An Indian marriage is an event where you can expect to feel awed by the pomp, ceremony and grandeur. Unlike wedding ceremonies in other parts of the world, there is no such thing as a -simple’ Indian wedding. Opulence is the keyword for most Indian weddings and you will witness signs of rich splendor everywhere.
On her wedding day, the Indian bride conforms to this opulence. She is expected to stand out from the rest through the magnificence and beauty of her jewelry and attire. Mind you, every guest will be vying with the bride as it is traditional for guests to attend the wedding wearing their very best clothes and accessories. So, standing out from the group of richly dressed guests does require some clever planning and right spending.
Jewelry is perhaps the most important part of dressing the bride up. Indian bridal jewelry consists of different pieces of jewelry. Items of jewelry include necklaces, pendant, chains, bracelets, bangles, anklets, nose rings, rings and so on. There is a wide range of styles to choose from, ranging from traditional to modern and retro. Whatever the style, one thing is certain: Indian bridal jewelry is chunky and you can expect to be dazzled by what you see!
Traditional Indian bridal jewelry is in gold. Heavy necklaces with dazzling pendants, richly crafted bangles, beautiful rings, spectacular earrings and gold anklets make the bride stand out from the crowd. Most pieces of jewelry are encrusted with precious stones too.
Generally, Indian bridal jewelry must be selected to complement the bridal attire. The bride may be wearing a saree, a lehenga or a salwar suit. The kinds of jewelry that suits these attires are different. For instance, the saree looks resplendent with layers of necklaces and heavy pendants. In fact, this is the way brides from the South dress. The other trend is to go with select pieces of stylish jewelry particularly if the bride is wearing a lehenga.
In Indian weddings, bridal jewelry and bridal attire is nicely complemented with proper makeup to make the bride look stunning and gorgeous. The hairstyle plays an important part in bridal dressing. Traditionally, Indian brides braid their hair. They may use false pieces to enhance their crowning glory. These days, many brides are settling for layers, fringes and combos. Sometimes, brides put up their hair in complicated top knots. This is more common in the evenings if the wedding is followed by a wedding reception. Whatever the hairstyle, you may expect the hair to be embellished with jewels.
In many families, brides wear certain pieces of jewelry that are passed down through the generations. These are important keepsakes that have a lot of emotional significance. In that case, the rest of the bridal jewelry must fit in with such traditional pieces.
Unabashed pomp is natural in Indian weddings and the great celebration demands that the bride be the queen of the ceremonies on her big day. This simple yet significant fact must be uppermost in mind when selecting Indian bridal jewelry.