Who wouldn’t want to look beautiful on their wedding day in a bridal lehenga? Every one of us has fantasised about making a spectacular entrance at your wedding venue and going down the aisle in that exquisite bridal lehenga since we were little. We all connected to Alia Bhatt’s line from her movie, “Mai shaadi karungi toh kareena wala designer lehenga pehenke karungi, warna dulhe ko tata-tata bye-bye kar dungi.”

The majority of brides-to-be start their wedding preparations with their shopping. Wedding shopping is enjoyable, but it’s also a laborious activity that costs money, time, and effort. Additionally, hosting many events at your wedding venue necessitates wearing multiple outfits, which only increases the pressure. You must choose eye-catching styles that work for all occasions. These days, Instagram and Pinterest are our primary sources of wedding inspiration. This involves spending many hours reading through pages of stunning lehenga designs, but you still finish up feeling confused.

Now that the bridal fashion industry has developed and is expanding quickly every day, it is quite difficult to select the ideal bridal lehenga. The best luxury designers in India produce a tonne of collections each year, and although it’s fine to save each one on your wish list, there are a few important factors to take into account. Style and colour are just two, followed by fabric selection.

What style of lehenga is best for you then? Who are the top bridal designers we recommend for your special day?

1. Manish Malhotra

Where do we even start? The name speaks for itself. The Manish Malhotra a term that signifies elegance and luxury is someone who cherishes tradition, culture, and legacy.

Brides from all over the world dream of wearing one of his iconic, deftly hand-embroidered lehenga designs during their wedding, which Bollywood superstars adore.

This is the man for your ideal wedding lehenga if you’re looking for “old-world charm” in deep hues.

Malhotra has a well-earned reputation as the go-to man for brides who enjoy the limelight as he is known as Bollywood’s chosen one for his outright extravagant tendencies. One of the mainstays of his collections is a second-skin itsy-bitsy blouse worn with voluminous skirts, slim dupattas, sheer panels, and dramatic trails. 

The ideal Manish Malhotra bride is, unsurprisingly, “distinctive, confident, and modern while also taking pride in her lineage.  She expresses her personality through her choice of clothing.  While she combines tradition and modernity, she is also not scared of trying something new”.

Malhotra is frequently the first option for brides searching for modern comfort, from Vogue India’s digital editor Shruti Thacker to Poorna Patel.

 When choosing your bridal attire, the designer emphasises the significance of the weather. The fabrics and design will be determined by the location and season of the performance. For instance, soft pastel colours work well with a seaside backdrop since they are both basic and modern, he says. 

Malhotra also exhorts brides to break free of the traditional red and maroon palette. Not to be overlooked for the millennial bride’s colour scheme are shades like powder blue, mauve, rose gold, millennial pink, aqua, white, mint, and soft coral.

2. Sabyasachi Mukherjee 

One of those well-known designers, Sabyasachi, may make you appear like a million dollars on your wedding day. You will definitely look different from all at your wedding venue.

In recent years, brides from all over the world have embraced Sabyasachi’s designs and frequently go to great measures to arrange a trip to one of his customised boutiques to purchase that one-of-a-kind, custom lehenga for their wedding. He has become the man of the moment and has completely taken over Instagram, releasing incredible wedding collections every year.

Sabyasachi, who may be among the top designers in the nation, draws inspiration from the allure and retro vibes of Kolkata’s old-world neighbourhoods. Although the materials and textures that go into his lehenga designs are relatively conventional, it is the way they are put together that flatters all body types.

Sabyasachi is the perfect designer for you, regardless of your age, body type, or size.

It’s fair to say that Sabyasachi and Indian weddings are nowadays somewhat interchangeable terms. With his unique take on tradition for the millennial bride, the legendary designer has become a favourite among genuine and famous brides alike. While many believe their trousseau would be lacking without one of the designer’s hallmark pieces, others look to him for their full wedding attire.

For example, Deepika Padukone and Anushka Sharma only wore Sabyasachi clothing for their wedding-related events. The ideal Sabyasachi bride, in Mukherjee’s opinion, is “self-assured, confident, sensitive to art and craft, and likes to wear exquisite things but not just for appearance purposes.” She has an intrinsic appreciation and knowledge of crafts, which is why every year, the designer blends in rare textiles, traditional crafts and historical techniques that are soon getting outdated, into his creations.

3. Anamika Khanna

Anamika Khanna is undoubtedly one of our favourite modern bridal fashion designers.

