Marriages are made in heaven, but weddings are made on earth by experts. They plot and plan to create the perfect nuptials for the Big Day based on the tales their clients tell them about countries and locations that are dream destinations, the foods they fell for, outrageous gigabytes of dear memories that filled up their phone albums and the colours that have stayed fresh in their minds. Brides and bridegrooms have a keen sense of right and wrong for the world they will share together, and are au courant with all issues of significance. Sustainability, low wastage and ecologically consciousness behaviour are wedding trends. However, there is no way grandeur, glamour and opulence will be compromised.
Experts are employing a keen attention towards detail, unique ideas, the best of Indian heritage and, of course, global chic. They are experimenting with themes and palettes that have, until now, been out of the ambit of weddings by maximising the use of natural materials, showing an inclination towards aesthetics that showcase the versatility of design and sartorial choices that reflect intimate personal choices while looking spectacularly rich in colour and cut. Here’s a lowdown on marrying thoughtfully this season, but with style.
SHOW WITH SUSTAINABILITY
Reuse. Says scenographer and space designer Sumant Jayakrishnan, who has always preferred working with lightweight materials such as paper, threads, chatai and ribbons. They look voluminous, which is an illusion. “I’m fascinated with bamboo since it is a natural and sustainable material. The trick is to not chuck it after one event. Bamboo installations can be stored and later reused even after they are taken down. We have used polyester film as the surfacing on metals and frames.
These, too, can be reused as many times as you want. Once, they fray, we also know a source to recycle them.” Another great option is to incorporate artificial flowers in the arrangements for colour and variety. “The budgets are lower this season. The reason for this could be a combination of the approach or the economy. But details in design continue to rule. The scale is different but it is a change in perception. The atmosphere is a clever fusion of contemporary Indian rendered through a global prism,” he says.
Anika Dhawan Gupta, founder and creative director of top wedding décor company Rani Pink, says today’s generation is discerning and informed. “Weddings are big celebrations for every Indian family. However, the huge scale of festivities cause wastage and put environmental concerns on the backburner through overdoing food quantity, excess energy consumption and noise pollution. Being conscious of your surroundings and innovative ideas can help prevent such ostentation,” she believes.
Industry experts feel the overt use of fabric in wedding décor is now redundant. In case it is a must, they recommend natural fabrics. Opt for Indian flowers such as the mogra, champa, marigold and roses instead of importing pricey orchids and hydrangeas. Use green leaves as accoutrements to freshen things up. Send out e-invites instead of wasting money and precious tree bark. Says Dhawan Gupta, “If a family still wants cards, recyclable and reusable papers are best.” Rigidity is passe. 2019-2020 is about going traditional with old-school uruli brass thaalis filled with flowers, diyas, mithaai, supari and gundi paan.
• Shun excessive fabric
• Go ethnic Indian
• Avoid waste
• Reuse
• Incorporate light materials and artificial flowers
BACK TO BOLLYWOOD
Celebrity weddings as ever continue to trend this season too. Girls are still picking the soft peachy Anushka Sharma look or Deepika Padukone’s gold and red extravagance. Couturier Varun Bahl’s turquoise blue lehenga set, handcrafted with pearl beads, zardosi and silk flossed threads became a bestseller after superstar Rajinikanth’s daughter Aishwarya wore it at one of her wedding functions. Falguni and Shane Peacock, whose creations are worn by international celebrities, have brides asking them for a Beyonce look. “Dramatic ball gown lehengas in gleaming metallic gold, silver, grey and pewter are in-things,” says Falguni.Mumbai-based jewellery designer Farah Khan has had clients seeking a recreation of Veere Di Wedding’s bijoux look. “Bollywood is a top draw. But get the inspired pieces customised. This year I had a young girl wait for three months to get her set designed. Personalisation reigns. And, bold colours!”
