Our shopping list included:

-the wedding sari– check

-saris for the bridal trousseau– check

-bridal jewelry–check

-items for decor–check

We had managed to remember every little item needed for a fabulous Bangladeshi Muslim wedding…minus one important factor–the rakhis! We almost became frantic at the thought that we had forgotten such a crucial aspect.

The wedding rakhi is a bracelet that is put on by the mother-in-law of each respective bride and groom during their Holud ceremony.  It is symbolic of the upcoming union of the bride and groom and is meant to be kept on until the day of the wedding (i.e. until the nikkah/akth).

When realizing we had forgotten to purchase rakhis–we resorted to our brilliant plan–why not make our own?!  My mom and I ventured into our favorite shopping center–the craft store and bought everything we needed to make our DIY rakhis!

We bought cardstock that was flexible so it would be able to be tied around the wrist, rhinestones, and beads to ensure that our rakhis would look legitimate.  Also, we used fabric paint to inscribe “Allah” on the rakhis as they symbolize a religious union of two individuals.

And viola! This is what our final product looked like:

DIY Rakhi

DIY Rakhi

For more information on Bangladeshi wedding customs, click here.

Courtesy of David Schwartz Photography

For Desi brides-to-be that are going to don a beautiful white wedding dress on the day of their wedding, The Sari-Clad Bride recommends adding a mantilla veil to accent and complete the look with a South Asian flare.  Traditional mantilla veils originated in the late sixteenth century in the warmer regions of Spain and are used throughout the Latin American community as well.  As such, this veil is a very ornamental and is often times made of lace.  Similar to ornate dupattas that South Asian brides adore, the mantilla veil provides brides with a similar look of elegance with the perfect detailing.

Check out the stunning photos of a friend of The Sari-Clad Bride: Sara!

Courtesy of David Schwartz Photography

Inspirational Tip: If you’re wearing a lighter-colored or pastel sari for your wedding, consider adding a Mantilla veil for a unique look.

Christian Louboutin Jeweled Slingback

Hi ladies! Our last shoe post was all about comfort and style for the practical bride. The Sari-Clad Bride has already given you advice on what you should look for in bridal shoes if you love your feet more than your shoes. But we have to say that if there can be exceptions to the Octet rule of atomic bonding, there are exceptions to our rules as well. Plus, our readers have spoken! You wanted to know about the lavish and just plain outrageous (in a good way of course!) styles for bridal shoes which will make your guests do a double-take at your feet! So here are some of those exceptional exceptions. We do have to warn you: such envious action does come at a price!

If you haven’t  heard of Andrew Gn yet, these shoes will definitely make you want to find out more! The Kaki Stone-Embellished Sandals ($800.00) are just gorgeous and perfect if you have some green in your bridal sari or lehenga or in your wedding color scheme. The ankle strap is not cuffed around the ankle but a wide oval shaped strap which allows room for your anklet (nupur/payaal). But with such embellishments on your shoes, who needs anklets? You may also choose to wear this for your mehndi/henna celebration, if you plan on wearing green.

Andrew Gn Stone Embellished Sandal

The Manolo Blahnik Jeweled Satin D’Orsay Sandals ($715.00) are classic for weddings whether American or South Asian. A lot of modern brides are choosing white, beige, silver, or dull gold bridal wear nowadays and these are just what we recommend for you. If you look around a little bit, you may find them in other colors to match your style as well.

Manolo Blahnik Jeweled D'Orsay

These Miu Miu Alba Jeweled Sandals ($750.00) are a beautiful gold-tone leather with a bejeweled front to fall in love with. Given that most South Asian brides wear gold or gold-tone jewelry, you can totally pull these off with any color bridal wear. Yes, the ankle straps go against our advice, but they are necessary to hold these bad-ass high heels in place.

