight," he says.
Every bride wants something uniquely her own. "Some are drawn to bold statement hues like electric blue, lava red, malachite, and Bordeaux, which is our interpretation of a modern bridal palette," he adds. Others love the softness of sage gold or slate grey.
The cuts are sharper, often featuring intricate drapes or asymmetry, adding a sense of movement.
Embellishments are where tradition and innovation truly meet, with metallic accents, pearls, and 3D embroidery creating textures that feel almost like wearable art.
The theme of the wedding -- which can range from Sufi to Bollywood -- also demands that the ensembles be tailored accordingly.
Not everyone, though, favours wedding outfits to be a once-an-occasion wear.
Forever in vogue
Veteran designer Anita Dongre is more invested in timeless classics: "For me, couture is not about following fleeting trends, but embracing timelessness, things that hold meaning and value. I love seeing our brides restyle and rewear their wedding outfits, giving intricate craftsmanship a continued existence."
For grooms, muted tones like sage, beige and deep blue work beautifully in sherwanis or bandhgalas, she says.
Dongre's signature ink-blue bridal lehenga reimagined in the Rajasthani craft of gota-patti for brides has been a bestseller.
The world of bridal dressing is experiencing a renaissance of sorts, feels couturier Varun Bahl, with classic reds and pinks remaining timeless.
"Grooms are complementing these looks with stylish ivory sherwanis and bandhgalas, or tailored suits in classic black or navy, along with modern embroidery," he says. "Floral motifs and patchwork details are in the spotlight."
Malik, too, says that grooms prefer big, handpainted flowers on the sherwanis. "Earlier, we did lots of embroidery, but now it is not overpowering," he says.
The groom would rather go for a tapered look than wear a bulky sherwani. Brides, meanwhile, are going for shorter cholis.
Abhinav Mishra, a young couturier, finds grooms experimenting with layered bandhgalas, asymmetrical jackets and subtle metallic touches.
Brides, meanwhile, are embracing voluminous lehengas, bold necklines, zardozi, and mirror work.
"Soft pastels like blush pink and mint green are perfect for daytime, while jewel tones and rich embroidery bring the evening look to life," Mishra says.
A story to tell
Head-turning outfits alone aren't enough, though. They also need to tell a story -- of the bride and the groom.
If not the whole story, then at least their initials, says Rimzim Dadu who is known for crafting couture from unusual materials.
"It could be in the form of incorporating details in kaleeras or veils with the couple's initials embroidered," she says.
Besides this quirk, her experience is that grooms prefer minimalist embellishments and rich fabrics, with self-textured surfaces and crisp tailoring.
These could be sherwanis or even Nehru jackets with bundi kurta, or a suit or tuxedo for the sangeet and cocktails -- though some of them do get adventurous with the colour (to complement the bride's attire): Mint, watermelon, azure, alphonso yellow or salmon.
Designer Shruti Sancheti says that for the various wedding-related events, brides are opting for an array of looks: 20 kalidar lehenga, double saree (saree with a veil or dupatta), sharara (for the mehendi), embroidered gowns (for cocktails and sangeet), anarkalis, even the peplum top with pants, or a crop top with a flowing skirt.
"Daring bikini blouses, cutouts, and backless gowns are in," says Sancheti.
Also, couples no longer want to be tied down to the stage. They would rather be mingling and dancing.
So, some designers focus on lightweight, fluid silhouettes with embellishments placed in a manner to keep the couple comfortable.
"Zardozi, pitta, pearls, shaded sequins, mukaish, chikankari and crystals are timeless, but of late, there is demand for ektar, Udaipur danka and mirror work," says Sancheti.
At Roseroom by Isha Jajodia, the shift is towards comfort and simplicity through outfits that offer freedom of movement.
Breezy drapes and straight cuts reflect a minimalist approach. Lighter ball gowns in airy fabrics like tulle and organza allow ease.
"Mermaid and fit-and-flare designs are still in vogue, but with relaxed draping," says Jajodia.
"Traditional white is being joined with rose quartz, creating a serene, ethereal palette."
Enduring inheritance
Known to have worked with Sanjay Leela Bhansali on many 70 MM and small-screen projects, husband-wife duo Rimple and Harpreet Narula believe the biggest trend is repurposing heirloom pieces from their parents and grandparents.
"It is a heartwarming trend, which we are loving, because people are going back to their roots and want to keep connected with their ancestors and family," says Harpreet Narula, who is designing a wedding sherwani for a groom from a prominent Delhi family.
"He wants to wear his mother's old dupatta on his wedding day. We are refurbishing it, extending its length to convert it into a stole for the groom."
He is of the view that no matter how stunning an outfit is, the sentimental value of an heirloom garment is unparalleled.
Harpreet Narula encourages his clients to incorporate an old ghaghra belonging to their mother or grandmother, which they can pair with a modern choli and odhani.
"Sometimes a vintage dupatta can work as a great second drape over a new lehenga or saree," he says.
"An old Banarasi or Kanjivaram saree can be given a modern twist by teaming it up with a blazer or long jacket."
Timing is everything
Other than this, the outfits depend on whether it is a day wedding or night.
For day weddings, pastels, whites, gold and softer tones of reds and pinks are preferred, though the classic red and pomegranate retain their popularity.
"Pomegranate is a soft shade of red, which satisfies the desire to wear this colour as a bride, but it has a beautiful tonality of pink," says Rimple Narula.
The Narulas are known to draw inspiration from forgotten textiles. "The brides," says Rimple Narula, "have interlaced floral motifs, which we have drawn upon from archival Jacobean-era textile, and bejewelled necklines, which are referenced from Edwardian era."
"Something like handcrafted jaali work, drawn upon from pilgrim artefacts from our personal collection (put together through their travels), is much loved," adds Harpreet Narula.
As couples become increasingly involved in their big day, their designer wedding wear is beginning to carry their signature.
Asmita Aggarwal is a Delhi-based fashion writer who has been chronicling the dynamic world of Indian style for 32 years.
Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff.com
Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com
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