KOCHI: The ‘big fat’ Indian wedding never ceases to amuse. Elaborate rituals, glamorous outfits, glittering jewellery and grand feasts are what come to mind when thinking of a typical Indian wedding. Add truckloads of guests and a peppy jig to that list. Things, however, have begun to change. Many millennials believe that less is more these days, probably due to the pandemic effect. The trend of intimate celebrations, with slim guest lists, has caught on in Kerala, too.
That doesn’t mean couples and families are turning stingy. They prefer to splurge on personalised experiences, offbeat venues, themed decor, and exotic food, instead. “The trend of intimate weddings began to pick up with the start of the pandemic,” says Pooja Jijoe, co-founder of Unicorn Wedding Planners. “Many youngsters prefer a gathering of close-knit members.”
The demand for a simple, yet elegant and classy wedding has gone up. And there are western influences, irrespective of religion. “The decors are more subtle these days,” says Pooja. “Rustic weddings are in, where greens, pastel-shade florals, and wooden decors are used. The shift is seen in Hindu weddings, too, which are usually known for traditional decor.”
According to Pooja, there is an increasing focus on colour themes and floral arrangements. Roses, carnations, hydrangea, brassica, orchids and chrysanthemums are the trending flowers, she adds.
Pooja highlights the north Indian influence of holding mehendi, haldi and sangeet ceremonies, irrespective of religion. “In some cases, the weddings might not have any particular theme, but the pre-wedding functions would include themes such as neon party, disco ball, techno, and Moroccan,” she adds.
Bohemian themes
EventBae Wedding Planners CEO Lakshmi Vijay says some families spend lakhs on the theme alone. The Bohemian style, she adds, is a trending pick these days. “Beige hues, wooden accents, dried flowers, and pampas grass are some of the elements in a Boho-themed wedding,” she explains. “White weddings and ombre pastel colours in dusty blue, blush pink, and lavender grey are in, too. Nowadays, themes vary from Sabyasachi to Avatar movies.”
Wedding wear
While there are no big shake-ups when it comes to the groom’s attire, bridal wear changes every season. Even as vermillion red and hues such as maroon remain popular choices, there has been a surge in the demand for pastel hues, say stylists.
Saris in shades such as powder blue, peach, and nude pink, with fine cut beads, threadwork, mirror and floret sequins have a lot of takers, especially among Christians. Traditional Kanchipuram saris in not-so-common colours such as lavender, bronze, and mehendi green are also in vogue.
“There are takers for both dark and subtle shades such as mauve and mehendi green,” says designer and founder of Vedhika boutique, Maithri Srikant. “These days, monochrome saris too are in demand, as they go with any kind of jewellery.”
Maithri adds matte finish brocade, antique zari, and Kanchipuram saris with hand embroideries like Kutch and Kasuti designs are other elegant picks. In the case of lehengas, designer Arati Podi says, hues of ivories and subtle pastel shades with handworks including zardozi works, cut beads, pearl works, French notes and thread works are currently in high demand.
And when it comes to gowns, pastel handwork, long veils with unique customisations and oversized bows are favoured by brides, says Sonia Mathew of Kyra bridal boutique. “Owing to western influences, off-the-shoulder, sweetheart-styled gowns with jackets are also becoming more popular.”
Tuxedos, sherwanis with curated accessories and head wraps are the trending picks among grooms. Mundu and shirt or kurta, of course, remains an all-time classic.
Recreating the D-Day
The recreation of weddings has been gaining momentum for the past few years. The pandemic has played a significant role in it, says Shahid Bake, co-founder of the Thiruvananthapuram-based event management company, Maritus Events.
“Due to social distancing norms, weddings were livestreamed and the crowd was restricted to 20 during the first wave. Thus, many couples are holding post-wedding parties now,” he says.
Lekshmikanth P S, owner and photographer of Bespoke Wedding Photo Films, says some couples who want another special D-Day also go for the trend. “Sreesankar and Sagi from Kochi, who got married in 2005, wanted to recreate their wedding. During their 16th anniversary in 2021, we hosted their wedding at Varkala with their son.”
Makeup based on personality
When it comes to makeup, bridal choices are now dictated by one’s personality rather than conventions. “No-make-up look and dewy finish look is what is in vogue now. Winged eyes is another choice, to enhance, slight smokey eyeshadow, along with some shimmer is also preferred,” says makeup artist Unni P S. “For the groom, a slight touch-up to conceal the dark circles and brighten up the face is given.” In hairstyling for brides, sleek hair and the slight-messy bun are trending. “In lip shades, the not-so-nude brownish tone is in vogue; pinks seem to be out at the moment,” says Unni.
Blue rice, food trucks
Wedding feasts are witnessing some global infusion. “Chaat has become a favourite for many. Italian and Sushi, too, can be spotted at weddings these days,” says Sumeet Devarajan, manager of Paragon Caterings. “Food trucks are another hit.” When it comes to intimate weddings, a lot of culinary experimentation is seen. “Blue rice made with shankupushpam (Asian pigeonwings) is one of them,” says Sumeet.
Candid all the way
“People have understood that the real essence of their big day lies in organic, candid moments, where they are in their true selves,” says wedding photographer Jackson James. “Also, unlike traditional two-hour-long videos, five-minute shorts and 40-minute documentary-type videos are trending.”
Classy jewellery
Brides these days are opting for elegant, simple jewellery that can be worn even later on. Diamonds and polki jewellery, too, have been trending. “Over the past few months, there has been increasing demand for neutral colour stone pieces over pastel-shade ones,” says Aishwarya Nair, owner of Aria by Kollatt Jewellers. “Traditional Indian designs like Jadau, stones set in gold are ideal for those who seek a regal look. Redesigned traditional designs, too, have a lot of takers.” Kundan designs, temple jewellery, Mughal and Rajasthani kalamkari collections are the other preferred picks, say stylists.
Inputs from Arya U R