The creator of the contemporary draped sari, Anamika’s design ideas is perfectly suited for the fashion-forward bride who isn’t afraid to try something new while yet adhering to her traditional roots. Her well-cut, handcrafted works are evidence of her love for tradition and legacy.

Her bridal lehenga outfits include delicate lacework, hand-painted patterns, and a variety of lovely muted colours.

Yes, it is an investment, but consider it a long-term asset. garments that may be worn repeatedly and never go out of style. 

Brides who aren’t scared to defy the dress code have taken a liking to her use of locally produced materials with western silhouettes. Sophistication, not excessive decoration, is the goal of the typical Anamika Khanna bridal. Therefore, Khanna’s designs are a reference to the bride’s lifestyle as a global citizen, enabling her to honour her roots without compromising her outlook on the world.

The designer’s designs frequently feature capes and bling-free embroidery. The former is worn with a variety of outfits, including lehengas, draped skirts, flared pants, and dhoti pants. For both her bidai and reception, Sonam Kapoor wore custom-made outfits by the designer—a blush pink lehenga and a cape lehenga set—while Mira Rajput Kapoor for her pheras opted for an embroidered lehenga.

4. Anita Dongre

All of Anita’s bridal attire is elegant. Thanks to her distinctive gota-patti embroidery, she has become stronger over the years.

Anita Dongre’s lehenga dresses are full of new and modern vibes and available in a variety of colours, and textures, and with exquisite feminine embroidery work that brides identify with. Simple, airy lehenga-cholis that are suitable for any occasion—nothing over the top or fussy.

Her most recent styles even have pockets that are perfect for Wet wipes, lipstick, mobile devices, or anything! The cholis and lehengas may be worn individually, so you can mix and match them. Customize as much as you like.

Her designs are characterised by attention to detail and comfort, which is why her lehengas are gaining popularity among brides who are attending destination weddings. Her designs make a bride look extraordinary at her wedding venue.

Anita Dongre frequently draws inspiration from the rich craft history of Rajasthan, and she has built a following of customers who relate to her distinctive use of gota patti and brilliant colours. This bride is traditional at heart but has a global spirit. Although she appreciates comfort, she is connected to her roots. As a result, the designer frequently experiments with pieces for the wedding, lehengas with pockets, and fuss-free jacket blouses.

The bride from Anita Dongre is intelligent, worldly, and fiercely independent. She should develop her own distinctive personal style rather than copying others. Dongre counsels brides to put comfort first when choosing their wedding attire. This decision shouldn’t be based on trends. Instead of being hindered by heavy outfits, choose lehengas that are lightweight and allow for easy mobility.

5. Tarun Tahiliani

Tarun Tahiliani, a pioneer of haute couture and a master of draping, stands out from other designers for a variety of reasons. Tarun co-founded Ensemble, India’s first multi-designer shop, and was the first Indian designer to exhibit at Milan Fashion Week.

Tarun Tahiliani is the go-to designer for brides who want to invest in something classic, elegant, and timeless.

Tarun Tahiliani is one of the most renowned designers in the field, and his works are as revered as his legacy. His design goal is straightforward: Using time-tested crafts and techniques while also providing outfits with an ethereal lightness to prevent the bride from feeling burdened by the weight of her attire.

His ideal Bride is an intelligent, fashionable, and self-aware woman with a contemporary consciousness. She doesn’t want to appear haughty or royal. She prefers to combine her individuality with glamour. According to the designer, this bride is the “new voice of tradition” and cherishes the highest calibre because that is what she is familiar with. 

Tahiliani opposes bridal attire because it acts as an oppressive mask for pointless labour. Comfort and luxury should not be subjective, even though aesthetics may be. “The majority of brides worry that other people will perceive them as being heavier. In your wedding gown, you ought to be able to move around, have fun, and dance, in his opinion. 

In order to avoid having to make such a significant investment that ends up in a rusty box, Tahiliani also encourages couples to look for bridal clothing that they can wear again in the future. “I have always preferred basic chiffon saris for the choli, palazzos with peplum blouses, and coordinates for the lehenga.”

There is no denying the popularity of the lehenga choli as wedding attire for brides, and while there are many design options available, the final choice is ultimately yours. Ask yourself the crucial questions and make preparation. Whether it’s a Sabya, Manish, or Anita Dongre production, the ultimate goal is to look gorgeous with comfort. 

Which bridal designers are your favourite? Tell us in the comments section below.