If you are a serious South Asian bride, you know that your bridal accessories are just as important as your outfit. You need the right mix of traditional and fun pieces that you love to complete your fabulous bridal looks. I love to get my brides matching traditional juthis and bags to complement their bridal outfits. These are made-to-order in the same fabric as the outfits and are ideal for the bride who wants every detail to be coordinated to perfection. Some brides even get their invitations and favors coordinated with their outfits.

Here are some other fun ways to coordinate your blingy accessories to coordinate with your bridal ensemble:

• Mix and match your colourful bangles with karas (thick bangles) studded with swaroskis in floral motifs!
• Fashionable brides are wearing polki (uncut diamonds) or kundan sets on their wedding day. If you are a traditional bride, then the antique look gold sets are in! If you have a traditional choker style set, add a long necklace (or vice versa!).

• Don’t be scared to contrast the color of your jewelry with your outfit. Pair a emerald green and gold necklace with a red lengha for a striking and exquisite look.
• Big, traditional mirror rings are excellent for a bride to wear so that she gets the Rani look plus she can discreetly check for flyways or do quick lipstick checks as she sits under the mandap
• Last but not least, add a Jumur to your bridal look to really look like a princess. They are placed on the side of your head and dangle daintily. Jumurs look especially gorgeous when worn with an anarkali to give a regal and exquisite feel.
  

Let us help you find all the above looks and more! Check out our South Asian bridal style & New Delhi shopping services at www.ranibymahajan.com or contact us at info@ranibymahajan.com.

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

Who are you?

Borrow It Bindaas

borrowitbindaas.com

facebook.com/BorrowItBindaas

twitter.com/BorrowItBindaas

What do you do?

Borrow it Bindaas is a fabulous online boutique where you can borrow or buy beautiful sarees and accessories worry free!

Where are you based?

We are based in beautiful Southern California.

When and How did you get started in the South Asian wedding industry?

We evolved from playing dress-up with our mother’s lovely saris to rummaging through our closets and ambitiously searching far and wide to build our own sari collection. We found ourselves trading outfits with a circle of Sari swappers; our sisters, cousins, aunts,etc. This is how we came up with the idea of creating an online boutique that a girl could only dream of. We decided to start this fabulous site on the foundations of our business backgrounds, entrepreneurial spirit and our fanaticism for fashion, movies, and Indian culture in general. We combined that with a genuine desire to give customers a hassle-free experience.

Why do you do what you do?

As young, budget-conscious and fashion-forward women, we want ladies like ourselves to be able to experience high-end Indian fashion without having to break their banks and travel across the world to have access to the latest trends. Bindaas means to be carefree, not sweating the small stuff! We want our future brides and any customer to be able to borrow and flaunt these fabulous fashions carefree and also feel like a million bucks! We’re so passionate about Indian fashion that we’ve done all the hard work to allow our customers to Borrow it Bindaas!

Do you work exclusively on South Asian weddings?

In addition to catering to our South Asian community, Borrow It Bindaas also caters to non- South Asians as well. We want to give everyone a chance to adorn themselves in ethnic and elegant Indian garments, hassle free and of course without having to spend a fortune!

Describe some of your inspirations.

Growing up, we were very lucky to be able to travel to India every other year. From a very young age we became inspired and passionate about the rich culture, music, arts and most of all the versatile fashion! We have been very fortunate to be able to create a synergy between our passion for all things Indian combined with our entrepreneurial spirit.

What are some mistakes you see most South Asian brides (and families) make?

I feel that some of the constraints South Asian brides have are the limitations they have of Indian apparel for their bridal party in particular. We’ve seen many brides have to have their bridesmaids swap outfits throughout the events, because of the lack of resources for affordable Indian apparel and accessories. And that’s where we come in. We want to relieve some of the Bride’s tension, and dress their bridesmaids and guests who want to wear trendy yet affordable Indian fashions. This way the Bride can focus on herself and her bridesmaids and weddings guests also look and feel fabulous!

Do you only cater to certain budgets only?

Our entire collection is priced very reasonably. Most of our collection, while high- end, is catered to budget conscious fashionista’s, not looking to spend a fortune on their ensemble. Our Exclusive Collection features pieces from India’s top designers: Manish Malhotra, Neeta Lulla, and Archana Kochhar Sarees.

Tell us about your strongest area.

In addition to our affordable prices for borrowing or buying, I feel that our strongest area is the versatility of our apparel and accessories. We have personally traveled to India to hand-select and work closely with our designers to ensure that our inventory caters to all tastes and styles.

