Sona Jewelers Brides of India | This past year my husband and I celebrated ten years of marriage. When we first got married I thought the ten year milestone would feel like forever, a huge change and shift, but it’s quite the contrary. Ten years have flown by within a blink of an eye, and while I have stories of our adventures us to fill pages, I think our love story is still “just beginning”. Earlier this year I had the privilege of partnering with Sona Jewelers to represent diverse bridal looks from around India. We captured looks and jewelry collections that represented the Northern, Eastern, Southern and Western regions of India. As I was researching the different regions I was continuously reminded of how beautiful it is to be different yet the same when it comes to being steeped in tradition.
There is a rush when planning something as amazing as your big day, every little detail makes you feel as if you are stitching together your own fairytale, piece by piece. From the clothes to the jewelry to the decor, every detail brings together a day many of us dream of. But what if you never saw someone that looked anything like you in your “dream?”
That was very much how I felt when I got married. There were zero bridal looks that looked like me, how I wanted to look. I remember creating a binder of ideas in preparation of wedding shopping but making notes like, longer top, give it shape, make sure the dupatta is long enough, should flatter shape, add extra length to the saree, etc etc.
In fact, when Sona Jewelers asked me to lead a campaign I actually blurted out, “Are you sure you want me?”
Which now looking back disappoints me greatly because I have confidence in my work ethic, in my voice, but I am still struggling with seeing myself in mainstream. Do a search on Pinterest for ‘Plus Indian Bride’, see what comes up. I promise you it’s nothing in comparison to the variety of looks you’ll find in the very general search of ‘Indian Bride’, which has jaw dropping results (queens I tell you), but the brides are all of similar sizes, there is zero size diversity. You could argue that it’s the search algorithm but I challenge you to show me designers, design houses, jewelers who choose to show brides in varying sizes. You may find one, if you’re lucky two, and that too trying to squeeze them in wearing the same garments.
While this campaign was very much out of my comfort zone, I knew I wanted to do it for the girl searching, the one who craves to see herself represented amongst her peers. And I’m so very thankful to brands like Sona who reply with a, “we are absolutely sure we want you” when I question myself.
It goes without saying that the look inspired by the Northern Region of India (the culturally rich states of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu-Kashmir, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh) hit home the closest for me. I knew exactly what look I wanted, after all, I’ve been her once before. A layer of statement pieces, an oversized yet delicate naath, a round tikka that stands out against bold eyes and a nude lip. This was my wedding look come full circle, ten years later.
For this look we layered kundan studded pieces including a gulband and rani haar. A custom nath was designed for this look and is available upon inquiry. For the outfit, I wore my wedding ceremony lengha and dupatta, a deep wine color with touches of zari, embroidery and stonework.
When choosing a look inspired by the Western Region of India (the culturally rich states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Goa) I knew I wanted to include elements of traditional Maharashtrian attire, the half moon bindi, a mundavalya, a beautiful nath. From my Moms side I have a little of that in me, my Nanima is Maharashtrian but I’ve never had the chance to wear anything traditional from the region. This felt like a beautiful way to honor all the cultures and history that make me, me.
For this look we layered polki pieces with temple jewelry. A custom nath was designed for this look and is available upon inquiry! For the saree, we draped my engagement saree, a beautiful bridal green and gold kanjivaram.
It was a pleasure to plan and channel a bride inspired by the Southern Region of India, , the culturally rich states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Goa with brides adorned with the finest of silks and traditional 22 karat gold jewelry.
For this look we chose to layer delicate and bold pieces to create a custom look. For the final touches I wore haath phool and a kamarband with intricate detailing.
When putting together the look inspired by the Eastern Region of India, the culturally rich states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Andaman and Nicobar Islands we chose to go with a true red saree to pick up against the gold.
We chose a traditionally Eastern spree drape with a red center bindi surrounded by smaller ones framing the eyebrows. The jewelry, while modern, yet reflecting the richness of Indian culture.
This partnership tugs at my heartstrings and is full circle, as our first step to forever started with Sona Jewelers. From ring shopping to push present shopping, Sona has become like our extended family when it comes to celebrations.
PHOTOGRAPHER | MUAH | STYLIST | VENUE | HENNA
This post is sponsored by Sona Jewelers, all opinions expressed are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands we love.
