The wedding season is upon us, so we decided to put together some ideas for brides, grooms and even bridesmaids.
For this bridal lookbook curated by designer Ritu Kumar, Tollywood actor Koel Mallick agreed to try out the ensembles.
The designer says, "The key pieces you should pick up are a traditional lehnga that we have, over the years, seen people not only wearing but also passing on to their grandchildren. I would add one traditional sari and then a fun gharara you can wear to someone else’s wedding later. Also, some contemporary cuts if your are going for a destination wedding… something lighter and easy to wear.
These are classic and traditional yet contemporary clothes that are not too heavy. That is the trend now for the younger generation. Nobody wants to be loaded with too much work. If you accessorise these clothes with a lot of jewellery, you can wear them for a wedding, but you can also wear them later if you style them differently. The brides are not going blingy. Many younger girls want to keep it subtle. The pastels we are doing now are the old vegetable colours. They don’t scream at you. They are not synthetic, wild colours and bring out the bride’s personality."
(To read about trends in bridal make-up, click here)
For the mehndi ceremony: A yellow and mehndi green outfit. Vibrant and fresh sum up this look. “The colour just makes the mood,” said Koel as she took a stroll by the JW Marriott Kolkata poolside in this Vistara anarkali. The forts of Rajasthan form the design inspiration for the outfit. Picture: Rashbehari Das
For the sangeet. Traditional but glam. The Sarvada embroidered jacket-kurta set has a light anarkali jazzed up with a heavy jacket. “It is a night look. You go contemporary and comfortable. The outfit has a beautiful fall… you can keep your hair and make-up minimal,” said Koel Picture: Rashbehari Das
For the wedding: A bridal coral-and-fuchsia silk lehnga, adorned with tikki and gold zari, teamed with strands of jade and kundan around Koel's neck and the traditional nath and borla. “Pinks and reds are beautiful,” said Koel Picture: Rashbehari Das
For the reception: Rich, traditional colours and silk, tikki and gold zari embroidery make this one gorgeous choice for the reception. “It is always great to get into a sari… a classic choice,” said Koel. The red roses on the loose bun add to the romanticism of the look. Picture: Rashbehari Das
Ritu Kumar Ritu Kumar
