Check out these rainbow-colored gayer holud bridal ensembles for inspiration!

Photos: FnF Photography, Chobi.net, Bangladeshi Bride Rock’z (EXCLUSIVE) by Samreen Upamah Facebook page

Make sure to come back to see this fantastically traditional wedding from Australia!

No matter how old we are, when it comes to hunting for the outfit for the big day, we become giddy in anticipation. To add to the excitement of choosing the perfect bridal ensemble (or ensembles), we present you a fantastic find for Desi brides all over the globe: Angarkh.com! Angarkh.com features breathtaking lehengas, saris, salwar suits, etc. and glamorous jewelry pieces. Angarkh provides a seamless online shopping experience, with shipping available world-wide and custom-tailoring provisions. But we’ll stop talking now and let you see for yourself—don’t forget to check out the special discount code at the bottom!

Angarkh’s Exquisite New Bridal Collection!

Angarkh’s awe-inspiring bridal collection will make you look like a maharani! Pair a stunning kundan and polki set with an drool-worthy lehenga and look like the dulhan you’ve always dreamed of being. Take your pick of trendy or traditional lehengas, sarees, salwar suits, and shararas (a trending favorite at the moment), along with charming jewelry pieces set in semi-precious stones and uncut diamonds, and be prepared to play the part of royalty!

Custom-fitting at your disposal
Angarkh.com specializes in producing custom-fit clothing, per your requirements, with shipping worldwide and free shiping for orders over $500 to US, UK, Canada and Australia! If you’re looking for a sherwani for your groom, bridesmaids outfits, or custom-outfits for other members of your bridal party, Angarkh is the place to shop! They offer
special discounts to wedding families, with discounts starting at 20% for orders over $2,000.

A SPECIAL TREAT FOR THE SARI-CLAD BRIDE READERS!
Enter SARICLADBRIDE at checkout and receive 10% off your purchase. What are you waiting for? Get that coveted lehenga or salwar suit at Angarkh.com today!

Sponsored by Angarkh.com

When we were flipping through photos of an engagement shoot Syed of SY Photography sent over, we couldn’t get over the doe-eyed bride to be! So we decided to do a feature exclusively on this stunning bengali beauty. Maisha’s expressive eyes and shy demeanor won us over completely, so we can imagine how smitten her groom is. She reminds us of yesteryear Bengali actress, Jaya Bachchan, with her serene eyes and timid smile and there can’t be a bigger compliment than that!

Most South Asians celebrate weddings with a “Boom, Blast and Bhangra!” as most Desi weddings are known to be loud and colorful. So while researching this guest post for The Sari-Clad Bride, I was inspired by a soft, crisp, and pure ‘WHITE’ palette. In many cultures and religions around the world, brides are adorned in white, including South Asia.

Here is some inspiration, if you decide to go with the “less is more” theme.

Glamming up a White Theme

From top left:

• Aishwarya Rai Bachchan at Cannes Film Festival: Fresh and pink make-up. This look goes with all types and colors of bridal outfits.
• Lara Dutta on her day:  Simple look coupled with her handsome man and a lace gown. Picture Perfect.
• Simple cake with a peacock tail = classy yet Desi.
• Make-Up: Dramatic eyes is a given for the Desi bride. I recommend cleaner dramatic make-up with this winged eye line, pouty pale lips, structured brows, and mile-long lashes. As a fashion blogger, I recommend make-up that enhances your features and your look rather than a victim of war paint. Your man loves you for you and want to see “YOU”.
• Neutral themed reception with bright hued flowers is a pretty pick-me-up for a wedding.
• Bridal Outfit:  Most brides wear lehengas for the wedding.  Some choose to wear a sari for the religious ceremony and then change into a formal lengha or sharara.  A veil or head piece, mostly worn in the Christian ceremony, could be used by any bride who wants to feel special.

Real-Life Inspiration

Yamina & Omar at their beautiful reception an art gallery in Laguna Beach.

My ultimate white-wedding inspiration!

My mother, my No. 1 inspiration for a white wedding.  She wore a Banarsi white sari with a gold border.  Chic and classic!

Check out my blog at khanology.blogspot.com
Follow me at @khanology101

In high school, 16 years ago, I spent a summer as a hockey camp counselor.  One of my campers was a six-year-old Chinese-American whirlwind-on-skates named Sean. One day, one of the Caucasian-American dads came up to me and asked about how Sean was doing. I thought it was very rude that he was asking me about another camper, and told him as much.

Turns out he was Sean’s father.

Waiter, may I please have some pepper with that foot?

Interracial couples are fast becoming commonplace here in America, as the melting pot of cultures integrates even further.  According to the Pew Research Center, 14.6% of all new marriages are of interracial couples – a rate that has doubled since 1980. Further, over 60% of people surveyed by Pew said that they would approve of a family member who wanted to marry someone outside of their race. At Sari Closet, the online sari rental service that I co-founded earlier this year, we are seeing similar trends amongst our customers.  And as more South Asians marry more non-South Asians, the demand for blended cultural experiences has grown exponentially.

But what is the best way to hold an interracial wedding? One way is to cheat, like I did: we held separate events for my (Muslim) wife’s community and my (Hindu) community. But the last event was really not fun, which is the “writing of costly cheques” ceremony.

Interracial weddings — like interracial marriages — are most successful when both cultures are equally represented.  The best man at my wedding, who was from Germany, married a lovely woman from Japan. Not only did both cultures get well represented in the decorations and food, but both fathers downed ceremonial pints of a blend of Loewenbraeu and Kirin Ichiban.

So it’s true that alcohol helps.