Miu Miu Jeweled Sandal

Leave it to Christian Louboutin to come up with something so exquisite for your feet! The Sari-Clad Bride absolutely LOVES these Jeweled Platform Slingbacks ($2,830.00)! (note the capitalized love and exclamation point) The allover multicolor bejeweled design makes these shoes as festive as shoes can be in order to represent the festive South Asian weddings. Don’t worry about matching them to your bridal wear – these girls will go with just about anything.

Christian Louboutin Jeweled Slingback

Want to know what shoes we would recommend for you? Whether you are the bride-to-be or just a wedding attendee, leave a comment or email us with your shoe necessities and budget, and we will find what you are looking for!

What you should look for while shopping for comfy bridal shoes:

• A medium heel: Perfect for adding a few inches to your height without overwhelming you.

• A cone-shaped heel: Provides more support than pencil heels.

• The slip-on style: For easy access, since various South Asian wedding rituals require the bride to put her shoes on and off.

• Avoid ankle straps: As we usually like to wear anklets (nupur/payalias), shoes with ankle straps may get in the way.

• Open toe/open front: Makes your feet look less official and more fun and flirty. Not to mention,      you don’t want to cover the gorgeous henna/mehndi designs!

• Bejeweled front: With all the decorative clothes and jewelry to wear, an ornamental touch in the front is more than enough to make a fashion statement.

www.piperlime.com

The Bandolino Quitarah evening sandals ($34.99) are a good example of all of the above. Note the medium cone-shaped heel and the jeweled details on the top – this may not be something right out of Vogue, but it will definitely work with a bridal sari or lehenga. We love is that it’s also leather!

www.piperlime.com

If you need a little support in the back to hold your shoes in place, Caparros Drew silk evening sandals ($19.97) are the type you should go for. The slingback style is better than a full on ankle strap and won’t get in the way of your anklet. We love the simplicity of the shoe and you can’t beat the price!

www.nordstrom.com

These Athena Alexander ‘Abel’ sandals ($74.95) have the rhinestone-studded ornament in the front which are perfect for showing off under your elaborate wedding lehenga or sari. We love the openness of the shoe which also allows us to show off the mehndi/henna design on our feet!

www.nordstrom.com

The J. Renee ‘Maryanne’ slingback shoes ($49.90) are the perfect red to match your sari or lehenga (comes in 6 other colors as well including gold and silver). It may not be as embellished in the front but the bright bold color totally makes up for it!

Here are the Sari-Clad Bride’s top shopping destinations in Kolkata;

Park Street courtesy of India Mike

Courtesy of James Nichloas Sears

• Park Street: For major wedding sari shopping for the bride, mother of the bride, sisters, and close family that you need to gift saris, you can rely on Park Street for a one-stop shopping experience.  On the Sari-Clad Bride’s recently Kolkata shopping spree, Park Street was her favorite destination. In two days on Park Street, we bought over 30+ beautiful saris from stores such as Sarovar, Savera, Rangoli,  and several other stores.  Additionally, you will find stores for designers kameezes along Park Street. Just a simple stroll down Park Street will cover all your bases for wedding sari shopping!

• Like The Sari-Clad Bride, we are certain that our readers also love several Indian designers.  When it comes to shopping for Designer Bridal Wear, it is best to visit South City Mall located in Salt Lake, along with The Forum.  You’ll find designer shoes, saris, lehengas, and all wedding essentials from the likes of Ritu Kumar, menswear designer Gatha to name a few.

South City Mall courtesy of Kolkata Mirror

The Forum courtesy of Skyscrapercity

• For Wedding trinkets and bangles and other accessories, The Sari-Clad Bride loves New Market. Here, you will find lots of varieties of wedding accessories at bargain prices!

• Jewelry shopping Kolkata should be an essential aspect of wedding shopping in India and The Sari-Clad brides recommends buying jewelry from B.C. Sen Jewellers (http://www.bcsenjewellers.com/event/index.htm)–if you prefer the sit-down, calm environment or Nemichand Bamalwa & Sons (http://www.bamalwa.com)  if you enjoy the hustle and bustle of jewelry business!  Also, The Sari-Clad bride recommends that you check out Anjali Jewelers!