Tell us about your weakest area.

We do admit that we are guilty of going above and beyond for our Bindaas Divas. We try to provide everything we can to our customers so that they have a seamless and hassle-free experience.

How would you describe your working style?

Our working style is very interactive and we strive for perfection when starting on every project no matter how large or small the scope is. We have a wonderful team of people and each individual has tremendous work ethic. Everyone on our team has their own unique strengths and when we all work together we deliver nothing less than the best!

Describe a particularly memorable wedding you’ve worked on.

Every wedding is special to our team. We must say though, our first few rentals will always hold a special place in our hearts; since we were able to see our dream and hard work become a reality.

What’s your number one wedding tip?

Our number one tip for weddings is that brides should really enjoy themselves and not to sweat the small stuff, essentially to be BINDAAS!

the gorgeous Shilpa Shetty as a real-life Bollywood bride!

Gorgeous Shilpa Shetty who’s known for her perfect body and Big Boss fame finally tied the knot with long-time beau, business tycoon, Raj Kundra! After seeing Shilpa in so many bridal avatars in her movies, we were super excited to finally see her as a a real-life Bollywood bride!

Engagement

Shilpa and Raj held a small, private engagement on October 24th, 2009 at Raj’s home in Mumbai, India. Shilpa wore a stunningly simple pink and red chiffon sari designed by notorious Bollywood fashion designer, Manish Malhotra, with a gorgeous kundan set from Anmol Jewelers. Her engagement ring is reportedly worth over 5 million dollars and is bigger than the 14ct ring she was seen sporting before her engagement!

Shilpa and Raj finally make it official!

Shilpa and Raj’s wedding card made quite a splash as it was designed by famed Delhi-based designer and supposedly cost the couple Rs 500 per card.

Love the crest!

The perfect royal theme!

Mehndi Ceremony

Shilpa and Raj’s Mehndi ceremony took place on the morning of Saturday, November 21, 2009 at the Bawa villa. Shilpa and Raj picked a Hawaiian theme and Shilpa wore a bright pink swavorski-encrusted kaftan (designed by Tarun Tahiliani) to match the theme. Popular Mehndi Artist, Veena did the mehndi for both bridal parties.

Raj and Shilpa posing with their Mehndi Artist, Veena

Actress and gorgeous sister of the bride, Shamita Shetty

The bride-to-be gearing up for her big day with a beautiful mehndi design

Sangeet Ceremony

The Sangeet was also held at the Bawa Villa on Saturday, November 21st, in the evening.  Shilpa wore a stunning gold anarkali outfit designed by Tarun Tahiliani for her sangeet. The Sangeet is heard to have been an absolute blast with dances choreographed by Bollywood choreographer, Ganesh Hedge. The Shetty family performed a skit in which they imitated the Kundra family and danced to the song ‘Aahun, Aahun’ from the movie Love Aaj and Shilpa and Raj danced to a romantic number, ‘Teri Ore’ from Singh is Kingh (which is Shilpa’s ex-boyfriend, Akshay Kumar’s movie!).

Shilpa on the way to the Sangeet

showing off her beautiful mehndi

Wedding

The wedding ceremony took place at Shilpa’s friend and business partner’s home in Khandala (outside of Mumbai) on Sunday, November 22, 2009 and only close family and friends were invited. Shilpa and Raj combined both of their South Indian and Punjabi roots in terms of the wedding rituals. Raj arrived at the wedding on a silver horse-drawn charriot in traditional Punjabi style, with a lively baarath. Respecting Shila Shetty’s Bunt community heritage, they were married in  traditional Mangalorean style. The wedding menu included a delectable buffet of Hyderabadi and Awadhi dishes from Mumbai’s Foodlink restaurant.

