The Sari-Clad Bride absolutely loves fusion weddings, especially when the couple is as detail-oriented as Sara and Joel were! Sara combined her Bangladeshi traditions with Joel’s Filipino culture to create an ideal wedding day for both of them.

Let’s get started with an adorable mehndi night!

Sara and Joel invited their very close friends and family to share in one of Sara’s favorite parts of a Desi wedding: the Mehndni! Sara wore an adorable peagreen salwar suit, and let her hands take over the show.

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Piyali & Tariq’s Big Fat Bengali Wedding continues with their gorgeous reception. Check out the super helpful tips the bride gives for future Sari-Clad brides!

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A few weeks ago, we featured Piyali and Tariq’s wedding video and promised you images from this beautiful Bengali wedding, and here they are!

This vivacious bride left absolutely no stone unturned in planning her Big Fat Bengali Wedding. From ultra-traditional outfits to fish-themed wedding decor, Piyali made sure every part of her wedding represented how proud she is of her heritage.

Piyali’s aunt, applying Chandan (sandalwood paste) to her forehead. Traditionally, chandan is applied in artistic patterns on the bride (and groom’s) face.

The beautiful mandap.

Entrance: Piyali’s brother and friends carry her in on a Piri. A Bengali bride’s face remains covered by betel leaves until she meets her groom.

Tariq’s mother putting a ‘loha’ (iron) bangle on Piyali. A Loha bangle is a marriage symbol for a Bengali bride.

The groom gets sindoor, too!

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The Sari-Clad Bride is always on the look-out for chic, elegant brides. Bollywood Bengali beauty, Konkona Sen Sharma, is the perfect example of how understated elegance can be an amazing look for a Desi Bride.

Konkona’s style is generally very minimalistic so it’s no surprise that she chose a refined look for her nuptials. She wore her grandmother’s antique kundan jewelry and a light-gold bridal sari. Ranvir Shorey represented the Punjabi bridegroom perfectly arriving on a horse wearing a traditional ‘sehra’ (headdress).

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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.

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