Charles David 'Chill'

Charles by Charles David ‘Chill’ Sandal ($134.95)
Finding sandals that are gold, leather, and beautiful is quite difficult but Charles David really pulls it off with this sexy number. “Chill” sandals by Charles by Charles David is classic and a little funky at the same time. Platforms are a great style for brides to choose–not only does it give you some extra lift, but it also makes it easier to walk with the heavy bridal outfit and jewelry that South Asian brides have to put on.

BCBG Lemon

BCBG ‘Lemon’ Sandal ($97.95)
The only thing that would make this delicious sandal better is if the broad pleated straps came up all the way to wrap around the ankles instead of the straps thinning out but  otherwise this is a perfectly crafted bridal shoe.

Sergi Rossi ‘Prisca’ Slingbacks ($495.00)
If your pocket is a little more padded and you don’t mind spending some extra on your shoes,  The Sari-Clad Bride greatly suggests these slingbacks. This sandal is a deeper golder which makes it even more glamorous and definitely worth a spot in your closet.

Nine West 'Accolia'

Nine West ‘Accolia’ ($49.99)

Finally, The Sari-Clad Bride recommends these fabulous cheapies. These sandals are simple and elegant and you cannot beat the price! The Sari-Clad Bride has a severe weak spot for Accolias–she owns them in every color!  Both the bronze and gold leather are great choices.

Dubai Gold Souq = SHOPPING HEAVEN

When stepping into the shopping complexes in Dubai, your eyes will first be greeted by GOLD–almost everywhere!  Gold shops in Dubai, in my opinion, are more prevalent than clothing, or even food!

My mom and I had began our 3 and a half week venture to begin my brother’s wedding shopping and it all started in Dubai. My mom and I thought our two day shopping trip was far too short, but we managed to purchase a storm and in my opinion, Dubai = shopping haven!!

It is always easier to travel when you have family internationally and I recommend always taking a local when shopping abroad unless you’re familiar with the area.  It was my mom’s first time returning to Dubai since the 5 years she lived there during her adolescence and my first time in Dubai so we were excited to bring on the shopping!

Dubai Gold Souq

On our first day, we ventured into Sharjah to begin our shopping excursion and it all began with gold shops in Gold Souq.  We were surrounded by gold to the point where our eyes begin to just see yellow lights.  Growing up, I thought only South Asians had a fascination with gold, but rest assured, people in the UAE are just as obsessed.  The interesting aspect of shopping in Dubai is that it is, in essence, a cultural hub; there is jewelry  from all parts of the Middle East/Eastern world along with food and clothing as well.  Stepping into a jewelry store, you can expect to find traditional Gujrati wedding jewelry to even the most precious gems of Jaipur–kundan.

Dubai Gold Souq

However, salesmen in Dubai-like all parts of the world-sense tourists!  As I’ve mentioned previously, be sure to take a local when buying high-value items such as jewelry. Without my uncle’s help, my mom would have thrown away hundreds of dollars because the salespeople definitely sensed we were tourists.

In addition to Dubai being a Gold Haven—there are also tons and tons of fabulous places to shop for clothing.  I absolutely fell in LOVE with the salwar kameezes/suits  available in Dubai.  I found one of my favorite shops–Bareeze–there and went completely insane buying anything that I laid my eyes on in the store.  Bareeze also sells fabric by the yard; Bareeze chiffon embroidered sarees would make a great addition to any bridal trousseau!  Dubai, in my opinion, is heavily influenced by Pakistani fashion and I was able to buy tons of kameezes that I would not find anywhere else aside from Lahore and Karachi.

If you are a South Asian bride and you have a little extra money to splurge–do it in Dubai!  You will not be disappointed; you’ll find all that your little heart desires–jewelry and clothing from several South Asian designers ranging from Pakistani, to Indian, to Arab–you name it! Shop your heart out in Dubai!