• Girls love delicate peaches and pinks
• Bright rich hues reign
• Be inspired by Bollywood but personalise the looks
SOCIAL MEDIA SCRAPBOOK
The visual encyclopaedia called social media is the prime director of the Great Indian Wedding scenario. It is a referral space for to-be-weds who create their own mood boards on their iPhones and Android mobiles. They systematically plan with great detail on how to create their preferred look which is uploaded on their pages. From choosing hashtags to designing layouts in order to garner more likes and views, the wedding carnival has moved to the fairground of modern vogue. Designer Tarun Tahiliani feels that colour choices in wedding outfits are also unwittingly determined by Instagram. “There is a plethora of inspirations out there, plenty of contrasts and multicolours,” he quips. So, keep a tab.
Such inspirations abound on Pinterest and Instagram where wedding posts and international wedding themes give you a clear picture to plan the décor. “For Sonam Kapoor’s wedding, details were given prime importance in the design. Suitable moods and themes were created to heighten the experience for each event. We travelled all over India to source for our creations. Everyone in Sonam’s family has a brilliant sense of style, from which we learnt immensely. It was a well-researched project. This year, clients trooped in with e-posts and vignettes from that wedding and wanted something on those lines for thesmelves,” says Dhawan Gupta. “Selfie booths are de rigeur. They are self-assisted, too. These interactive booths come with boomerangs!” remarks Saakshi Manchandani of event planning company, Saaque. Don’t forget to collect your polaroids, people.
Constant Instagram and Facebook updates in the realm of design and technology propel people to push the envelope of unconventionality. What about giving precedence to cutting-edge contraptions such as LED lights and other scintillating effects over the usual? Says wedding planner Neeta Raheja, “Youngsters discourage the use of heavy fabrics in décor now. Typical reds and pinks have moved out. I’ve used dreamcatchers and teapots as unique props. People also prefer discotheque themes, offbeat hues and black and white embellishments. In short, what was a strict no-no once, is hot and happening today.”
• Prepare your own wedding scrapbook with inspirations from Instagram and Pinterest
• Include modern interventions such as lights and special effects
• A selfie booth is a must
• Ask for innovative highlights to add to the fun
TROUSSEAU TALK
Comfort is key, says Tahiliani. “Girls today are more confident, emancipated and educated. They want to look great, but comfort is crucial. Hence, the lehenga must be light. This year a special from us is the Kashida Fresco which features a sari and a lehenga to form a ‘lehenga sari’. While the entire collection is a testimony to the craft that has gone into it, it is one of my personal favourites. As for trends, two prominent ones inevitably emerge during weddings: Sophisticated pastels with the soft vintage look focus on pale pinks, blush, golds, aqua and ivory. The other is the traditional red, emanating from the sindoor, a symbolic culmination of marriage. The reds this year are brighter as opposed to the previous dark maroons and burgundies.”
Celebrated for her impeccable embroidery on vintage timelessness, wedding looks by Pallavi Jaikishan are primarily red and pink in 12- and 18-kali lehengas with one-taar petit point cross stitch. The glimmer comes from antique baadla work and the French cords with sequins. Evidently, reds are back with a bang this season. With a smattering of metallics and pastels. Anju Modi’s brides are turning to reds with gusto. “Taking a leaf out of the lookbook that features Aditi Rao Hydari in resplendent red, I recommend a sindoori turn for blushing brides,” says the fashion designer, adding, “The mood is remarkably different from last year’s, when brides wanted mute sage greens and salmon pinks.”
Varun Bahl’s wedding collection, The Garden of Paradise, in alluring velvets, raw silks, Chinese silks and georgette, is an eclectic mix of ivory, gold, coral with hints of mint green. But keeping tradition in mind, he has special creations in reds, mustard and yellow, embellished with intricate embroidery, broken kali and incomplete motifs which allude to paradoxical beauty.
The play of gold and silver is seen in the creations of Falguni and Shane Peacock. For instance, they created a light golden lehenga which showcased a whole embroidered story of birds, butterflies, elephants and more for a particular bride. “It was a modern lehenga with intrinsic Indianness. This season we are playing with colours through these surface elements,” explains Shane. Sartorially, gleam in gold or go ravishing red.