For South Asians, saris are definitely a key part of the equation.  If the groom is South Asian, many times the brides’ friends will want to wear saris, especially the bridesmaids. A non-South Asian in a sari will always stand out – in a positive way.  She will look gorgeous both because of the quality of the sari, and because South Asians appreciate that she took such an interest to participate in their culture – instantly making her an “insider” at the wedding or event. Given that, the experts at Sari Closet — who we call “saristas” — encourage non-South Asians to wear bold, bright colors and patterns.  What might feel loud or busy on an Indian woman will look stunning on a non-South Asian. Combining saris with garments from other cultures is also a great idea.  It takes some work, but the look can be stunning.

No less an expert than Vogue India’s fashion director, Deep Kailey, is a firm believer in fashion evolving across borders, even for saris. “With the world being so much more global than ever before, I think all the lines are starting to merge,” she recently told Republic of Brown. As a tip, she recommends that, “when wearing a sari, wear a beautiful Prada blouse, or get a shirt made to match your drape.”

Of course, some customs just won’t mix. As comedian / TV talk show host Craig Ferguson once said about his wedding, between his Scottish culture and his wife’s Jewish culture, “The only thing that didn’t really work out is that the Jewish tradition of dancing around with the bride and groom on your shoulders clashes with the Scottish tradition of no underwear under the kilt.”

Happy sari-ying!

Sreesha Vaman is the co-founder of Sari Closet, an online nationwide sari rental service. Follow him on twitter @sreeshafashion.  The opinions expressed herein are his own.

Ayesha (Stylist)

“It was in February on a Monday and it wasn’t suppose to snow but it did and we weren’t sure if we were gonna do the shoot. But we went for it and it came out amazing!”

Location: Gerry Pond, New York
Model: Manmeet Dhanjal
Makeup, Hair and Clothes: Singhar by Ayesha
Photography: House of Talent Studio

Anarkalis

I am obsessed with anarkalis and have been wearing them every chance I get!  Rekha, Sridevi and Madhuri Dixit brought this Anarkali style trend to Bollywood fashion in the 1980′s and it’s now back again with a bang.

Anarkalis are the most flattering and versatile style right now. This graceful and chic style can be made to flatter any body shape and style. The kalis (panels) of the anarkali can be increased or decreased based on one’s style and body shape. If you prefer a traditional look, it can have zardozi embroideries and a wide gota border at the bottom with a stylish Chinese collar so that only earrings are needed as an accessory. For a sexy and modern look, you can opt for an off shoulder scalloped neckline or a high collar with a deep back cut out and Swarovski detailing. To add some drama, get an anarkhali made with a train at the back (my favourite look!). Floor-length anarkhalis look stunning especially if you add a can can at the bottom of the anarkali for a princess look. For a fashionista on a budget, you can even turn your lenghas and saris into beautiful new anarkhalis. This is the perfect thing to do if you love your wedding lengha, but don’t think you will ever have an opportunity to wear it as a lehenga again.

Layering

Net fabric is back on the runways! I love net suits that are lined with lace or a full sheet of sequins underneath. It adds instant glamour to any net suit by not being gaudy but still adding a unique and exquisite dimension to the piece. For a more casual and funky look, get a net suit made with a colourful and fun print lining underneath.

Saris

Saris are every South Asian woman’s true love as they embody grace and glamour. Stitched saris are the newest rage with the younger generation who aren’t quite experts at draping saris. They are very convenient, especially for divas on the go. The pleats and draping are stitched according to your size so that every fold is in the perfect place. All you need to do is put it on like a normal lehenga and your sari looks exquisitely draped to perfection.

Another blast from the past are sari blouses with ¾ length, fitted sleeves. They give the wearer a slender and elegant look.  (Designer Sabyasachi is known for favouring this look.)

Put some style back into your old saris by reattaching your old sari border on a net sari or use parts of your old sari as stylish appliqué work on a new suit or sari. (Designer Varun Bahl is known for using this kind of work).

If you already have a sari which you love but needs a new look or needs to be made dressier for a special occasion, get an orni (stole) made. You tie your sari as normal and then drape the orni over your right shoulder.  I prefer this look for the mother of the bride or groom as it gives a very regal and royal air. For a winter wedding, it can even be made in velvet or out of an old pashmina shawl. The orni can be made in a contrasting color or in one of the colors of your sari with just a touch of matching embroidery around the borders. The orni can be used many times as you can match it with a suit or use it as a shawl later.

Pakistani Suits

Pakistani suits are the hottest summer look. They are long cotton kurtas worn with ankle length palazzos (wide, straight legged salwars trimmed with lace). The palazzos are usually made in white or cream with brightly colored or printed kurtas and dupattas (if you choose to wear one with it). This cheery style is best in bright floral cotton prints highlighted with lace and net. These are great because they can be dressed up or down. Pakistani suits are perfect for summer as they are light and comfortable. (And since they are ankle length, you can show off a pair of sexy wedges or sandals!) This look is meant for all body types and sizes. Walk down any market in Delhi and you will that Pakistanis suits are in vogue!

Gowns

Indo-western gowns are the newest rage in Delhi. Many brides are opting to wear these gowns for their engagement or cocktail parties as opposed to a traditional sari or lengha. It’s the red carpet type of gowns but with some Indian bling on it! Heavy embroidery or studded necklines and bodices are the main attraction of these gowns. Almost all designers in India now have a collection of gowns in addition to the traditional garb.

Hot Summer 2011 Colors: lime green, yellows, whites, corals

Let us help you find all the above styles and more! Check us out at www.ranibymahajan.com or contact us at info@ranibymahajan.com for more info!

Colors make the skirts go round.

Decadent necklines.

A pitter-patter of embroidery.

GORGEOUS GROOM-ERY

Cream of the crop.

Darkly decadent.

Dupattas of glory.

Non-traditional silhouettes can inspire the modern bride.

Bling Talk.