The couple left no stone unturned in terms of their wedding outfits. Shilpa wore a  Tarun Tahiliani creation–a traditional burgundy and red brocade sari encrusted by Swavorsky jewels and a kamarbandh with rubies and Swarovski crystals. She added a Punjabi touch to her wedding day look by wearing ‘churaas’ (bangles). Shilpa’s jeweler also reports that Shilpa designed her own mangalsutra! Raj wore a maroon sherwani with gold zari work designed by Nikhil and Shantanu, carried a sword by his side and a string of pearls cascaded from his turban, depicting a perfect Punjabi groom behind the sehra.

the groom on his chariott

the bharaathi's (groom's wedding party) with the magnificent chariott

Shamita and her mother mother awaiting the groom

the blushing bride giggling away

newlyweds

we love the blouse and gajras!

the ravishing bride

she looked as beautiful as everyone expected

Reception

After a traditional wedding, it was time for a more westernized reception! Shilpa and Raj hosted a sophisticated event on Tuesday, November 24th at the Grand Hyatt in Mumbai. Shilpa wore a  crystal-encrusted gold lehenga-style gown (designed by Tarun Tahiliani) and Raj wore a black sherwani (designed by Nikhil and Shantanu) for the reception.

introducing...Mr. and Mrs. Kundra!

wedded bliss

a very happy Bollywood bride

Shilpa's makeup was perfect!

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!

Courtesy of goldzeit.eu

We all know that it is very important that a desi bride be well-versed in the matters of gold jewelry.  So here are some facts that every bride or bride-to-be should know before shopping for gold:

The “karat” of gold refers to the percentage of fine gold versus the percentage of other metals.  Since gold is too soft to be used in its purest form, it is usually mixed with other metals, also known as alloy, in order to harden and strengthen gold jewelry. The more gold is in the combination, the larger the karat. This can be easily detected by the color of the jewelry – more yellow in color as well. However, even in the same karat category, the color of the gold can vary depending on what other types of metal or alloy are in the combination. For example, mixing darker metals such as copper can give the jewelry a more reddish tone. On the other hand if a more yellow or white colored metal is used, the gold jewelry will have a brighter yellow look. When it comes to desi jewelry, this is often defined by where the gold jewelry was made. For example Rajasthani 22 karat gold tends to be a little more bright yellow in color whereas Jaipuri 22 karat gold tends to have a darker tone on the average. This should not be confused with the finish of the gold jewelry, which is basically the paint or coating on the surface of the jewelry, to enhance the look. An example of this is the antique look which is done with paint or a colored coating on top of the 22 karat gold jewelry. Below is a breakdown of what percentage of fine gold is present in the different types of karatage:

Karatage     Percentage of fine gold
8                     33.75

9                     37.8

10                   42

12                    50.25

14                    58.5

18                     75

22                     91.75

24                     100

Source of table: Rovin, Jeff, Laws of Order, p.32.

We discovered a few jewelry shopping basics;

• Bridal sets prices depend on karat, weight, color, intricacy of design, and whether all-gold, semi-precious and precious gemstones.
• Gold sets with gemstones are usually more expensive.
• This summer, the price of 22-karat gold varies between 32.5 dollars per gram to 36dollars per gram–depending how well you could bargain (in which case, taking along a particularly annoying Auntie might help!).
• Tip: Pay in cash and you won’t have to pay taxes, which can be a hefty sum, considering the thousands of dollars one set costs!

Here are some traditional, 22-karat bridal sets our friend, Syeda, tried out.

price: $6230
178 grams
$35.00/gram

price: $3,557
107.8 grams
$33/gram

price: $3,400
100 grams
$34/gram

price: $4,336
133.4 grams
$32.5/gram

Pohela Boishakh

Every year, on the first day of the year, Bengalis all over Bangladesh and India celebrate Pohela Boishakh–the Bengali New Year.  This day is filled with food, songs, new saris, etc.  However, one tradition that I learned about during my recent trip to Dhaka, Bangladesh was that of ‘Hal Khata’.  Hal Khata, which literally translates to ‘New Notebook’ in Bangla, is a custom in which jewelry buyers pay up all their debts to jewelry stores on Pohela Boishakh.  In order to show their appreciation, jewelry stores invite their customers for a feast on Pohela Boishakh, which occurs mid-April of every year.

Hal Khata is not only a fun celebration, but also a chance for jewelry stores to introduce their new line of jewelry for the upcoming year and a good time for brides to scope out the goods! My first experience of this Hal Khata tradition was on April of this year and when I stepped into New Jawra House in Dhaka–I was amazed to see the food, festivities, and the displays of new jewelry.

Pohela Boishakh

The Bengali New Year, Pohela Boishakh, is an ideal date for brides to buy jewelry.  Jewelry stores display never before seen items–the majority of which are booked and sold on this day.  I encountered several brides-to-be purchasing their wedding jewelry far in advance of their wedding date to get the best designs and prices. So if you’re planning a shopping trip for your trousseau in Bangladesh or Bengal in India, going during ‘Hal Khata’ would be a smart decision!