• Reds rule
• Golds gleam
• Kalidar lehengas and ballroom lehengas are dramatic
• Ask for antique and intricate embroidery
BOX OF BIJOUTERIE
Trendy tinkets known for delicacy over value are exquisitely intimate affairs that make up select statement pieces. These are handcrafted keeping heirloom traditions in mind but have a contemporary spin for sense with sensibility. A bride-to-be requested jewellery designer Sunita Shekhawat to create a neckpiece incorporating the different hues of meenakari. “It took us five months to put all the elements together, with 12 shades of enamelling. In order for her to reuse and restyle it from time and time, we made the ornament detachable and reversible. It was a unique experiment,” says Shekhawat.
One of Neety Singh’s clients, demanded yellow polki.
“We put added citrine and rose quartz to the material. It was an unconventional bridal set but then girls now think of both wearability and layered jewellery. Many of them have a penchant for pastels. Neety Singh Jewellery is known for its personal touch. So, be it the softer palette or the bold Indian antique look in gold and coloured stones, I ensure that every bride gets her special look on her Big Day. And yes, a Navratan set is a must,” says the jewellery designer.
The importance of versatility is reiterated by Deepak Mehra, managing director at AKM Mehrasons, “We keep in mind that our clients wish to wear their jewellery again and again styled differently for different occasions. I notice that brides have developed a predilection for layering. A customer wanted us to create an appearnce inspired by Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s temple jewellery look.” Priti Kharkia and Poonam Gupta, founders, Diamond Constellations, say, “Handcrafted motifs with Russian emerald and uncut polki. Bird and floral motifs are quite a favourite since they complement the couture trends of today. Precious stones in pastel colours are quite in.”
Bold colours are in vogue, says Farah Khan. Neons, electric blues on yellow as well as white gold married with diamonds and polki make a flamboyant statement for any bride. “She can team it with her lehenga and later club the pieces with gowns and gossamer saris,” the jewellery designer says.
• Try bright colours and versatile pieces
• Layer pieces together
• Navratan are a must, so is minakari
• Personalise the ornament
diva’s day
Cory Walia, makeup expert, MyGlamm, says the trend this year is largely versatile as brides are looking at exploring the freedom to wear colours and let go of the stereotypical and clichéd shades. “It’s about minimal but elegant look that highlights only one feature like playing up the eyes in bold colours, while opting for subtle lip tones. As far as hairstyles are concerned, it’s about a sort of rebellion, but at the same time, it shouldn’t appear too forced. It’s about individuality and not conforming to a typical bridal look.” He, however, emphasises that brides should not follow trends blindly, egged on by friends or Instagram feed. ‘Creating your own look’ is what he suggests.
Adhuna Bhabani, founder and creative director, BBLUNT, couldn’t agree more. “Don’t copy anyone else’s style, stick to what looks good on you,” she suggests. She votes for the natural, soft, glossy look. Arm yourself with the right hair care and styling arsenal; and go for the tried and tested look, just a more polished version of that, she advises. For the groom, she says, “Men should get their hair snipped, if required, a week before the big day.” Also, keeping bangs and fringes at bay is her mantra for the perfect bridal look, after all no one would want stubborn flicks standing up on their wedding day.
The ‘no makeup’ look is in and heavy contour is out. “It is better to achieve a sun-kissed look by a matte bronzer. Monotone looks like the pink-toned makeup for lids and lips is flattering for all skin tones. A sharp-winged liner looks edgy and gives a bolder look or else one can go for an unfinished eyeliner that looks trendy. Adding a metallic touch can make the eyes look bold and vivid. One can also use shimmering eye shadows,” says Pooja Malhotra, Customer Experience Trainer of global makeup brand Kiko Milano. She stresses the timelessness of the classic red lips, and adds that heavy foundation is a big no-no as are overly perfect brows. Rather than the highlighter, focusing on good skincare for radiant skin, is
her advice. Naina Ruhail, co-founder, Vanity Wagon, agrees that naturally flushed, dewy and even tones is the look to go for. “Makeup this season is all about nude and minimalistic looks. Even eye makeup is moving back to classic eyeliners and subtle colours,” she says and advises that brides must strike down heavy base. “Instead choose light-weight and natural tints for the base,” she adds.
