The rounds to endless bridal wear stores have made me realize that it is not only the brides from the glamour industry who have evolved but the ones in the real world too have. Brides today are going for various looks and do not shy away from taking the path less travelled. The city stores sure do justice to these changing trends. Based on what I have observed, here are the 4 types of brides on the basis of the look they are opting to don for their D-day:
The Minimalistic Bride: A raging trend among brides these days is going for the minimalistic look. This in no way means that these brides-to-be do not dress up for their wedding day and other functions but they are choosing to go for a more muted look. The colour palette here plays a big role in highlighting the bride's choice. The reds and pinks of the lehenga or sari are replaced by the more subtle and elegant hues like blush, mauve, mint green, and ice blue. And no, these are not only limited to the pre-wedding celebrations but are also finding their way on the wedding day as brides are not shying away from sporting bridal trousseau in these shades. The detailing on the outfits is also well balanced as these brides smartly neutralize the jazz on the lehenga by pairing it up with a subtler and simpler blouse. For those opting for saris, the intricate detailing of zari work is mostly limited to the pallu of the sari and lower half of it. If the sari has more detailing, they play it down by teaming it with a blouse that is understated but stylish nevertheless
The Traditional Bride: Traditional never goes out of fashion. A bride opting for the traditional look likes the grandeur of every single detail. I have seen them naturally gravitate towards classic reds, maroons, and pinks. The saris, lehengas, ghagras they choose are defined by the ornate work which is nothing less than grand. The heavier the lehenga or sari the happier the bride! To add to the splendour of the outfit, the jewellery they choose is equally detailed and one-of-a-kind. The intricate work on the choker only amplifies the opulence of the look. Replete with ornate neck pieces, not one, of course, heavy dangling earrings, bangles, nath, maang-teeka and other statement pieces of jewellery, this bride surely knows how to reinstate traditional poise and exude elegance and exuberance.
The Bollywood-Inspired Bride: Every bride wants to make some sort of style statement on her big day, and this type chooses to do so by recreating a popular Bollywood look flaunted by her favourite diva. I have seen these brides-to-be show pictures of the look they aspire to recreate to the salesperson at various stores and ask if they have something similar. Now recreating these designs is also a thing and there are a number of stores where you can find replicas of popular looks. Some of these stores also recreate the look for you if they do not have a particular design or 'look' of your choice. The colour, design, and detailing of the outfit are quite similar to the look sported by the celebrity and these brides proudly flaunt their dream-look on their big day with oomph and finesse making heads turn.
The Modern Indian Bride: This one has the guts to experiment with her attire even on the day of her wedding! You will find the true modern Indian bride steer away from the regular colours as well as the regular outfits. They opt for what is trending and go the unconventional way. These days, pairing crop tops with regular or high-waist lehengas, teaming jackets with kurtis and skirts, donning sari gowns are in vogue. I'd like to term this one as the unconventional bride who knows how to stand out and make an individualistic style statement of her own. She wears her unique style with confidence and gracefully carries herself everywhere she goes.
As for me, we are still putting together all the looks for my soul sister's big day. In the meantime, if you are a bride-to-be or are in a place where I am, you will certainly be delighted by the collection that bridal wear retailers in Chandigarh have in store for you. Whatever your style mantra is, you will be flooded with options aplenty in this city.