The first thing that comes to mind when you think of South Indian brides is the Kanjeevaram saari and the over the top golden jewellery they adorn during the wedding ceremony. Let’s not forget the elegant hair updo, be it a heavy bun or a braid, that it is laden with ornate jewellery or a gajra or a combination of both. The South Indian look is very typical but is now becoming a trend. Many opt for going all out with the traditional look, however, there are also some brides out there who give it a little twist of their own and blend traditional with contemporary.

We have created a list of many such brides, who rocked the South Indian bride look, for you to get inspired.

The Traditional Bridal Look

When we speak of a bride being traditional, she wears an elegantly draped Kanjeevaram saree with loads of gold jewellery from head to toe and a hair updo that will make everyone speechless.

Isn’t she looking stunning? Her Orange and Golden saree is going extremely well with the shining gold jewellery she has around her neck, on her hands and waist. Along with that, her head jewellery, which is different from the overall gold provides elegance to the overall look. And the entire look is being completed by the wonderful braid which has the same jewellery design as that of the headpiece and the bunch of jasmine gajra.

Now that’s what we call gold overload. Full arms and the entire upper half of her body is covered with gold. She did let go of the heavy head jewels going for a simple mangtika and a big bunch of gajra, but that is what marks her look so beautiful.

Another traditionally dressed bride who I believe has just finished with her wedding ceremony. Even though she isn’t wearing too much jewellery, she just gives the typical traditional South Indian bride vibes. Doesn’t she?

Nothing much to say here. Just another bride who fits the definition of traditional south Indian bride beauty.

The Minimalist Bridal Look

In direct contrast with the above, we have brides who have ditched the over the top look and gone ahead with light make-up and light jewellery. But, in no shape or form does it hamper the beauty that comes when they dress up as a South Indian bride.

This bride is definitely rocking the minimalist look with her blue and purple saree, with a golden-hued border on the saree and blouse. She has paired it with golden 2-layer necklace with a matching waistband, earrings and mangtika. Her make-up is also simple with wine-colored lips and dark outlines eyes. To finish off the bridal look, her hair has been done in a bun and decorated with rose petals.

Another gorgeous bride who went with the minimalist trend. Wearing a pink Kanjeevaram saree with a pink and green embellished blouse, she has paired the ensemble with stunning temple jewellery. Her makeup, consisting of pink lips and light eyeshadow, compliments the entire look.

Here is another stunning flagbearer of minimalism with a lovely maroon saree and temple jewellery. The understated makeup highlights the maroon color and the gold coin hair accessory compliments the entire look.

The Diamond Bridal Look

They say that a diamond is a woman’s best friend and it’s true to an extent. The shimmer of a diamond on white gold or platinum exudes elegance and regalness like no other.

Her diamond set, from the mangtika to the necklace, is not only matching the red and green embroidery the saree blouse has but also elevating the overall bridal look. She has topped it off with red lipstick and subtle makeup.

Doesn’t she look stunning? The pairing of her white, red and golden on her saree with the diamond set having red and green stones is extremely well done.

Do I even have to say anything? The bride’s smile says it all.

The Veiled Bridal Look

Generally, the South Indian brides do not cover their heads with a dupatta or a separate veil as is the tradition with the North Indian brides. However, some brides have now started adorning the veil and let me tell you, it goes very well with the sarees. In my opinion, everyone should try this twist once in their life.

Can anybody say that the veil is ideally not a part of her ensemble? It looks as if the veil was specifically made with this saree. Doesn’t she just look amazing in her pink and golden outfit and golden jewellery?

And what about her? Hasn’t the veil added more depth to the entire golden vibe?

The matching pink veil and the subtle touch of the gold that the headband provides are enough to make this bride look nothing short of a South Indian princess.

The only reaction that comes to my mind when seeing this stunning bride is WOW! 

The Colorful Bridal Look

Don’t we usually associate weddings with either the shades of red? And in South India, we will mostly see yellow, red, orange and golden. But there are some brides that are experimenting with more vibrant colors.

Either the bride chose this blue wall based on the color of her saree or she chose the saree color based on the wall color. This photo just soothes your eyes and makes you appreciate the color combination she chose for D-day.

This color is one of my personal favorites out of all the colors. There simply something so royal about this color and the bride has fantastically pulled it off. The jewellery looks like it was custom made to match the work done on the saree and the subtle make-up makes her look sophisticated yet elegant.

Green is another color that calms your soul. And this bride has so elegantly worn this color and paired it with shimmering jewellery and lush white gajra. The make artist has done a fantastic job to highlight the green color with extremely light makeup.

Turquoise reminds you of the sea and the golden background makes this color pop. The bride looks amazing in this color and she has paired it with a diamond set. The contrast lipstick color finishes the entire look.

Aren’t pink and blue such evergreen color combinations? The above two brides have pulled it off so perfectly that I can imagine how the guests at their wedding would have reacted.

The Celebrity Brides

The South Indian look is not limited to only South Indian ladies, but many celebrities have also worn the traditional Kanjeevaram saree on their wedding day.

Actress Esha Deol (Kanjeevaram saree designed by Neeta Lulla)

Esha Deol, daughter of Dhamendra and Hema Malini transformed into a traditional South Indian bride. Seeing that Hema Malini hails from South India, it seemed quite obvious that her daughter adorns a Kanjeevaram. Esha Deol wore two outfits for her wedding ceremony; her 1st ensemble being a unique magenta and turquoise combination and then later she wore a traditional red lehenga with gota work. The golden jewellery was the same on both these outfits and the lehenga was draped in south Indian style.

Actress Shilpa Shetty (Wedding Saree by Tarun Tahiliani)

Although her saree is not the traditional Kanjeevaram, but the way she draped it along with the jewellery made her one of the most beautiful South Indian bride. She also went with the red colored saree which was studded with Swarovski crystal and she wore kundan jewellery with uncut diamonds and emerald. Her hairdo, which was filled with jasmine flowers, was also extravagant.

Actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan (Kanjeevaram saree by Neeta Lulla)

Aishwarya is known as one of the most beautiful women in the world and when this woman decides to get married, one is sure to get mesmerized. In not a secret that she hails from South India so it was imperative that she go with a South Indian look on her wedding. She wore a yellow and golden Kanjeevaram saree which was studded with Swarovski crystal and golden threadwork. The attire was paired with 22 karat gold jewellery with emeralds and a braided hairdo with a bun. The flowers covered the entire expanse of the bun and braid and also had golden coins in between.

The Fancy Hairstyle Bride

The hair accessories are also an essential element of the South Indian bride that sets her apart from any other North Indian bride. The brides usually go with the traditional jasmine flower gajra with few ornaments. But there can be various other variations that look equally elegant. Below are some pics to show you some of these variations. 

My Personal Favorite Bridal Look

Lastly, I want to show you two of my favorite South Indian bridal looks that I have fallen in love with.

I’m not sure what attracted me to this look, was it the color of the saree? The minimal jewellery? or the make-up? 

But the moment I looked at this picture, I was drawn to it like a moth is drawn to a flame.

I can surely tell you what drew me to this picture. It is the uniqueness of the color combination. This type of combination of white, blue and yellow has never been seen in a South Indian wedding (atleast by me) and I’m sure the bride must have made a style statement with this. There’s nothing over the top but she still looks like a traditional South Indian bride.

Here are some more pictures of stunning South Indian brides in the traditional South Indian look.

So what are you waiting for? Take inspiration from these Kanjeevaram silk saree bridal looks and plan your wedding attire from now and who knows, you may end up making a style statement or starting a trend.

Our @VenueMonk team would like to know which look inspired you the most.