• Ditch stereotypical and clichéd shades
• Don’t copy styles blindly
• Go for the ‘no makeup’ look
• Naturally flushed, dewy and even tones
SHAADI SCENES
The modern mates are deeply into atmosphere. Read an old British colonial summer palace or a stunning haveli with an oversized courtyard. Maybe a yesteryear Kolkata mansion with red floors, French style windows and expansive verandahs. Some even get hitched on a cruise, or on a boathouse in Kerala backwaters.
Young Indian globetrotters are exposed to the best in art and architecture, says Jayakrishnan. “Sangeet and cocktail sets today are chic, contemporary and elegant. They are like cool clubs. Everyone goes to the best places in the world. Contemporary mythologies are mixing. They might combine elements of the Mahabharata and the Game of Thrones seeking something spectacular. Weddings have art installations with a very unique and innovative touch. Clients are plumping for architecture on a grand scale, which showcases India in a new format.”
Dhawan Gupta points out that to-be-weds want home connect in the mise en scene which is a fusion of different cultural experiences on a singular design mood board. “Their colour themes would be ivory, blush and tomato red accompanied by rose gold, indigo blue and bougainvillea pink,” she says. Focus on print on print, outlier flooring patterns, wild flowers, rustic wrought iron chandeliers, blue pottery, cane furniture et al. Echoing Dhawan Gupta’s wedding views, the recommendation is to add champa flowers everywhere.
Or, as Raheja says, fresh roses and mogra, accentuated with scented candles. How about perennial Indian favourites jasmine and yellow marigolds? Bahal’s wedding décor company Aurum is using lilies to complement art nouveau setups, baroque walls, glass ceilings and wrought iron chandeliers. Have sustainability in mind? Replace exotic and pricey imported flowers with green leaves.
Layering, not just in clothes and jewellery, but also in décor is a crucial concept in wedding this season. A comprehensive design element is made by the culmination of a mix of fabrics, accessories and structural gradation. Play with prop-oriented, theme-based design stories. For instance, if it’s Awadh meets Jaisalmer, ask the decorator for Jaisalmer tents and pair them with custom-created Jama Masjid archetypal arches. Use natural mul and muslin fabrics for regal ostentation.
Emphasises Manchandani, “Stage designs incorporate raw structures, usually wooden and highlighted by vintage accents. Heavy fabric is so last year. Instead, coloured flowers and greens have entered the setting. Thick floral fabrication with loosely tied ends is beautiful. Earlier people used to be obsessed with imported flower arrangements, especially hydrangeas for wall spreads. Now it’s marigold and mogra.”
• Use natural fabrics
• Let Indian flowers lend their beauty
• Focus on print on print
• Play around with green leaves
• Recreate interesting
architectural styles
• Showcase the contemporary Indian aesthetics
Groom glam
Go classic for the Big Day with ornate sherwanis. Pick colours such as grey, peach, mint green and mauve. Or do the regular look in wine, teal, antique gold and white. Experiment with layering with a waist belt, Nehru jacket, or go for printed patterns, asymmetric silhouette, bundis and embroidered shawls. Keep the embellishment on the sherwani subtle.
You wouldn’t want to steal the thunder from the bride. Remember Ranveer Singh in a swirling anarkali for his mehendi? Well, if you are tall and have those enviable shoulders, go for it. Otherwise, go the fusion route for your sangeet and other functions. Try printed or florals jackets, dhoti pants, and draped kurtas in bold colours. “Florals and prints work very well for destination weddings. Because, mostly the clothes are fitted to themes. But otherwise, for mehendi we recommend pathanis with fun jackets and kurta pajama with smart bundis and jackets for the sangeet,” says menswear designer Pawan Sachdeva.
