Wedding Series: Accessories, Makeup & Hair

Hello dolls. I hope you're all doing great.

This is a continuation of the last blog post. We covered the attire.. and now onto accessories, hair & makeup. I am gonna be posting a lot of pictures throughout the post explaining trends that I am really loving. There are a lot of bridal accessories that I haven't covered... such as the sandals, clutch etc. But that kind of ties in with the outfit. And these accessories are easy to choose. I am gonna cover jewellery trends in detail.

It's important to think about the jewellery once you've purchased your outfit. You don't want to under-dress or over-do or look tacky by any means. You want your make up to complement your skin and features. A lot of people get caught up in getting their lehenga colours onto their eyes. That's one thing that I really detest. Every bride wants to look her best on her wedding day and you can't achieve this without Indian accessories to complement your outfit.

Credits: Viral Bhayani

Bridal Jewellery

1. Matha-patti

The matha-patti has been around for ages. My mom wore a matha-patti on her wedding day in the 1980s. For those who don't know what it is... it's a bridal ornament that's worn on the forehead or along the hairline. This is really trending amongst the brides today. A lot of modern brides stick to the teeka-necklace-earring set. But those who want to achieve a more traditional look go for the matha-pattis. A lot of modern and sleek matha-pattis are also on the market these days. It all depends on your style and taste. Also, don't forget to check out tips about your matha-patti and face shape. You don't want to get a double-beaded matha-patti if you have a really small forehead. I have a square forehead but a round face. And I am definitely planning on wearing a matha-patti instead of a maang-teeka.

2. Necklaces & Earrings
How can I describe this? The pictures speak louder here. Do you guys watch Mahabharat or Maharana Pratap? Do you see the kind of royal-like elegant Kundan jewellery they wear on these shows? It gives off that regal-style (or goddess) look! Who doesn't wanna look like a royal princess on their big day? =) I am really attracted to the layering of necklaces (gracefully!) I think it really ties in with the matha-patti and adds that royal-touch.

Did you guys watch Jodhaa-Akbar? A lot of choker style necklaces are making their way back. Basically, everything OLD is making a come-back. Isn't that a cycle in fashion? Even if you look at these high-waisted shorts and crop-tops.... they have been there forever. Anyway, sticking to the topic. A choker style necklace with 1 or 2 longer ones layered makes for that regal-style goddess look! Pearls are also making a comeback when it comes to jewellery. A lot of people are opting for pearl and polki jewellery. The plain silver and gold stone-work is kinda getting eliminated for now. I am a fan of Kundan jewellery and I don't own a single necklace of that material. So, I am super excited to hunt for kundan sets.

3. Nath (Bridal Nose Ring)
Adding to the 'solah-shringar' of the traditional Indian Hindu bride is the nath. This is a hit or miss for many. Not everyone wants to have a huge nath covering their face and painfully pinned on the nose (for those who don't have piercings!) I have my nose pierced, so I won't be new to wearing a nose ring. But this ancient time nath definitely adds to the entire look we are currently discussing. I think this really makes your entire look very ethnic. I want a really sleek one that isn't too big or chunky. It is worn on the left nostril and is supported by a gold or silver chain which extends just behind the left ear.

4. Hath-phool (Hand Jewellery)
It's just a bracelet with rings attached. No big deal about it. You match it with the rest of your jewellery style... that is whatever you are wearing (kundan, pearls etc.)

5. Baju-band (Arm-band)
Like the hand jewellery, this also ties in with the entire jewellery you're wearing. I don't think I'll be wearing it though.

6. Kamar-band (Waist-band)

A waist-band is an ornamented belt worn around the waist. This isn't specifically a bridal ornament since many people wear it for parties over their sarees. I think it's important to determine the skirt of your lehenga and the embellishments on it before deciding whether to wear a kamar-band. You don't want it to look too much.


7. Chunky Rings
No explanation needed.

8. Payal (Anklets)
Anklets are also a part of the entire jewellery set. You would match it with the rest of the jewellery (i.e. kundan, polki etc.) It is made of a thick chain with hangings on it. Some actually dangle and tinkle.



9. Chura (Bridal Bangles)

I was saving the best for the last. These red and white bangles (which are now available in more colours!) used to be the dream of every Indian girl, especially back in the day. Chura is a set of bangles for both hands that are usually in shades of red and white made of rhinestones and decorated with stones. In our culture, the mama-mami bring these bangles for the bride. In our culture, there is a ceremony called 'Saint' which is the chura-ceremony. The family gets together in the ceremony in presence of a priest and perform this ceremony. The latest trend is to write the husband's name on the middle bangle with stones. Okay, don't hate me but I find it really tacky. I feel that the old-style regular chura looks way prettier than things written on it. Back in the day, brides used to wear these bangles for a year. Now people ask the brides to wear it at least for 45 days. I will wear it for an entire year because I am obsessed with it, lol.

Isn't it so cool that Indian brides have a piece of jewellery for nearly every part of their body? In a country with such cultural diversities, there are some pieces that hold religious value but others are optional.

There are other things that add to the 'Solah-Shringar' of a bride such as the beautification process (makeup and hair!) A main part of that is the Bindi and the Sindoor. The mangla-sutra is a main ornament which I didn't mention above. Mehendi is another significant shringer of the bride which is applied in a special pre-wedding ritual in India. Nish doesn't like it so I have to keep it minimal. I don't like mehendi that extends up to the upper-arm. I think it's waaaaay too much. I like mehndi right below the elbows. Brides go crazy with their legs and feet as well. Most of them get it up to their knees. I am gonna keep mine as minimal as possible. Check out these designs - they are my favorite designs. I am taking these with me to my mehendi-artist because I want the exact thing on my feet. It's so minimal but gorgeous.



Hair & Make-up

 

I never gave my hair too much of a thought because it's gonna be under the dupatta. But my mom has been really pushing the traditional Indian braid on me. I don't understand why! It is making a come back for sure. If you Google pictures from Indian Bridal Fashion, you will see that many people are opting for loose or rope-style braids with hair accessories. I just thought I'd do a nice and neat up-do. It's undecided right now. I will see what looks good at the trial. What do you guys think about the braid trend? I personally don't like it too much but my mom loves it.

Make-up
I know what you guys are thinking. Yes, I absolutely LOVE makeup. But ironically, I want very minimal makeup. I don't want Katy-Perry lashes. Some people really go overboard with halloween lashes. I am not even kidding. I want something tasteful. I really like the Pink Orchid Studio lashes. I haven't purchased my wedding or reception day lashes yet. I think I am gonna get a pair from House of Lashes for the reception.

Credits: Pink Orchid Studio

I want the base to be perfect. All my imperfections should be covered but no birthday cake happening please. I booked my makeup artist already. He's decent but he's not the best. So, I am kinda thinking I will need to give specific directions and pictures. I don't want a highly contoured look. I want my lips and my Bindi to stand out. I want really precise eye-liner at the top and bottom of the eyes. I am not gonna go into the smokey look. I am not big on shadows for the wedding day. I will opt for a smokey-look for the reception day (where I will be doing my own makeup!) with a softer lip. Because I want a strong and bold red-lip for the D-day, I need to keep the eyes very soft. Here are some pictures from Pink Orchid Studio (I don't own copyrights to them). These are my favorite South Asian bridal makeup artists (shoutout to Harp & Shannon!) And these makeup looks are on-point for me. I don't want glitters and the works. I just want a simple look that stands out.

Credits: Pink Orchid Studio