A wedding is a special occasion in the life of any woman, the one day where she would want her beauty and grace to shine out. This is why wedding dresses are designed to be the most stunning creations, no matter which culture you come from. Amongst Indian brides, nothing can match the appeal of fancy sarees for wedding; these gorgeous, stylish garments combine the best of traditional beauty and modern poise.
However Indian elegant wedding sarees are not limited to the resplendent bridal wedding sarees but also include the less rich, less ornate sarees for guests and members of the wedding party. In Indian culture, a wedding is more than just a ceremony; it is a celebration for two families and the community.
The atmosphere is one of festivity and splendor and this is matched by the ornate designs on display in terms of clothes. This is why the saree is a popular choice not just for the brides, but for anybody attending the ceremony as well.
Rich textures & heavily embellished sarees
When exploring an Indian wedding saree collection, the one thing that leaps out is the variety of stunningly rich and beautiful designs and patterns.
The Indian wedding sari is the perfect canvas for exhibiting the diverse styles of embroideries and embellishments from specific regions. Work such as Resham, zari or gold print may even be seen in ordinary sarees but glittering stone, sequins, cutdana, Kundan, crystals, gota patti, zardosi, Dabka, latkan, Parsi gara, booti, Kasab etc. would only be combined in the best wedding sarees.
Though natural motifs such as leafs, fruits, flowers, birds and animals are predominant, wedding saree designs can also include whole scenes, swirls and stylized abstractions. Whatever the type of motif, the design will typically be highly intricate, spreading all over the saree and lending the thick borders a glittering, heavy vibe.
Exploring a wedding sarees’ collection, the pre-dominant colors one will see would be scarlet, maroon, crimson and other shades of red. This is because red is the preferred traditional choice for north Indian Hindu wedding sarees, which also typically include plenty of gold thread work designs.
Silk sarees
The classic and most popular material that frequently turns up in wedding saree collections is silk. The advantage of silk wedding saree is it is soft, comfortable and relatively light-weight while also having a luxurious look and feel. Though silk is the most preferred, other fabrics like crepe, georgette, chiffon, net, velvet, satin, tissue and brocade have their own appeal.
Low-cost fabrics like faux versions of chiffon, georgette and silk may also be used though never for designer wedding sarees. These are the height of luxury and often combine a lot of innovative silhouettes with traditional designs made by skilled artisans.
South Indian sarees & Banarasi silk sarees
On the other hand, South Indian wedding sarees can vary in shade from yellow and green to bright red. In fact the Kerala wedding sarees are white with large gold borders, a departure from the traditional saree color palette.
Nowadays the color variations are many, as modern brides are not afraid to experiment with other bright shades of pink, yellow, purple, blue and green. One can even find multi-hued sarees which look stunningly attractive especially with glittering stone and zari work.
Different regions of India have typical varieties which are the classic favorites in that area; Banarasi silk sarees are traditional north Indian bridal wear while Kanchivaram silk wedding sarees are the norm in the south. Other varieties like Tussar, Jacquard, Dupion and Upadda are also frequently used.
Accessorizing your wedding saree
Weddings are of course a great chance to embrace your cultural roots, but they can also be the best place to show off the latest styles and trends. The latest wedding sarees have more western silhouettes, designed to more closely resemble evening gowns with their body-hugging fit, thin pallus and metallic colors.
At the same time, intricate Indian embroidery and embellishments are frequently seen in designer bridal runway shows and collections. Thus a fashion conscious bride would try to balance the Indian and contemporary influences in her outfit. The choice of colors can be indicative of the bride’s (and her guests’) fashion sensibilities.
For instance, white wedding sarees are not just the norm amongst Keralites; many designers in their latest collections have experimented with white and various muted shades like beige, cream, rose etc. Of course, these sarees are heavily embroidered with silver or gold designs to add the ornate factor which is essential.
On the other hand some colors like red and orange never go out of style. A red wedding saree, the traditional favorite, should be worn with heavy gold jewelry like Thewa necklaces and Polki jewelry. In general, ornate jewelry like Kundan and Meenakari works quite well with Indian wedding sarees.