Wedding couturier and magician-of-sorts Sabyasachi Mukherjee has a gamut of floral print options for the dishy groom. Cocktails are for the chic do. Tuxedos, three-piece suits, classic, draped suits and vest coats. “A well-tailored tuxedo with a waist sash is still the best bet,” says Sachdeva. Put your best foot forward with zardosi slip-ons and embroidered loafers. Comfortable yet dressy. A classic assortment of zardosi slip-ons for men. Tabby Bhatia, founder, Bareskin, says, “Our latest wedding collection is a perfect blend of classic and traditional notes to augment the Indian fashion game for grooms.” For the formal cocktails, however, nothing cuts a more dapper figure than those shiny black or brown leather handmade shoes.
• Ornate sherwanis in grey, peach, mint green and mauve
• Experiment with layering
• Zardosi slip-ons and
embroidered loafers are big
• Floral prints are in
table matters
Focus on quality and minimalism. Experiment with small plates. Says Akshit Malik, director of The Cuisine Factory, “This way, food is not wasted and you get to sample different foods.” Beaten copper and brass ware is back on the table for cocktails, side dishes and the main course. An entire thaal with an assortment of spices, herbs and cheese looks pretty and adds variety. Versatility and personalisation drive today’s nuptial strategy. Food on sticks is convenient to eat, easy to pick, carry and consume. Do-it-yourself counters are visible at most weddings. So are sushi stations.
Playing on zen displays, Vineet Wadhwa of Cuisines & Concepts by FIO, says, “Exotic cuisines such as Japanese, Spanish, Peruvian, Mexican and Dutch need imported ingredients such as Burrata, Chilean Seabass, Blue Cheese, Goat Cheese, Gorgonzola, Salmon Caviar and so on. Many clients have been digging up pictures from the Ambani wedding for their wedding model. Morrels are no longer fancy, truffles are in. Dishes from Puducherry and the Malabar region are in vogue.”
An Indian menu is forever wedding cuisine, considering its range. Pranay Bahl, director of Embassy Catering, jots down Dakshini, Parsi, Rajasthani, Hyderabadi and Malabari as winners. “Gluten and dairy-free menus are popular. So are sugar-free or healthy desserts. Innovation is key.” Fusion desserts such as Rasmalai Tres Leches, Saffron and Cardamom Pannacotta, Thandai and Poached Litchi Parfait, Caramel and Coconut Ravioli with Kesari Rabri, Sweet Milk Cake Baklava make 2019 weddings especially sweet. Novel displays make the wedding food game even more interesting. Raw bars, tapas bars, antipasti counters, live sushi bars, live barbecues, artisanal bakeries, live restaurant setups are brilliant options. “This year we expect pre-plated sit-down dinners as opposed to buffets,” says Bahl.
• Go regional Indian
• Or exotic global
• Focus on small eats
• Innovation is key
• Try live stations/DIY counters
• Plate food in brassware
ott factor
If the purse is fat and you are willing to dish out big bucks, fly in a celebrity to entertain your guests. Bollywood and weddings in India have always been linked closely. From getting stars to perform at weddings to having a Shah Rukh Khan or a Katrina Kaif pretend they are BFFs with the bride and the groom, the wedding scene is evolving by the day as one big entertainment platform. The trend that started almost a decade back with dance and sing performances by Bollywood biggies, has percolated to almost every sphere. Now you have them mingling with guests pretending to be part of the baraat or the bride’s family.
Also, choreography at weddings has evolved and how! From acrobats entertaining guests with gravity-defying movements and magicians and tarot readers setting up makeshow tents, there are month-long preparations and classes by professional choreographers that have the entire family, or a specific member perform on stage with professional backup dancers amid glamorous props. The bride and the groom are also pitted against each other in choreographed competitions with maybe a surprise celebrity guest or two shaking a leg alongside.
• Get your favourite stars to pretend to be your BFFs
• Folk/hip hop singers for mehendi and sangeet
• Set up a magician corner
just desserts
The bedrock of Indian wedding mithai is no longer the ghee-laden motichoor laddoos, kaju barfis and sohan halwas. Think artisanal, exotic and really, really fancy. Wrapped in health with controlled saccharine. Sid Mathur, founder and director of Khoya, says, “People squirm seeing excessively sugary desserts. Instead cleints prefer luxury artisanal sweets with custom-measured sweetness. Mithai boxes are simpler, and devoid of the extravagant paraphernalia.” Ask for healthy stuffings. Fusion desserts such as coconut laddoos, walnut pedas, chocolate chip pedas and brown sugar besan laddoos are popular. Saugaat by Bikanervala is mixing traditional bases of laddoos and barfis with lighter, fruitier flavours such as passionfruit and orange zest. Natural and organic sweets are the rage. Chocolates are making mithai sinful, too.
