8 content creators and bloggers tell us their top tips on all things wedding

If you hold your breath for wedding season every year, you already know that a lot goes on behind the perfect pictures that ultimately end up on Instagram. Every bride-to-be’s checklist is populated with multiple tasks before the big day arrives. And the same goes for a serial wedding attendee who’s all about hopping from one sangeet to the next. Whether you’re curating a timeless occasion-wear wardrobe, searching for complementing jewellery, or are on the lookout for a venue, Vogue Wedding Show - The Virtual Edit 2021 has you covered. The mobile-friendly platform has a gamut of coveted designers and wedding makers to make your search seamless.

Alongside Vogue Wedding Show’s curated online one-stop-shop, we also bring brides, whether to-be, just-been, or to-be, to share their advice on how to navigate nuptials. Here, lifestyle and fashion influencers dish out all the details. Read on for some truth-telling behind the weddings.

Sonam Babani was meant to get married in Bodrum, Turkey, last spring. The pandemic forced Babani and her beau to postpone their plans, but the couple are now keeping their fingers crossed for a winter wedding this year. Why did she choose to wait, unlike some other brides who tied the knot at intimate home ceremonies? “It’s not really about the scale of the wedding, but about the setting. I have a vision for my mandap and aisle, and I really want that to be realised,” she tells us. The long wait did result in pre-wedding festivities earlier this year—a mehendi at her Mumbai home and a flower shower at her holiday home in Khandala, for which the bride-to-be wore a Sabyasachi lehenga and jewellery. 

“I’ve always said that happy brides are always the most beautiful. The glow from being comfortable and confident cannot be rivalled,” says the makeup artist, who is also the founder and CEO of Natasha Moor Cosmetics. Moor feels this year will be about au naturel bridal beauty, where makeup will be a mere tool to enhance one’s features. She also feels it’s important to work with wedding makers who can bring positive energy to your celebrations. “Be it your hairstylist and makeup artist, or the photographer and videographer, they should all add to your joy and not be the cause of any stress on your big day. Choose wisely.”

For her pre-pandemic wedding at the Oberoi Sukhvilas Spa Resort, New Chandigarh in 2019, Bhasin Daga knew she wanted to wear all her favourite designers for the multi-day affair. The beauty, lifestyle and luxury blogger opted for Rohit Bal for the welcome party, Abu Jani Sandeep  Khosla for the choora ceremony, Rahul Mishra for the sangeet and Sabyasachi for the cocktail, mehendi and wedding. “I chose outfits in which I felt like my best self. It was authenticity and not trends that dictated my final decisions. Timelessness was another important consideration—you should be able to look back at your wedding album and smile, not cringe.”  

The Hong Kong-based jewellery designer feels there is great merit in keeping it classic when it comes to your bridal bling. “Opt for pieces that will last you generations. Consider personalising elements as it’s always special to have a story behind the piece.” Shah encourages brides to ask questions like, ‘Do you see yourself wearing them over the years?’ and ‘Is it versatile to wear in many ways?’ before splurging. Multipurpose jewels as well as everyday pieces are a must in every bride’s trousseau. “Consider the neckline, colour, texture and layering of your outfit when choosing jewellery. Then think of designs that will elevate your final look rather than clash with it,” she recommends.  

When the luxury fashion and lifestyle influencer said ‘I do’ to a destination palace wedding in Jaipur this March, she knew her outfits needed to match the grandeur of the palatial setting. The fashion enthusiast commissioned a customised rose gold Elie Saab gown with a 20-metre trail for the reception and a lavender lehenga with a long jacket and veil by her sister Ohaila Khan for the nikaaah. This was further adorned with Swarovski stones and zardosi work. “While the silhouette of the lehenga was traditional, I still wanted the ultimate look to be modern and fresh. This was the reason we opted for an unconventional colour,” she explains. 

When it comes to her mood board as a wedding guest, the global social media influencer favours glamour and drama. She tends to fall back on hues like champagne, mint and peach with heavy embellishments. Bodi chose a sharara, bralet and cape set for a recent sangeet. “It was a very modern look, made summer-friendly due to its beautiful floral print.” The style maven feels that your wardrobe as a guest or bridesmaid allows you to play with contemporary silhouettes. Her top pick this season is exaggerated sleeve detailing by Faraz Manan and feather detailing by Elie Saab, with Amina Muaddi shoes to round off any look. 

For her wedding to author Durjoy Datta in Dehradun back in 2016, this influencer decided to turn designer for her big day. Unable to find the aesthetic she had in mind in stores, she worked closely with her mother to create every ensemble from scratch—not only her own, but her husband’s too. “Designing my wedding outfit was a gratifying decision. It was such a personal and emotional process, and it made by big day even more special,” she tells us. 

Bafna believes that your wedding season wardrobe ought to be dictated by the destination—think traditional lehengas for Rajasthan or fuss-free sets for beachside nuptials. She likes to plan her looks meticulously and well in advance. “Pinterest mood boards and Instagram have totally changed the way I shop for weddings,” Bafna reveals. She also knows that accessories can truly make or break a look. “Timeless and versatile jewellery is so important. Less is more—you should be able to repeat the same jewellery with different outfits as a guest.” So, she swears by a kundan maang tikka and chandbalis, while favouring block heels and juttis over stilettos, especially at a sangeet. 

Also read:

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