The DIY 'Anti-Brides' of India
An Indian wedding, from Sikh to Hindu, is a beautiful thing to behold. Vibrant in color, rich in tradition and grounded in family, these ceremonies are often the highlights in a community’s yearly social calendar. But they can also be a crafty bride’s dream.
Photo: Wallpaper Series
A wedding in India is a celebration that takes place over several days, and, traditionally commemorates not only the bringing together of the bride and groom, but perhaps equally importantly, the union of their respective families.
However, with attendance usually ranging anywhere from 100 to 10,000 and costs often reaching up to an astounding $45,000, some brides have decided to take a different approach. Enter, the DIY bride.
Photo: Henna Lounge
The Times of India highlights this changing trend, drawing attention to an ever-growing interest in simplifying and — within reason — modernizing the traditional. “There’s a new bride in town - she’s minimalistic, bypasses the big wedding, doesn’t fall for season’s trends, is economical and environment friendly with her choice of clothes and jewelry, and is a bit of a rebel,” the paper says.
"She is the anti-bride - the fuss-free, carefree woman, who doesn’t like making a big deal out of her wedding.”
Take bride Ridhi Aggarwal, for instance, who, with the utmost respect for her family’s traditions, took her wedding into her own hands. DIYing everything from the invitations to her non-traditional peach lehenga (her wedding outfit), Aggarwal was intent on giving her wedding a warm and personal touch.
Photo: Going Bananas via Wed Me Good
With help from friends and family she achieved a handcrafted celebration that felt unique and unwaveringly hers.
Photo: Going Bananas via Wed Me Good
According to wedding planner Sonali Thakore, it's not uncommon to see Indian brides bucking tradition and doing it themselves. She tells the Times of India, “This is the DIY bride. She comes up with her own ideas. From invitation cards to honeymoon, her approach is intimate and personal.
Perhaps to the chagrin of people in Thakore’s profession, brides are, in fact, often completely forgoing the use of a traditional wedding planner known as a shaadi.
From fun handmade photobooths….
Photo: Weddings Online
Photo: Wed Me Good
…to this couple who decided to make their own Mandap (a covered structure with pillars, present at Hindu and Jain ceremonies) from scratch…
Photo: Rubies and Ribbon
… this trend in wedding planning seems like it has taken a firm hold in the community. It’s by no means a complete abandonment of tradition, but it’s exciting to see a shift that celebrates the old, while embracing the new.
For more wedding DIY, click through to these links:
Shower Them With Love: Easy Bridesmaids Gifts
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