• Go for fusion mithai
• Fruity and lighter flavours in laddoos
• Chocolate mithai please
• Think artisanal yet healthy
• Tone down the paraphernalia, stick to exotic insides
Grooming for a wedding takes more than just a bride and a bridegroom.
With inputs from Medha Dutta Yadav and Ayesha Singh
Shoesthat Shine
Avoid stilettos. Period. Because, a wedding means moving around and being on your toes. More and more couples are taking to flats, in the shape of beautiful handcrafted juttis and slip-ons. Shilpa Agarwalla at Shilpsutra says, “You can look grand in juttis, too. Just pick a pair that sit in well with the wedding gear.” Candy pop, neons, oranges and pinks are the colours to try out this season, says Shirin Mann Sangha of Needledust, which created a special collection with Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla for the fourth time this year. “Golds, reds, greens are in. As is black. But the happy colours are top picks. Hand-embroidered and embellished, they look immaculate at wedding functions. We are getting custom orders, too, where the clients want their juttis to match the decor and theme.”
Gifts and Greetings
A unique inclusion at Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas’s Jodhpur wedding was a special pop-up by designer jutti label Needledust for the celebrities’ friends and family. “We still get queries about that. Another exciting element was the special gifts Deepika Padukone wanted for her bridemaids at her wedding in Lake Como. We created a special edition of potlis,” exclaims Shirin Mann Sangha, the label’s founder.
Westerns
Sculpted gowns by couturier Gaurav Gupta, draped sarees by Falguni and Shane Peacock as well as Tarun Tahiliani for the cocktails. Try the shape shifter sari gown or the mermaid gowns for the cocktails, crafted by Gupta. For destination weddings at a beach, brides are skipping the ornate lehenga and switching to breezy gowns and light, lacy saris.
Tress Talk
Don’t copy anyone else’s style, stick to what looks good on you, suggests Adhuna Bhabani, founder and creative director, BBLUNT. “Brides should be within the natural, soft, glossy space that is timeless. A tried and tested look, just a more polished version of that. Arm yourself with the right hair care and styling arsenal. Men should get their hair snipped, if required, a week before the big day.”
Layer it up
The Indian bride today prefers lavishness and luxury but with subtlety. They love layering, too, with jewellery that can me mixed and matched for the splashes of colour. Sunita Shekhawat’s enamelling work juxtaposed with coloured stones, Neety Singh’s statement gold pieces stacked together and Farah Khan’s psychedelic jewel fix, are on-point instances of layering that the Indian bride is opting for. Versatile, bold and classy.
“People squirm seeing excessively sugary desserts. Instead cleints prefer luxury artisanal sweets with custom-measured sweetness. Mithai boxes are simpler, and devoid of paraphernalia.”
Sid Mathur, founder-director, Khoya
fly me to the moon
A recent FICCI study has estimated the Indian wedding industry size at about `23,000 crore and growing. The marriage tourism industry is slated to grow at a rate of about 25 percent and reach a mammoth `45,000 crore by the end of 2020. Goa, Udaipur, and Jaipur are among the top destinations in India for a fairy-tale wedding.
But if you are one of those looking at foreign shores, experts say Abu Dhabi with its fabulous hotels that project a very Alladdin kind of feel is the place to go for. One can also head to Montreux with the iconic Lake Geneva as well as an unparalleled backdrop overlooking the Alps; Bodrum—famously known as the St Tropez of Turkey—boasting great hotels, beautiful beaches, dependable infrastructure; or the lush Chantilly forest with the stately and imposing Chateau de Chantilly, which was once home to the princes of Conde and is now available as a venue for wedding events.