More than Fifty Shades for a bride

Recently, actress Ileana D’Cruz did a photoshoot where she looked every bit the quirky bride. A whole new set of colours like greens, browns and purples were splashed across and obviously soon-to-be brides have been taking notes. Designers too believe that while a few brides do want to stick to the traditional family of colours (reds and maroons), the modern bride is ready to experiment.

Archana Kochhar,, famous for her bridal lehengas is very happy that brides are taking charge of their outfit. “Brides these days are more informed and come to us after doing a lot of research. They are willing to try marsalas, wine reds and even the colour of cola. Nude pink is a very classy option — it is sober and stands out. Combinations like grey lehengas with a dash of pink are getting attention too,” says Kochhar,.

A model in a design from Rahul Mishra’s collection Monsoon Diaries.

These days many couples opt for destination weddings at exotic places. Brides want to make sure their outfit complements the wedding itself. Designer Anushree Reddy who has had some of the biggest stars walk the ramp for her says that the shift is welcome. “Brides are opting for softer colours. I’ve had many ask for outfits in ivory, light pink and even bright sunny yellow. Fuchsia pink and peaches are a hit with the brides,” says Anushree while adding that couples are very keen on making sure that everything is in sync at the wedding, whether it is their own outfits or the decor.

Designer Rahul Mishra recently designed for a bride who wanted an outfit for her outdoor garden wedding and so she chose a mint-green organza lehenga. “It was interspersed with traditional techniques of hand-embroidered motifs of peacock and blossomed flowers,” he informs. His recent collection of bridal wear has a mix of colours that would contradict the idea of the traditional Indian bride. Mishra explains, “I think it’s great that Indian brides are moving away from the traditional and conventional colours. This opens up a space for them to be more experimental with their outfits and gives them more options to wear.”