‘Tis the season to marry!

Renowned designers share their insight on wedding trends that are setting in and colours that will dominate this year.

Post-Eid is most definitely the season of weddings in Pakistan. No matter where you are residing in the country, it is the time when parents are busy tying their children’s knots and spending lavishly on food, jewellery, caterers, event planners and most notably on the wedding trousseau of the bride and the suit/sherwani for the groom.

Every year the trend for the wedding dress keeps changing. A few well renowned designers share their insight on trends that are setting in and colours that will dominate this season.

Aijaz Aslam of Aijazz says, “For the wedding season in particular this year, my Royal collection will feature the Mughal series that will elaborate with handwork, which will give a grand look of detailed intricate embroidery. The colours that we are toying with for sherwanis are black and beige combined with white and off-white undertones. The turbans too have greatly embellished, this time. Matching Salim-shahi’s are a must with the attire.”

Amir Adnan who does groom’s wear under the same name says, “I see a lot of black, deep blue, deep maroon and charcoal in the sherwanis with muted embellishment but no stone or gold work.”

When it comes to bridal dresses, Shahla Rahman of Unbeatable Bridal Lounge focuses on “light pastel colours like light pink, shades of mauve and beige. However, by December when it will be a little cooler, I plan to work on dark colours such as maroon, burgundy and bright red, as well.”  Rahman’s reception special during this current season remains, “light blue and aqua green.” Though she prefers ghararas and particularly farshee ghararas for her brides, she does shararas as well.

The public on the other hand are interested in something different this time. Rahman says, “People are coming in for antique material, with lots of diamantes, koras and dabkas, sequins, pearls and motifs for the wedding trousseau.” Rahman is also accessorising her ghararas and shararas with pouches that match well with the dress.

Bunto Kazmi who has been doing bridal for quite a few years now, says, “You know my designs have always been traditional but people must understand that we live in modern era and bridal wear must fall into contemporary times, too. So the hemlines are long now and shirts are very stylish. The predominant colour has always been red, but I think coral, pink, rust and orange are in these days. The palette is brighter and not pale.”

Published in The Express Tribune, September 25^th, 2010.